This position will provide opportunities to connect with environmental organizations across Nova Scotia, learn about their activities, and amplify their work in the public sphere.
NSEN Job Board
We just launched the NSEN Job Board where we post job opportunities offered by our member organizations!
The Nova Scotia Climate Change Caucus is a collection of Nova Scotia organizations and individuals working in, or interested in, climate change issues.
New opportunities available on the Volunteer Hub! We launched theNSEN Volunteer Hubin 2021. Our goal is to see this new tool become a powerful one-stop-shop that benefits environmental initiatives in every corner of the province. Your participation can help make that happen!
All NSEN member organizations can post their volunteer positions on the Volunteer Hub, where our network of volunteers can view and apply for opportunities that fit their interests.
Cape Breton Environmental Association recently released a documentary about marine debris in Atlantic Canada!
Tides of Change is a documentary about marine debris with a primary focus on abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear. It consists of a series of interviews filmed in 2019 and 2020 with individuals and organizations involved in the marine debris issue throughout Cape Breton and Atlantic Canada.
The film was developed by Cape Breton Environmental Association in partnership with Chris Ross, in hopes of bringing awareness to the marine debris issue.
Sierra Club Atlantic Canada Chapter launched the Beyond Coal Atlantic campaign in January 2021 with an ambitious goal: to get Atlantic Canada off coal and transition to clean renewable energy as quickly as possible. Many of the solutions already exist—such as wind, solar, and energy efficiency—but what’s been lacking is political and corporate will.
Coal is one of the dirtiest fuels used to generate electricity. Not only do coal-fired power plants account for 25 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, but they also emit harmful pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), mercury, and ground-level ozone—all of which are dangerous to human health and the environment.
Arlington Forest Protection Society launched the citizen science project "BioBlitz Mi'kma'ki (Nova Scotia)" in March 2022. The purpose of the project is to provide a centralized platform for the coordination and promotion of BioBlitz events throughout Mi'kma'ki (Nova Scotia) in collaboration with citizen scientists and environmental organizations and groups.
The Government of Nova Scotia has a goal to protect 20% of lands and waters by 2030, which means 330,000 hectares of land needs to be protected. This project is intended to support those efforts by identifying areas of ecological interest (high biodiversity or suitable habitat for Species at Risk), and encouraging citizen scientists to document their observations using iNaturalist.
Halifax housing development a blow to years long fight for conservation, says coalition
A plan to fast-track housing development in an ecologically diverse area teeming with old-growth trees and animal habitats is raising concerns for conservationists who've been fighting for years to protect the unspoiled land west of Halifax.
The Nova Scotia government announced the Sandy Lake-Sackville River area last month as one of nine locations where development will be accelerated as the province deals with a booming population, skyrocketing real estate prices and a limited housing stock.
New study shows Northern Pulp mill emissions exceeded federal threshold by 100,000%
Dalhousie University researchers tracking air pollutants released by the Atlantic Canadian pulp and paper industry over nearly two decades say emissions from the Northern Pulp operation in Nova Scotia were higher than all other mills combined — and exceeded recommended federal thresholds for particulates by a "staggering" 100,000 per cent.
An invasive worm species has been found in Nova Scotia for the first time and experts are concerned there could be more.
The "jumping worm" gets its name from its aggressive squirming and is known to consume organic matter in soil, making it difficult for plants to stay rooted.
How did the salamander cross the road? Thanks to a team of volunteers
If you're exploring one of Nova Scotia's many wooded areas on a rainy night in April and see a group of people with flashlights and high-visibility gear on the side of the road, there's a good chance they're staking out a salamander crossing.
Eider duck populations are declining. Both sides of the border want to know why
Scientists from a United States research institute are gearing up to travel to Grand Manan, N.B., at the end of this month to implant tracking devices in some eider ducks and set them free again.
The hope is that those ducks will someday shed light on why the species is declining in places like New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Maine, but increasing in others, like Newfoundland and Labrador.
Forest protectors and members of Extinction Rebellion have been camped out by a logging road in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia since December 2. On April 22nd - Earth Day -- that will be 142 days of camping through snowstorms, gales, and temperatures of minus 25C!
They are there as a last-ditch effort to protect an 80-year-old forest on ‘Crown’ land by Beal's Brook west of Highway 10 near New Albany.
According to Nina, endangered mainland moose and wood turtle are known to be in this area. So are Pine marten, officially endangered in Cape Breton, and in trouble everywhere else.
