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CBI Summer Workshop 2006

Workshops

GOMI MINI-CONFERENCE Acadia University, Wolfville NS, May 25-27
EVENT RECORD
May 28, 2007

Friday, May 25th
This was a travel day for our teams from Barrington, Islands/Digby Neck, Bear River, and the French Shore, Nova Scotia; and our team from Sackville, New Brunswick. Teams started arriving about 3:00 and checked into Whitman House, the lodging for the event. They picked up name tags, a useful packet of conference items, and their parking passes.

Most participants had a chance to stretch their legs and time to explore the easily accessible, pedestrian oriented, campus. By dinner time we were still short one team so those present took off for supper at Wheelock Dining Hall.

Our last team arrived just as we were starting our program at the K. C. Irving Environmental Science Centre. We did a general welcome and introduction before taking a facility tour led by Dr. Graham Daborn. After the tour we engaged in team building and orienteering with a geocache game on the woodland trails of the campus. Jennifer Miner, a graduate student at Acadia, developed the environment observation game, introduced the GPS units, and provided the leadership on this event. We all had a wonderful hike through the campus woodland trails.

Back at the lounge in Whitman House we did personal introductions and the teams had a chance to talk about what they are doing at their home sites. Reg Newell, NS Department of Natural Resources, was a guest and participant in the evening activity. The talks were followed by free time for socialization. Quiet time started about 11:00 so that all could have a good nights sleep and be ready for a full day of activity on Saturday. Rain during the night cleared the air very nicely.

Saturday, May 26th
Breakfast was available starting at 7:30 at the Wheelock Dining Hall. After a short check-in for announcements, we started our Community Mapping activities in the auditorium of the Science Centre. Heather Stewart of the NSCC Centre of Geographic Science led the workshop with assistance of Koreen Millard and Michelle Greenlaw, graduate students at Acadia.

Heather started the morning with a presentation of the theory and operation of geographical positioning systems, GPS as it is usually called. Thanks to the Tri-County Regional School Board, Heather’s NSCC stock, and Barrington High units it was easy for all to get hands on access to the technology we were using. We divided into six mixed jurisdiction teams for outdoor practice in the botanical garden.

The workshop moved into a field trip to the Wolfville Acadian marshes area for hands on mapping by student/mentor teams. Reg Newell, NS Department of Natural Resources, joined us to provide information about the area with which he is very familiar. We had a picnic lunch in the pavilion then mapped Marsh Elder and other wetland features. The trip progressed to the Kentville ravine park where the coolness of the stream and shade of the trees was most welcome after the sun and heat of the marsh.

Back at the Centre, Heather identified sources of free base map material and demonstrated the transfer of GPS data from the field to the ArcExplorer software available free for student use. She introduced concepts of geographic information systems, usually referred to as GIS.

In late afternoon we had free time which was enjoyed by taking showers, talking, and sitting outside on the lawns. We had a delicious Western barbecue supper at the Science Centre location. Supper was followed by a closing session of the Applied Community Mapping portion of the program with discussion of how lessons learned may be taken back to home site projects. Students had many good ideas about how they could use the information gained on their projects.

A special entertainment session with local magician and inspirational speaker Al Bernard took place for an hour. The later evening was social time in the Whitman House lounge area before the 11:00 quiet and bedtime hour. It was a busy day so most were very happy to be off to rest.

Sunday, May 27th
Breakfast was available starting at 7:30 at Wheelock Dining Hall. Following breakfast we did event evaluations followed by our closing ceremony to share thoughts about our experience at the workshop. We concluded our weekend by sharing in the planting of a Red Oak donated by the Arthur Irving Academy for the Environment as a carbon offset for the conference energy used. A plaque identifies the tree on University Drive and our event.

Groups said their goodbys and had a leisurely trip home.

We thank and acknowledge the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for financial support of this event, the Acadia staff, the Tusket River Environmental Protection Association, and the many volunteers who so graciously dedicated their time to making this meeting possible. And, thanks to students for sharing their home projects and attention to learning and making new friends at the event.

CBI Summer Workshop: The CBI week long residential workshop changes venues each year as we rotate from one state/province to another.  The 2006 summer’s workshop was conducted in Cornwallis Nova Scotia at the Annapolis Valley Conference Center. See narrative below for a detailed history. The 2007 summer Workshop will be conducted from the campus of the University of New Hampshire’s Durham Campus.  For more information on the upcoming workshop please use the Contact Us page.

