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(Wolfville, NS) -
Acadia University’s Arthur Irving Academy for the Environment has
awarded its first Environmental Leadership Award to 2006 M.Sc.
graduate Brennan Caverhill. The Award is given to one graduating
student or to a group of students (at least one of whom is
graduating) who has demonstrated exceptional environmental
leadership during the previous year at Acadia University.
“Of the more than 90
honours and graduate students I have supervised over the past 28
years, Brennan is certainly one of the most outstanding, “ said
Acadia Biology professor Dr. Tom Herman, who nominated Brennan for
the Award. “Among this group, in terms of Environmental Leadership
at this stage of his career, I would certainly have to rank him as
number one.”
Over the past four
years, Brennan, a Dean’s List and University Scholar from Woodstock,
NB, has integrated himself into the small rural community of
Pleasant River, NS, in an effort to conserve and protect one of the
three known Nova Scotia populations of the Endangered Blanding's
turtle. Brennan’s enthusiasm is infectious and he has a remarkable
track record of achievements, including:
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Establishing a nest
monitoring program for landowners in the Pleasant River area to
monitor and protect nests of Blanding's turtles on their properties
and an informal reporting network for species-at-risk sightings in
the area.
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Delivering dozens of
public presentations on species-at-risk to schools, service groups,
and naturalist clubs. He has also given presentations at regional,
national and international academic conferences on his work at
Pleasant River, winning the Best Student Paper award at the Canadian
Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Network Annual Meeting in Ottawa
in September 2005.
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Organizing two
environmental 'paddle-bike-hike-a-thons' in southwest Nova Scotia to
raise awareness about species-at-risk and funds for worthy causes (IWK
Children's Hospital Nature Awareness Program; Pleasant River
Community Hall and Community Park Fund).
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Contributing to the
design and participating in Mermaid Theatre production on
species-at-risk.
“The Blanding's
turtles at Pleasant River are now considerably more secure than they
were five years ago. Hundreds of southwest Nova Scotia residents,
from pre-school to seniors, are better informed about
species-at-risk, more aware of the unique organisms in their own
backyard, and in a better position to serve as advocates themselves
for conserving biodiversity,” said Dr. Herman.
The Arthur Irving
Academy for the Environment is a recognized centre of scholarship on
environmental issues, generating new knowledge and applying it to
the resolution of environmental problems. It develops and
disseminates holistic, trans-disciplinary approaches to
environmental management, conservation, and sustainability of human
communities. For more information, please visit
www.acadiau.ca/academy.
Acadia University, in
Wolfville, Nova Scotia, is recognized as one of Canada’s premier
undergraduate institutions. With its nationally and internationally
recognized research initiatives, small class sizes, and its
technology-rich teaching and learning environment, Acadia offers
students a personalized education that includes rigorous academic
programs combined with personal growth and development. For more
information about Acadia, visit our website at
www.acadiau.ca.
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