Cape Jourimain
Activity at Cape Jourimain in January is usually restricted to hardy hikers and dogged birders. But with the Cape Jourimain Nature Centre on the horizon of that wind-swept coast, the development zone, at least, is bustling.
One percent of the Cape Jourimain National Wildlife Area has been set aside for development of interpretation and conservation facilities. Construction crews are working on the Nature Centre complex, including the Entry Building, which will house a New Brunswick Visitor Information Centre, nature store and snack bar. Also underway is an Interpretation Centre, which will contain exhibits about the natural and cultural history of the area.
In keeping with the Cape Jourimain sustainable development theme, the buildings feature environmentally-friendly technologies, such as dry composting toilets and using rain water collection for the gray water supply.
The members of Cape Jourimain Nature Centre (CJNC), the group overseeing the development of the site, are working to preserve the natural environment while encouraging responsible usage of the area. CJNC is a community-based corporation comprised of volunteers from the region. Their goal is to relate the natural and cultural history of the property as well as sensitizing individuals about the role they can play in environmental conservation.
Cape Jourimain National Wildlife Area, the property on which the Nature Centre sits, contains a variety of diverse habitats - sand dunes, salt marsh, brackish marsh, beaches and forested uplands - along the coast between Spence Settlement and Bayfield. The Area is a major staging area for migratory birds and offers world-class eco-tourism opportunities.
There are also plans for a 13-km network of four walking trails covering 650 hectares, and an observation tower from which visitors can view the Northumberland Strait and surrounding countryside. A main parking lot and small overflow lot are now complete.
While visitors are welcome to explore the Wildlife Area, access to the construction site is prohibited for safety reasons.