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Welcome to Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site of Canada!
Fire Caches at Keji Kejimkujik researchers are studying the health of the Acadian Forest. They are conducting experiments on sites located in and around Kejimkujik. Studies on various management techniques will include deer exclosures, prescribed burning, and tree girdling. Exploring Keji’s Fire Cache geocaching challenge will bring you to these areas of innovative science and help you understand how Parks Canada manages protected areas. Parks Canada strives to restore and maintain the ecological integrity of our national parks. To accomplish this, the genetic diversity of native species and communities must be preserved and key ecological processes must remain intact. When the structure or function of an ecosystem has been seriously altered, suppressed, or removed, intervening with active management may be the only way to restore ecological integrity. Emulating natural processes like fire and wind are forms of active management.
You are looking for a small cache container containing log book, pencil & punch (for your passport). Download the passport HERE; use the punch in each of the 5 caches to punch your passport. When you complete all 5 you have a chance to earn a limited edition trackable patch & achievement pin.
Wild Fire – Michael Martin Murphey – 1975
A song inspired by aboriginal legend about a ghost horse running free and people coming through difficult times. Prescribed Fire at Big Dam in 2010.
Fire can be used as a tool to manage species populations.
This fenced in area is called an exclosure and will help to evaluate the effects of deer browsing on young hardwood trees.
The Big Dam site has white pine, red oak, red maple, white birch, balsam fir, and red spruce. Ground vegetation includes bunchberry, blueberry, starflower and teaberry.
The understory regeneration is primarily white pine. Red oak regeneration is browsed by deer and is limited at the site. Red oak has been prevalent in southwest Nova Scotia for 8,800 years. It provides acorns, a critical protein-rich food source for many animals. Living and dead oaks also provide crucial habitat for cavity-nesters like flying squirrels and barred owls.
Fire plays a role in maintaining red oak in the Acadian forest. After a fire, the deep roots of red oak seedlings are able to quickly and repeatedly regenerate because they contain an abundance of dormant buds. Red oak trees have a high resistance to fire, due to their thick bark which protects the cambium from heat. By mimicking natural disturbances of wind and fire within Kejimkujik, Parks Canada will be able to monitor the effects of these management actions on the forest and assess whether or not the Acadian forest will benefit.
The geocache is a partnership of the Atlantic Canada Geocaching Association, and Kejimkujik National Park. Please pay appropriate park entry fees. As per the Parks Canada geocaching policy: Trade items are not permitted in caches, this includes Travel Bugs.
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Bienvenue au Parc national et lieu historique du Canada Kejimkujik!
La cache est située sur le bord du sentier
Partez à la recherche d’un petit contenant vert en plastique Lexan qui renferme un message du personnel du parc, un journal de bord, un crayon et un poinçon. Téléchargez votre passeport en cliquantICI. Après avoir une cache, poinçonnez votre passeport. Si vous découvrez les cinq caches, vous courez la chance de gagner une géopièce à tirage limité.
Les activités de géocachette sont le résultat d’un partenariat entre l’Atlantic Canada Geocaching Association et le parc national Kejimkujik. N’oubliez pas de payer les droits d’entrée du parc. Conformément aux lignes directrices sur la géocachette de Parcs Canada, les objets d’échange (y compris les « Travel Bugs ») sont interdits dans les caches.
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