For members and friends of the Humber Natural History Society:

WINTER BIRDS IN AND AROUND THE HARBOUR

Did you know there are five or six species of gull that can be seen around Corner Brook? Do you know there are four or more species of duck that spend the winter in the harbour? Join members of the Humber Natural History on a field trip to see these winged neighbours and learn how to tell them apart. Learn where the best vantage points are to see the harbour birds.

Saturday, Jan 22, 2011 at 10 AM

Meet in the Corner Brook Plaza Parking lot towards the Zeller’s end, overlooking Confederation Drive – look for people with binoculars. Depending on the number of people we may divide into small groups.

Bring binoculars (and telescope) and your bird book if you have them.

For further information contact Lois Bateman

lbateman@swgc.mun.ca 634-7206 (h) 637-6247(w)

Blue Box Seminar

Geography Department

Friday, January 21^st, 3 pm, SN-2025

A decade of recent research on the northwest Laurentide Ice Sheet:

Shifting paradigms and changing perspectives

The presentation is a reflection on both the personal and philosophical side of “doing science”. To set the stage, I will start off by reflecting on my own (and others) acceptance of the Innuitian Ice Sheet (IIS) during the late 1990s, a model that we had opposed for genuine scientific reasons for many decades across the Canadian High Arctic before we found the very data that validated the opposing hypothesis (supporting the IIS). There were many elaborate threads to this transition as science is not all unblemished objectivity, making easy adaption to change (individually but especially in a group of common advocates). Although we must, we do not always, “turn over every stone” in order to challenge our own favoured perspectives. It is easy to espouse that always, data trumps personal perspectives – however ‘honestly’ those viewpoints may have been held prior to a new and initially uncomfortable (challenging) insight.  That experience is familiar territory for me and I remain enormously grateful for the experience (growth) it offered. I am convinced that you don’t learn that from textbooks but proper mentoring.

This first part of the talk sets the stage for the second part that addresses my most recent research together with that of my graduate students and postdocs in the western Canadian Arctic Archipelago under the auspices of the NSERC Northern Research Chair. This addresses a decade of data collection that warrants a fundamental revision of the J-S Vincent model.  It purportedly identified an exceptionally well-preserved record of four glaciations across the surface of Banks Island. So I want to place our regional revision in the light of the willingness and responsibility to overturn someone else’s long-held and established viewpoint. In doing so, one has to appreciate the enormity of the current mismatch between what was previously proposed and what we are reporting. One ultimately must ask the question why this disparity is so huge and fundamental.

So, I am trying to look not only at the evolution of my own work, but also to look at it more reflectively through the lens of four decades of Arctic research, including the contributions of others. This reflection for me uncovers many nuances beneath the flotsam and jetsam of our more conventional accomplishments that we stuff into out CVs. This learning curve might ultimately be far more important than the humble science we set out to do!

Public Lecture

Johnson Geo Centre, Signal Hill

Tuesday, January 18^th, 7:30-8:30 pm

Exploring Northern Canada

Geographical Perspectives on Arctic Environmental Change

The public lecture will focus on the scientific, historic, and personal experiences of John England’s four decades of research across the Canadian Arctic Archipelago concerning the nature of high latitude environmental change. John will focus on the mountainous, northernmost coast of Ellesmere Island and the story of its spectacular “Ellesmere Ice Shelf” – the oldest sea ice in the Northern Hemisphere. This ice shelf forms an enormous floating apron of sea ice attached to the Ellesmere Island coast across more than 250 kilometres. It was used by the late 19th century sledging expeditions that described it as a rolling prairie landscape. It is now in rapid demise and despite its exceptional age, few in Canada know about this unique and disappearing landscape. In the course of his research across northern Ellesmere Island, historic notes were found from Sir George Nares (1875/76) and Adolphus Greely (1881/84), of the First Polar Year.

January 18, 2011

Main Lecture Theater

College of the North Atlantic

Corner Brook, NL

12:30 to 2:00 pm

The Newfoundland & Labrador Section of CIF in conjunction with the Model Forest of Newfoundland & Labrador are proud to announce a special Mini-Forum (Brown Bag Lunch) to be held in association with the College of the North Atlantic’s Forest Resources Technician Program. It will be held at the main Lecture Theater at CNA and is open to all Forest Practioners, general public and any one with an interest in learning more about heating homes and commercial buildings with wood pellet technology.

“Residential Heating with Wood Pellet Technology… a real life experience”

Introduction by: Eric Young, CIF-NL

Presentation by

Bill Alexander, Manager NL Forestry

Training Association

Background:

Given the recent increase in world oil prices and focus on renewable forms of energy many people are beginning to embrace the technology associated with heating homes with wood pellets. Bill has been a constant advocate of sustainable forest management and recognizes the opportunities associated with moving from a reliance on fossil fuels to a greener, renewable form of energy. In 2009, Bill made the commitment to purchase and install a hot water boiler system feed with locally produced wood pellets. He shall relate his experiences in terms of system logistics and economics as well as lead a discussion on the possibility of industrial conversions.

“Please bring along your lunch (coffee & sweets will be provided) and join the forest community in an interesting discussion on the use of wood pellet technology for residential heating”

See you there!

