From soren at bondrup.com Sat Aug 21 14:35:15 2021 From: soren at bondrup.com (Soren Bondrup-Nielsen) Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2021 16:35:15 -0300 Subject: [BNS_members] Robie Tufts Nature Centre Message-ID: <8EA688E1-74C3-46A7-A462-201DD9DF93AB@bondrup.com> Hello, We are in the process of ?spiffying up? the Robie Tufts Nature Centre (RTNC) in collaboration with the Town of Wolfville. The present display cases will be removed, the roof will be re-shingled, and the structure will be painted. We, the BNS, will be responsible for providing new display material. The Town will help with the cost of printing the displays on alluminun sheets (similar to other sinage in Wolfville put up by the Town.) We have received several donations in memory of Sherman Williams and I would like to dedicate the RTNC to Sherman but also recognize many of the other BNS members who have contributed greatly the the BNS. We will mount a campaign to raise further funds. We, the Board, would like input from you the members as to what we will display at the RTNC. Please let me know if you are interested in helping. I will send out a suggestion in the next little while that you may add to, delete from and otherwise change. Also, we will be looking for pictures. So, please let me know if you are interested and I will create an e-mail list for correspondance. Cheers, Soren Soren Bondrup-Nielsen Professor Emeritus, Biology Acadia University www.bondrup.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From soren at bondrup.com Thu Aug 26 12:28:37 2021 From: soren at bondrup.com (Soren Bondrup-Nielsen) Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2021 14:28:37 -0300 Subject: [BNS_members] Mushroom course with Allison Walker and Keith Egger Message-ID: Hello evryone, You can now register for the Mushroom course with Allison Walker and Keith Egger at the Ross Creek Centre for the Arts on September 25. Please see https://blomidonnaturalists.ca/2021-program/ Scroll down to Sept. 25 and click the link. Please share this email with people you think might be interested. Cheers, Soren Soren Bondrup-Nielsen Professor Emeritus, Biology Acadia University www.bondrup.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From vbrooke.bns at gmail.com Tue Aug 31 11:32:13 2021 From: vbrooke.bns at gmail.com (=?utf-8?Q?Virginia=20Brooke?=) Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2021 16:32:13 +0000 Subject: [BNS_members] =?utf-8?q?September_e-newsletter_from_the_Blomidon?= =?utf-8?q?_Naturalists_Society?= Message-ID: <0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9.b24cf58224.20210831163208.e39ffd4aa6.06faf9d8@mail24.sea31.mcsv.net> Here's what's happening this month View this email in your browser (https://mailchi.mp/bf78f7c09552/update-from-the-blomidon-naturalists-society-5326976?e=b24cf58224) You are receiving this email because you previously opted-in to our e-newsletter. >From the President September is right around the corner. The covid lockdown ended toward the end of June, and the summer has been somewhat ?normal? except for the apparent evidence of global warming. It seems the world is either burning or flooding. The latest IPCC report came out recently, and the warnings are getting more and more urgent. I try to be optimistic that we can turn things around, but it is not always easy. We are a world community, and we need a collective will to reduce carbon emissions to a level where the world average temperature will stay below a 1.5-degree increase. We need to all do our part and put pressure on politicians. On a positive note, this summer, I read Suzanne Simard?s ?Finding the Mother Tree.? This is an absolutely fascinating book describing her discovery that trees share nutrients, not just with trees of the same species but with other species, which will vary depending on conditions. Forests are communities that support each other. We humans can learn a lot from forests. Another book I have read over the summer is Sooyong Park?s ?Great Soul of Siberia.? Park is a Korean documentary filmmaker who studied Siberian Tigers for years and would spend months at a time during the winter isolated in a small bunker, as he calls it, waiting for tigers to come by so he could observe them and film them. The bunker was only two by two meters and was not heated. How he had the patience to wait in the freezing temperature is remarkable. At one point, two tigers are on top of his bunker, and the leg of one of the tigers breaks through the roof. This tiger does extract its leg, but Park is terrified that the tigers will discover him and remains dead quiet for several hours until the tigers finally leave. This book is descriptive of the area, the landscape, and the wildlife. It is well translated and a remarkable read. For the BNS monthly presentations before the summer focused on Climate Change. This fall, we will focus on Biodiversity. I will be introducing Biodiversity as a webinar; we are hoping that the September presentation will be an indigenous perception of Biodiversity. In September, there will be a BNS course on Mushrooms held at Ross Creek Centre for the Arts by Drs. Allison Walker and Keith Egger. An email will be announcing this course. I hope everyone has had a great summer and are looking forward to our fall program. --Soren Bondrup-Nielsen ** UPCOMING EVENTS ------------------------------------------------------------ Federal Election Debate, sponsored by BNS A virtual debate on environmental policy by the candidates of Kings-Hants