NARRATIVE HISTORY
The Gulf of Maine Institute - Community Based Initiative Summer Workshop
July 2-8, 2006 Annapolis Basin Conference Centre, Cornwallis, Nova Scotia
July 10, 2006 - Post Event Review

An International program to touch, move and inspire youth to be stewards of the Gulf of Maine and its watershed.

Narrative of the CBI Summer Workshop
The workshop brought student teams from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia together for an International interchange of project work and aspirations for the future of the Gulf of Maine and its watershed. There were 45 members of student/adult mentor teams, and another 10 organizers,instructors, recorders, evauators and theme project leaders involved. The following is a day-by-day narrative of how the event unfolded.

Sunday, July 2 - Travel and Welcome
This was a travel day for all participants. Organizers arrived at noon to work with he ABCC staff and set up the Angle Building space and Cape Scott dormitory lobby area. The Nova Scotia and New Brunswick teams were within easy driving distance of the Cornwallis venue and all arrived in late afternoon to check in at the lobby at the Cape Scott dormitory. They had time to check-in and we all went for dinner in the cafeteria. We had an initial meeting in the Angle Building meeting space to welcome the teams. The NB/NS group set up welcome decorations for the New England group, relaxed, socialized or went to bed. We had the DVD, “microcosmos” playing. Some watched it, others socialized.

The New England teams crossed the Gulf of Maine on the CAT from Portland arriving in Yarmouth. It was a stormy sea trip and a large number of the people were seasick. The trip from Yarmouth to the ABCC was about 1.5 hours via Highways 101 and 1. The NE group arrived from 11:00 pm on and all were very tired. We checked them in and got them off to bed as quickly as possible. The check in process went very well.

Monday, July 3 - Group Dynamics and Orientation
After breakfast, we had an opening welcome and remarks at the Angle Building, our home meeting base, for all of the participants. John Terry reviewed the program and expectations. The first morning was then spent on “getting to know each other” activities. This was effective in building group cohesion and sense of common purpose.

Dan Earle and Sue Hutchins presented the first of the area orientation programs with a review of the Gulf of Maine watershed, its setting and issues, based on their 2002 Gulf of Maine Expedition trip.

After lunch, Dr. David Woolnough, Director of Research, Nova Scotia Community College presented a geographic overview of the physical and cultural setting of the Annapolis Basin, the site of the conference and theme projects. After a short activity break, he did a second session on new mapping techniques and simulations being developed at the NSCC Centre of Geographic Sciences.

Each of the teams attending the seminar had been working on a “home project” for several months to a year or more. Some were new projects and some were continuing from past years. During the afternoon each team had an opportunity to present and share their work with the full group. The projects included such topics as invasive species, transformation of an urban marsh, work toward restoration of abandoned buildings, avian flu surveys in waterfowl, river water quality studies, clean up and use of a community estuary park, and repair and protection of Piping Plover habitat. Display of maps and images of study areas were presented.

Activity breaks were taken between presentations during this afternoon period. Free time and supper provide an opportunity for rest and relaxation on an informal basis.

In the evening we held our opening ceremony and campfire near the water in the gathering area behind the Angle Building. The opening ceremony was a traditional Mi’kmaw welcoming conducted by Shalon Joudry, Bear River Band Environmental Programs Officer, with drumming, song, smudge, and dancing. All had a chance to reflect on their expectations for the week ahead.

After the opening ceremony some roasted marshmallows, some quietly socialized, and others ran a dance in the theater of the the Angle Building. All were off to bed by 10:30.

Tuesday, July 4 - Project Planning and Theme Projects
After breakfast we had a check-in to see how things were going. We then organized teams mixed by geography. During the morning we conducted an initial session on project planning with a number of reality based hypothetical environmentally based problems. Teams, acting as consultants, were taken through an open group approach to planning and carried through the exercise to develop a potential plan of action and some expected outcomes.

While the students did this exercise the adult group met to get an overview and discuss the GOMI model. This served to intoduce new members to the origins of the program and its ongoing activities.

During the second part of the planning exercise, an adult group took the role of a “community board” to which the student consultant groups reported. They commented on what they saw as the strengths of the plans and make suggestions for improvement.

A major component of the workshop is the planning, completion and presentation of “theme projects” done during the session. Theme projects are developed and led by a local scientist or advocate who works directly with a geographically mixed student team. Theme projects started after lunch. They were:
St. Mary’s Bay Marshland Conversion, led by Peter MacDonald of the NS Department of Natural Resources; Mi’kmaw Uses of Watersheds, led by Shalon Joudry, Environmental Programs Officer of the Bear River Band; Use of Bioindicators for Assessing Water Quality, led by Dr. Mike Brylinsky, Acadia University; and Wetland Wildlife Reserve Interpretation and Trail, led by Warren Paton, conservationist and teacher.

