1. Investing in Nature program in Canada comes to a close

In 2002 HSBC Holdings Plc made the biggest single corporate donation to protect the environment with the creation of a five-year eco-partnership known as Investing in Nature. Through this partnership, HSBC made major contributions to three international conservation organisations: WWF, Earthwatch and Botanic Gardens Conservation International. As a result, BGCI greatly expanded its international conservation, education, and public awareness programs in an effort to secure the future of plant diversity for people and the planet. The “Partnership for Plants in Canada” program is a product of the Investing in Nature partnership.

The current Investing in Nature program came to close at the end 2006. BGCI is committed to maintaining and developing its regional and in-country programs wherever possible and will continue to work very closely with the Canadian Botanical Conservation Network. Thanks to funding secured by Montreal Botanical Gardens (see below), BGCI and CBCN will collaborate with them on publishing a quarterly e-newsletter in 2007. Stay tuned for more information.

2. Funding for a National Outreach Resource Guide to Plant Conservation and Biodiversity Education

Montreal Botanical Garden, in partnership with Botanic Gardens Conservation International, has secured funding for 2007 from the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Museums Assistance Programme to produce a National Outreach Resource Guide to Plant Conservation and Biodiversity Education.

This guide will focus on strengthening and promoting Canada-wide efforts by botanical gardens to protect our native plant heritage, including delivering messages to the public about plant conservation and how they can be involved. We will draw on all of the experiences and products developed during the Partnership for Plants in Canada programme. New outreach materials will be developed and be presented for use by professionals engaged in communicating plant conservation messages through botanical gardens, arboreta and museums.

The planned guide will be a binder of resource materials organised in self-contained, modular publications that can be removed and used for specific purposes. It will relate specifically to Canadian curriculum and provide Canadian perspectives on regional and national plant conservation, biodiversity and sustainable development issues.

In consultation with institutions across the country, we would like to establish a project team of 5-7 botanical professionals. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact laurel.mcivor@bgci.org or michel.labrecque@umontreal.ca.

3. Nature awareness for new Canadians, Barb McKean, Royal Botanical Gardens

Hamilton is Canada's third largest immigrant intake centre, and over one-quarter of the city's residents were born elsewhere. With close to 4,000 newcomers arriving each year, the face of the area is changing rapidly. For most newly arrived immigrants, nature experience is low on their priority list for reasons that include cost, transportation, time, fear and cultural inclination, yet forging connections is important so that the future electorate understands the value of environmental conservation. With the help of several partners, Royal Botanical Gardens is reaching out to these new Canadians with a program that helps children to feel at home in their new bioregion.

This year, the new Junior Ecology Leaders pilot program involved a total of close to 60 children in an outdoor 'immersion' experience. For four days, each child visited RBG and took part in activities like nature walks, habitat studies and canoeing, as well as leadership and team-building activities. A wide variety of partners and volunteers participated, and we hope the program will grow and spread in 2007. For a full article, visit:
www.rbg.ca/newsletter/Archives/0304/0304newcanadians.html

4. Christmas tree decorating the natural way! Melanie Priesnitz, Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens

This fall the Friends of Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens worked on collecting plant material and creating natural ornaments for the Christmas tree at the KC Irving Environmental Science Centre. They were, of course, careful not to over harvest or gather any rare species while collecting materials. They even managed to find some great uses for some of our invasive plants including multi-flora rose and common milkweed.

Hanging proudly on the tree in the main lobby these past holidays were: a Christmas slug with a milkweed body, rosehip eyes and an acorn hat, stars made out of milkweed pods, wreaths of red osier dogwood and Virginia creeper, strings of rosehips, milkweed pod birds sitting in nests of moss, critters made of pinecones and sensitive fern fronds adorned with glitter.

The experience was a great one for the volunteers and has provided the public with some new ideas on how to make their holiday season more natural. It is encouraging to observe people carefully checking out the ornaments and reading the interpretive sign listing all of the species who “donated” material.

5. The Bear River Medicine Trail, Bear River First Nation Heritage and Cultural Centre

Bear River First Nation Heritage and Cultural Centre interprets and celebrates the heritage, culture and traditions that endure and flouish among the Mi’kmaq of Bear River and surrounding areas of the western end of Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. The Centre enhances awareness and understanding of Mi’kmaq heritage and culture among youth, community members, neighbouring communities and visitors, through interactive and interpretive programs, services, exhibits and experiences.

