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Overview:
NSEN Updates
Member Updates
Calls to Action
Nova Scotia Environmental News
Job Opportunities
Volunteer Opportunities
Other Information
NSEN Updates
Catch up on our latest webinar: Community Podcasting for Eco Justice
Thank you to Sheena Cameron for leading us through and informative workshop on podcasting your voice, especially through this climate crisis. Another big thank you to all the participants who helped make it so special! You can now watch the recording of the presentation and read our full event summary on our website
Celebrating a Decade as Atlantic Canada’s Trusted Forum for Indigenous Consultation, Engagement, and Partnership Building
Join Indigenous leaders, advisors, government decision-makers, regulators, and industry partners at this milestone event as they examine the evolving realities shaping consultation and engagement across the region. From Indigenous rights and economic participation to resource development and reconciliation, explore the legal, political, and practical developments transforming projects and partnerships today.
Reasons to Attend:
Tailored Focus on the Atlantic Region
Get region-specific insights and solutions tailored to the unique challenges of Atlantic Canada that you won’t find anywhere else.
Holistic Perspectives and Strategies
Hear directly from Indigenous leaders, government officials, and industry representatives to understand diverse viewpoints and build more balanced, effective consultation strategies.
Legal Updates and Practical Implications
Stay current on the latest court decisions impacting Indigenous consultation, and walk away with tools to better support Indigenous clients and navigate evolving legal responsibilities.
NSEN has recently been informed that we were placed #15 on the top 60 Nova Scotia Blogs. NSEN blogs share the different events and environmental influence in Nova Scotia. Sharing voices and providing a space for anyone to report on something important to them, is exactly why NSEN continues to encourage blogs.
Feel inspired to write a blog? Click the button below to volunteer as a blog writer!
FREE admission Community Day on Wednesday, July 29th from 1 pm to 6 pm at the Back to the Sea Centre. This is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission.
Protected Areas Week is an opportunity to celebrate Nova Scotia’s protected areas and help people connect with these special places. Throughout the week, we’ll be highlighting protected areas across the province and encouraging communities to get outside and explore them. You can view the hikes and registration details...
Hike Nova Scotia and co-hosts the Digby Area Recreation Commission, the Fundy Erratics hiking group and Our Pathways Society invite you to the Hiking Summit from October 1 to 4 in Digby. Take in workshops, hikes and more! Register early to secure your spot by September 27.
Parkbus is offering bus trips from Halifax to Keji (the main inland park) and Keji Seaside (Port Joli) again this summer. Hike NS has partnered with Parkbus to provide Parkbus Ambassadors, folks who welcome you onto the bus and make sure your trip goes well. Tickets are $30 to $45 for a day trip.
Hike NS is starting a Hiking Club for blind and partially sighted hikers in HRM. We will offer bus transportation as well as volunteers trained to assist hikers. If you are blind or partially sighted and would like to start hiking or hike more, please sign up to join our trips. Those who stick with the hiking club over multiple trips will receive free gear
Volunteer Opportunity: Dog Strangling Vine Weed Pull
Help the Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council remove Dog-Strangling Vine; a highly invasive plant that threatens the endangered Monarch Butterfly! Thursday August 6th, join us on Sesame Street in Kentville any time between 10 AM and 3 PM and stay for as little or as long as you'd like. Any help is greatly appreciated!
So much of what makes Nova Scotia unique is endangered by the current government’s budget cuts and other actions.
Bingo for Better, a collaboration by the Nova Scotia Arts Coalition and the EAC, is a summer-long bingo game that encourages us all to celebrate, explore and support Nova Scotia’s nature, communities and cultures — especially those under threat.
At the end of the summer, we'll host Bingo for Better Block Parties in multiple communities around the province to celebrate and continue our work together to protect what we love about our communities. If you'd like to help host a party, please let us know!
Join the Ecology Action Centre for Hike-a-Thon 2026 (and compete for a grand prize)!
Hike-a-Thon is fundraiser and an outdoor competition. In years past, it has been all about hiking. In 2026, we want to make Hike-a-Thon more accessible. This means that you can do any outdoor activity to participate—hike, bike or whatever you like!
It's all about connecting with the outdoor spaces you love while raising critical funds for the Ecology Action Centre's fight to protect them.
Hike-a-Thon participants set two goals. The first is how many minutes of outdoor activity you'd like to do, and the second is how much money you'll try to raise. There are grand prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in both "most active minutes" and "most fundraised" categories. And there will be smaller prizes for creative and unique contributions from participants.
Join Save Our Old Forests (SOOF) and guest hosts Keith Egger and Scott Digweed for a forest walk to explore part of the proposed Goldsmith Lake Wilderness Area. Participants will explore an old forest on the Corbett Peninsula as part ofNature Nova Scotia's Protected Areas Week.
Keith and Scott will focus on the mostly hidden organisms that sustain and nurture the forest ecosystem. Keith will share his knowledge of fungi and mycorrhizal networks, and Scott is a local entomologist who is currently leading the Bug Quest Canada project at Goldsmith Lake.
