Author: nlened

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Boreal Poetry Garden

In honor of the UN International Year of Forests 2011, join Marlene Creates as she leads a walk with readings of site-specific poems in The Boreal Poetry Garden — six acres of boreal forest where she lives in Portugal Cove.

After the walk, we will gather around a bonfire and have some refreshments while we enjoy a reading by an invited guest poet.

Plus, a new art installation by Marlene Creates will be launched:

Our Lives Concurrent for 58 Years Until the Hurricane, Blast Hole Pond Road, Newfoundland 2010.

with the assistance of ecologist Andrew Trant

Sat. August 23 with guest poet Tom Dawe

All events at 7:30 pm and weather permitting.

Limited to 25 people. Advance registration required.

For directions and to register:

marlene.creates@nf.sympatico.ca

or phone 709.895.1020

$15 general; $10 for students, seniors, unwaged.

with the assistance of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council

About The Boreal Poetry Garden

This project uses words in situ to commemorate certain fleeting moments of Marlene Creates’s interaction with the place where she lives. Within these six acres there is a multitude of microhabitats: dark spruce and fir thickets; a steep wooded droke; a windblown tolt with goowiddy and tuckamore; a rattling brook called the Blast Hole Pond River; an overgrown bawn; and moss-covered volcanic rock up to 1,000 million years old. The Boreal Poetry Garden was featured on Bravo! TV.

Wow! Enchanted! Bewildering! What a place for reverie. –RR

Moss cushioned steps, smart words, chuckles… a wonderful sensory experience. –CD

Walking along the wooded trails, my feet, my ears, eyes & nose are Happy, Happy, Happy. –SD

Magical, momentary, evocative, grounding — beautiful. –KK

If you require roasted marshmallows or sublime poetry, please visit Blast Hole Pond Road. –JMI

Keeping woodland caribou in the boreal forest: Big challenge, immense opportunity
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Keeping woodland caribou in the boreal forest: Big challenge, immense opportunity

(Photo: flickr.com/Rosino)

Woodland caribou, once abundant throughout much of mainland Canada and the northern United States, have been a major source of concern in recent decades due to significant declines in their population and loss of about half of their historic range.

To help inform decision makers and the public at large, the International Boreal Conservation Science Panel has published Keeping woodland caribou in the boreal forest: Big challenge, immense opportunity as a guide for conserving woodland caribou over the long term. It provides a broad overview of the state of woodland caribou, leading causes of their decline, and concludes with proactive steps needed to be taken to ensure this iconic species is not lost forever.

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Floral Art Show – MUN Botanical Garden

The Floral Art Group of the Newfoundland Horticultural Society will present a floral art show at MUN Botanical Garden on Saturday, July 16 (noon – 5 p.m.) & Sunday, July 17 (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.).  Admission is free.  For more information on the Newfoundland Horticultural Society, please visit: http://nfldhort.dhs.org/.

For more information please call 864-8590, e-mail bgprograms@mun.ca or visit the Garden’s website at www.mun.ca/botgarden.  

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Gardener/Landscaper/Assistant Contract (Common Ground)

Job Opportunity: Gardener/Landscaper/Assistant Contract
Employer’s name: Common Ground
Location: St. John’s, NL

Common Ground is a newly formed non-profit organization dedicated to environmentally and economically sustainable urban agriculture and community development. Common Ground currently oversees a number of projects in St. John’s, including;

  • The St. John’s Safer Soil Project/Lead Safe Yard Pilot Program
    • Conducts public education about lead safe gardening and recreation in areas with elevated soil lead level
    • Conducts residential soil lead testing, develops landscaping remediation plans
    • Conducts demonstrations of phytoremediation, a process which uses plants to clean soil
    • Operates a downtown demonstration garden to promote lead safe gardening and sustainable urban agricultural practices.
  • Biochar Field Trials
    • Designed Atlantic Canada’s first successful field trial of biochar, an organic soil amendment which increases soil fertility, reduces water and fertilizer requirements and sequesters carbon in soil. Biochar can also be used for adsorption of soil contaminants.
  • Sustainable Greenhouse Demonstration Project
    • Plans include construction of an innovative energy-efficient greenhouse.

Common Ground is currently seeking to hire a Head Gardener/Landscaper to oversee activities associated with the Lead Safe Yard Pilot Project and the Safer Soil Demonstration Garden, and to provide some administrative and organizational assistance to the Common Ground Executive Director.

The successful applicant will report to the Executive Director and will be responsible for the following activities;

  • Overseeing the growing of food for local charities using lead safe gardening practices;
  • Organizing garden volunteers;
  • Conducting garden tours, organizing and delivering workshops and presentations on lead safe gardening;
  • Conducting residential soil tests, designing landscaping remediation plans, managing soil data and conducting homeowner education consultations;
  • Participate in construction of lead-safe landscaping demonstration models;
  • Overseeing phytoremediation demonstration sites and manage phytoremediation soil and plant data;
  • Overseeing biochar field trial and manage field trial data;
  • Provide administrative and organizational assistance to the Executive Director as required, which may include grant and report writing, event organizing, publicity and outreach, research and planning.

