Steve Reid

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https://test-cpaws-new-brunswick.pantheonsite.io

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November 26 2020

NB’s Nature Legacy Project – Le Projet Patrimoine naturel de N-B

New Brunswick is home to a mix of unique habitats and wildlife that New Brunswickers care deeply about, and that are critical for our well-being. We want to ensure these natural spaces and the wildlife that live there remain protected for generations to come. These wild areas are also important for us to connect with nature.

From now until March 2022, we’re helping New Brunswick more than double its conserved land from 4.7% to 10% of the province — and you can help, too!

Head to gnb.ca/naturelegacy and learn more about the provincial government’s approach to choosing new protected and conserved natural areas, and how they want to hear from you about your special spaces!

Le New Brunswick est le carrefour unique d’un mélange d’habitats et de vie sauvage que les Néo-Brunswickois tiennent vraiment à cœur et qui est essentiel pour notre mieux-être. Nous voulons nous assurer que ces espaces naturels et la vie sauvage qui y vit vont continuer à être protégés pour les générations futures. Ces aires sauvages sont également importantes pour que l’on puisse connecter avec la nature.

D’ici mars 2022, nous aidons le Nouveau-Brunswick à plus que doubler ses aires protégées, de passer de 4,7 % à 10 % de la province – et vous pouvez prêter main forte aussi !

Visitez gnb.ca/patrimoine_naturel pour en savoir plus sur l’approche du gouvernement provincial afin de choisir de nouvelles aires protégées et conservées, et sur comment il veut vous entendre à propos des espaces que vous jugez spéciaux !

“The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – New Brunswick Chapter is very enthusiastic about this project to protect substantially more of our cherished natural areas. We are eager to work with New Brunswickers to help them protect the nature they love, and need.” – Roberta Clowater, Executive Director, CPAWS New Brunswick

« La Société pour la nature et les parcs du Canada – section Nouveau-Brunswick est très enthousiaste à propos de ce projet visant à protéger considérablement plus de nos précieuses aires naturelles. Nous avons hâte de travailler avec les Néo-Brunswickois pour les aider à protéger la nature qu’ils aiment et dont ils ont besoin,» déclare Roberta Clowater, Directrice générale, de la SNAP au Nouveau-Brunswick.

October 20 2020

Walking with nature on the Wabanaki Tree Spirit Tour

Steve Reid Blog

While walking through your local forest, have you ever paused to take a closer look at all of the living things around you? Have you ever wondered what plant medicines grow here, at home in New Brunswick? Have you pondered the healing properties that our native plants can offer? This August, I was swept away by the magic of nature while on a Wabanaki Tree Spirit Tour and Medicine Walk in Fredericton. Hosted by Cecilia Brooks and her son Anthony, together we explored the many sacred, native plants that grow in our region.

We began our tour with an offering of Tobacco. Cecilia explained that in their culture, tobacco is used as an offering and a way to give thanks. We placed the tobacco in our left hands, bringing the leaves closest to our hearts. After our offering, we began our medicine walk along the winding paths of Odell Park.

I grew up in Fredericton, and visit Odell Park regularly. This is a place I thought I knew, but after our walk, I now see this place with fresh eyes. Our local plants embody so much wisdom and history that most of us are unaware, yet these plants have been used for thousands of years by Indigenous Peoples. Like Jack-in-the-Pulpit, a local plant with the green berries that has a number of edible and medicinal uses. It’s corms, the bulb-like part that grows underground, have been used to treat coughs and tuberculosis! Other parts of the plant have traditionally been used as remedies for stomach gas, asthma, and rheumatism. This little plant, sometimes easily overlooked, is growing merely a few steps off of the main walking trail! [Always be cautious with medicinal plants – please don’t try to use these as remedies if you don’t know exactly how to prepare them, or which parts are safe!]

We also saw lots of fungi on our walk and, although some are toxic to humans, others like the Dye-Makers Polypore, can be used as a vibrant textile dye! Anthony, who studies mushrooms and is very knowledgeable about fungi, says that he often finds himself asking what purpose the mushrooms are serving, rather than how they can serve him. Many fungi are food for wildlife and are an important part of a healthy forest. Seeing our local plants as cogs in the ecosystem wheel, seeing their worth in nature beyond how we can use them, is a lesson we can all take to heart.

Following our walk, Cecilia served us homemade balsam fir tea. Balsam fir is our provincial tree in New Brunswick, an evergreen species that, on average, can contain three to five times more vitamin C than the best oranges! Cecilia explained that Indigenous Peoples have historically used evergreens that were readily available in New Brunswick to treat scurvy, which is caused by a vitamin C deficiency. This tea can be made by simply adding fir tips to a cup and pouring hot water over them, then waiting patiently as the tea steeps. This was a nice and refreshing treat, after our walk!