Riding. The Federal election is on September 20, 2021. What are the environmental policies of the three major political parties? How will your party's environmental policy address the pressing climate crisis issues? See and take part in the virtual debate along with Kody Blois-Liberal, Stephen Schneider-NDP, Mark Parent-Conservative, and moderated by Soren Bondrup-Nielsen, President, Blomidon Naturalists Society. September 7 at 7:30 Registration Link, TBA: Watch your email and the BNS Program page. Need more info re: Election, 2021 naturalist issues? Visit the Ecology Action Centre, here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=f55bf47ff8&e=b24cf58224) and here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=a89a8eef1e&e=b24cf58224) . ** Next Monthly BNS Meeting Our next monthly meeting will be on Sept 20 at 7:30 pm via Zoom. ------------------------------------------------------------ Topic: Awakening the sleeping Giant: re-Indiginization principles for transforming biodiversity conservation. For background info on this issue, see here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=8094dca76b&e=b24cf58224) . ** GET INVOLVED ------------------------------------------------------------ ** Butterflyway Project Update ------------------------------------------------------------ We are happy to report that the town of Wolfville will allow us to install pollinator gardens at two sites; two small gardens in clock park and one larger garden beside the "rails to trails" across from Willow Park. We are looking for volunteers to help with this later this fall. It would probably be only one day of work, depending on the number of volunteers. You can email us at: pollinator at blomidonnaturalists.ca (mailto:pollinator at blomidonnaturalists.ca) Also, we are still looking for possible public sites for pollinator gardens Flying Squirrel Adventures have lots to offer this Fall Flying Squirrel Adventures hosts an number of activities for all ages. The 'Forest Play' program for 3-5 year olds starts Sept 13 and lasts 8 weeks, see here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=9edb45362e&e=b24cf58224) . Other sponsored events include 'Family Nature Play' on Sept 18 and 'Nature for Newcomers' on Sept 25, see here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=bdea516dec&e=b24cf58224) . Munro Woodland Walk and Talk Learn about Nova Scotia?s woodlands and what grows there Learn how foresters work to develop and protect our Acadian forest This Walk and Talk Tour of the Munro Woodlot is an informal, boots on the ground opportunity to learn about tree identification and managing the Acadian Forest (particularly differentiating between early, mid and late successional species). We?ll talk about and see what ecological based forest management is. The presentation will include information on things to consider, when conducting tree selection and forest improvement. Workshop leaders: Pat Wiggin and Soren Bondrup Nielsen Date: Saturday, September 18, 2021 1-3 p.m. (Rain Date: Sunday, September 19, 1-3 p.m.) Location: 1771 Brow Mountain Road, Viewmount, NS This event is free, but space is limited To register: Write to: caplindadale at gmail.com or hrscommunityconnections at gmail.com ** Mushroom course with Drs. Allison Walker and Keith Egger ------------------------------------------------------------ An all day course, 'Fun With Fungi' will be held on Sept 25 at Ross Creek Centre for the Arts. The course outline and registration links can be foiund on the BNS Progam page, here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=1d9711af51&e=b24cf58224) , under Sept 25. ** The Nova Scotia Reptile and Amphibian (Herp) Atlas ------------------------------------------------------------ The Nova Scotia Reptile and Amphibian (Herp) Atlas is a citizen-science project that tracks distributions and spatial trends of reptiles and amphibians across the province over time. This project is led by the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute (MTRI) and involves researchers and organizations across our province. (We heard a presentation from Dr. Tom Herman in March of this year.) The over-arching goal is to increase the collective knowledge base of reptiles and amphibians. Equally important, however, is the engagement of non-scientists of all ages and abilities, in all parts of the province, in nature study and conservation. You can find more info on iNaturalist, and the Herp Atlas here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=458e5bea0e&e=b24cf58224) , as well as info on Nova Scotia's 12 reptile and 13 amphibian species here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=3ff2c6dd05&e=b24cf58224) . Provincewide Art Adventure from the Ecology Action Centre Explore artwork and various environments throughout the province. For more information, see here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=541a2b65b4&e=b24cf58224) . Climate Emergency Gathering and Walk Join our big climate-caring community as we gather together to demonstrate to our governments of all sizes that we are not just ready for, but demanding their emergency-level leadership and action. We will be joining Canadians all over the country with the leadership help of 350.org to demand decisive, just and equitable action, and to situate the climate emergency as a central election issue. At 6:30pm, we will gather at Willow Park to hear about the importance of this moment, enjoy some music, and eat our (bring your own) picnic suppers. At 7:15pm, we'll