In the afternoon the theme project leaders took over their group and built on the morning session by getting their teams involved in the planning process for the theme project. Maps were brought out, issues were presented, resources were introduced and plans for the next day’s field work were made. The teams reported back to the assembled group in late afternoon so that all were informed on all of the projects.

Free time before supper gave time for relaxation and informal mixing before the barbeque.
The evening activity on Tuesday night was Instant Theater productions in the Angle Building theater led by Gary Ramey. The intent of this was help get participants comfortable with public presentation and to consider alternative forms of conveying an environmental message. Several groups did acts with environmental themes.

Relaxation time and off to bed by 10:30

Wednesday, July 5 - Theme Project Field Day
The teams spent all day in the field with the theme project leaders. They took samples, dug in mud, learned plant and animal species identification, took a canoe trip, had interpretive program experience, looked at work than has been done, sketched ideas, talked to people, and took part in a variety of tasks needed to come up with ideas for their projects. We provided transportation and a box lunch to have flexibility of time and schedule. The groups came back in late afternoon to shower, relax and have supper.

After supper teams reported back to the full group about their day’s activities and progress on their project.

Since the teams had been out all day and were a bit worn out we gave them a break from performing. Our feature presenter was Greg McEwen from the Bear River Band. He told stories about local culture while demonstrating traditional basket making, engaged the audience in understanding of this unique cultural setting, and played a little music for a conclusion.

All off to bed by 10:30 -- and most ready to go.

Thursday, July 6 - Theme Project Completion
After breakfast and the day’s check-in, the teams worked toward conclusion of their theme projects. This actually took them through lunch into the mid-afternoon. It was a bit longer than we had anticipated so cut into what might have been extended free time. However, the teams were dedicated to their projects and enjoyed working as a group. We provided a computer for downloading digital photos, making hard copy prints and text, and scanning. Teams also had computers supplied by theme project leaders or staff for putting together digital presentations. Display boards were also provided and used.

A practice run of the presentations to be given on Friday were done and critiqued.

In late afternoon there was free time and supper.

In the evening we had the traditional Talent Show in the Angle Building Theater led by Gary Ramey.. Home teams and individuals were encouraged to bring a talent with them. Instrumentals, songs, stories, dance, magic, humor routines, and so on were welcome. This event went quite well and met expectations. Our teams have many hidden talents.

Friday - July 7 - Home Project Planning - Community Presentation
Our first job on Friday was to have a check-in and, based on that, we revised the schedule for the morning. First, we put the home teams back together to plan their next year’s project activity. This took about an hour and a half. The theme teams then got back together for a final discussion and polish of their upcoming afternoon presentations. Time used here varied from an hour to an hour and a half.

Before lunch, Liz Duff gathered the group to fill out evaluations of the GOMI portion of the event. Evaluation forms for the ABCC facilities, staff and meals had been filled out earlier during participant free time.

Guests forming the Community Panel for the afternoon presentations were met at the dining hall. This panel included Tony Duke, NS Department of Natural Resources; Scott Lister, NS Department of Environment and Labour, Donna Tidd and Faye Haley, Tri-County Regional School Board; Brent Kaulback, Nova Scotia Community College; Andrea Doherty, Dalhousie School of Nursing; Roger Outhouse, Bay of Fundy Discovery Centre; and Francine Wallace; St. Mary’s Bay Resource Centre.

In the afternoon each theme team presented their project to the Community Panel and received feed back from people on the panel. After a break, the home teams present their plans for the next year.

The focus of the presentations was to stimulate the community to understand the projects, see their value, and become enthused about further engagement with the GOMI program. Guests were invited to stay for the closing ceremony and dinner if they wished. The students did an extraordinary job. The presentations were well done and well received. A commitment to future participation and support was expressed by the community panel members.

After supper the students had free time to relax, socialize, pack and say good bys. The NB team left as they had a relatively short drive home and there were no activities on Saturday morning for which to stay. The remaining group organized a dance party that lasted until bedtime at 10:30.

Saturday - July 8 - Travel
The New England group was up early and off the the Yarmouth Ferry by 6:15 am. They were provided with a box breakfast.

Organizers finished cleaning up odds and ends, met with the ABCC coordinator, and left for home. We were very pleased with the tone and accomplishments of the workshop and entirely worn out.