This special experience is one that I won’t soon forget. To see a familiar place through a new lens and to meet common plants again with a new purpose, is to visit nature in a way I had not done before. Not only was it fascinating to learn about the many edible and medicinal plants that grow in our province, but, as Cecilia says, the walking and connection with others sharing in this experience is the medicine itself. For anyone wanting to expand their knowledge of our local trees, plants, and fungi and their innate value and purpose, go walk with Cecilia and Anthony on a Wabanaki Tree Spirit Tour in Odell Park!.

Be sure to follow @WabanakiTreeSpirit on Facebook to keep up with their work!

Grace Hickey is a third-year student at St. Thomas University. She is pursuing a double major in Environment and Society and Women’s and Gender Studies, which encompasses her passions for social and environmental justice. She has worked as a Conservation Outreach Assistant for CPAWS NB for the last two summers and continues to volunteer as part of the Canadian Wilderness Stewardship Program. She loves spending time in nature and exploring all of the beautiful wilderness New Brunswick has to offer.

October 2 2020

Canada signs Leaders’ Pledge for Nature – What This Means

Steve Reid Blog

While the world still grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, it is heartening to note that the conservation of the natural world remains on the front burner for the international community. This week, in advance of the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity, the national leaders of 74 nations affirmed their commitment to working together to solve the issues of biodiversity loss, the degradation of forests, lands and waters, pollution and climate change. On Monday, Canada’s Prime Minister Trudeau signed the “Leader’s Pledge for Nature”, a framework of actions for nations to take during the United Nations’ Decade of Action.

What is the “Leaders’ Pledge for Nature“?

The aspirational goal is to “achieve the vision of Living in Harmony with Nature by 2050.” The pledge contains 10 different actions (or sets of actions, in some cases) to bring about change and conservation. They are, briefly:

Responding to current health and economic crises in ways that are green and fair to all,
Committing to the full implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity,
Ending “silo thinking” by recognizing that all of the issues we face are interconnected and must be dealt with collectively,
Transition to sustainable patterns of production, consumption and sustainable food systems,
Meeting the goals set by the Paris Agreement on climate change,
Ending crimes against the environment,
Mainstreaming biodiversity considerations into policies at all levels of governance,
Addressing health and environmental sustainability in an integrated fashion,
Strengthening financial and non-financial means of implementing reform, and
The design and implementation of policy that is science-based.

More detailed explanations of the actions can be seen in the full 4-page Pledge for Nature.

Who has signed the pledge?

At the time of writing, 74 nations had signed, including Norway, Germany, France and New Zealand, to name a few. You can check www.leaderspledgefornature.org for updates to the list, as (hopefully) more sign on. Regrettably, Prime Minister Trudeau noted at the time of signing that Canada is the only one of the world’s 10 largest countries to sign.

What does this mean for Canada, and for New Brunswick?

Canada has committed to protecting 25% of its land and 25% of its ocean by 2025, and plans to protect at least 30% by 2030. CPAWS is involved and keeping a close eye on in this initiative, both at the national and provincial levels.

Many of our CPAWS NB supporters have raised your voices in support of nature protection – by writing letter, signing petitions, and voting for nature. Your actions are making a difference, and these commitments from our national leaders show it. At CPAWS NB, we will continue to work hard to hold our governments accountable for taking strong action to protect nature, on land and sea. You can learn more on our website, www.cpawsnb.org.

September 10 2020

Walking with sparkling phytoplankton

Steve Reid Blog

It was a dark night. The sky was cloudy, obscuring the moon that we could usually depend on to light up the beach in front of us. Our eyes, still used to light from the campfire we had just put out, struggled to make sense of the familiar path. We stumbled some over the rocks in the sand. I offered my grandmother my arm as we continued up the beach, thinking of nothing except reaching the camp at the end of the sand and crawling into my warm bed. I barely glanced at the dark saltwater that stretched for miles without interruption to my right, though I could hear the waves lapping against the shoreline. It was my grandmother who called out softly for my younger sister and I to stop.

“It’s very dark,” she said slowly, “and just the right time of year. Maybe, just maybe, the water will glow tonight.” In a moment, my exhaustion disappeared, and I excitedly turned to meet my sister’s eyes. Neither of us had ever seen the water sparkle as it does only a few nights a year, though we had been coming to the camp on the small island just off the coast of St. George, New Brunswick since we were months old. We had heard many stories from older members of my family, and it was a dream of ours to experience it for ourselves.

