Salmonier Nature Reserve

Lanna Campbell and Polly look out over the Salmonier River (Photo by Trevor Nickerson)

The Salmonier Nature Reserve is 410 hectares of pure wilderness an hour’s drive south of St. John’s. With your help, we can double the amount of land protected and cared for here. 

The nature reserves landscape is made of a combination of underlying geology and moist climate making a location for a high diversity of lichens. Lichens might not seem like an important species, but they have many uses: as food and nesting materials for animals, as indicators of air quality, and even for use in some medicines. Some of the lichens found in the area are found almost nowhere else in the world. Lichen studies on NCC’s Salmonier Nature Reserve confirmed the presence of boreal felt lichen and blue felt lichen — both are species at risk.

The Salmonier River is known by locals and visitors alike for its large runs of wild Atlantic salmon. By conserving the land along its riverbanks and uplands, we can protect the health of the river system so it can continue doing what it does well: providing habitat for local wildlife as well as hosting anglers from around the world. 

A variety of wildlife can be found at the Salmonier Nature Reserve, including peregrine falcon, short-eared owl, red fox, and species at risk, like red crossbill and olive-sided flycatcher.

The Salmonier River Nature Reserve can be accessed from a small road off Hwy 90, in Mount Carmel-Mitchells Brook-St. Catherines.