One of the most popular exhibits at the centre is Npisuneyawti’j, the Medicine Trail. The trail was established by several community volunteers in order to conserve and communicate traditional Mi’kmaq respect for, and use of, gifts from the Creator: the Earth and its plants and trees. Along the trail, interpretive exhibits highlights traditional understanding and importance of local medicinal, edible and utility plants. In the summer, guided walks lead by Bear River community members are often offered twice a day. By sharing their personal stories and history, these walks offer a very authentic and unique experience.

For more information and a list of medicinal plants featured: www.bearriverculturalcenter.com/medicinetrail.aspx

6. RBG Reaches Out to Ontario, Canada, and the World, Barb McKean, Royal Botanical Gardens

Technology is about to take Royal Botanical Gardens far beyond its boundaries. Our new Outreach program will use interactive videoconferencing technology to bring students from anywhere to the Gardens through virtual field trips. This technology will allow our staff to connect with interested groups, schools and collaborative partners all around Ontario, and beyond..

Virtual field tripping has been used to enhance and extend curriculum in the United States for several years. Many museums and cultural organizations there offer a range of experiences to students world-wide. While Canada has been slower to act, some provinces are moving in the same direction, especially Alberta.

RBG’s new Outreach Education Coordinator started this fall. Karin Davidson-Taylor is very enthusiastic. “Not only does this let us reach schools around the globe, but we can also share our amazing public programme with other partners. Science and Conservation staff will be able to collaborate with scientists from other countries and we can also bring in outside experts for programmes here at the Gardens. We have observed videoconferencing with amazing levels of interactivity, from programs being delivered underwater by a scuba diver, to students in Alberta driving a remote-controlled camera through a shark tank in a Florida Aquarium. The possibilities are mind-boggling.”

Ontario's Trillium Foundation is funding this three-year program, which will launch its first field trips in mid-March. Watch www.rbg.ca/pages/evirtualfieldtrips for details.

Note from the editor: The latest issue of Public Garden (Volume 21, #2, 2006) focuses on "The ChangingVisitor Experience" and includes an article on virtual field trips.

7. Educators Call for Worldwide Action on Plant-Based Education, BGCI

An international group of botanic garden educators have called for governments to step up and provide increased support for training, resources and information exchange. At Botanic Gardens Conservation International’s 6th International Congress on Education in Botanic Gardens, delegates from Brazil, China, Indonesia, Russia, USA and UK presented the findings of six national meetings convened to examine the status of plant-based education in their respective countries.

The meetings in 2006 looked at strategies to heighten public awareness about plant diversity and conservation under Target 14 (promoting education and awareness about plant diversity) of the UN’s Global Strategy on Plant Conservation (GSPC). Significantly, every meeting highlighted the lack of governmental support for such initiatives. This shows that there is a growing convergence of opinion from a broad spectrum of countries with differing biodiversity challenges, that education is key to addressing conservation needs and support for this at government and international level is urgently required.

The findings were presented in Dublin in November at an Expert Group meeting organised by the UN-backed Convention on Biological Diversity. This meeting reviewed the implementation of the GSPC and also examined proposals for a ‘toolkit’ to assist with the integration of GSPC targets into national strategies and programmes. For more information: www.bgci.org/education/news/0281

8. Plants for Life Discovery Cart Brian Johnson, BGCI-US

Discovery carts are a common education vehicle at botanic gardens and other environmental education sites. A standard cart can be moved throughout a garden, and different supplies are used with the cart depending on the lesson being taught. BGCI-US has developed a plant conservation discovery cart module for distribution to botanic gardens, arboreta and other sites.

The discovery cart includes a series of activities that communicate the importance of plants and showcase endangered plant species. The activities also convey the important message of how individuals can help save threatened plants.

For more information and to download the lesson plan for this discovery cart, visit: www.bgci.org/usa/Discovery_Cart

Volume 4, Issue 1
January 2007
bulletin français

In this issue :

1.

Investing in Nature program in Canada comes to a close

2.

Funding to produce a National Outreach Resource Guide

3.

Nature awareness for new Canadians

4.

Christmas tree decorating the natural way!

5.

The Bear River Medicine Trail

6.

RBG Reaches Out

7.

Calling for Worldwide Action on Plant-Based Education

8.

Plants for Life Discovery Cart

Keep up-to-date!

Keep up-to-date with international developments in botanic garden education, get ideas and inspiration and learn about the latest resources available. Each issue of Roots contains articles, news and resources that enable botanic garden staff to work with their audiences to develop education programmes for sustainability.

