Two rare, old-growth Acadian forests near Tusket and Pugwash will be spared the saw.

The Natural Conservancy of Canada has announced that the two parcels, covering a total of 316 hectares, will be cared for and conserved.

The TD Bank Group invested more than $5 million in a program to protect 16,432 hectares of urban green space, critical forest habitat and wildlife corridors across Canada to mark National Forest Week in conjunction with the conservancy.

The two projects announced in Nova Scotia, out of the 25 projects nationally, will protect 150 hectares of old-growth forest near Long Tusket Lake, Yarmouth County and 166 hectares along the Northumberland Strait near Pugwash.

The latter includes a large number of rare cedars.

“Both of these mature forests provide valuable wildlife habitat,” said Craig Smith, program director for the Nature Conservancy of Canada in Nova Scotia.

NCC said the Canadian projects will protect 50 kilometres of rivers and streams and provide habitat for 63 species at risk including grizzly bear, cerulean warbler, spring salamander, limber pine and Kentucky coffee tree.

According to a report jointly produced by NCC and TD called the natural capital value of forest habitat conservation, three of the 25 projects provide more than $86 million per year in environmental benefits such as carbon storage, flood control, air purification and temperature modification.