Fredericton, NB) To celebrate May 22, the UN International Day for Biological Diversity, groups in New Brunswick are demonstrating the high value they place on the province’s natural beauty and wild spaces with the launch of a new logo. The logo, with the words ‘Live Wild: Together for New Brunswick Biodiversity’, will help to mainstream biodiversity in the province, which is exactly in line with the Day’s theme for this year.
The logo was developed to create awareness of the importance of New Brunswick’s diverse wildlife and to build public interest in preserving it. This logo can be used by groups and individuals to celebrate biodiversity and demonstrate a collaborative spirit in advancing conservation and stewardship. The logo was developed by groups involved in the Collaborative Effort on Biodiversity in New Brunswick.
“There are many different groups in the province working to preserve our diversity of life whether it is through habitat conservation, advocacy, research, stewardship, education or other means,” says Jessica Bradford of the Nature Trust of NB. “We want to bring awareness to these efforts and unite them and show solidarity around the common goal of ensuring a wide variety of plant and animal life for a sustainable future. We encourage all groups with projects related to biodiversity to use the logo in their communications materials and resources.”
Many groups in the province are showing their support for this initiative by displaying the logo badge on their website, putting it on publications related to biodiversity, and sharing it on social media with informative messages about biodiversity and our rich natural heritage. In addition, New Brunswick Provincial Parks will be incorporating the logo into the Green Book, an outdoor education resource.
“The concept of biodiversity is broad and can be difficult to communicate to people,” says Vanessa Roy-McDougall, Nature NB. “Variety in nature is absolutely critical to healthy environments and healthy people, so it is important for the various groups working to advance biodiversity to work together and spread the message in a cohesive way.”
Examples of groups using the logo include:
- Nature Trust of NB is featuring the logo in the rolling photos on their main web banner. They are also using it at the bottom of every page of their website.
- Nature NB made a new section on their website devoted to biodiversity and featuring the logo.
- Conservation Council of NB is using it on their social media and outreach materials.
- Fundy Biosphere Reserve added the logo to their website.
- Meduxnekeag River Association, Inc. added the logo to their website.
- Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance has posted the logo on their website, along with a blog and a promotional FaceBook post.
- Vision H2O has added the logo to the trail signs at the EcoParc Cormier-Village and they will be promoting the logo during events this summer.
- Société d’aménagement de la rivière Madawaska et du lac Témiscouata, Inc. added the logo to the biodiveristy program section on their website.
- Southeastern Anglers Association is hosting the logo at the bottom of their home page.
- Falls Brook Centre has added it to the education and biodiversity sections of their website and will be featuring a blog post on biodiversity’s importance in agriculture.
In addition, to celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity and this collaborative initiative, the Nature Trust of New Brunswick, Nature NB, and the Conservation Council of New Brunswick are hosting an event together with award-winning wildlife photographer and photojournalist Nick Hawkins and experienced herpetologist and research associate with the New Brunswick Museum Greg Jongsma on Wednesday, May 25, in Fredericton.
“We are fortunate to see whales breaching in the Bay of Fundy and eagles along our rivers. We get to hike alongside ancient pines, and explore wetlands bursting with wildlife of all kinds, from tiny dragonflies to giant moose,” stated Nadine Ives of the Conservation Council of NB. “The International Day for Biological Diversity gives us a great opportunity to reflect on, and celebrate, nature.”
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About Biodiversity: Biological diversity, or biodiversity for short, refers to the variety of all living things, as well as the ecosystems and natural processes that support them. The province of New Brunswick has a provincial strategy that focuses on conserving biodiversity and using biological resources in a sustainable manner. The provincial strategy aligns with the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy established to support Canada’s obligations to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, which provides a Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, including the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, for the 2011-2020 period.
About the Collaborative Effort on Biodiversity in New Brunswick: The Collaborative Effort on Biodiversity in New Brunswick is a multi-stakeholder effort to address the protection of biodiversity and species-at-risk. The aim of the collaborative is to work together to enhance stewardship activities on the ground and provide a comprehensive approach to the protection of biodiversity in the province. Involved agencies are diverse; the collaborative brings together citizens’ conservation and environmental groups, federal, provincial, and municipal government, academics and researchers, rural and municipal planners, and businesses to work in a spirit of mutual cooperation.
Media Contacts
- Mary Ann Coleman, New Brunswick Environmental Network, 506-433-6101, coleman@nben.ca
- Raissa Marks, New Brunswick Environmental Network, 506-855-4144, marks@nben.ca
Bilingual interviews
- Vanessa Roy-McDougall, Nature NB, 506-459-4209, director@naturenb.ca
- Nadine Ives, Conservation Council of NB, 506-458-8747, nadine@conservationcouncil.ca
- Megan de Graaf, Fundy Biosphere Reserve, 506-459-4209, director@fundy-biosphere.ca
- Christine McLaughlan, Petitcodiac Watershed Association, 506-384-3369, executivedirector@petitcodiacwatershed.org
- Johanne Paquette, Vision H2O, 506-577-2071, info@visionh2o.com
- Joanie Dubé, Société d’aménagement de la rivière Madawaska et du lac Témiscouata, Inc., 506-739-1992, jdube_sarmlt@nb.aibn.com
- Darlene Elward, Southeastern Anglers Association, 506-576-2118, aprse@nb.aibn.com
English interviews
- Jessica Bradford, Nature Trust, 506-457-2398, communications@ntnb.org
- Simon Mitchell, Meduxnekeag River Association, 506-238-4429, simon@meduxnekeag.org
- Michelle Lavery, Falls Brook Centre, 506-454-5480, media@fallsbrookcentre.ca