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Thursday May 31: Blue Mountain Birch Cove Lakes Regional Park

Lake May 18, 2012: an Information event to share the HRM Vision for this long awaited Regional Park - Blue Mountain Birch Cove Lakes. Come out and view the maps and learn more about the proposed plans that will help shape the largest wilderness urban park east of Montreal. 6:30p m preview for 7pm presentations at St Peters Anglican Church, 3 Dakin Drive (near Kearney Lake Rd and Bedford Highway, Halifax. Read more

Monday, June 4: Ban open-pen & support closed-containment salmon aquaculture

May 18, 2012: SALMON PENSThe Atlantic Coalition for Aquaculture Reform is holding a press conference & Rally on Monday June 4th, 10am to Noon at the Lord Nelson Hotel, Halifax. Show your support for a ban on open pen salmon farms and support for closed containment systems. See WRWEO's letter, Salmon Wars (Silver Donald Cameron video), Closed Containment in N.S. & more about the June 4th event.

HLC

Harrison Lewis Centre spring offerings

Logs to lumber:Portable Sawmill course with Lew Dingwall- May 25 - 27, 2012; Women-only chainsaw course Patrick Allan, certified instructor - June 1 - 3, 2012; Introduction to Plants and Ethnobotany - June 8 - 10, 2012; Writing from Nature with Harry Thurston - June 15 - 17, 2012 and MORE - see HLC Programme Details

HRM Greenbelt

Montreal and Quebec City go for Greenbelting

April 12, 2012: The Quebec government announced in their budget on Tuesday that $60 million will be used to develop greenbelts in Montreal and Quebec City. Our HRM Alliance is proposing a greenbelting solution for Halifax. Read more

trail

Monday April 16th: Meeting about Business Park Expansion

April 11, 2012: Expansion of the Bayers Lake Business Park threatens the integrity of the Blue Mountain Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area. A meeting to inform the public about this issue will be held on Monday, April 16th April 7:00 pm at Keshen Goodman Library. See Poster

Trail Work

trail workApril 9, 2012: Our volunteers do an immense amount of work to maintain The Bluff Trail and the associated parking lot. Recently, several volunteers cleared a fallen tree from the trail and made a new bench and a crossing for a stream in the process. See Photos

Details of Our HRM Greenbelting Proposal Released

Our HRM AllianceApril 5, 2012: Go to Our HRM Alliance website for details of their (our) proposed Greenbelting of HRM. It envisions four physical zones (Protected areas and natural corridors, Natural resources and agriculture, Rural communities and Coastal Management Area, Regional Centre and suburban growth centres) and four corresponding zones of policy that can help direct growth and development within HRM.

Poetry

Sun. April 1, 2012: Poetry in The Bluff

Mar. 23, 2012: Join us on a light 8 km meditative hike on The Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail. Silent, reflective hike in. Poetry exercise (optional). Social hike out. Read more
Apr. 2, 2012: View some Photos from the Event

HRM

Mon. March 19th, 2012, at Tantalon: Regional Plan Review and Release of a Draft of the Greenbelting Solution

Mar. 13, 2012: HRM is holding a public consultation meeting in connection with the first five year review of the Regional Plan March 19, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm at the St. Margaret's Centre in Upper Tantallon. Also on the same day & place but at 10:30 am: Release of a Draft of the Greenbelting Solution. Read more

wetland

N.S. Wetland Courses

Feb. 11, 2012: The Fern Hill Institute for Plant Conservation in assocation with the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre is offering four practical 3-4 day wetland courses in 2012. Details

Tuesday March 6: AGM & Bob Bancroft on Interacting with Wildlife in Protected Areas

coyoteFeb. 8, 2012: Please mark this one on your calendar. Our AGM will be held at the Tantallon Library, Tuesday, March 6. Doors open at 6:30; meeting starts at 7:00 with formal business lasting about 40 mins. Then keynote speaker Bob Bancroft will talk about moose and coyotes and other wildlife in protected areas and how we interact with them. All welcome. More details

Sat & Sun March 3rd & 4th: Woodlot Seminars/Worskhops at Tantallon

logFeb 17, 2012: Trees Company is offering a free 6-hr workshop on Chainsaw Safety & Maintainence on Saturday followed by presentations on Sunday on Woodlot Management, Tree and Disease identification & Woodlot Management Techniques and the Structure of the Acadian Forest. They are being held at Tantallon Superstore Community Room. More Details

Nova Scotia Environment seeking Info on Vernal Pools

vernal poolFeb. 2, 2012: Vernal pools are small, shallow wetlands that lack permanent inlet or outlet streams and often dry out in the summer. They provide critical breeding habitat for frogs, salamanders, insects and fairy shrimp, and feeding and drinking sites for birds, mammals, turtles and other wildlife. Are you aware of any shallow wetland pools in the forests near your home or near places you vacation, hike, hunt or bird watch? Please tell NSE about them!.

