7. Bay of Fundy Discovery Centre Association Newsletter Available
The first
issue of the e-newsletter "In with the
Tide" produced by The Bay of Fundy Discovery Centre Association
contains a variety of articles of interest to the Fundy community
. Several pertain to GOMI, the
Gulf of Maine Institute, activities in the SW Nova region. A copy of the
newsletter has been posted at:
http://www.bofep.org/temporary/discovery_centre_june_%2009_newsletter.pdf.
Information
about the general aims of the organization is available at:
www.gulfofmaine.org/times/spring2003/editorsnotes.html and
www.edm.ca/pdf/.../01-570%20Bay%20of%20Fundy%20Center.pdf
If you
would like to join the organization or require more information contact
the Chair Roger Outhouse at:
routhouse@cwswireless.ca or mail to: Bay of Fundy discovery Centre
Association, P.O. Box 66,
Freeport, NS
B0V 1B0
8. Bay of Fundy Advances in 7 Natural Wonders Competition
The Bay of
Fundy has been selected as a top 28 finalist in a global campaign to
declare the new seven wonders of nature. The Bay is the only Canadian
site and one of three on the continent to proceed to the final phase in
the New7Wonders of Nature contest. The 28 finalists were announced at
New7Wonders Foundation headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, on July 21,
2009. A New7Wonders international panel of experts identified the top 28
natural wonders from the campaign’s recent Top 77 natural sites
(identified by popular vote on July 7, 2009). The Top 77 sites were
evaluated by the panel against such criteria as: unique nature features,
diversity of landscapes, rock formations, national parks, preserved areas,
seascapes, ecological significance, and geo-location. The 28 finalists
are now competing by popular vote to become one of the New7Wonders of
Nature. Public voting opened immediately following the announcement.
More general information about the 7 Natural Wonders competition can be
found at:
http://www.new7wonders.com/hp/ , while additional information specific
to Fundy's candidacy can be found at:
http://www.votemyfundy.com/
Voting in the New7Wonders of Nature campaign continues throughout 2010 and
into 2011. During this time, the New7Wonders World Tour will visit each of
the 28 Finalists to allow each to present itself to the voters across the
globe. The final declaration of the New7Wonders of Nature will be in 2011.
BoFEP commends Terri McCulloch of the Bay of Fundy Tourism Partnership for
spearheading this campaign with such enthusiasm and dedication. Be sure to
go online and vote for the Bay!!!!
9. ACZISC Reports on Coastal Activities in Atlantic Canada
Reports of
Coastal Activities in Atlantic Canada, based on discussions at the
Atlantic Coastal Zone Information Steering Committee (ACZISC) meeting #56
held on 22-23 January 2009 in Dartmouth, NS and meeting #57 held on May
13-14 in Charlottetown, PEI are available at
http://aczisc.dal.ca/56cz.pdf
. and
http://aczisc.dal.ca/57cz.pdf , respectively.
10. GOMCME Habitat Classification Workshop Proceedings
The
Proceedings of the "Gulf of Maine Habitat
Classification Workshop: Mapping for Decision Making" held in
September 2008 are available at:
http://www.gulfofmaine.org/council/publications/GOMC%20Habitat%20Classification%20Proceedings%201.7.09.pdf.
The Workshop
goals were to facilitate communication on seafloor mapping and
classification and to understand management needs for information about
marine habitats. The workshop included presentations from habitat
classification experts that addressed four questions in the context of
their mapping and classification experience:
1. What
characteristics should habitat maps of the northeast include?
2. How does
your methodology/scheme address: (a) physical factors, (b) biological
factors and (c) processes?
3. What are
the innovative aspects of your methodology / scheme?
4. What is
the most appropriate use or application of your methodology / scheme? Does
your methodology / scheme fit in the Gulf of Maine scale?
11. Fundy Tidal Energy Forum Report
The Ocean
Renewable Energy Group (OREG) held its eighth national conference at the
Annapolis Basin
Conference
Centre in Corwallis, Nova Scotia on May 13th and 14th, 2009. A summary of
the event and copies of the PowerPoint presentations made are available
at:
http://www.oreg.ca/2009_Spring_Event.html
12. Gulf of Maine Symposium in October 2009
The Regional Association for Research on the
Gulf of Maine (RARGOM), in collaboration with Fisheries and Oceans Canada
St. Andrews Biological Station, the Gulf of Maine Institute , the
Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea and the Gulf of Maine
Census of Marine Life program, will hold a
"Gulf of Maine Symposium—
Advancing Ecosystem Research for the Future of the Gulf", in St.
Andrews, NB from October 4 -9, 2009. Research scientists, managers,
policy-makers, and stakeholders are invited to present and discuss the
research needed to protect and manage the Gulf of Maine ecosystem for the
future. Detailed information can be found at:
http://www.rargom.org/Symposium2009/.
13. Bay of Fundy and Scotian Shelf Largely Unprotected According to Report
In May, 2009
three environmental organizations: WWF-Canada,
the Ecology Action Centre (EAC), and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness
Society (CPAWS NS), released a study of existing conservation levels in
the Scotian Shelf and Bay of Fundy Region - a "snapshot" of the state of
ocean protection in the waters off Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The
report entitled
"Are we on track? Taking stock of
ocean conservation in the Scotian Shelf and Bay of Fundy Region" ,found
that the current set of protected areas adds up to only one half of one
per cent of the marine environment, and protects only a fraction of the
Region's habitat types. The three organizations will be calling for a
dramatic increase in the number of marine protected areas when Fisheries
and Oceans Canada launches a public consultation on the selection of one
new candidate protected area in the region. The full report is available
at:
http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Gap_Analysis.pdf
14. New Portal for EC's Community Action Program for the Environment
Environment Canada has announced the launch of a new
Community Action Programs for the Environment (CAPE) web portal,
which brings together, for the first time, Environment Canada's 10
community funding programs on a single website. These are
a suite of funding programs that support Canadians’
efforts to preserve and enhance the environment. Programs fund local
action projects that support broader Government of Canada environmental
priorities including:
-
cleaner water
-
cleaner air
-
climate change
-
biodiversity
-
reduced greenhouse
gas emissions
-
species at risk
-
invasive and alien
species; and
-
protection of
wildlife and their habitat
This portal provides easy access to information about
all EC's community funding programs, including each programs’ goals,
eligibility criteria, funding deadlines, geographic range, available
funding, and website. Visit:
http://www.ec.gc.ca/pace-cape/Default.asp?lang=En&n=06DD166D-1
15.
Report on Water Quality in Petitcodiac
The Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance (PWA) is a
non-profit science and education charitable organization that monitors
water quality in the Petitcodiac River and its tributaries. Each year the
PWA submits a water quality Report on their results to the New Brunswick
Department of the Environment. The 2008 Water Quality Report is now
available to the public at
www.petitcodiacwatershed.org.
The report highlights the magnitude of the E.coli problems in this
watershed, especially in urban rivers such as Jonathan Creek, Humphreys
Brook and Rabbit Brook.
16.
GOMCME Publications on Climate Change in the Gulf of Maine
Recent
publications produced or sponsored by the Gulf of Maine Council on the
Marine Environment include:
" Identifying Coastal Habitats at Risk
from Climate Change Impacts in the Gulf of Maine",
"Identifying the Possible
Effects of Climate Change on Invasive Species in the Gulf of Maine - a
Background Report" and
"Identifying the Possible Effects of Extreme Precipitation and
other Climate Change Impacts on Streamflow and Water
Quality in the Gulf of Maine - a
Background Report". All are available at:
http://gulfofmaine.org/council/publications.
