Newly established Harrys River Nature Reserve in Stephenville Crossing protects 118 hectares

    Thursday, 5 March 2026 06:00

    By Tonya Organ

    NCC submitted photo

    The river winds through the reserve, connecting Georges Lake to the St. George’s River Estuary and provides key spawning grounds for Atlantic salmon.

    There’s a new nature reserve in Stephenville Crossing that protects an area of 118 hectares of wetlands, river shoreline, and forest. Piers Evans is the Nature Conservancy of Canada Program Director for Newfoundland and Labrador. He says the Harrys River Nature Reserve is home to many at-risk species. The river winds through the reserve, connecting Georges Lake to the St. George’s River Estuary and provides key spawning grounds for Atlantic salmon. Some of the wildlife that benefit from the area include woodland caribou and Newfoundland pine marten, which is provincially listed as vulnerable under the Endangered Species Act. A wide variety of birds also depend on the area for breeding, nesting and feeding. Provincially rare birds such as great blue heron, black-headed gull and olive-sided flycatcher, which is listed as threatened under the federal Species at Risk Act, are notable ones. 

    Evans says they’re new to the town of Stephenville Crossing and open to anyone with questions. The project was made possible through the generous support of the Cahill Family Foundation, the Patten Family Foundation and private donors.

     

     

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