Tucked behind the former school-turned-community hub, a recently renovated boardwalk and trail system winds through the woods and offers numerous viewpoints onto the salt marsh. Along the way, learn about Mi’kmaq culture, marsh ecology and history from over 20 interpretive signs created and maintained by Yarmouth Recreation and local individuals.
Here’s something you might learn on your journey along the trail: Arcadia is just the northern tip of the sprawling Chebogue salt marsh system, a 343-hectare estuary that follows the Chebogue River out to the sea. This is a place where birds nest and young fish feed on decomposing plant matter, sheltered from the rough ride of the open ocean. Marsh vegetation and topography slow wave action and create a nutrient-rich haven for young wildlife, below and above the waterline. That’s why we call salt marshes Nature’s Nursery.