Local Lakes Not Yet Safe for Winter Activities!

ice and water

Jan. 17, 2011: Local lakes have thin ice and open water. Check out HRM's Ice Thickness Reports when you think it's ready. The website Lake Ice describes how to read the ice and how to be safe on the ice. It's a "must read" for ice-goers.


Applied Stormwater Management Workshop

vegetation to reduce flooding & erosion Jan 13, 2012: This 1&1/2 day workshop is being offered Feb 20-21 by the Ecology Action Centre in collaboration with the Halifax Regional Municipality Environment and Energy Office, Halifax Water and the Insurance Bureau of Canada. It is designed to increase capacity of participants to identify and implement stormwater Best Management Practices to reduce infrastructure damage, flooding and impacts to marine and freshwater systems. Limited enrolment; register by Feb 3. Details

Thoughts By A Stream.. and for the New Year

wilderness scenes and sounds Jan. 1, 2012: Landscape painter Mark Brennan shares scenes and sounds from the Acadian Forest in this and other very moving video and audio recordings. Mark's plea to recognize the intrinsic value of all living things echoes thoughts expressed in the Dedication to The Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail.

HRM Alliance

Seven Solutions for a More Sustainable, More Liveable HRM

Dec. 1, 2011: On Wed., Nov.30th, Our HRM Alliance, of which WRWEO is a mamber, presented their seven recommendations for a more sustainable, more liveable HRM. "The solutions were developed with 33 groups and with the needs of urban, suburban and rural residents and taxpayers in mind," says Jen Powley, Alliance Coordinator. Read more

protected area

Monday Dec. 5: Talk on Protected Areas in N.S.

Nov. 26, 2011: Dr. Martin Willison will give a talk on Protected Areas in N.S. at 7:30 pm on Monday Dec. 5 at the Museum of Natural History Auditorium (1747 Summer St., Halifax). The title is "From Picnic Parks to Systematic Protection of Biodiversity: A Review of the Development of Protected Areas in Nova Scotia". The talk is a free public lecture in the Nova Scotia Institute of Science 150th Anniversary series. Read more

Bob Chambers

New data on acid rain in the Woodens River Watershed

Nov. 20, 2011: Bob Chambers reports on acidity of rain and lakewater measured periodically from November 5, 2010 to October 30, 2011. See listing under Water Quality on this website.

numbers

Bluff Numbers Count!

Nov. 16, 2011: Thanks to the efforts of a WRWEO volunteer, there is now a "Bluff Numbers" booklet at the junction for the Pot lake Loop, where the Trail Dedication sign is located as well. Please take a moment when you go by this point to make an entry in the book. Most important: provide the date, and number in your group. This will help us to better uderstand trail usage for most effective planning. See Photo.

barrens

What's NOT going to happen to barrens in the FBLWA

Nov. 2, 2011: Where it's not protected, barrens habitat can become prime real-estate. See Requiem for a Barrens.

moose

Article expresses concern for the moose

Oct. 26, 2011. An article in OPENFILE about the new wilderness area expresses concern about the effects of recreational activities on the moose. One expert interviewed suggested there might be some restrictions during the calving/immediate post-calving period, an idea that has been discussed by WRWEO members (see Moose & Wildlife Corridors 2)

wilderness

Oct. 25, 2011: The Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area is designated under the Wilderness Areas Protection Act.

In a ceremony at the St. Margaret's Bay Centre, The Honourable Sterling Belliveau, N.S. Minister of Environment, designated lands of the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area under the Wilderness Areas Protection Act. See NSE Press Release and page on the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area. After the designation, WRWEO Co-chair Richmond Campbell conducted a virtual unveiling of the new sign at the trailhead for The Bluff Trail. See Photos from the event

wilderness area Formal protection of Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness to be be announced on Tuesday Oct 25th

Oct 24, 2011: Nova Scotia Environment will announce formal protection of Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area on Tuesday Oct 25th at a ceremony at The St. Margaret's Centre in Tantallon begining at 1 p.m. That will be followed by a virtual unveiling of the new signs at the Bluff Trail at 2 pm, also at Tantallon (NOT at the trailhead). Read more

trail

Trail Camp on Nov 5 & 6.

