Nature Canada presents at the Earth Day 2011 EcoMentors Youth Conference

This past weekend, Nature Canada had the pleasure of taking part in the Earth Day 2011 EcoMentors Youth Conference in Ottawa.

The EcoMentors program provides training and resources for youth ages 15-24 looking to become community leaders for the environment. This year’s conference welcomed youth from across the country for a day of interactive workshops and activities designed to inspire participants to promote positive change for the environment. Nature Canada was pleased to be on-hand to present our Nature Explorers program model and share with participants how we use on-line tools to inspire off-line, nature-based action in Canadians.

The ultimate goal of the Nature Explorers program is to connect one million Canadian youth and their families with multiple positive experiences in nature over the next three to five years. We look forward to building this relationship with EcoMentors and being a part of this exciting opportunity to empower Canadian youth to become environmental leaders in their own communities.

Photo by EcoMentors

Discover, Connect & Share from Sea to Sea to Sea

 We've entered an idea in the Aviva Community Fund challenge! But we need your help to make this vision a reality. The next round of voting starts on Monday, October 24 and every vote brings us one step closer to empowering young nature leaders across the country. Sign up now to be ready to vote or read on to learn more about our idea.

The Project

"It was in the Arctic that I started to realize the significance of a sustainable lifestyle."
– Donovan Taplin (17 years old)Bell Island, Newfoundland

Photo by Lee Narraway/Students on Ice

City traffic, air and noise pollution, cell phones, shopping malls and a daily deluge of e-mail are a reality for most Canadians. We spend our days indoors, sitting under fluorescent lights and breathing re-circulated air.

Our children play video games; they don't play outside. They know how to navigate the internet, but don't know what birds live in their backyards. They learn about big issues like climate change, but don't have the connection with nature that will let them truly understand the problem.

We are isolated from nature. We are isolated from each other.

Nature Canada and Students on Ice want to provide a life-changing opportunity for Canadian youth from sea to sea to sea. We will help them discover nature first-hand on the Arctic Expedition 2012, connect with peers and mentors in community dialogue, and share their experiences with other young people at a national Youth Leadership Summit. We hope that each person who is touched by the SEA to SEA to SEA experience is inspired to lead positive change in their own individual communities.

The Partners

For more than 70 years Nature Canada, a membership-based not-for-profit conservation organization, has been a leader in connecting Canadians to nature.

We have worked with hundreds of local groups in every province and territory to deliver community-based projects including the Parks & People program, allowing youth to experience nature first-hand; the Community Action Fund, enabling on-the-ground conservation activities; the Important Bird Areas Caretaker Network, engaging stewards for habitat and species protection; and Nature Explorers, an integrated program that will see one million children and their families participating in multiple experiences in nature over the next five years. 

Students on Ice is an award-winning program that provides youth from across Canada and around the world with ship-based education expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic.

The Students on Ice mandate is to educate and inspire the next generation of leaders and responsible global citizens, and in doing so help provide them with a greater understanding and respect for the planet.

The Plan

Nature Canada and Students on Ice are seeking $150,000 of support from the Aviva Community Fund to assist with on-the-ground delivery of the 2012 SEA to SEA to SEA experience that will empower Canadian youth through a transformative journey.

Photo by Lee Narraway/Students on Ice

In August 2012, 75 students from around the world will participate in the Students on Ice Arctic Expedition 2012. Through a nationwide selection process, a young Canadian from every province and territory will be chosen to participate on the expedition thanks to this support from AVIVA. These funds will facilitate this journey of discovery and the development of young nature ambassadors.

Highlights of the expedition will include a welcome event hosted by the community of Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, and a visit with community leaders and Inuit elders in Pagnirtung to learn about their observations of climate change and its impacts on their community and way of life. The team will stop at National Parks, Important Bird Areas, and spectacular fjords along the way to immerse themselves in learning directly in the spectacular landscape. Participants will have a chance to see magnificent Arctic wildlife, including seabirds, whales, and polar bears.

Throughout the expedition, students will have a chance to learn from each other and connect with mentors. Ongoing discussions will let them reflect on their experiences and energize them to become leaders for environmental and social change in their own individual communities when they return home.

