Musquash Coastal Trail Restoration

The Maritime Coastal Trail Restoration project will take place within the Musquash Estuary Nature Reserve in New Brunswick. Located near Saint John, the reserve protects a diverse coastal landscape that includes beaches, mudflats, salt marshes, rocky headlands, coastal forests and islands. The Musquash Estuary is recognized as one of the Bay of Fundy’s most important remaining estuaries and was designated New Brunswick’s first Marine Protected Area in 2007. The Musquash Estuary Nature Reserve protects more than 2,300 hectares and includes approximately 20 kilometres of trails. The trail system is NCC’s flagship trail network in New Brunswick and is an important access point for local communities, hikers, birders, nature lovers and seasonal visitors. This trail system is a popular and well-used destination for hikers, trail runners, and nature lovers, as it is located just 15 minutes outside the city of Saint John and is promoted regionally as a tourism destination. This project is intended to improve user safety and trail sustainability along priority sections of the Musquash trail system. The work will address erosion and drainage issues through natural or hybrid infrastructure solutions, such as water diversion and swales, erosion control and tread stabilization, rock armouring, rerouting, and wooden bog bridge construction. This project is being led by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, with support from our community trail partners, Explore Lorneville Inc and NB Power.The purpose of this Request for Proposal is to solicit submissions from qualified firms to repair, replace, or reroute designated sections of the Musquash Estuary Trails, as outlined by the NCC.