Become a BGCI member, from only $70, to receive your personal copies of Roots!

 

Latest Roots: Environmental Education and Play

The latest issue of Roots focuses on Environmental Education and Play and is out now. Botanic gardens are wonderful paces for play and many sites are increasingly conscious of the need to offer children opportunities to explore their surroundings freely. This issue of Roots celebrates ‘play’ in the environment with fascinating articles from authors worldwide and also contains useful resources and websites that you can use to support your own education work. Whether fact finding or programme planning, this issue is packed full of ideas and techniques to inspire.

The next issue of Roots aims to explore some of the difficulties faced by environmental education practitioners in introducing taxonomy to their programmes and how they have come up with some innovative solutions. If you would like to contribute to this issue, please contact Julia.willison@bgci.org. Submission deadline is 20th January 2007.

Taking Action on Climate Change- Posters, Natural Resources Canada

Climate Change will impact each region of Canada differently. In partnership with provincial and territorial agencies, private industry and non-governmental organisations, the Government of Canada has produced a series of seven posters on the regional impacts of climate change. All posters provide basic information about the science of climate change, highlight anticipated impacts for the region, introduce the need for adaptation and encourage individual action to improve energy efficiency that reduces the greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change.

Each poster is 90cm x 150 cm and has a unique design and regional focus. You can view the posters, a teacher’s guide, and regional curriculum tools on-line at www.adaptation.nrcan.gc.ca/posters. Free French and/or English copies of the posters can be ordered from the website or by calling 1-800-622-6232.

 

Plant Biodiversity Poster Pack for Schools

Bring lessons to life and help young people explore the wonders of the plant kingdom with Royal Botanical Garden, Edinburgh’s brand new poster pack on Plant Biodiversity.

These fascinating posters bring the expertise and resources of the RBGE into the classroom and provide a well-researched visual resource for teaching and learning about plants and biodiversity

The poster pack consists of 20 full-colour gloss laminated posters accompanied by background notes for teachers to provide a wider scientific context.

Sets are priced at £30 (approximately $60) plus postage. For more information and to order visit the Royal Botanical Gardens, Edinburgh website.

 

Upcoming educational events:

(Events are posted in the language(s) in which they are presented):

March 8th, 2006
Shades of Green: Exploring Biodiversity, Human Values and Urban Planning
University of Guelph and Royal Botanical Gardens
Burlington, Ontario
www.rbg.ca/greenspace

15-20 April 2007
Building a Sustainable Future - the Role of Botanic Gardens
3rd Global Botanic Gardens Congress, Botanic Gardens Conservation International
Wuhan, China
www.3gbgc.com

April 28 and 29 2007
Be the Change You Wish To See
Ontario Society for Environmental Education
Camp Kawartha, Peterborough
www.osee.org

May 24-27th, 2007/ de 24 au 27 mai, 2007
Trails to Sustainability/ En route vers un avenir viable
Hosted by: GEOEC (Global, Environmental, and Outdoor Education Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association), EECOM (Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication) and ACEE (Alberta Council for Environmental Education)
Kananaskis, Alberta
www.trailstosustainability.ca

June 26 - June 30, 2007
Defining Your Garden's Culture
American Public Gardens Association Annual Conference
Washington, D.C.
www.aabga.org

July 2-6, 2007/ du 2 au 6 juillet 2007
Learning for a Changing World: 4th World Environmental Education Congress
Apprendre dans un monde en changement: Congrès international de l'éducation à l'environnement
Durban, South Africa/ Afrique du Sud
www.weec2007.com

More botanical & environmental education events/conferences: www.bgci.org/canada/edu_events

Plant conservation events/ conferences: www.rbg.ca/cbcn/en/news/coming

 

Subscription information:

If you would like to subscribe, have any questions or if would like to contribute a news item,
please contact Yann Vergriete or Laurel McIvor, newsletter editors and writers (unless otherwise indicated):

yannvergriete@fastmail.fm
514-872-5420

laurel.mcivor@bgci.org,
902-585-1891.

 

Acknowledgements:

We would like thank the following for their contributions and support:

Translation: Catherine Gouillard
Design & Layout: Cheryl Fraser
Sponsors: HSBC Holdings plc
Partners: Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Canadian Botanical Conservation Network, and Montreal Botanical Garden

 

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Botanic Gardens Conservation International-Canada
c/o Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens
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www.bgci.org/canada