“glow” by the-photon-trap is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Grandma warned us not to get our hopes up, but it was too late. Without hesitation, we changed paths and started moving towards the water, taking care over the slippery seaweed and jagged rocks. With her decades of familiarity with the beach, Grandma kept up, and it wasn’t long before we were standing at the water’s edge. In unison, my sister and I each picked a rock out of the sand and hurled them forward, breaking the surface. Water splashed my toes, but that wasn’t why I gasped. For an instant, it was as though we were looking at a different world. The water erupted into brilliant sparkles, revealing the outlines of shapes beneath the waves.

Sleep pushed far into the back of our minds, my sister and I spent an hour on the dark beach, throwing more rocks and eventually rolling our pants up and wading into the Atlantic Ocean. The water lit up as we moved and followed our legs in a dazzling stream that petered out behind us as we walked deeper into the gentle waves. Having seen the phenomenon many times before, Grandma eventually grew tired of admiring the starry water and continued up to the camp. My sister and I lingered on the beach after our legs had grown numb from the cold saltwater, watching the water flicker as it rocked against the shore while we chatted about what we had seen. We shared the opinion that phytoplankton are some of the coolest sea creatures on the planet!

Plankton are any type of free-standing organism that drift through the ocean currents, serving as a valuable food source for many animals. Plankton is broken into two categories: zooplankton, tiny floating animals, and phytoplankton, tiny floating plants. Many species of plankton can light up the water with their ‘bioluminescence’, but one group of phytoplankton, called dinoflagellates, are particularly well known for their bright night-time presence. Dinoflagellates glow when the water that surrounds them is disturbed as a defence mechanism. The flash of light they release is meant to scare away predators that might want to eat them, or to attract larger predators that might eat their attackers.

“Protoperidinium depressum (light micrograph)” by FWC Research is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

A small miracle by tiny organisms, phytoplankton like dinoflagellates can only spark at certain times of the year. Water, weather, and nutrient conditions must be just right, and the phytoplankton have to gather in groups of millions or billions! It takes over 100,000 tiny dinoflagellates per every one litre of water to create the starry effect I saw on that dark August night. The night must be a deep dark to see the beauty of the phytoplankton’s faint flash, and the days must be hot and long with lots of sunlight. Much like a solar lamp charging through the day and lighting up at night, these tiny drifting plants need energy from the sun to glow. This means they are most often seen in the late summer months, and only in the shallow shoreline where the sun can easily reach them during the day.

To experience the shocking beauty of bioluminescent phytoplankton for yourself, head to the beach on a dark night during the summer months and cross your fingers. It may take years but witnessing the glittering beauty of this natural miracle first-hand is more than worth the wait!

Header photo by “_DSC0511.jpg” by rlangone is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Maddie Carr is a third-year student at the University of New Brunswick pursuing a major in Interdisciplinary Leadership Studies and a minor in Environmental Studies. She is currently a Conservation Outreach Assistant with CPAWS NB. The opportunities she has received here to expand her knowledge on the importance of protecting and appreciating natural areas is preparing her for her future goals of supporting conservation work in the environmental non-profit sector. Maddie firmly believes that those who experience nature want to protect it, which is why she spends a lot of time exploring wild areas like New Brunswick’s parks and encourages others to do the same!

September 9 2020

On election eve, New Brunswickers want more protected land

Steve Reid News

New poll shows voters look favourably on parties willing to conserve forests and freshwater

FREDERICTON – A survey of 500 New Brunswickers conducted between September 1^st and 3^rd shows overwhelming support for conserving forests and protecting critical habitat for fish and wildlife, with voters looking favourably on parties willing to act.

The poll conducted for the Atlantic Salmon Federation, Conservation Council of New Brunswick, and Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society found nine in 10 (87%) people want the next New Brunswick government to follow through on the Progressive Conservative commitment to protect 10% of the province by year’s end. Sixty-eight per cent of respondents support conserving 25% of the province by 2025.

“Protecting more forests from industrial activity will help mitigate against the effects of climate change,” said ASF President Bill Taylor. “Having more mature, mixed tree cover throughout our treasured watersheds will help keep rivers and lakes cool, giving fish and wildlife the space needed to thrive and adapt.”

When Oraclepoll Research asked voters to identify the top environmental issues facing New Brunswick, climate change and protecting waterways were the most cited. Sixty-eight percent of people said it is very important or important that future protected areas safeguard critical habitat for fish and wildlife, while even more respondents, 70%, said new protected areas should provide enhanced outdoor recreation opportunities.

“This shows that, whether for fishing or hiking, hunting or canoeing, New Brunswickers love their forest,” said Lois Corbett, Executive Director of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick. “But it also shows that people are worried about large scale clearcutting, glyphosate spraying, the loss of natural mixed woods and the impact that’s having on wildlife and our water.”

