During the Quaternary Period, which covers the last 1.6 million years of earth history. The climate cooled and large glaciers periodically covered the earth’s surface. Nova Scotia was affected by at least four ice advances from 75,000 to 10,000 years ago (called the Wisconsinan Glacial Stage).
The Sangamonian Interglacial which was from 120,000 to 75,000 years ago was a time when the climate was as warm or warmer than today. Forests grew in Nova Scotia at this time and their remains can be found buried under glacial deposits.
During the early Wisconsinan glacial stage, about 75,000 to 62,000 years ago, a large sheet of ice coming first from the Appalachian Mountains and then from Hudson’s Bay area crossed the province in an eastward and then south eastward direction. The deposits from these and other ice sheets are called tills and are named after the best exposure sites.
During the middle Wisconsinan, 62,000 to 35,000 years ago, the climate warmed slightly which resulted in a period of ice retreats. The extent of this retreat is not certain. Mastodons may have roamed the areas not covered by ice such as the offshore banks and persisted through the Wisconsinan until 11,000 years ago when they died out.
Then the climate cooled again and glaciers formed, this time in the regions north of Nova Scotia. This ice cap is called the Escuminac Ice Centre, and it flowed southward covering Nova Scotia.
During the next phase of glaciation the ice flowed northward from a long ice divide. Later the divide separated into smaller ice caps and glaciers.
Today, ridges of sand and gravel called moraines mark the locations where the ice stopped advancing. The glacial deposits of Nova Scotia are and important resource in the construction industry. The porous glacial deposits are natural reservoirs for ground water and are used by many communities for their water supply. The present day land surface of Nova Scotia is a result of sculpting and shaping by glacial erosion and depositing.
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