| |
New land, old land
Its name means “new land,” but of course Terra Nova is not really new. In fact, some of its rock formations are more than 500 million years old.
Located on Newfoundland’s beautiful north coast, Terra Nova National Park is full of natural wonders. It’s a place where wild ocean waves crash against rocky cliffs, and ancient boreal forests sprawl over inland hills and around secret bogs and ponds. All kinds of wildlife wander through its 400 square kilometres. If you’re lucky, you’ll even spot the adorable Newfoundland marten, an endangered species found only on the island.
It’s a magical landscape. Visitors can camp, and hike the park’s many trails. You can canoe or kayak on inland rivers or lakes, or you can go on a boat tour in Newman Sound. You can even just drive through, but if you’re not careful, you could get caught in a bear-jam. That’s when a car full of sightseers slows down to get a closer look at a roadside bear, and causes traffic to back up. The bears are wild, so don’t get out of that car!
Even though its landscape is ancient, it actually makes sense to call the park Terra Nova, because it has only been a national park since 1957. There were all kinds of special events at the park for its 50th birthday. As part of the festivities, on July 6, 2007, Canada Post issued a domestic rate (52¢) stamp to celebrate a half-century of outdoor fun at Terra Nova National Park.
|
|