In November 2012, 130 youth from across Canada will converge at a Youth Leadership Summit to explore what the Arctic means to Canada, how our country is connected from SEA to SEA to SEA, and why healthy sustainable communities are critical for our future, the Arctic's future and the planet's future.

The AVIVA Nature Ambassadors from the expedition will serve as youth leaders, motivating their peers as they share their recent Arctic journey, experiences and new knowledge.

The Youth Leadership Summit will empower participants as young leaders, changing their lives and communities. They will make lasting connections that will link Canadian communities from sea to sea to sea in a sustainable future.

"I am taking on the world as an ambassador of positive change."
– Victoria Wee (17 years old)Coquitlam, British Columbia

Please vote to empower change, from sea to sea to sea.

Engaged Youth A Promise for Sustainability: Happy 15th Birthday to Jaragua Summer Camp!

Nature Canada, with the support of the Canadian International Development Agency and working with BirdLife, proudly supports our partner in Hispaniola, Gupo Jaragua, in their work to improve peoples livelihoods and conserve biodiversity and natural resources.

One of the key components of this efforts is the Jaragua Summer Camp, which has been engaging youth on a path to sustainability for 15 years this summer. Join us celebrating Grupo Jaragua's success!

An Arctic Experience to the "Place of Spirits" with Students on Ice

Students on Ice participants in Torngat National Park

What happens when you place 65 young people from all walks of life, 45 teachers, mentors, musicians and coaches on a floating classroom on the rugged coast of Labrador and Nunavut? You get a recipe for life shaping experiences. It was into this mixture that I was invited by Geoff Green, Executive Director of Students on Ice, to experience the Students on Ice (SOI) initiative – an international effort that aims to provide students from around the world with inspiring educational opportunities at the ends of the Earth and, in doing so, help them foster a new understanding and respect for the planet.

I intercepted the Students on Ice in the Torngat National Park on August 3rd, 10 days after they had set sail from Iceland. Our Twin Otter plane made a flyover of the bay, banked, then dipped and made its way onto a nearby runaway in hot pursuit of a lone Caribou which had taken refuge at the beginning of the tarmac. Within an hour of our landing, we joined the Students on Ice participants and made our way to the Torngat National Park base camp at Kangidluasuk – an orderly alignment of some 30 large canvass tents and a research trailer on a quiet beach overlooking the steely blue bay and glacier scarred landscape. The base camp was established by Parks Canada under the jurisdiction of the Nunatsiavut Government and its management is in the process of being transferred to the local Inuit representatives. At the base camp, we shared a wonderful dinner on the beach with the Inuit elders from the area who recounted stories of their time on this land. Many of the participants from Students on Ice were selected from Inuit communities across Canada’s north and it was beautiful to watch as, together with the Elders, they shared their rich culture with other youth from southern Canada, the US, Europe and Asia.

Over the next 3 days we nimbly made our way northward and as we did, we poked the ship into several breathtaking fiords that reach westward, penetrating deep into the Park. Nature Canada worked for several years with Parks Canada, and the people of Labrador to establish Torngat National Park in 2005. It’s one of Canada’s most remote National Parks occupying some 10,000 square km and extending nearly 1,000 km from Nain to the northern most tip of Labrador. The Park protects one of eastern North America’s greatest mountain ranges and its wildlife, including large populations of Polar Bears, Caribou, whales, seabirds and tundra Black Bears, and honors the Inuit whose settlements predate the first European Vikings and the Moravian Missionaries. Within the Park’s boundaries, two globally Important Bird Areas support large concentrations of Common Eider and several colonies of marine birds.

Each day was designed to expose young students to aspects of the north through different workshops including landscape painting, advocating on environmental issues, establishing an Arctic council, cataloguing plants, learning about the life history of birds, to name a few. These sessions were interspersed with excursions to picturesque glacial lakes, waterfalls and sacred Inuit burial grounds, as well as expeditions to climb mountains, search for Polar Bears and float alongside Minke Whales.

The Torngat Mountains and George River Caribou herds cross paths as they migrate to and from their calving grounds – we spotted several lone Caribou along the rocky shores. The inland bays and coastal waters were rich in bird species. We saw Common Loons, Black Guillemots, Glaucous Gulls, Peregrine Falcons, Long-tailed and Parasitic Jaegers, Northern Fulmars and Black-legged Kittiwakes. Northern redpolls were perhaps the most numerous passerine on most inland walks. And wildflowers, grasses and sedges abounded.