“New Brunswickers expect governments to strongly protect natural areas and are very concerned that not enough action is happening here to protect forests, rivers, wetlands and coasts. When the environmental community and the outdoor community speak as one voice, it’s a powerful call to ramp up action on protected areas,” said Roberta Clowater, Executive Director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – New Brunswick Chapter.

Full results can be found here.

For more information contact:

Neville Crabbe, Atlantic Salmon Federation: (506) 467-6804, ncrabbe@asf.ca

Jon MacNeill, Conservation Council of New Brunswick: (506) 238-3539, jon.macneill@conservationcouncil.ca

Roberta Clowater, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society—NB Chapter: (506) 452-9902, rclowater@cpaws.org

September 9 2020

La veille des élections, les Néo-Brunswickois réclament la protection de plus de terres

Steve Reid News

Un nouveau sondage révèle que les électeurs voient d’un bon œil les partis disposés à conserver les forêts et les ressources en eau douce

FREDERICTON – La veille des élections provinciales, un sondage mené auprès de 500 Néo-Brunswickois entre le 1er et le 3 septembre montre qu’une très grande majorité d’entre eux ont à cœur de protéger les forêts et l’habitat essentiel pour les poissons et la faune, les électeurs envisageant les partis disposés à prendre des mesures concrètes à cet égard sous un éclairage favorable.

Le sondage mené pour la Fédération du saumon atlantique et le Conseil de la conservation du Nouveau-Brunswick a révélé qu’au Nouveau-Brunswick, 9 répondants sur 10 (87 %) veulent que le prochain gouvernement de la province respecte l’engagement pris par le parti progressiste-conservateur de protéger 10 % de la province d’ici la fin de l’année, tandis que 68 % des répondants aimeraient que 25 % de la province soit protégée d’ici l’an 2025.

« En protégeant plus de forêts de l’activité industrielle, nous pourrons mieux atténuer les effets du changement climatique », a déclaré le président de FSA, Bill Taylor. « Si nos précieux bassins hydrographiques comportent plus de couverts forestiers matures mixtes, les rivières et les lacs demeureront sains, et les poissons, la faune et la flore auront ainsi l’espace nécessaire à leur adaptation et à leur épanouissement. »

Lorsque la société Oraclepoll Research a demandé aux électeurs d’identifier les problèmes environnementaux les plus importants auxquels le Nouveau-Brunswick est confronté, ils ont répondu que le changement climatique et la protection des cours d’eau constituaient les enjeux les plus importants. Soixante-huit pour cent des répondants ont dit qu’il était très important ou important que les futures régions protégées voient à la protection de l’habitat critique pour les poissons et la faune tandis qu’un nombre encore plus important de répondants (70 %) ont indiqué que les nouvelles aires protégées devraient offrir de meilleures possibilités d’activités en plein air, comme la pêche, le canotage, la randonnée et la chasse.

« Ces résultats montrent bien que les Néo-Brunswickois aiment les forêts de leur province, dans lesquelles ils sont nombreux à pratiquer la pêche, la randonnée, la chasse et le canotage », a affirmé Lois Corbett, directrice exécutive du Conseil de conservation du Nouveau-Brunswick. « Mais, force est de constater également que les gens sont préoccupés : par les coupes à blanc à grande échelle, la vaporisation de glyphosate, la disparition des boisés naturels mixtes et les répercussions que cela a sur la faune, la flore et les eaux du Nouveau-Brunswick. »

« Les Néo-Brunswickois s’attendent à ce que les gouvernements fassent tout leur possible pour assurer la conservation des aires naturelles et craignent que les mesures prises ici ne soient pas suffisantes pour protéger les forêts, les rivières, les terres humides et les côtes de notre province. Lorsque les adeptes de la protection environnementale et ceux des loisirs de plein air unissent leurs voix, personne ne peux ignorer ce puissant appel à renforcer les mesures de conservation des aires protégées », a affirmé Roberta Clowater, directrice exécutive de La section néo-brunswickoise de la Société pour la nature et les parcs du Canada.

Pour voir les résultats complets du sondage, cliquez sur le lien suivant.

Renseignements :

Charles Cusson, Atlantic Salmon Federation: (506) 926-1412, ccusson@asf.ca

September 2 2020

Top conservation groups challenge party leaders to take N.B. from laggard to leader on nature, water protection

Steve Reid News

FREDERICTON — New Brunswick’s leading conservation groups are asking party leaders what they will do to catch up to the rest of Canada on nature and water protection if they are elected Premier in the general election on Sept. 14.

