Pockwock Wilderness Area, near Mount Uniacke, protects about a third of the watershed for Pockwock Lake, the main drinking water supply for Halifax, Bedford, Sackville, Fall River, Timberlea, and Waverley.

Most of the wilderness area is on the west side of Highway 101, with a portion on the east side, adjacent to West Lake.

This heavily forested site includes about 17 km of lake frontage on Pockwock Lake. Forest cover is predominantly red spruce, ranging in age from young cutovers to old growth along the northern edge of Pockwock Lake and on a 68 hectare island. Stands with mature yellow birch, sugar maple, eastern hemlock, and white pine also are common.

Most of the wilderness area overlaps with the Pockwock Lake Watershed Protected Water Area managed by Halifax Water. Dual designation as a wilderness area and protected water area supports Halifax Water’s efforts to protect the drinking water supply area. The Province recognizes Halifax Water’s pre-existing interest as a waterworks operator and has issued a license that enables Halifax Water to undertake waterworks-related activities within the wilderness area. A major access road that bisects this area and is managed by Halifax Water is not within the wilderness area. The Protected Water Area designation regulates activities such as swimming, fishing, vehicle use, fires, forestry, and other land uses. For more information on this Protected Water Area please contact Halifax Water.

About 2 km of power line corridor crosses the wilderness area, just south of Highway 101. An existing license which Nova Scotia Power Inc. (NSPI) holds with Nova Scotia Environment will be amended to provide for ongoing operation and maintenance of this power line.

The boundary of this site was refined substantially since release of the Province’s 2013 Parks and Protected Areas Plan, following discussions with Halifax Water. Lands originally identified for protection on the south side of Pockwock Lake were removed while other lands north of the lake were added. The new configuration better aligns with Halifax Water’s long-term management approach for the watershed, and adds more old forest. Overall size is larger, up from the original 1,178 hectares identified in the Parks and Protected Areas Plan.