Overview
The Beldings Reef Nature Preserve consists of 5.7 hectares (14.01 acres) of rugged coastline along the Bay of Fundy, in the community of Chance Harbour. It contains valuable ecological features including reddish shale and sandstone cliffs, ledges, and reefs jutting into the ocean.
The preserve contains some rare and uncommon species like knotted pearlwort (Sagina nodosa ssp. Borealis) and Rand’s eyebright (Euphrasia randii).
History
Daniel Belding moved to Saint John from Connecticut in the late 1700s, becoming an early resident of the Chance Harbour area. In 1819, he and his son Samuel succeeded in petitioning for several lots in Little Dipper Harbour, and the Belding family built a homestead on this land which now bears their name. In 2004, the Nature Trust preserved the Beldings Reef Nature Preserve through the generous donation of Mrs. Dorothy Haley, in memory of her late husband. Mrs. Haley’s gift preserves its unique natural features and ensures it remains available for future generations to enjoy.
The Beldings Reef Nature Preserve is located within traditional Wabanaki territory. The Nature Trust is proud to protect this important piece of New Brunswick’s natural heritage in perpetuity.
Ecology
The Beldings Reef Nature Preserve offers visitors a taste of wildness, with a mature coastal forest of red spruce (Picea rubens), balsam fir (Abies balsamea), and mountain ash (Sorbus americana). Among the various sphagnum mosses, cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea), sweet gale (Myrica gale), blue flag Iris (Iris versicolor), seaside plantain (Plantago maritima) and crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) can be found.
The preserve boasts spectacular views of the Bay of Fundy, and the sound of rolling ocean swells breaking on reefs and red shale cliffs. The property attracts bird species including common eider (Somateria mollissima), hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus), and black guillemot (Cepphus grylle).
Access and Activities
One walking trail is found on the nature preserve, which leads through the woods until it meets the ocean and ends at the navigation light (formerly a lighthouse) at the end of the peninsula. Please refer to the map below for an overview of the trail.
Parking for preserve visitors is available adjacent to the nearby Seaside Baptist Church. Look for the sign and safely park on the grassed lot behind the church.
The entrance to the preserve is just a short walk from the Baptist Church along the Chance Harbour Road. Walk along the Chance Harbour Road that dead ends at the private driveway that leads to the trail on the preserve. Look for the Nature Trust’s sign. If the chain is up, walk around the gate post and proceed on the driveway. The entrance to the preserve is just a short distance away.
*The property is undeveloped and there are a variety of hazards and risks associated with accessing this preserve. While this nature preserve is open for public access, visitors must assume responsibility for their own actions and safety and are to use the land at their own risk.