Today, New Brunswick sits second-to-last in Canada on total protected land, at only 4.6 per cent.

Past governments have committed to bring protected areas to 10 per cent by 2020, but no new protected areas have been announced publicly. That target would still leave 90 per cent of the province’s land open to commercial and industrial use, including forestry and mining.

Nature NB, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society—NB Chapter, Conservation Council of New Brunswick and Nature Trust of New Brunswick are asking party leaders to define how they will meet the international and national land conservation targets of 25 per cent by 2025 and 30 per cent by 2030, respectively.

The groups’ questionnaire also asks leaders if they will enact long overdue laws to protect water as called for in the provincial water protection strategy, and how they will protect wetlands, coastal habitats and healthy forests in order to give our communities greater resilience from flooding and extreme weather caused by climate change.

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Who we are:

Nature NB is a provincial conservation organization comprised of a dozen naturalist clubs from across the province and hundreds of members. Our mission is to celebrate, conserve and protect New Brunswick’s natural heritage through education, networking and collaboration. Visit website.

The Nature Trust of New Brunswick is New Brunswick’s provincial land trust, dedicated to conserving land, stewarding the ensuing nature preserves, and engaging the people of our province in conservation and stewardship work. We are a dynamic charitable organization that has established broad support in the province from a wide range of stakeholders, volunteers and donors, while protecting some outstanding natural sites. To date, the Nature Trust has conserved over 9,000 acres on 66 nature preserves, from pristine forests and shorelines, to coastal islands and wetlands, brimming with biodiversity including species at risk. Visit website.

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – NB Chapter is part of the nation-wide charity CPAWS, with a mission to work with governments, Indigenous peoples and communities to protect more of Canada’s publicly managed lands and water – for the benefit of both wildlife and people. We work cooperatively with all parts of society to find solutions to nature conservation challenges and to connect people to the nature that supports us all. CPAWS-NB has led public campaigns that have resulted in over 150,000 hectares of new protected areas in New Brunswick. Visit website.

Conservation Council of New Brunswick established in 1969 and remains the province’s leading public advocate for environmental protection. A member of the UN’s Global 500 Roll of Honour, we work to find practical solutions to help families and citizens, educators, governments and businesses protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, the precious marine ecosystem and the land, including the forest, that support us. Visit website.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Roberta Clowater, Executive Director, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – NB Chapter: rclowater@cpaws.org; 506-452-9902

Lois Corbett, Executive Director, Conservation Council of New Brunswick: lois.corbett@conservationcouncil.ca; 506-238-5292

Vanessa Roy-McDougall, Executive Director, Nature NB: executive.director@naturenb.ca; 506-459-4209

Renata Woodward, CEO, Nature Trust of New Brunswick: renata.woodward@ntnb.org; 506-261-1260

September 2 2020

De grands groupes de conservation lancent un défi aux chefs des partis : hisser le N.-B. au rang des chefs de file de la protection de la nature et de l’eau

Steve Reid News

FREDERICTON — De grands groupes de conservation du Nouveau-Brunswick demandent aux chefs des partis ce qu’ils ont l’intention de faire pour rattraper le reste du Canada dans le domaine de la protection de la nature et de l’eau s’ils sont élus lors de l’élection générale du 14 septembre.

Aujourd’hui, le Nouveau-Brunswick se situe à l’avant-dernier rang du classement de la superficie totale des terres protégées du Canada, avec une proportion de seulement 4,6 %.

Les anciens gouvernements se sont engagés à faire en sorte que le pourcentage des aires protégées atteigne 10 % en 2020, mais aucune nouvelle aire protégée n’a été annoncée publiquement à ce jour. Et même à un tel niveau, 90 % des terres de la province pourraient encore être exploitées à des fins industrielles et commerciales, et cela inclut l’exploitation forestière et minière.

Nature NB, La section néo-brunswickoise de la Société pour la nature et les parcs du Canada, le Conseil de conservation du Nouveau-Brunswick et la Fondation pour la protection des sites naturels du Nouveau-Brunswick demandent aux chefs des partis d’exposer comment ils entendent atteindre les cibles internationales et nationales de conservation des terres, soit 25 % d’ici à 2025 et 30 % d’ici à 2030, respectivement.

Dans leur questionnaire, ces groupes demandent aussi aux chefs des partis s’ils promulgueront les lois qui s’imposent depuis si longtemps concernant la protection de l’eau, tel que le préconise la stratégie provinciale sur la protection de l’eau, et comment ils entendent protéger les terres humides, les habitats côtiers et la santé des forêts pour rendre nos communautés plus résilientes face aux inondations et aux phénomènes météorologiques extrêmes provoqués par le changement climatique.