After departing Port Burwell, Killiniq Island on August 6th, we set sail across Ungava Bay and headed towards our final destination, Kuujjuak. In the afternoon, the students gathered one last time in the front hall of the ship to listen to leadership presentations and prepare for a final night of comedy, competitions, photography, singing and drama. It was clear when the curtain came down on the night, that the students had clearly been moved and Students on Ice had left an indelible mark on all those it had touched during the course of the fantastic voyage.

Students on Ice has done more to help shape young minds about the Arctic than perhaps any other initiative of its kind. By embracing Inuit knowledge and integrating their experience and understanding into the program, Students on Ice is breaking down the barriers between northern and southern cultures and is bravely paving the way for a new found understanding and respect for northern cultures and the Arctic environment.

The lessons learned from Students on Ice have profoundly impacted my understanding and appreciation for engaging young people in nature and these lessons learned come at an important time as Nature Canada looks for effective ways to continue engaging Canadians in a meaningful way in nature.

For more photos from Ian's trip and photos of Canada's National Parks, check out our Flickr album dedicated to these beautiful, wild spaces.

Should Kids Bring Electronics to Summer Camp?

Photo: L-lines via Flickr

Do you have a cellphone? An iPod? Chances are you do – and so do your children.

We live in a world that’s increasingly connected online through social media, instant messaging and email. Young people in particular live online in a way that their parents could never have imagined just five years ago.

With the emergence of Facebook, Twitter and a plethora of social media channels, adults and children alike are spending more time online and less time interacting with people face to face.

When it comes to connecting with nature, there’s a certain nostalgic view some of us carry around about how “in the good old days” spending time in nature meant watching the stars come out at night, fishing at dusk, and gathering around a campfire to tell stories. Camping and spending time outdoors was a departure from the daily grind. But with wireless coverage expanding further into cottage country and the wild spaces we hold so dear, more people are choosing to stay connected – all the time.

For parents who packed their kids off to camp this summer they had to make a decision their parents never had to make. Would they let their kids bring their electronic devices? Or would they firmly draw the line, asking their children to painfully detach themselves from their phone and iPod?

We asked our supporters what they thought in our July Quick Poll.

In answer to the question "Do you think children should be allowed to bring cellphones, ipods and other electronics to summer camp?", the overwhelming response from nearly 500 people was that parents should say no. Here's the breakdown of the numbers:

91.5 said no, they shouldn’t.
8.5 said yes, they should.

Many people elaborated on their choice by leaving a comment. I’ve listed a few below that illustrated the general sentiment about kids bringing electronics to camp.

“It takes away from the whole experience of being in away at camp. Instead of hiding in headphones or texting they get to interact with friends who are there with them. I speak from experience as a camper and a counselor!”

“The privilege of going to summer camp is so that children can be exposed to the wonders of nature. The songs of birds, different wildlife and of course, of getting along with each other on a more intimate basis. Phones should be for emergencies only.”

“They are in front of 'screens' and electronics all day. Today's children aren't familiar with nature and have little opportunity to surround themselves in natural environments. Electronic "diddlers" are hypnotic, distracting and addictive.”

Do you agree with these statements? Want to share your opinion? Join the conversation by adding your comments below.

Know the past. Enjoy the present. Protect the future.

What's the link between a fort, a huge rock, an old guy, a tepee and a bison? Check out the My Parks Pass video and find out:

If you're a Grade 8/Secondary 2 student, you'll get your My Parks Pass from your teacher so that you can visit over 200 Parks Canada destinations for a full year - for free.

It doesn't matter if you're into camping, skiing, paddling, exploring or if you just want to discover more about Canada's past at your own pace; My Parks Pass has something for everyone. With more than 200 destinations across the country, there's an adventure closer than you think!

Last Chance to Add Your Name to the International Youth Accord on Biodiversity

Tomorrow is the last day to sign onto the International Youth Accord on Biodiversity that will be presented in Nagoya, Japan, at the Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD) COP10.