Oct. 20, 2011: WRWEO members are invited to attend Trail Camp, a two day event (Nov. 5 & 6, 2011) where volunteers as well as government representatives get together to discuss issues about trails in Halifax. Read more

Monday, Oct 24th: Nova Scotia's Diverse Forest Ecosystems

DNR Forest PhotoOct. 19, 2011: Peter Neily and Eugene Quigley of the Nova Scotia Dept. of Natural Resources will talk to the Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society about Forest Ecosystem Classification (FEC) in Nova Scotia, highlighting results of ten years of study on over 1500 FEC plots. All welcome! 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct 24th at N.S. Museum of Natural History, enter via the parking lot. Read more

N.S. Wetland Conservation Policy released

wetland Oct 18, 2011: The province released its Wetland Conservation Policy on Oct. 14th. The policy "identifies what legislation, regulations, and policies are currently relevant to wetland conservation; clarifies the roles and responsibilities of government and the public in relation to wetlands; and makes this information more accessible to Nova Scotians. Ultimately, the policy establishes specific objectives intended to prevent the net loss of Nova Scotia's wetlands." Read more

coast

N.S. Government posts Draft Coastal Strategy

Oct 13, 2011: The government posted the much awaited draft Coastal Strategy today and is seeking feedback until November 30th, 2011. See Our Coast to download draft Coastal Strategy, feedback questions and online feedback form. The Coastal Coalition of Nova Scotia comments: "A Good Start; now let's get moving on an Act!" - see Press Release

forest

Sun. Oct 23rd:
Free Workshop on Forest Health and Stewardship

Oct 6, 2011: MTRI, NFA, Whippletree Farm and the Warners are sponsoring a half day (12-5) workshop. Come find out more about traditional woodland crafts, portable miling, forest regeneration, selective harvests… View Poster

lake

Tues, Sept. 13th:
Sep 5, 2011: Development in Susies Lake/Blue Mt-Birch Cove Lakes area

Bruce Smith and others from Halifax North West Trails Association will make presentations at 7 pm related to impending sale of 180 acres of Public Lands in the Bayers Lake Business Park which will impact access to Susies Lake/Blue Mt-Birch Cove Lakes area. Also, future plans for the extension of the trails in Halifax West will be discussed. For details, please View Poster.

trail building

Saturday, Sept. 17th:
Volunteer Trail-Building Workshop with Garnet McLaughlin

Aug. 27, 2011: Learn ecologically-sensitive and highly sustainable trail-building techniques by participating in this practical workshop on The Bluff Trail. Read more

compass

Sunday, Sept. 11th:
Hike and Compass Work on The Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail

Aug. 27, 2011: Join the Woodens River Watershed Environmental Organization on Sunday Sept. 11th for a 5-6 hour hike over the rough terrain of The Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail. We will be hiking both Pot Lake and Indian Hill loops while doing some compass work. Read more

New protected areas for Nova Scotia

pic July 29, 2011: The Nova Scotia Dept. of Environment has identified potential lands for future protection required to achieve the 12% figure by 2015 and is seeking input from individuals and groups on which of these sites to select. A lot of land has been or is slated for protection on the Chebucto Peninsula, including the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area. A major block of crown land that is NOT currently slated for protection but for which a number of groups have been seeking protection lies in the Herring Cove Area. Read more

cat

WRWEO Member publishes "Urban Tigers"

July 20, 2011: Local resident and WRWEO member Kathy Chisholm has recently published a novel called Urban Tigers, Tales of a Cat Vet. It is a humorous account of "Dr. Emily McBride's" first year at Ocean View Cat Hospital. Kathy and her husband Hugh Chisholm plan to use any profits from the sale of the book to help animal welfare and wildlife preservation groups (including habitat preservation organizations like WRWEO). For example, they were able to raise $1000.00 for Pierre's Alley Cats Society at the recent book launch. Read more

pic

Low Impact Forestry Workshop August 3,4

July 17, 2011: Managing small woodlots for timber and non-timber values. Picea Forestry Consulting and horse logger Tristan Kelley join us at the Harrison Lewis Centre woodlot for practical, In the field instruction. Read more

Workshops for the Nature-Oriented at Harrison Lewis Centre

July 5, 2011: The Harrison Lewis Coastal Discovery Centre at East Port L'Hl'bert on Nova Scotia's south shore hosts a variety of workshops of interest to nature orinted people. Amonst those coming up: July 8-10: Writing From Nature, Juty 15-17: GPS for Farm and Forest, July 29-31: Know and Grow Wild Mushrooms, August 12-14: Plein Air Watercolour, Painting with Roger Savage. See 2011 Schedule for details and other workshops except for Mushroom Workshop. Aug 2-5 is Forestry Week.

logo

Our HRM Alliance

July 4, 2011: WRWEO is a member of Our HRM Alliance. "The Alliance came together because our members want to ensure HRM is a great place to live for our entire lives and for the entire lives of our children and grandchildren."

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