Broad grassroots momentum for a ban on herbicides; encounters with high-profile members of the federal cabinet; fun learning about our seasonal hibernators; and an opportunity for you to help our work in the Bay of Fundy: here’s the latest from Conserver House.
Sign on for a healthy forest
We have joined with concerned citizens and other community environmental organizations to circulate a petition to ban herbicides on our public forested lands. Last month, forest activists from Kedgwick presented copies of the petition to the NB Legislative Assembly with more than 1,000 signatures. In the weeks since, the number has grown substantially. You can download a copy of the petition on our website. We will be collecting copies at our office (180 St. John St., Fredericton) until March 1. For more, read this blog on the herbicide petition (and don’t forget to check out the useful factsheets and links at the bottom).
Meeting with ministers
Our executive director Lois Corbett met with federal Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr and Deputy Minister Bob Hamilton in Saint John on Tuesday. She and the minister discussed the federal government’s plans to improve the office of the National Energy Board; the hundreds of jobs NB could create with ambitious investments in energy efficiency programming; and issues with the management of our Crown forest. A few days earlier, Corbett had the chance to meet federal Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna before the minister hopped on a toboggan for a few runs down the hill at the Carleton Martello Tower National Historic site in Saint John. Minister McKenna was at the tower to announce more than $21-million of federal funding for several Parks Canada sites across southern N.B. The funding will go toward restorations and improvements to Carleton Martello Tower, Fundy National Park, and more than 40-kilometres of trails.
Learning about hibernators
Our Learning Outside project coordinator Nadine Ives had a blast at the ‘Night of Environmental Science’ event hosted by Science East at Lincoln Elementary Community School on Thursday, Jan. 14. Nadine ran hands-on activities to help students discover what critters are hibernating in our woods right now and what different animals do to prepare and adapt to the changing seasons!
Down to the wire!
It’s neck and neck to win the bonus prize of $1,500 for the group that attracts the most individual donors in SmallChangeFund’s crowdfunding challenge in Atlantic Canada. We’ve learned that our campaign to help us protect the beautiful Bay of Fundy is currently in the lead, but by a small margin! You can help us hold the lead by making a small donation today (even $1 will do the trick!) A major thank you to our supporters who have contributed already to get us this far!