Tantramar Marshes

Tantramar Marshes is a large salt marsh and protected area on the Chignecto Isthmus, connecting New Brunswick to Nova Scotia through wetland where tides push water far inland. The landscape is dominated by salt grasses, open water channels, and low shrubs that change throughout the year with the tides and seasons.

In the 1600s and 1700s, French Acadian settlers built a system of dikes to turn the salt marshes into farmland, changing the landscape dramatically. Later, English settlers expanded this work, creating one of North America's most productive agricultural zones at that time.

The name comes from the French word tintamarre, meaning the sound of rushing tides and the cries of thousands of wild geese that live here. These sounds remain a key part of the experience when you visit the wetland.

You can visit the marshes year-round for hiking, bird watching, and other activities, though access to certain areas may be limited during hunting seasons. It is best to come early in the morning or at dusk when wildlife is most active and the light is good for viewing.

The soil here is constantly enriched by sediment from the Bay of Fundy, which has some of North America's most powerful tides that push water and nutrients far inland. This natural process created exceptionally fertile land that once supported massive hay harvests.