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For
more information contact:
Sheri
Woodland
Office
of Public Affairs
Acadia
University
Phone:
(902)
585-1362
Fax:
(902) 585-1072
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From
climate to causeways, the Bay of Fundy ecosystem is changing
For Release: May 14, 2002
(Wolfville,
NS) - For decades, and even centuries the delicate
balance of nature has been shifting in the Bay of Fundy as resources
and habitats have interacted with human needs. It is not too late to
address the issues facing the region and its coastal communities,
and to bring about positive changes for the future. From May 13-16th
, Acadia University is hosting a workshop organized by the Bay of
Fundy Ecosystem Partnership (BoFEP) that will focus on the health of
the Bay ecosystem, its living resources (wildlife and fisheries) and
coastal communities. The purpose of the workshop is to develop an
up-to-date assessment of the health of the Bay. Discussions will
bring the decision-making process back to the communities directly
affected by the Bay of Fundy ecosystem.
Keynote banquet speaker, Dr.
David Phillips, will discuss regional changes in the Bay of Fundy
associated with climate and weather patterns. Phillips is Canada's
most popular weatherman. As senior climatologist with the
Meteorological Service of Environment Canada since the 1960s, he has
worked to help Canadians better appreciate the importance of weather
and climate. In his presentation, Phillips will discuss changing
weather patterns in the Fundy region and explain how they affect
resources in the area.
During the conference, presentations and open
discussions will emphasize progress achieved and activities underway
on the many environmental and resource conservation issues facing
the Bay. The purpose of this workshop is to bring together
scientists and community groups who share interests in the Bay.
Debates over fish stocks, causeways and water levels will balance
scientific facts with local community needs. Blending ideas and
balancing the use of resources will ensure that, in the future, the
Bay of Fundy will be healthier and able to sustain local industries
that depend on its ecosystem. The workshop follows an international
trend to bring environmental decision making back to the local level
and include those who use the area in decisions and planning.
An
integral part of the Workshop is the Bay of Fundy Coastal Forum,
Taking the Pulse of the Bay. This is being organized on behalf of
the Global Plan of Action Coalition (GPAC), as part of the
international Gulf of Maine program. Dr. Jack Pearce, an eminent
marine biologist formerly with Woods Hole and Buzzards Bay Marine
Laboratories in Massachusetts, is the keynote speaker for the
Coastal Forum. Dr. Pearce is an internationally recognized expert on
marine environmental monitoring. He designed programs for the
International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the US
National Academy of Sciences, US Environmental Protection Agency,
and the US Fisheries and Marine Service. He has been a tireless
advocate of innovative marine science and its applications for
protecting human and ecosystem health. In his keynote talk he will
focus on issues in the Gulf of Maine, its habitats and its species.
As part of the overall Gulf of Maine ecosystem, the Bay of Fundy's
changing environment has international significance. Partnering
between interest groups on both sides of the boarder can help
preserve valuable precious water resources.
Workshops such as the
Bay of Fundy Coastal Forum are a vital part of the process needed to
raise awareness about the issues facing the Bay of Fundy. With the
majority of mainland Nova Scotia and New Brunswick included in the
Bay of Fundy region it is important for people to be aware of the
role they can play in protecting and conserving this vast and unique
ecosystem.
-30-
For more information contact:
Sheri Woodland
Communications Manager
Office of Public Affairs
Acadia University
(902) 585-1362
Acadia
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