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Qui sommes-nous?

Nature NB est un organisme de conservation provincial composé de centaines de membres et d’une douzaine de clubs de naturalistes de toute la province. Nous avons pour mission d’honorer, de conserver et de protéger le patrimoine naturel du Nouveau-Brunswick par l’éducation, le réseautage et la collaboration. Visitez notre site Web.

La Fondation pour la protection des sites naturels du Nouveau-Brunswick est la fiducie foncière provinciale du Nouveau-Brunswick qui s’est donné pour mission de conserver les terres, d’assurer l’intendance des réserves naturelles qui en découlent et d’inciter les gens de notre province à participer aux activités de conservation et d’intendance de la province. À titre d’organisation sans but lucratif dynamique, nous avons, d’une part, établi une vaste base de soutien provinciale qui englobe un large éventail d’intervenants, de bénévoles et de donateurs et, d’autre part, nous protégeons des sites naturels exceptionnels. À ce jour, la Fondation a assuré la conservation de 9 000 acres répartis entre 66 réserves naturelles, qui vont des forêts vierges à des îles côtières, en passant par des rives, des berges et des terres humides abritant une foule d’espèces en péril. Visitez notre site Web.

La section du N.-B. de la Société pour la protection des parcs et des sites naturels du Canada, qui fait partie des SNAP nationales sans but lucratif, a pour mission de collaborer avec des gouvernements, des populations et des communautés autochtones pour protéger une plus grande partie des terres et des eaux publiques du Canada dans l’intérêt des gens et des espèces sauvages. Nous coopérons avec toutes les couches de la société pour trouver des solutions aux défis liés à la conservation de la nature et tisser des liens entre les personnes et la nature, qui soutient la vie de tous les êtres vivants. La SNAP-NB a dirigé des campagnes publiques qui ont fait en sorte que 150 000 hectares de terres supplémentaires deviennent des aires protégées au Nouveau-Brunswick. Visitez notre site Web.

Fondé en 1969, le Conseil de conservation du Nouveau-Brunswick est, aujourd’hui encore, le principal défenseur public de la protection environnementale de la province. Membre du Club global 500 de l’ONU, il œuvre pour trouver des solutions pratiques afin d’aider les familles, les citoyens, les éducateurs, les gouvernements et les entreprises à protéger l’air que nous respirons et l’eau que nous buvons ainsi que l’écosystème marin, si précieux pour notre survie, et la terre, dont les forêts, sur laquelle repose notre existence même. Visitez notre site Web.

Pour plus d’information, ou pour obtenir une entrevue, veuillez communiquer avec :

Roberta Clowater, Directrice exécutive, Section du N.-B. de la Société pour la protection des parcs et des sites naturels du Canada : rclowater@cpaws.org; 506-452-9902

Lois Corbett, Directrice exécutive, Conseil de conservation du Nouveau-Brunswick| lois.corbett@conservationcouncil.ca | 506-238-5292

Vanessa Roy-McDougall, Directrice exécutive, Nature NB : executive.director@naturenb.ca; 506-459-4209

Renata Woodward, PDG, Fondation pour la protection des sites naturels du Nouveau-Brunswick renata.woodward@ntnb.org; 506-261-1260

August 13 2020

Exploring New Brunswick’s beachside habitats

Steve Reid Blog

What do you think of when you hear the word “habitat”? Do you think of the forest? Of the Ocean? Of the faraway deserts, grasslands, or frozen tundra? All these large areas are important habitats for many different kinds of plants and animals, but habitats don’t have to be classified so generally. The only requirement for an area to be considered as habitat is that it has enough space, food, shelter, and water to entirely support at least one plant, animal, or other organism throughout its life.

Photo by Maddie Carr

Habitats can be as big as a forest or as small as a single dead tree that is home to many insects who can find everything they need to live within its trunk. That same tree might be only a part of the habitat needed to support a bird that nests in the tree. The bird finds shelter in the tree, but ultimately depends on a much larger section of the forest to find food, water, and mates. Different species have their own unique habitat requirements. Some species are “habitat generalists” and can survive in a variety of places, while others are very specific in their needs.

Many types of coastal creatures are “habitat specialists”, who have strong preferences for temperatures, exposure to air, level of salt in the water, and more. When we protect habitats, it is so important to include these seaside spaces that are home to specialist species. Some of these habitats you might see every time you visit the beach, but have not reflected on their purpose or importance to many types of shoreline plants, animals, birds, and more. Let’s explore three types of shoreline habitats that can be found from the beaches of New Brunswick!

