Spring 2011
It has been yet another exciting and eventful year for CBEMN. With 2010 coming to an end, Spring 2011 is proving to be just as busy. CBEMN has been active with events including the Nova Scotia Social Studies Teachers’ Association Conference, the Saint Mary’s University Research Expo and equipment training workshops.
The Environmental Stewardship Equipment Bank continues to grow with equipment purchases including a third YSI 650-600QS acquired to meet the growing needs of local Nova Scotia community groups. This instrument has been by far the most popular equipment loaned during the 2010/2011 year, with borrowers including: Sierra Club, Clean Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Adopt-A-Stream, Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute, Water Associates Inc, CBWES, Eastern Shore Forest Watch, Concerned Citizens for Responsible Development in Lake Echo, Municipality of the District of Shelburne as well as individuals conducting independent research and monitoring programs. Other Equipment Bank purchases included two YSI 85 handheld instruments, two pH pens, two GPS units, a wireless weather station, a N.P.K. soil tester kit and female size chest waders. The Equipment Bank also had expanded as a result of generous donations including items from Anita Hamilton at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Special thanks also directed to Environment Canada’s Leslie Carter for providing full “CABIN” (Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network) gear for the Environmental Stewardship Equipment Bank. The Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network is an aquatic biological monitoring program for assessing the health of freshwater ecosystems in Canada and is maintained by Environment Canada. Please click on our Equipment Bank page to view the newly updated Equipment Bank Catalogue.
Melissa Healey and Ashley Shelton will be continuing as the CBEMN Community-University Liaisons this summer and any equipment bank requests can be sent to the Network.
Project WET-Pro continues to develop with newly received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, which has launched the CURA H2O project. Special thanks also directed to our other funders with grants provided by TD Friends of the Environment and RBC Blue Water Grant to aid in the continued development of this project. In collaboration with CBEMN, the Nova Scotia Gambia Association sent two researchers, Oliver Woods and Melissa Healey to The Gambia in February 2011 for field testing and developing an international connection with Project WET-Pro.
Sarah Weston will be working as the CURA H2O Project Coordinator, and will be coordinating the development of this project over the course of the next five years in collaboration with an established team of community, government, and academic partners. All future correspondence regarding the CURA H2O project should be forwarded to Sarah. Oliver Woods will be working alongside Sarah this summer as CURA H2O/ WET-Pro Liaison, and Shara Bonds as a CURA H2O researcher. Further updates will be posted regarding the exciting developments of Project WET-Pro in the Summer Newsletter.