The Accord is being combined with other youth statements from around the world to create an International Youth Biodiversity Declaration. Youth will present this document during the high level segment of COP10, where heads of states/governments, relevant stakeholders and international organizations will come together to resolve difficult issues. According to our sources, this type of meeting rarely happens.

These young advocates are keen on making a difference - a difference that sees conserving biodiversity on the priority list of every government!

Add your voice to this Accord, and help our youth get the message through.

Global Youth Call for Government Action on Biodiversity

The voices of youth all over the world will be heard this October when representatives present a Youth Accord for Biodiversity at the Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD) Tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) in Nagoya, Japan. These teens and young adults are making it evident that biodiversity conservation is on their agenda, just as much (if not more so!) as it is on the agendas of world governments. They believe that they are the voice of the future and the acknowledge the important role they play in promoting the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Like many of us, this coalition of young advocates, would like to see their governments take action towards conserving biodiversity. The Accord, drafted by youth and signed by over 4,000 young people in 60 countries, calls for actions such as:

- Providing funding for educational programs on the value of and need for biological diversity;
- Setting a defined target date to stop preventable loss of biodiversity; and
- Implementing sustainable development practices in all areas.

There's been great momentum leading up to COP10 this October, mainly due to the fact that 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity, and signing this Accord can only add to that.

We at Nature Canada support the Youth Accord for Biodiversity. Nature Canada would like you to sign our letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper urging the Canadian Government to make significant efforts in protecting biodiversity this year - it is our chance to take action on behalf of future generations.

Only 8 Days Left - Submit your Entry Now!

The 2010 Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest is coming to a close soon! If you are 19 or younger be sure to submit your work of art, writing, or photography.

This year’s theme is “Celebrating Biodiversity” in honour of the International Year of Biodiversity.

Prizes include a week-long stay at Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, hosted by Parks Canada, gifts from Scholastic, Panasonic, and Opus Framing and Art Supplies, cash prizes, and the opportunity to have their work published in the 2011 Get to Know Contest Calendar.

For more information, visit www.gettoknow.ca. The contest closes May 28 2010.

Embrace Biodiversity and Submit your Entry Now

Celebrate biodiversity by entering the 2010 Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest! The contest launched on Earth Day, April 22 and is open to all young Canadians aged 19 or younger. We invite you to "get to know" local plants and animals and submit your work of art, writing, or photography. The contest is open until May 28 and you could win wild prizes – including a week-long stay at Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, hosted by Parks Canada. Other prizes include gifts from Scholastic, Panasonic, and Opus Framing and Art Supplies, cash prizes (NEW for 2010!), and the opportunity to have their work published in the 2011 Get to Know Contest Calendar. For more information, visit http://www.gettoknow.ca/.

Young Naturalists' Club of BC celebrates their birthday with a gift for you

A growing body of evidence confirms that when children spend time in nature they are healthier, happier, and smarter. Since 2000, the Young Naturalists' Club of BC has been connecting children with nature through a growing network of volunteer-led family and school nature clubs across the province. Sharp-shinned hawks, long-toed salamanders, sea otters - these are some of the wild neighbours Young Naturalists' Club members meet on Explorer Days, learn about in NatureWILD Magazine or work to protect while earning Action Awards.

Celebrate the YNC's birthday with a present for you - a chance at winning a signed Robert Bateman Print!

Robert Bateman's artwork reflects his deep connection with the natural world. He, better than anyone, knows the importance of getting children outside and exploring the natural world. You can learn more about how time spent in a nature has influenced this celebrated Canadian Artist in the spring issue of NatureWILD Magazine.

In celebration of the Young Naturalists' Club of BC's 10th birthday, Robert Bateman has generously donated two signed prints to the YNC to help raise funds and connect more children with nature.

Individuals making a donation to the YNC this year will have a chance to win one of the signed Robert Bateman prints. Names will be randomly drawn twice throughout the year - once this spring at the YNC Annual General Meeting in Kamloops May 16th and donors have a second chance to win a signed Robert Bateman Print at the YNC 10th Birthday Party during the fall. Donations can be made online at http://www.ync.ca/. Thank you for giving the gift of nature to young Canadians!

Thanks to our friends at the Young Naturalists' Club of BC for sharing this post with us.