1. Intertidal Zone

The intertidal zone is a big habitat, made up of other smaller habitats, that you have probably walked over many times, especially if you have ever visited the Bay of Fundy. Our special Bay has the highest tides in the world and therefore the world’s largest intertidal zone! The intertidal zone is what you might think of as the seashore. At low tide, its rocky or sandy surface is exposed to the air and, in most cases, walkable by beach goers. It’s where you go to do some beachcombing, looking for shells and sea glass. At high tide, the intertidal zone is covered in water and becomes part of the ocean again! To humans who can only survive on land, or fish that can only survive underwater, living in the intertidal zone would be impossible. For many ocean species who are unable to travel to deeper water, but require access to the ocean to eat or breathe, the intertidal zone is the perfect habitat.

Photo by Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota / CC BY-SA 2.0

Shelled species like crabs, limpets, and snails are well suited to the upper areas of the intertidal zone, where the water is shallowest at high tide. While the water is covering their habitat, they can hunt and move freely without fear of large, deep water predators. Then, when the water has retreated, they can hide beneath rocks or seaweed and rely on their shells for protection from inland predators. Further down the tidal zone, immobile marine animals like barnacles and mussels, who need water to breath, can fill their shells with water while the tide is up and enjoy a few hours of relief from aquatic predators while the water is down. Similarly, many types of seaweeds and algae that grow in the intertidal zone have adapted ways of surviving while exposed to the air. Some of these plants can lose 60-90% of their moisture while the tide is low, becoming quite brittle in the hours before the ocean rises when they can reabsorb all the moisture they need to survive. When it comes to the intertidal zone, there is always more than meets the eye! Next time you visit the beach, keep your eyes alert for the many species that call the beach home while your stroll.

2. Mudflats

Mudflats are exactly what they sound like: muddy, flat areas near the edge of the ocean that are saturated with both salt and freshwater. They are a part of the intertidal zone, but species that rely on sand or rock cover cannot survive in their sticky depths. They form in inlets or bays that are sheltered from larger waterways or harsh storms that wash sediment away from beaches. Sediment and dirt accumulate over time in these areas, building up to create, sometimes quite deep, stretches of mud. Mudflats might look void of life, but they are actually teeming with coastal species!

Photo by Taxiarchos228 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Species that can survive where oxygen is limited, like clams, mud shrimps, worms, and insects, live beneath the surface in mudflats. Many types of shoreline birds feed on these species, with legs and feet specially adapted to walk on or through the dense surface and beaks able to penetrate the mud. Mudflats are also the perfect habitat for many different types of bacteria, all of which have different and important roles in the ecosystem. Some bacteria break down plant matter into a form that smaller coastal animals can easily eat, while others break down contaminants in runoff from land-based water, which would otherwise reach the ocean.

Despite their empty looking appearance, mudflats are an incredibly important habitat, and one that has often been neglected or threatened by development. Next time you see a stretch of mud at the beach, imagine the many species who depend on this habitat to survive!

Virtually explore New Brunswick’s mudflats here!

3. Kelp Forests

Kelp forests are not as easily seen while walking along the beach. This habitat exists underwater, in shallow areas along the coast where sunlight can still penetrate the water to allow for photosynthesis, the process in which kelp and other plants create the food they need to survive. Since kelp need cool temperatures to grow, many patches of kelp forest can be found in the cold ocean waters of New Brunswick. A variety of New Brunswick marine animals depend on these aquatic forests for their habitat.

Some small crustaceans, like crabs, and invertebrates, like sea stars, can spend their entire lives in kelp forests, feeding on algae or their fellow inhabitants, and using the kelp as shelter from predators. Kelp forests are frequented by species of worms, snails, plankton, small shrimps, anemones, and jellyfish, and many larger sea and land animals rely on kelp forests as a component of their habitat. Fish, like cod and haddock, seals, and many types of seabirds can be spotted searching for food, hiding from predators, and seeking shelter from storms in these patches of algae.

As climate breakdown progresses, kelp are threatened by warming waters. Kelp forests in our region are deteriorating, as threats from human activities and stressors accumulate. It is important to protect existing pockets of this important habitat now, while we work to preserve ocean conditions that will allow new forests to emerge and thrive!

For a little more information about life among the kelp, check this out.

For many of us, when we think of a day at the beach we picture sandy toes, salty hair, and the sounds of joy as we soak in a dose of Vitamin N (for Nature). What we might not think of is the diversity of habitats, and the species they contain, that call our beaches home. The next time you visit a favourite New Brunswick beach or picturesque coastal town, look to where the land meets the water and remember the important habitats and ecosystems living just below the surface. What might be out of sight, doesn’t have to be out of mind, and we at CPAWS-NB are working hard to ensure these habitats are protected now and into the future.

