As part of their ongoing partnership, Niagara Parks and Brock University’s Environmental Sustainability Research Centre (ESRC) are set to host a free online speaker series held over three sessions on Sept. 23, Oct. 28 and Nov. 25.
Environmental stewardship in Niagara
Thursday, Sept. 23, 7 p.m.
Niagara Parks Senior Manager of Environmental Planning Ellen Savoia and Project Manager of Forest Health Corey Burant will discuss environmental stewardship in the Niagara Parks with ESRC Director and Brock Professor Ryan Plummer.
Brock master’s student Brooke Kapeller will discuss her research topic “Exploring environmental stewardship in the Niagara region of Canada: How do elements of environmental stewardship relate to success?” The research focuses on understanding local environmental stewardship efforts and seeks to illuminate elements of initiatives and factors making for success.
Ecosystem restoration challenges faced by Parks Canada
Thursday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m.
Parks Canada’s Tammy Dobbie and Andrew Laforet discuss habitat restoration work and the science behind how the health of natural areas is measured. There will also be a discussion about Point Pelee National Park, including the use of prescribed fire to mimic natural disturbances in savannah habitat, as well as targeted invasive species removal in the park’s marsh.
Brock University master’s student Angela Mallett will discuss her research topic “Understanding Perceptions of the State of the Environment in Relation to Ecological Measures.” Mallett’s research was conducted at the Niagara Glen and involved an ecological integrity assessment, as well as surveys administered to several groups on their perceptions of the state of the environment.
The evolution of the International Joint Commission
Thursday, Nov. 25, 7 p.m.
The Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 established the International Joint Commission to oversee issues pertaining to shared waters across Canada and the U.S., including the Laurentian Great Lakes. The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority’s Natalie Green will join the International Joint Commission’s Rej Bejankiwar to discuss the evolution of the commission through the treaty, historic pollution problems that led to the creation of the Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, the need to clean up specific Great Lakes’ degraded locations, and what collaborative actions are being taken to improve these sites, including the Niagara River.
Brock University undergraduate student Kassie Burns will discuss her research topic “The UN Sustainable Development Goals: From Local to Global.” She will discuss an online toolbox she assisted in creating where the Brock community can access information about all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and how they are being tackled internationally.
Anyone interested in taking part in the online speaker series should register for free on the Niagara Parks website here.
