Iain Rankin

The provincial government is taking the first steps to better protect biodiversity in Nova Scotia. Lands and Forestry Minister Iain Rankin tabled the Biodiversity Act on Thursday. The move is something requested in the independent review of forest practices. The act will help manage threats to ecosystems and better protect wild species, said Rankin. It closes gaps where the Wildlife Act, Endangered Species Act and other legislation might not have applied, he said. In particular, Rankin said the bill would better protect invertebrates, plants and their ecosystems along with species before they become endangered. “We needed something proactive to help keep common species common.”