Since they set up camp, several different species of rare lichen have been discovered in the forest slated to be cut. All need undisturbed habitat, three of the species are classified as species at risk.
Join us for a group ride around the peninsula on Saturday, April 30. We will meet at 2 Crows Brewing Co. (1932 Brunswick St) at 2pm. The route is about 5kms and it will be a moderate-paced, no-drop ride!
You're invited to our annual AGM meeting. At our AGM we will share our annual report and our annual financial statements. We will also vote on new board members to join our Board of Directors. We are looking for passionate individuals to join our board.
Join the Centre for Local Prosperity and the Discovery Centre for an intensive two-day in-person climate action retreat at historic Thinkers Lodge, Pugwash, NS.
From June 29 to 30, 2022, youth aged from 15-17 years old across Nova Scotia will attend this gathering focused on climate change education, networking, knowledge exchange, and climate action project planning in the schools.
Sandy Lake - Sackville River Regional Park Coalition
Hello Coalition groups,
Our hearts are heavy, but we are still determined.
The land beside Sandy Lake was selected by the provincial-municipal Task Force on Housing as one of 9 areas in HRM to be fast-tracked for development (government press release here).
The area selected would be developed for up to 6,000 housing units (houses and/or apartment units) along Hammonds Plains Road, beside Sandy Lake. The Task Force’s decision means development planning studies for the area will be completed very soon, ahead of the HRM Regional Plan timetable. Development planning studies always lead to development.
This move will also allow development to be planned before all information needed to decide the fate of the area has been considered. The same area is proposed for expansion of Sandy Lake Regional Park (proposed by our Coalition!), and has an Important Corridor in the Halifax Green Network Plan, but those HRM plans have not been implemented. HRM has also contracted a study of where Sandy Lake Regional Park could be expanded to… but the results aren’t in yet!
Like the secret Owl’s Head Provincial Park decision, this is wrong – wrong for good process and wrong for nature. If there was ever a moment for the Coalition groups to speak up, it is now!
Protecting Sandy Lake - Sackville River Regional Park
Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Climate Change has approved multiple industrial permits allowing the Arlington wetland to be used as a construction & demolition and hazardous materials dump. Our once pristine water supply has been abased by endless abuse - the land has been clearcut, drained and excavated; the four brooks that are sourced by the wetland run thick with trout-smothering silt. Highly toxic leachate has escaped dump confines.
All Arlington Heights C&D properties were clear-cut in 2018. The logging was not contained within the 2017 Asbestos Expansion Approval boundaries, and had nothing to do with the intended location of new cells. Ourphotos show wetland disturbance and runoff that resulted from logging. Arlington Heights never advised NSECC of intent to clearcut the large natural wetland. Both the failure to notify, and the clearcut itself, are documented violations not only of Provincial Law, but of the Terms and Conditions of the 2017 approval.
NSECC never did a “comprehensive” wetland site survey. Instead, the department relied on information provided by the proponent. The proponent’s survey was limited to the “study area”, a relatively small proportion of the entire site. Not surprisingly, the proponent only identified a single 3ha natural wetland, while ignoring the larger wetland complex.
Throughout this entire discussion of wetlands, NSECC responses to our questions have confused the 3ha natural wetland described above with a different man made wetland and settling pond built to receive C&D leachate from internal dump drains and surface water. The 3ha Natural Wetland has not been “engineered” in any way - it has simply been used as a convenient “designated receptor” for surface and groundwater runoff containing both asbestos and C&D leachate.
The Natural Wetland was clear cut and deeply rutted in 2018. Confused inspectors either examined the wrong wetland, or they believed the proponent’s false claims that the cutting was necessary for the asbestos expansion. Either way, inspectors reported “no wetland alteration” when responding to 2018 complaints.
Because NSECC took no action due to complaints in 2018, Dexter assumed that NSECC would not object if they drained and bulldozed the entire wetland to build more disposal cells. Dexter has not completely eradicated the wetland, and the small buffer that protected nearby property holders. Dump effluent now flows directly onto adjacent land. Now that the wetland has been completely destroyed, NSECC has started an investigation.
On February 23, 2022, NSECC served Arlington Heights with a longform charge for commencing or continuing activity without approval related to the wetland alteration. This is an active file currently before the courts.
Every Wednesday we share a Nova Scotia Nature Photo on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Have you taken photos of beautiful places around the province? Share them with us for a chance to be featured on our page!
We want to hear from you about all our services and work. Please fill out this short survey before Wed., May 5, 2022. Your feedback will help to guide our work and is very important!
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