Conservation Areas
Select areas are protected by the Town of Portugal Cove- St. Philip’s through a Stewardship Agreement that was signed on June 19th, 2015. This agreement not only recognizes this area as a significant area to protect and conserve the wetland and habitats, but also only allows certain activities to take place in an effort to not disturb the area. As part of the agreement the Town plans to work towards a Habitat Conservation Plan.
Blast Hole Ponds
The Blast Hole Ponds area is a large area of land that is beautiful for hiking and spending time outdoors. There is a hiking trail where you can overlook Conception Bay and a series of waterfalls from the Blast Hole Ponds River into the ocean.
Local lore suggests the name Blast Hole Ponds came from Bell Island Iron Ore miners who thought the ponds looked like holes caused by blasting.
It is very important to the Town that people enjoy this outdoor space as well as help us to protect it and care for it. We encourage residents and visitors to use the “leave no trace” philosophy when using our natural spaces. Please do not leave garbage or gear and dumping is prohibited in the area.
Riparian
There are three Management Units in Portugal Cove – St. Philip’s that include the riparian buffers around three of the major outlets, runoff rivers and streams which run into the eastern side of Conception Bay. They include:
- the stream and tributaries running from Western Pond and Millers Pond into Portugal Cove
- the stream running into Conception Bay from Beachy Cove Ponds
- the stream running into Broad Cove from Little Power’s Pond and Barking Kettle Pond.
Riparian buffers are strips of untouched vegetation occurring between upland areas and wetlands, lakes, rivers, ponds and streams. They are composed of trees, shrubs, grasses, cattails and sedges and are important for wildlife as “corridors” for travel, protection from predators, and a safe haven against inclement weather.
Voisey’s Brook
This Management Unit is approximately 42 hectares and is located northeast of Millers Pond. It is an expansion of Voisey’s Brook Park, a popular and widely used recreational area. The Town of Portugal Cove – St. Philip’s is a leader in wildlife conservation in a chain of committed partners across North America. In eastern Canada, this partnership is known as the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture (EHJV).
