Webinar - Resilient Coastal Communities in the face of Climate Change
Thank you to everyone who joined us on July 26th for our free webinar and discussion surrounding coastal communities and climate change with Georgia Klein from Dalhousie’s College of Sustainability!
A recording of the event is available on our website; learn more about building and supporting resilient coastal communities during the ongoing climate crisis!
Topics include stormwater management, coastal erosion and coastal protection.
Larissa Dean is our new Information and Communications Manager for the summer season. Larissa holds a brand new Social and Environmental Sustainability degree from Dalhousie University she hopes to use to make positive change in her community.
With the NSEN team she hopes to use her role to connect the network in meaningful ways. So far her favourite part of the role has been posting to the @NSenvironmentalnetwork Instagram account as a means of communication between organizations. Larissa can be reached at info@nsnenvironmentalnetwork.com
We launched theNSEN Volunteer Hubin 2021. It is a platform that allows members to post opportunities for people looking to volunteer in Nova Scotia's environmental community. Please take a look at the Volunteer Hub and reach out if your organization is looking for volunteers and wants to be added to the hub. Positions get featured on a rotating basis on our Instagram and Facebook profiles.
First Annual Progress Report on Environment and Climate Change Goals released July 22
The 28 goals are part of the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act, passed in the House of Assembly in October 2021. These goals provide guidance on “reducing greenhouse gas emissions, growing the green economy, improving the health and sustainability of Nova Scotia’s environment, protecting more land and water, growing the circular economy – extending the life of products by reducing, reusing, repurposing and recycling – and moving to clean, renewable energy.” To read the list of work undertaken towards any of the 28 goals or learn more about the project click below.
Halifax City Council passed an amended motion on the Sandy Lake Ecological Features Assessment report
Sandy Lake from above. (CBC)
520 hectares of municipally owned lands were assessed for ecological features. The study focused on the area bordered by Highway 101, Highway 102, Hammonds Plains Road and Gatehouse Run/Viscount Run. The findings were as follows:
“Concentrations of high valued ecological/environmental conditions were largely observed in areas of existing municipal parkland and the immediately adjoining lands, lands owned by other government (Marsh Lake lands), and the Sackville River system lands. Some of lands beyond these areas were not found to have concentrations of ecological values, and some existing municipal parkland areas, such as those lands near to the Bicentennial Highway possess lower ecological values. Areas beyond the concentrations of medium to high valued ecological condition may still be important for consideration and possible protection as supporting lands for the continued integrity of the areas of high ecological/environmental values. These lands may also have an important role for broader landscape and ecological connectivity, which also needs to be addressed."
It is recommended that further studies are conducted including a Land Suitability Analysis, a Watershed Study and an Infrastructure Capacity Analysis.
A medium-density bloom of blue-green algae species in Nova Scotia, near the shoreline of a lake. (Department of Environment and Climate Change).
Around the province at locations such as Grand Lake, Maple Lake, Loon Lake, Shubie off-leash dog park, and Hunts Lake are experiencing blooms of Blue-Green algae. This algae can be a number of colours and can look like grass clippings or spilled paint. This is concerning as the algae contains toxins which can be fatal for pets and make people sick. Before you plan on taking yourself or your pet swimming take a look at the page below for information on reporting or existing reports of Blue-Green algae.
Granville Street protest of the lack of ecosystem protection in Nova Scotia
Environmental groups gathered at the Nova Scotia legislature on Tuesday afternoon to protest “government steamrolling over fragile ecosystems and democracy.”
Bill Zebedee, president of Protect Our Southdale Wetland Society, said a coalition of environmental groups began talking about this rally back in May.
Temperature records set across the province amidst heatwave
July 22nd map of heat warnings in Nova Scotia. (CBC)
Due to a high pressure air mass known as a Bermuda high, hot and humid temperatures scorch Nova Scotia. Multiple and wide spread heat warnings were issued in July, meaning daytime temperatures reached 29 degrees celsius for two or more consecutive days. Debert and Greenwood broke heat records with temperatures of 33 degrees celsius and 35 degrees celsius respectively. Remember to take care of yourself in this heat; including drinking water, taking breaks if outside, and checking on vulnerable populations.
