About Sable Island
Perched at the edge of the continental shelf, over 100 km from mainland Nova Scotia, Sable Island occupies a unique place in the geography and imagination of North America. The island is only 40 km long and 2 km wide at its widest, yet its landscape is surprisingly varied. Grassy dunes and lush heath-covered vales support rich biodiversity that includes several endemic plants and animals. Its placement at the intersection of key ocean currents where the jet stream exits eastern North America, has brought the island storms and shipwrecks, and a special place in the history and legends of the North Atlantic.
All this makes Sable Island a key site for exploring questions of global importance. Here, scientists study weather patterns and currents that spread pollution along the Eastern Seaboard, track migrant birds waylaid by storms, and observe thriving communities of isolated plants and animals.