The successful applicant will be an outgoing, self-motivated and well organized individual who has a passion for sustainable food systems and community development. S/he will have the following qualifications and experience;

  • A great deal of experience in organic agriculture;
  • Landscaping experience;
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills;
  • Computer skills including word processing, simple graphic design and excel. Knowledge of Google Sketchup would be an asset.
  • Experience with environmental and/or social justice organizing, publicity and outreach.
  • Post secondary diploma or degree preferred. Educational background in chemistry, biology or business administration would be ideal.
  • Having access to own transportation would also be a definite asset.

Ideally, the candidate will be between 20 and 30 years of age. Salary will be $15 per hour for 30 – 35 hrs work per week (pending final funding approval). Some weekend work will be required (ie. for caring for plants, conducting workshops.)

This is a six week contract from mid-July to the end of August with a likely extension for an additional 12 weeks from early September through the end of November.

Interested applicants can email CV with three references to Lori Heath, Executive Director at safersoil@gmail.com no later than Friday, July 14. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

For more information on this project, please leave a message for Lori Heath, Common Ground Executive Director by email or by phone at 738-7542. Some background information available at our website (under development) at www.safersoil.ning.com.

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Atlantic Provinces Urged to Increase Climate Change Action; NL gets failing grade on climate initiatives

Halifax, Nova Scotia – July 8 2011 – A coalition of Atlantic Canadian environmental groups have released report cards outlining the progress Atlantic Provinces have made on their commitments under the 2001 Climate Change Action Plan of the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG-ECP). The annual NEG-ECP meeting is being held in Halifax July 11-13.

The Atlantic Canada Sustainable Energy Coalition (ACSEC) has monitored the progress of NEG-ECP members toward their objectives since 2001. ACSEC is a coalition of non-governmental organizations comprised of the Ecology Action Centre, Sierra Club Canada – Atlantic, the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, and the Environmental Coalition of Prince Edward Island.

“The NEG-ECP Climate Change Action Plan has provided the framework for the region’s provincial and state policies on energy and climate change over the past decade,” explains Catherine Abreu, ACSEC’s Regional Facilitator.

Each of the Atlantic Provinces, except for PEI, fell short of achieving the 2010 milestone of reducing emissions to 1990 levels. In 2009, the last year for which data are available, greenhouse gas emissions in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland were 9.5%, 15.4% and 2.7% above 1990 levels, respectively. Provinces revised their commitment to reducing to 1990 levels by 2012.

ACSEC members agree that more aggressive regional greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets are required to avoid destabilizing the global climate. To support Atlantic Provinces meeting their 2012 goal and reducing emissions further by 2020, a second phase of the NEG-ECP Climate Change Action Plan must be implemented.

ACSEC urges the NEG-ECP to adopt a scientifically relevant target of 25% below 1990 GHG levels by 2020 in a second commitment period of the regional Climate Change Action Plan. 

  NB NL NS PEI
Overall Grade B D- B B
Greenhouse Gas Emissions A C+ B+ A
Energy Efficiency A D- A B-
Renewables B F B B+
Transportation D F D D
Regional Policy Integration + Cooperation A- A- A- A-

“The glaring gap in Atlantic Canada’s efforts to do its share to fight global warming is in the area of transportation,” says David Coon of New Brunswick-based Conservation Council. “Emissions from transportation are on the rise in every province,” adds Tony Reddin of the Environmental Coalition of Prince Edward Island. While PEI’s total emissions are down from 1990 levels, road transportation emissions have risen 22%. “Priority must be placed on creating public transportation infrastructure in the Atlantic Provinces and developing an integrated sustainable transportation plan for the region,” concludes Reddin.

“The creation of an Atlantic public transportation authority to develop and operate public transportation for the region is required. If we can have a regional lottery organization to coordinate gambling, we should be able to do the same for public transportation,” says ACSEC Coordinator, Catherine Abreu.

Newfoundland and Labrador is the only province that has not yet implemented policies mandating increased electricity generation from renewable sources. Gretchen Fitzgerald of Sierra Club’s Atlantic Canada chapter says continued and increased support for renewables is essential. “The Provinces can do a better job of developing complementary policies that enhance the role of renewables in Atlantic Canada. Investing in provincial and regional grid systems and moving away from large-scale, centralized electricity production will help us get there.”

New Brunswick and Nova Scotia lead the way in the area of efficiency. Both provinces have Energy Efficiency Agencies. “Energy efficiency and conservation are the most economical ways to simultaneously reduce emissions and save rate payers money,” says Brennan Vogel of Nova Scotia-based Ecology Action Centre. “Further establishing aggressive and innovative efficiency programs and services for all fuel types, including home heating fuels, can transform energy use and reduce emissions in the region.”

