{"id":14823,"date":"2012-01-26T16:32:46","date_gmt":"2012-01-26T21:32:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/?p=14823"},"modified":"2012-01-27T10:40:18","modified_gmt":"2012-01-27T15:40:18","slug":"brock-celebrates-its-place-in-the-biosphere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/2012\/01\/brock-celebrates-its-place-in-the-biosphere\/","title":{"rendered":"Brock celebrates its place in the biosphere"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A

A crowd gathers at the raising of a United Nations flag at Brock's St. Catharines campus.<\/p><\/div>\n

Brock is located within the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve, and today, it raised a United Nations flag to celebrate that.<\/p>\n

The ceremony was co-ordinated by Brock\u2019s new Environmental Sustainability Research Centre<\/a> (ESRC), which does transdisciplinary research regarding the environment, sustainability and social-ecological resilience.<\/p>\n

Brock is one of only a handful of Canadian universities located in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The Niagara Escarpment is one of 16 reserves in Canada, and is part of a network of 580 reserves in 114 countries.<\/p>\n

The flag raising strengthened Brock’s commitment to sustainable research, teaching and community service, and to taking a more active role in UNESCO\u2019s World Biosphere Reserve Network.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrock\u2019s location in a World Biosphere Reserve highlights the imperative of reconciling economic and social development with ecosystem integrity,\u201d said ESRC director Ryan Plummer. \u201cIn response, the ESRC brings together individuals from across Brock University and beyond to engage in the enterprise of sustainability science and embrace UNESCO\u2019s invitation to become a site of excellence.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ESRC will help strengthen existing research networks between the University and local and international communities. It will also help the growth and development of new research partnerships to look at a wide range of sustainability issues.<\/p>\n

David A. Walden, Secretary-General of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, welcomed Brock\u2019s willingness to serve as a bridge between research and community action.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u2018As we approach the conclusion of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014), education institutions have a crucial role to play in translating knowledge about sustainability into practical tools and resources.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ESRC\u2019s key areas of research include:<\/p>\n