The Woodens River Watershed as valued
Natural Greenspace in Halifax, Nova Scotia

The Woodens River Watershed encompasses a set of 19 lakes draining into St. Margaret's Bay at Woodens Cove. Five of 7 of the headwater lakes lie in the vicinity of Hubley, roughly half way across the top of the Chebucto Peninsula travelling via Hwy 103; four of those lakes are moderately settled. The Woodens River develops as a recognizable, singular river - the "Lower Woodens" as it flows out from Hubley Big Lake; it is fast moving, slowing where it widens into each of 7 lakes.

Overall, the Upper Woodens (Hubley Big Lake upwards) is a mixture of settled and unsettled, acidic, oligotrophic to oligo-mesotrophic lakes, some lying partially or wholly in the Five Bridges Lakes Wilderness Protected Area. Settlement consists of older residences and small communities, and post-1970 bedroom communities. Most of the lakes of the Upper Woodens have extensive shallows with large rocks which discourage use of speedboats. The lakes and landscapes are highly valued by residents and visitors for their natural recreational values. With some exceptions, the lakefronts have been kept largely in native vegetation.

Most of the Lower Woodens can be characterized as near-pristine wilderness, privately owned, with only camps as settlement until you get close to the mouth, where there is a handful of permanent residences. The Lower Woodens has traditionally been the domain of fisherfolk, hunters, ATVers (the latter especially during winter) and hikers. Minimally maintained K-roads, passable by ATVs, mountain bikes, walking and jeeps/trucks (with a high wheel base), provide some access but much of the area is accessible only by ATV trails &/or via the water or walking. The Lower Woodens is a classic, almost entirely unspoiled river and riverscape, rare in today's world, certainly that close to a major urban center (Halifax). Moose and bear roam the woods. The Lower Woodens river supports, purportedly, the healthiest brook trout populations in the lower reaches of any river on mainland Nova Scotia (fishing by Catch and Release only), in spite of acid stress on the system; these are heritage trout populations.

More details about the Woodens River Watershed are available at www.wrweo.ca