RESTORING THE ACADIAN FOREST: WHAT LANDOWNERS AND INDUSTRY ARE DOING

Tea, coffee and sweets will be served.

A great time to renew your membership.

The Preservation Nature Trust is mounting a new display to highlight the UNESCO designation of the Bras d’Or Lake and its Watershed as Canada’s 16th Biosphere Reserve. Check out the story in the Cape Breton Post from May 4th, 2012.

The Board of Directors unanimously endorsed our new logo!

It was designed by Wendy Burns-Morrison of Baddeck.

The logo shows the blue of the bras d’or waters and the green of the watershed that surrounds it. The circle helps to suggest a human image – showing that people are an integral part of the biosphere!

“We Share the Lake”

The Bras d’Or Stewardship Society and the Bras d’Or Lake Biosphere Reserve Association invited homeschooled and public school students in Cape Breton to enter an art and writing contest that celebrates the Bras d’Or Lake. The Lake is now a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, which is an international designation of recognition for an area in the world deemed to demonstrate a “balanced relationship between humans and the biosphere.”

Inspired by this designation, the contest’s theme this year is “We Share The Lake”. Artwork submitted must support this theme. Judges were photographer Carol Kennedy of North River, painter Virginia McCoy of Inverness, bookbinder and paper artist Katherine Scott of Gabarus, and watercolour painter Kenny Boone of Dominion.

This year’s winning artwork, as well as honorable mentions, are now on display at the Mayflower Mall: May 5th, 2012 to  May 11th, 2012. Congratulations to all winners! Come out and see this marvelous work!

For more information please contact Leah Noble at (902) 295-1059 or email leahcnoble@gmail.com

A “Biosphere Reserve” is an international designation of recognition from UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) for an area in the world which is deemed to demonstrate a “balanced relationship between humans and the biosphere.”

By this is meant that Biospshere reserves are places around the world that have special natural features and where people are committed to their stewardship through sustainable development practices. They are places where collaborative efforts among people in the designated area serve to promote the sustainability of local economies and communities, as well as the conservation of the terrestrial or coastal ecosystems they are in.

Each biosphere reserve conserves examples of characteristic ecosystems of one of the world’s natural regions, managed for their protection and study.

1. It is a land and/or coastal/marine area in which people are an integral component, and which is managed for objectives ranging from complete protection to intensive yet sustainable development.
2. It is a regional centre for monitoring, research, education and training on natural and managed ecosystems.
3. It is a place where government decision makers, scientists, managers and local people cooperate in developing a model programme for managing land and water to meet human needs while conserving natural processes and biological resources.
4. Finally, each biosphere reserve is a symbol of voluntary cooperation to conserve and use resources for the well being of people everywhere.

1. Increases national and international recognition of our communities as a good place to live, work and visit.
2. Our high profile as a tourist destination will increase.
3. Promotes economic development in a sustainable way.
4. Gives government and non-government organizations more power (leverage) to request funding and implement pilot projects for rural and economic development and other areas of interest.
5. Helps to assure the ecological and economic sustainability of our region.
6. Provides additional support to the many groups already working hard to preserve this unique ecosystem
7. Helps First Nations to better address cultural, social and development issues for their people.
8. Encourages increased infrastructure for research, monitoring, educational activities.
9. Gains access to information, expertise and support through national and international networks.

A 6 Page UNESCO publication of the Benefits and Opportunities of a Biosphere Reserve