“We’ve seen unprecedented cooperation between the Atlantic Provinces on energy issues in recent years,” observes Abreu. ACSEC members agree that regional initiatives like the Atlantic Energy Gateway and NEG-ECP are vital, especially in the absence of strong Federal-level guidance on energy and climate change policy. “We emphasize that such initiatives must include representation from all levels of concern in Atlantic Canadian communities. ACSEC also cautions against losing sight of the ultimate goal – reducing emissions and turning the tide on climate change.”

ACSEC would like to see the NEG-ECP improve regional communities’ abilities to adapt as they confront the already extensive impacts of climate upheaval.

In 2007 an interim review of the Climate Change Action Plan suggested regional governments focus their efforts on four priority areas. ACSEC has graded each of the Atlantic Provinces on their progress in these areas as well as their emissions reductions.

For copies of the Nova Scotia Report Card and more information, contact:

Catherine Abreu
Regional Coordinator
ACSEC
902 442 0199
acsec@ecologyaction.ca

Brennan Vogel
Energy Coordinator
Ecology Action Centre
902 442 0199
energy@ecologyaction.ca

For Newfoundland, New Brunswick, & PEI, Contact:

Gretchen Fitzgerald
Director
Sierra Club Canada – Atlantic Canada Chapter
902 444 3113
gretchenf@sierraclub.ca  

David Coon
Executive Director
Conservation Council of New Brunswick
506 458 8747
dcoon@conservationcouncil.ca

Tony Reddin
Energy Coordinator
Environmental Coalition of Prince Edward Island
902 675 4093
ecopei.project@gmail.com

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East Coast Trail Association – Recreational Hike

Path: Bear Cove Point Path (Kingmans Cove to Renews)

Date/Time: Sunday, July 17, 2011, 10:00 am

Duration: 5-6 hours

Distance: 11.6 km

Rating: Moderate

Type: Regular hike

Meeting Location: Meet in Renews. Turn off Highway 10 into Renews and park at the Regina Mundy Complex below the church. Some vehicles will be left there and hikers transferred to Kingman’s Cove for the start of the hike.

Leader: Gail Sharpe
gsharpe51@gmail.com
242 3967

Co-Leader: An experienced hiker selected from among the participants.

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East Coast Trail Association – Maintenance Outing

Maintenance Outing:
Trail: Bear Cove Point Path (Maintenance Outing)
Date: Saturday July 9, 2011

In-town Meeting Time & Place: 8:00am at the in-town meeting point in the Village Mall parking lot – on the corner of Columbus Drive and Topsail Road.

Please let the hike organizer, Anand, know by 6 pm on Thursday July 7 if you plan to attend so enough tools will be present. Include your phone number in case of cancellation due to weather. Also, please indicate how many people you can carry in your car, or if you need a ride to the in-town meeting point or after.

Description of work: We will work north from the lighthouse. The work includes brushing, lopping and pruning.

Please bring: Work gloves, enough water and a lunch. If you have safety glasses, please bring them – if not, we will provide you with a pair. Other desirable equipment includes: a Fox 40 whistle, bug repellent, sunscreen, hat and earplugs in case you are going to be working around the weed whacker. Long pants and long-sleeved shirts are recommended and will protect you from vegetation scratches.

Bring rain gear as well because if it has been raining, trees and brush will be wet and we will be hiding the material we cut in the brush.

If you have First Aid/Safety Training, please let us know so that we can keep track of that information.

Organizer: Anand Yethiraj
ayethiraj@mun.ca
579 3274

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Summerhill Environmental Consulting Group – Job Opportunities

Summerhill Group is a company dedicated to transforming the market to more sustainable options. They do this educating consumers on the benefits of choosing more energy-efficient products, such as compact fluorescent light bulbs, programmable thermostats and Energy Star rated appliances. While based in Toronto, Ontario, they work with many utilities and retailers nationwide every year, to bring Canadians the information they need to make better choices every day.

Summerhill Group is working with Newfoundland Hydro to bring Newfoundland & Labrador our newest project, the Coastal Labrador Energy Efficiency Project. There are two different roles they are hiring for:

1. Direct Install Representatives – Nain (4 representatives) and Mary’s Harbour (3 representatives) – They will be visiting households and small businesses in their designated areas, and offering direct installs of small products (aerators, showerheads, compact fluorescent light bulbs, etc.) in residents’ homes as well as in small businesses. They will also be promoting the Residential Energy Efficiency Program (REEP) to homeowners. This program is a provincial initiative offering subsidized energy-saving retrofits to qualifying households in Newfoundland & Labrador.

2. Outreach Representatives – Hopedale (1 representative) and Port Hope Simpson (1 representative) – These representatives will be responsible for coordinating their own outreach events to promote REEP within their communities. They will also likely be responsible for phone calls to homeowners educating them on the benefits of the energy-efficient retrofits included in REEP.

Please also feel free to visit their website at http://www.summerhillgroup.ca
These positions are also listed under the Careers section.