Support the work of CPAWS-NB with a donation today!

Sandpipers in Johnson’s Mills, Bay of Fundy, header photo by Nick Hawkins

July 30 2020

Energy and excitement from our summer team

Steve Reid Blog

It’s summer: the days are luxuriously long and the sun’s heat drives us to refreshing beaches, cool forests, and damp wetlands. This year, we’ve faced new challenges as we connect with nature, perhaps more deeply than ever before. Behind the scenes, a team of dedicated summer students breathes new life into CPAWS-NB as we bring conservation to you and to our communities.

Please join us in saying welcome to Maddie and Grace! We are so fortunate at CPAWS-NB to attract bright people with big talent and a passion for New Brunswick’s wilderness. We sat down (figuratively) with our summer students to learn what inspires their love of nature and what drives them to work as Conservation Outreach Assistants in our team.

What makes you passionate about conservation and wilderness in New Brunswick?

Maddie

Maddie: I grew up in a rural area and my favourite playground as a child was the forest that surrounded my house. Interacting so closely with New Brunswick wilderness from such a young age has made me incredibly passionate about protecting natural areas. I want future generations to be able to enjoy the same outdoor activities that I have always loved. I want them to be able to get outside in more places than even I, which is why I think that CPAWS-NB’s mission to expand the number of parks and protected areas in the province is so crucial!

Grace: I developed a strong connection with nature at a very young age. Since I was a kid, I have spent ample time outdoors, exploring our beautiful province with my family. Over the years, I have been privileged with various opportunities through my education and work that have allowed me to learn more about the need for conservation and protection of our natural areas and wildlife here in New Brunswick. Having this knowledge and love for nature has made me all the more passionate about working to protect our incredible wilderness for future generations.

What do you love about working with CPAWS NB?

Maddie: Working in the environmental non-profit sector has been a long-standing dream of mine. So, my favourite thing about working with CPAWS-NB is learning first-hand how an environmental non-profit works and helping CPAWS-NB work towards an important mission that aligns with my own personal values. There are many other parts of this position that I also look forward to daily! My amazing co-workers, interesting work assignments, and opportunities to explore New Brunswick parks and protected areas are all awesome components of this summer job.

Grace

Grace: CPAWS-NB is such a remarkable organization, and I have been fortunate to work with them for two consecutive summers! What I love most about CPAWS-NB, and our team, is their unwavering commitment and dedication to ensuring the best possible measures are taken to protect the wilderness that is our home and life force. CPAWS-NB works tirelessly to engage our community in the rewarding work that we do, so that everyone has the opportunity to join in this important dialogue and have their voices heard. My favourite part of my job, is sharing my love and passion for nature with our community. Even though that may look a bit different this year, as we are unable to host large public gatherings, we have been able to continue to reach people virtually. I love encouraging folks to cultivate their relationship with nature and enjoy the beautiful wild spaces that our province has to offer!

What are your plans for school/work after your work period with CPAWS NB?

Maddie: In the fall I will beginning my third year at the University of New Brunswick, where I am pursuing a degree in Interdisciplinary Leadership Studies with a minor in Environmental Studies. I plan to spend next summer on the small Greek island of Samos, where I will be completing a marine conservation internship and gaining hands on experience with protecting natural areas. After I graduate, my dream is to work with an environmental non-profit right here in New Brunswick!

Grace: After I finish my work with CPAWS-NB this Summer, I will be returning to St. Thomas University for my third year in the Bachelor of Arts Programme. I am currently working towards a double major in Environment and Society and Women’s and Gender Studies.

How do you like to get out and enjoy New Brunswick’s nature? (15 words)

Maddie: My favourite thing to do in New Brunswick nature is take my dog for hikes!

Grace: My favourite way to enjoy and experience New Brunswick’s nature is by going for nature walks, hikes and bike rides and spending mindful moments outdoors.

We are lucky here at CPAWS-NB to have the help of Maddie and Grace all summer long! With their focus on protecting nature for future generations to enjoy, their energy resonates through our team as they work to shares all things conservation, wilderness, and wildlife with you—our supporters and our community.

Check our Facebook page for regular updates on CPAWS-NB events.

Julie Reimer, CPAWS NB

Julie Reimer is a PhD student at the Memorial University of Newfoundland and a Board Member of CPAWS-NB. Having worked in the whale watching industry in New Brunswick and conducted her Master’s research on conservation planning for the North Atlantic right whale, Julie is an advocate for MPAs in New Brunswick. Julie’s current research attempts to see the “bigger picture” of conservation, reaching beyond protected areas to understand the synergies between conservation actions and ocean industries. To connect with Julie, visit http://juliereimer.wixsite.com/hello.