Media releases

• Brock students to present tree-planting recommendations to Niagara Region

  Monday, March 20, 2017 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 20 March 2017 – R00059

  Cutting down a tree? Plant two to replace it.

  That’s the recommendation from students in the Brock University Environmental Assessment class, which will be presenting its “Two-for-One Trees” policy proposal to Niagara Region on Wednesday, March 22.

  “We see tree planting as one of the easiest efforts we can undertake to combat the issue of global warming,” says Alyssa Davis, Master’s student in the Department of Earth Sciences who will be leading the presentation.

  Davis will be highlighting the class’s research on forest cover in the region and the country, Canada’s carbon dioxide emissions and more details of the proposal.

  “We hope that each municipality within the Niagara region will be inspired to act with this "Two-for-One Trees" policy on tree replacement, if they haven’t already done so,” says Davis.

  Among the reasons the Environmental Assessment students give for why Niagara’s 12 municipalities would want to come on board:

  •    Trees remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the Earth’s atmosphere. Too much carbon dioxide — mostly from human activities — is a key contributor to global warming. Increasing the number of trees will take some of this carbon dioxide out of circulation.

  •    Trees add to the aesthetics of a place. Research has shown that quality of life improves with exposure to natural environments and green spaces.

  •    Trees make excellent snow fences, wind breakers and other barriers.

  “We were thinking that the Region and its municipalities would be in the perfect position to introduce the planning policy because they’re in charge of maintaining roadways, parks and other public land,” says Kristen Shaver, also a Department of Earth Sciences Master’s student.

  Also at the meeting Wednesday will be the class’s supervisor, Professor of Earth Sciences Uwe Brand, who came up with the idea for the research project after noticing a lack of trees on his daily commute to Brock.

  The presentation will take place at the Planning and Development Committee meeting Wednesday at 1 p.m. in the council chambers at Niagara Region Headquarters in Thorold.

   

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:
   
  * Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

  * Cathy Majtenyi, Research Communications/Media Relations Specialist, Brock University, cmajtenyi@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5789 or 905-321-0566

  Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.

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  Categories: Media releases

• Brock University condemns actions of some students on St. Patrick’s Day

  Monday, March 20, 2017 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 18 March 2017 – R00058

  Brock University takes pride in being a community partner in St. Catharines and, as such, it is disappointed by the actions of a small portion of its student population Friday.
   
  A large group of people, including Brock students, gathered on a residential street near the Pen Centre on St. Patrick’s Day. The gathering was shut down by the Niagara Regional Police later in the day.
   
  The University is aware of the situation and is fully co-operating with the investigation by the NRPS. In addition, a group of student and staff volunteers went to the area Saturday morning to assist in cleaning up garbage left on the street from the unfortunate actions of some students.

  Brock University officials are also committed to meeting with the City of St. Catharines and the NRPS in the coming weeks to discuss how this type of incident can be prevented in the future.

  “These deplorable actions do not reflect Brock University’s culture or values and this group, both from Brock and elsewhere, do not represent our student population of almost 19,000,” said Interim President Tom Traves.
   
  Leading up to St. Patrick’s Day, Brock University staff canvased numerous high-density student residential areas to give a reminder about the importance of being responsible citizens, and to hand out garbage bags and tags, responsible drinking guides, taxi numbers and other information.
   
  Brock also worked with the NRPS to have extra officers on hand both on campus and in these neighbourhoods.
   
  “On behalf of the Brock University Students’ Union, we would like to apologize for what took place Friday,” said Curtis Gadula, Director of Student Life and Communications for BUSU. “We pride ourselves on the many students who give so much back to our community, and we find it embarrassing that students were involved in this incident.”

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:
   
  * Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

  Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.

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  Categories: Media releases