The Peace and Friendship Medicine Trail Presents: PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP - Gathering on the Land🍂
Join us in Celebrating our Connection to the Land and Each Other through Art, Food, Knowledge Sharing, Stewardship and Gratitude.
Enjoy - homemade Chili and Luskinikn (bannock), a Traditional Plant Walk, Art Exploration with Lorne Julien, help with Indigenous plant restoration and much more. ALL WELCOME! ALL CELEBRATED!
Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026
Time: 11:00am - 3:00pm
Location: Meet at Corbett Lake in theGoldsmith Lake Wilderness Area (from Morse Rd. turn West onto Neaves Rd. Follow signs to the Lake). A ride shuttle to the Lake will be available.
To help us get a sense of numbers please register in advance by emailing Rhonda
Join Save Our Old Forests (SOOF) at the Beaver Creek Vineyard as we celebrate old forests at our 4th annual music festival!
SOOFSTOCK 2026 is a family friendly day of fun with a market, kids crafts & games, BBQ & Food, and the annual SOOFSTOCK Forest Walk and Forest Talk with Nina Newington and Donna Crossland. This year’s line-up includes live performances from the Black Rock Buoys, Scott Henderson, Zakary Miller, Res-O-Matics, Lorne Allan, She The Archer, Alex & Autumn and Permanent Resonance. Many thanks to all the performers for Giving Nature A Voice.
Thanks to the Valley Credit Union, Municipality of the County of Annapolis and the Nova Scotia Festival & Community Grant for their financial support.
FESTIVAL DETAILS Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026 Time: 10am – 6pm Location: Beaver Creek Vineyard (496 Carleton Road, Lawrencetown) Tickets: Pay What You Can (suggested $20). Kids 16 and under free.
Join us for the 3rd Annual Sustainable Blue Economy Summit hosted by Ocean Alliance Canada, a national ocean sector initiative of ECO Canada, and connect with the leaders shaping the next phase of the global blue economy.
This year's focus reflects where the ocean economy is headed, moving from strategy to execution. One day bringing together leaders from ocean technology, Indigenous communities, government, and investors to connect the systems that drive sustainable progress.
When: September 18th 2026 | 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM Where: The Westin Nova Scotian, Halifax, NS
Leading a movement? Organizing a rally? Need people to sign your petition?
NSEN Members (both organizations and individuals) can submit Calls to Action for our Eco-Connections Newsletter every month.
Nova Scotia Environmental News
Nova Scotia spending $1.7M on greenhouses, harvesting equipment for farms
Nova Scotia is spending more than $1.7 million to help four agricultural businesses expand their production and develop new products.
The province says East Coast Wild Blueberry in Debert, Maritime Gourmet Mushrooms in Great Village, Eyking Brothers Farms in Millville and Vitis Vines in Centreville will receive hundreds of thousands of dollars to launch and grow different initiatives.
The funded projects will have to be completed by January.
What this bone-dry July is actually doing to Nova Scotia farms
LOWER CANARD, N.S. – The summer of 2025 in Nova Scotia was one of the driest in decades, damaging crops and causing financial hardship for farmers across the province. The effects have been long term -- this year’s strawberry season was off to a late start causing produce to be smaller.
Josh Oulton’s farming season in Nova Scotia is off to a good start, but haunting memories are hard to shake.
“We all are still a little gun-shy from last year, which was an extreme drought,” said Oulton who has several farms that grow fruits and vegetables in Lower Canard and Port Williams, N.S. Oulton says his strawberries have been irregularly sized.
New water rates approved for Landrie Lake customers, including proposed hydrogen plant
Rates are going up for industrial users of the Landrie Lake Water Utility in Point Tupper, N.S., and the Nova Scotia Regulatory and Appeals Board has approved the creation of a separate customer class for a proposed green hydrogen project.
For existing customers of the treatment plant, gradual increases over the next three years would amount to higher rates totalling about 20 per cent overall, according to a board decision released this week.
The utility told the regulator the increases are needed to cover increased operating costs and capital spending.
Maritime Provinces, Federal Government to Explore Electricity Co-operation, System Integration
Maritime provinces are at a pivotal moment in their energy transition, with each province committed to ensuring reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity systems for its citizens.
The provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore whether greater regional co-operation could improve affordability, optimize planning and investments, and strengthen system efficiency and resilience in the future. Natural Resources Canada is also a partner.
Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources, said in a statement that the movement is “undeniable.”
“Over the past few months, we have seen major projects move forward that will support communities, create jobs and grow our economy,” he said in a release.
The Canadian Energy Regulator is looking for a Chairperson for the board.
The Chairperson of the Board leads the Board, overseeing its efficiency and ensuring it focuses on strategy rather than operations. The Chairperson presides over Board meetings, oversees the application of sound governance practices, and ensures the Board operates efficiently and responsibly. Serving as the principal liaison between the Board and the CEO, the Chairperson facilitates clear communication, coordination, and alignment among Board members, senior leadership, the Minister, and external stakeholders.