get our signs and walking shoes on and walk the Climate Change Action Walk around town, welcoming others to join us and making our support visible! Please RSVP at this link so we can have a sense of size! https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=c78c7f8e07&e=b24cf58224 ** IN THE NEWS ------------------------------------------------------------ ** Rare tetrapod skull is found in Minas Basin ------------------------------------------------------------ This rare tetrapod skull was discovered on Blue Beach, NS in July by a Dalhousie University biology instructor who was searching for fossils with her students. It is estimated to be 35 million years old! For the full story go here (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=1452ea3e48&e=b24cf58224) . ** UPDATES FROM BNS ------------------------------------------------------------ ** Wildflowers of Nova Scotia ------------------------------------------------------------ The 'Wildflowers of Nova Scotia' field guide was published to encourage an interest in native plants and their conservation. Spring is a wonderful time to learn about our incredible wildflowers, as they pop up from the ground over the next few weeks and months. Not to mention, these easy-to-use, small guides make a wonderful gift! They are available for purchase from our website: https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=2ad4e1ec7a&e=b24cf58224 (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=6f8401ad26&e=b24cf58224) Proceeds from the sale of this guide will go towards conservation projects. A huge thank you to Carole, Howard and the many contributors for putting this together. https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=a02e3ada92&e=b24cf58224 ** 2021 Program on Website ------------------------------------------------------------ You can now see all upcoming events for the year of 2021 on our website. (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=0b146056e9&e=b24cf58224) Details and additional events may be added throughout the year. We acknowledge that we live in Mi?kma?ki, the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi?kmaq People. This territory is covered by the ?Treaties of Peace and Friendship? which did not entail the surrender of lands and resources, but recognized Mi?kmaw title. Renew or Join Membership (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=5f62254c3b&e=b24cf58224) If you enjoyed reading this, please feel free to forward it to someone you think might also appreciate it. As a non-profit, the Blomidon Naturalists Society relies on the tireless of effort of our volunteers and the support of individuals such as yourself. If you are able, we ask that you might consider donating to further enable this work. Donate Now (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=c4cf1fff73&e=b24cf58224) Donate Monthly (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=9d4e9b616d&e=b24cf58224) ============================================================ ** Facebook (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=9ab5bdfe9a&e=b24cf58224) ** Website (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=5d55aaaba3&e=b24cf58224) ** Instagram (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=5a529f62eb&e=b24cf58224) Copyright ? 2021 Blomidon Naturalists Society, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Blomidon Naturalists Society PO Box 2350 Stn Main Wolfville, NS B4P 2N5 Canada Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp http://www.mailchimp.com/email-referral/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=referral_marketing&aid=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&afl=1 This email was sent to members at blomidonnaturalists.ca (mailto:members at blomidonnaturalists.ca) why did I get this? (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/about?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=bb709aa177&e=b24cf58224&c=e39ffd4aa6) unsubscribe from this list (https://blomidonnaturalists.us7.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=bb709aa177&e=b24cf58224&c=e39ffd4aa6) update subscription preferences (https://blomidon-naturalists-society.mailchimpsites.com/manage/preferences?u=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&id=bb709aa177&e=b24cf58224&c=e39ffd4aa6) Blomidon Naturalists Society . PO Box 2350 Stn Main . Wolfville, NS B4P 2N5 . Canada Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp http://www.mailchimp.com/email-referral/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=referral_marketing&aid=0dbe0d10c2ef002331c94c4f9&afl=1 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From soren at bondrup.com Tue Aug 31 11:57:27 2021 From: soren at bondrup.com (Soren Bondrup-Nielsen) Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2021 13:57:27 -0300 Subject: [BNS_members] Environmental debate 2021 Kings Hants federal candidates. Message-ID: <072B1DC2-A62A-4F4E-88EC-8288E4DB99FD@bondrup.com> Hello everyone, The BNS and 100 Debates on the Environment are pleased to announce a debate on the environmental policies by the three canmdidates of the major federal parties to be held virtually on September 7 at 7:30 pm via Zoom. See links below. Chers, Soren -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Environmental debate 2021.docx(1).pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 487939 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- Soren Bondrup-Nielsen Professor Emeritus, Biology Acadia University www.bondrup.com