The Food Security Network NL invites you to this exciting teleconference to learn about Farmers’ Markets in Newfoundland and Labrador and discuss:

• How to run and sustain a market in Newfoundland and Labrador
• Vendor recruitment techniques – including farmers, craftspeople, and artisans
• Table fee structures and other operational topics

When: Thursday, January 20
Time: 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Island time (5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Labrador time)

With presentations from:

• Colin Greene, St. John’s Farmers’ Market
• Carolyn Wheeler, West Coast Farmers’ Market
• Stephenville Community Market

In recent years Newfoundland & Labrador has experienced an incredible growth in Farmers’ Markets across the province. This past season saw 10 full- and part-time Farmers’ Markets operate in communities spanning St. John’s to Fogo to Stephenville. This teleconference is a great opportunity for existing markets to share best practices and for those thinking of starting up a new Farmers’ Market to learn and get connected. If you are involved with a Farmers’ Market, interested in starting one up, or just interested in learning more, Register Now by contacting Rick Kelly at richardkelly@foodsecuritynews.com or by calling 709.237.4026.

Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) FEBRUARY 2011 EVENT SPEAKER LUNCHEON:

Impact of the British Petroleum Well Blow-Out: Challenges for Offshore Petroleum Regulators in a Post-Macondo World

Mr. Max Ruelokke

Chairman and CEO

Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board

In the wake of the British Petroleum Macondo well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, offshore oil regulators and industry players have engaged in an open and frank dialogue about the regulation and safety of the offshore oil industry including a complete review of performance indicators; accentuation of change management and the need for the adoption of industry wide standardized regulatory practices that will ensure a vibrant safety culture on offshore installations.  To learn more, please join Mr. Max Ruelokke, Chairman and CEO, Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board and the Institute of Public Administration of Canada in a discussion of the challenges for offshore petroleum regulators in a post-Macondo world.

DATE: Thursday, February 10th, 2011 (Last day to register: Tuesday February 8th, 2011)

LOCATION: Comfort Inn Airport, Salon A

TIME: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM

TO REGISTER: Please contact Cory Giles, Ph.D. at corygiles@gov.nl.ca

Corner Brook Climate Change Adaptation Workshop – January 19th

The City would like to encourage residents to attend an upcoming workshop on climate change related issues.  This workshop is part of the pilot phase of a project, Enhancing Community Adaptation to Climate Change, which involves six communities in Newfoundland, including Corner Brook. It takes place Wednesday Jan 19th, 2011 from 9-11:30 AM (daytime session) and 7-9 PM (evening session) at the Pepsi Centre, Conference Room #1.

The workshop will be led by a facilitator who will help guide workshop participants through examining concerns, opportunities and adaptation options related to slope movement issues and climate change.  During the workshop, participants will be asked to think about and discuss slope movement issues facing Corner Brook. This includes the location of slope issues; vulnerable residents, infrastructure and economic sectors; environmental impacts; and adaptation choices and priorities.

This workshop is being held as part of a project partnership between the City of Corner Brook, the Department of Geography at Memorial University, the Department of Environment and Conservation, Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador, and Professional Municipal Administrators.

To RSVP please call Melanie Irvine (709-746-8859) or e-mail mela_irvine@yahoo.ca. For more information please call 637-1620 or visit www.cornerbrook.com.

FREE PUBLIC LECTURE – All Are Welcome

January meeting of the Natural History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador

“Lessons Learned?” A presentation by Dr. Bill Montevecchi, a specialist in animal behaviour at Memorial University, will be followed by discussion among attendees.

Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 7:30 p. m. at the MUN Botanical Garden on Mt. Scio Road

Are there lessons for us in the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico?  Did you know that while that deep water well was spewing oil, a well was being drilled off our coast in water more than a kilometre deeper?  That was Chevron’s Orphan Basin exploration well.

What would happen if we had a major oil spill or leak in our waters, offshore or inshore?  Are we prepared?  Can we really prepare for a deep-ocean disaster?

For further information, contact Rita E. Anderson, Past-president, 864-8771

ACAP Humber Arm’s next Coastal Matters speakers series will be a presentation by the Kevin Power of Environment Canada. Mr. Power has titled his presentation Proposed Federal Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations Update. An abstract for the presentation can be found below.

The presentation will take place 12:30 – 1:30pm, Thurs Feb 17th in Room 301 of the Library Building, Grenfell Campus. There will be a question and answer session following the presentation.

Coastal Matters presentations are free of charge and open to the public. Please feel free to bring your lunch. Tea and coffee will be available.

Please help us promote this event by forwarding this email to your contacts and/or printing off the attached poster to display at your place of employment.

ABSTRACT FOR KEVIN POWER, ENVIRONMENT CANADA PRESENTATION
Proposed Federal Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations Update
In March, 2010 the Government of Canada published proposed regulations for Wastewater Systems Effluents under the Fisheries Act in Canada Gazette Part I for public review and comment. These proposed Regulations would apply to any land-based wastewater system in Canada which discharges effluents to fish bearing surface waters. The Regulations will require such systems to meet national effluent treatment standards and owners/ operators would be required to report on their performance. Implementation of these new national standards will require significant public investment in upgrading existing infrastructure and will be applied in timeframes based on a priority risk reduction approach. It is anticipated that these Regulations will be passed into law in 2011.

The Hometown Heroes Award Program is rewarding environmental leaders (individuals, groups and organizations) who foster meaningful, long–term community awareness and action. Heroes can win one of three Hometown Heroes Awards and a $10 000 prize. Heroes must be nominated by February 28th, 2011 at www.earthday.ca/hometown.