Big Glace Bay Lake in Cape Breton is Canada’s newest National Wildlife Area
Big Glace Bay Lake salt-marshes. (Environment Canada)
The area is comprised of 394 hectares of beach, marsh, coastal zones, mixed woodland and the Big Glace Bay Lake Migratory Bird Sanctuary. This designation will help protect at-risk species such as the Canada Goose and American Black Duck. Visitors who follow posted regulations will be able to continue enjoying the beach and surrounding area.
Swimming not advised in the Halifax Harbour due to a sewage system malfunction
Halifax Water is urging Nova Scotians not to go for a dip in the Halifax Harbour or surrounding areas including McNabs Island, Lawlors Island or at MacCormacks Beach. As of July 23rd, a functioning pump had run overnight pumping wastewater to the Halifax Wastewater Treatment Facility. Residents who were asked to limit wastewater production were told on this day to resume normal operations. Halifax Water believes the harbour will return to natural conditions by July 25th.
Hike Nova Scotia invites groups across NS to partner with them on delivering fall guided walks from September to November 2022. Hike NS will help promote events and provide a how-to guide and trail prizes to giveaway. If your municipality, First Nation or organization can organize a walk (or already plan to host one), please register your event by August 12 for events between September 16 and November 20.
Starting in August Scotian Shores will be doing some Ghost Gear Retrievals from Cape Sable Island. Wish them luck and if you want to be a part of the adventure please let them know! "We are looking for volunteers ready for a challenge and sponsorships for different days of retrieval. Our goal is to remove over 1000 ALD lobster traps in 3 months from the Cape Light Island."
Join the Arlington Forest Protection Society for an afternoon of building nesting cups for Barn Swallows. Guest Host, Larry Powell from East Coast Habitat Helpers will provide the materials, guidance and instructions, and you leave with a nesting cup ready to be installed at your place. Registration Required. Limited to 20 participants. $15 for Society Members. $20 for General Public.
Spend the day helping to preserve a beautiful park located right in Halifax! The Shaw Wilderness Park is frequented by many visitors every year and so it is important to keep it clean for all to enjoy. We will spend the day cleaning up debris from around the park. Please note: this will be a physically demanding task, and a moderate to high fitness level is required.
The Eisner Cove Wetland is a near-pristine forested wetland located within a densely settled area of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The wetland once stretched all the way to Eisner Cove on the Halifax Harbour, but the downstream area was filled in many years ago, and the wetland currently occupies about 12 hectares, and it is surrounded and protected by about 43 hectares of old forest.
This wetland is classed as a diverse fen, which is a carbon sequestering powerhouse. Wetlands help purify our water systems, contain carbon, buffer the impacts of climate change, manage air quality, and moderate extreme heat.
Nova Scotia is committed to protecting 20% of public lands by 2030, but misinformation and a lack of a selection process puts regional and national protected area goals at risk of not being achieved.
Read Nature NS' Protected Areas summary from the 2021 State of Nature Report then tell your MLA you support the 20% by 2030 goal.
Cole Harbour Parks and Trails has created a petition to re-zone the Salt Marsh Trail and surrounding property to protect the land. Currently, there is commercial zoned property near Rainbow Haven Beach that is listed for sale. Cole Harbour Parks and Trails believes this land should be zoned as park land. Furthermore, salt marsh conservation areas are not on the list of protected spaces in Nova Scotia.
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!
Infrastructure Canada’s Natural Infrastructure Fund (NIF) Small Projects Stream
Infrastructure Canada’s Natural Infrastructure Fund (NIF) Small Projects Stream opened on July 14, 2022, and is accepting applications until September 27, 2022 at 3:00 pm. This is a federal program focused on natural infrastructure seeking to build community awareness and use of hybrid infrastructure. To learn more about NIF program eligibility and how to apply, visit the webpage.
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