The Chairperson represents the Board in official engagements, supports strategic planning and succession management, leads Board performance evaluations, contributes to the CEO performance assessment process, and ensures Directors receive appropriate orientation and ongoing development. Working closely with the Vice Chairperson, committee chairs, and advisory bodies, the Chairperson fosters effective collaboration while performing additional duties as assigned by the Board.
The Canadian Energy Regulator is looking for a Director for the board.
Directors of the Board approve key governance documents and regulations within the Canadian Energy Regulator's authority and set its strategic priorities. They provide strategic guidance on performance, risk, financial management, governance and alignment with Government of Canada policies while respecting the independence of the Commission and Commissioners in regulatory decision-making. Directors of the Board also work closely with the Canadian Energy Regulator Indigenous Advisory Committee and seek its advice on how to build new relationships with Indigenous Peoples.
Have you visited NSEN's Volunteer Hub yet? This tool is a powerful one-stop-shop where NSEN members can post volunteer positions and our network of volunteers can view and apply for opportunities that fit their interests. Submit a new position or apply today!
Reconnecting with Land, Self, and Community, is a free one-day gathering that brings together community members, educators, students, service providers, and leaders to learn, connect, and explore healing through culture, storytelling, and community engagement
Date: Saturday, August 8, 2026 Time: 12:00 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. Location: Frank McKenna Centre for Leadership, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia
On July 7, 2026, Prospect Industrial Equipment Sales and Rentals Limited (the Proponent)registered the Sturk Quarry Expansion Project, Kings Countyfor Environmental Assessment (EA), in accordance with Part IV of the Environment Act.
The purpose of the proposed undertaking is to develop and expand the existing <4 ha Sturk Quarry, located at 568 Canaan Road, in the community of Morristown, Kings County. The quarry, which was opened in 2013 under a temporary operating permit, is located on PID 55514392, 55518898 and 55146393. The quarry expansion footprint will be a maximum of 52.9 ha in addition to the existing <4 ha quarry footprint. The project is anticipated to commence in the fall of 2026 and with an anticipated project lifespan of 40 years. Aggregate from the Sturk Quarry is used locally for provincial road construction projects and is expected to operate on a similar level to the historic quarry operations currently taking place. Current quarry operations include blasting, crushing, asphalt production, and heavy equipment operation, and with continued estimated production of an average of 60,000-70,000 tonnes of aggregate annually based on market demands.
Please note that all comments must be provided by August 16, 2026, to be considered in this environmental assessment. Comments are requested to be provided via email (ea@novascotia.ca) or through our online comments page (Environmental Assessment - Project Comments- NS Forms - Government of Nova Scotia) if possible. All submissions received will be posted on the Department’s website for public viewing.
On or before August 26, 2026, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change will decide if the project can be granted conditional Environmental Assessment Approval.
6 x 90min Online Classes: September 16 – October 21
Mi’kmaw is the language of the Mi’kmaq. Reclaiming Mi’kmaw language is an act of liberation for Indigenous people and allyship of community peace for non-Indigenous people.
This course is open to everyone –Indigenous and non-Indigenous adults who wish to learn to uplift language revitalization. If you are a non-Indigenous language learner, we invite you to review these reflections on what it means to be a non-Indigenous learner in an Indigenous language learning course.
Reconciliation Course With Elder Albert D. Marshall
4 x 1 hour online classes: Wednesdays, September 9, 16, 23, and 30
When we walk together in a good way, we learn to see and know the world through two eyes.
This series honours Two-Eyed Seeing, the gift of multiple perspectives also known as Etuaptmumk in Mi’kmaw. Through interactive storytelling with the children’s book ‘Walking Together’, teachings, and playful experiences, we will playfully co-learn together, applying Two-Eyed Seeing to nurture spirit, heart, mind, and body, and foster respectful, reciprocal relationships in and with nature. Applicable for educators in the early learning and primary years (though great for all ages, and including those teaching future early childhood educators).
Building Community through resilience in a changing climate
Building Community Resilience in a Changing Climate is an 8-week blended online course designed for Canadian and international practitioners working in community development, NGOs, local government, social justice, climate adaptation, and community leadership.
Through practical learning and peer exchange, participants will explore how communities can strengthen resilience, assess risks, mobilize local assets, and respond to climate challenges in equitable and community-centred ways.
Dates: September 14 to November 6, 2026
Format: Online blended learning (Thursday class sessions)
NSEN is growing, and we want you to be part of it! With new members, exciting events, and stronger collaboration across the province, there's never been a better time to be connected.
As a member, you can: ✅ Join provincial caucuses on key topics like water, biodiversity, and environmental education ✅ Participate in our annual meeting with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change ✅ Share your events, projects, job postings, and calls to action through our newsletter and social media ✅ Share your work in free webinars hosted by NSEN ✅ Recruit volunteers through our Volunteer Hub ✅ Connect with like-minded individuals and organizations at NSEN events
If you're a past member and haven't renewed for 2026, we’d love to welcome you back!
If you’re unsure about your membership status or would like to learn more about joining, please get in touch.
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