Bras d'Or HE LUE ERON TThe Bras B d’Or Stewardship H Society P.O. Box 158, Baddeck, Nova Scotia B0E 1B0 St y ew iet ardship Soc VOLUME 9 10TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE - JULY 2007 NO. 2 his issue of The Blue Heron of global warming, destruction of deny global warming is a significant Tcelebrates the tenth anniversary wildlife habitat, animal species environmental threat. Recently, a of the founding of the Bras d’Or disappearance, pollution damage small religious publication suggested Stewardship Society’s (BSS) in and the debate about the reality or that the debate was overheated. August 1997. otherwise of global warming. There The argument was that whatever Current and long standing board are many environmental issues is occurring will be taken care of member Dr. James V. O’Brien has that confront us locally as well as by the powers that be i.e. God. The provided an article on the origin and globally. suggestion is that we are powerless to development of the Society while at To celebrate the tenth anniversary of do anything. We are not in control! the same highlighting some of the The Bras d’Or Stewardship Society, In this issue we are pleased to work of the Society over the past in March 2007 the board decided that include an article by Bethsheila Kent ten years. a significant event should be held to that provides insight into the life of There is no doubt that over the celebrate our ten-year journey. This contʼd on page 2 last ten years that the Society has event will be held in Iona on July 27, established itself as a credible 2007. (See News Items) non-profit membership based Though there are those who deny NOTICE ON SATURDAY, stewardship organization dedicated global warming is taking place, the JULY 28, 2007 to the conservation, protection and vast majority of scientists believe it is restoration on the Bras d’Or Lakes a reality though most of us in North THE SOCIETY WILL and its watershed. Financially, the America have not been significantly CELEBRATE ITS Society is strong and still commands impacted. We fortunately have not 10TH ANNIVERSARY a respectable public following. as yet had to suffer food shortages, AT Not a day goes by without major change our transportation habits or suffer severe water shortages. ST. COLUMBA PARISH HALL articles on the environment published IN IONA AT 2:00 PM. or voiced in the media. There are web Unfortunately others are not so lucky. For instance farmers in Australia sites devoted to the myriad of threats TICKETS FOR THE EVENT ARE are suffering a severe drought that LIMITED TO 225 PEOPLE AND is devastating their traditional soil ARE BEING SOLD IN LOCAL In This Issue bound livelihoods. With this in mind, COMMUNITY PHARMACIES. Page on June 23, 2007 the Globe And Mail Ten Years In The Life... 2 ran an extensive article on the severe News Items 3 drought in the southwestern parts of the United States. “Our goal University students Tackle Abuse In Nova Scotia, impacts of climate is to of Wetlands 4 change are already noticeable. A recent CBC Information protect, The Formation of the Bras d’Or morning program highlighted the conserve Stewardship Society 4 encroachment of water and the The Great Blue Heron 6 incipient destruction of ecologically and significant salt marshes along the restore the The Safety of Drinking Water... 7 Bay of Fund’s coastline. The water Land Use Issues... 8 level has been predicted to rise on Bras d’Or the Bras d’Or Lakes. Lakes” Taking A Stand For the Coast 10 Meanwhile, there are those who www.baddeck.com/bss Opening message contʼd... discharge of ballast water into the the blue heron the elegant bird from Ten Years in Lake from commercial vessels. We which the Society newsletter takes the Life of the have initiated work toward eventual its name. It is felt that our ‘avian establishment of regulation totem’ deserves recognition and Universe governing development and construction or establishment of celebration given its stately presence he year 2007 will likely go in the Bras d’Or watershed. buildings, trailers, etc. near water’s Tdown in history as the turning edge in a manner harmful to the The blue heron is just one of many point when humankind came to Lake and its environment. Mining significant bird species that finds a the realization that we could not and construction firms frequently sustainable seasonal habitat within go on desecrating our environment consult the Society’s Board of the Bras d’Or Lakes’s watershed. which is the developed practices Directors prior to beginning projects This bird is indeed a stately creature of the preceding one hundred to avoid taking action that would that frequents many locations along years. The chill or the scare of cause damage to the ecology of the Bras d’Or shoreline as it feeds the consequences of our actions the Lake and its watershed. on fish and bottom dwellers. There and conduct are appearing before once existed several local rookeries our eyes in the way we live our The Bras d’Or Stewardship Society that allowed the blue heron to raise everyday lives. The way, in which acknowledges the role played by its young in protected areas. Today, we respond to glitz advertisements, other organizations where now such rookeries seem to have moved the sharp rise in consumerism and many groups and individuals have or disappeared or at least are not the quest for instant satisfaction is come together to collaborate and well documented. manifested in the sign and scale of support actions to conserve and There is nothing more satisfying than our “throw away” society, frequently protect the Lake. Co-operation in sighting this bird in mirror flat Bras with little care as to where we awareness building, and consensus d’Or waters early in the morning as discharge or “throw away.” on courses of action and follow-up to protect the Lake and its marine it searches for food. The blue heron The Bras d’Or Lake would be no is albeit an awkward appearing life and wild life is happening. more than a dot on the sphere While the job is far from complete, creature that exudes a sense of all of the world, yet to management consuming grace as it takes flight. we wager that the Lake has more and members of the Bras friends now than ten years ago. That is why we choose the bird as d’Or Stewardship Society, it a symbol for the Society! symbolizes just how ordinary We will likely remember 2007 as the people recognizing the damage to year of the great debate over Kyoto, a great natural resource can act the expressions of concern over to make a difference. To reverse climate change and earth warming. The Bras d’Or Stewardship environment degradation requires Or we may recall the work of Al Society is interested in enlightenment, commitment, and Gore, environmental activist and action. We believe that over the author of “An Inconvenient Truth” contributions from our past ten years, the one hundred and the predictions of eventual members. If you have and fifty members of the Society, climatic calamity on the rising of something to contribute through the Board of Directors and oceans. to the Newsletter or would their financial support, have made like to work with the important gains in securing the There can be no sliding back. We society’s board, please let long-term protection and restoration are all stewards of our environment us know. The society is an of the Bras d’Or Lake. and there can be no rationing of our atmosphere but a sharing of all volunteer organization Largely through aggressive responsibility to act as custodians that welcomes input from advocacy and direction, we have of the earth’s resources and jointly individuals interested realized the construction of the new accountable when we fail i n p r o m o t i n g t h e sewage treatment plant in Baddeck, conservation, protection establishment of new federal Pat Bates, Chairman and restoration of the legislation preventing discharge The Bras d’Or Stewardship Bras d’Or Lakes and its of sewage from boats, and more Society watershed. stringent regulations governing Page 2 www.baddeck.com/bss remediated from the environmental Mombourquette ($100.00). Both NEWS ITEMS: degradation that occurred from the are students at Richmond Academy. unauthorized infill of wetlands. Life Celebrations: Annual General Below are the names to two Meeting: Bequest Received: individuals who recently have made the journey from this mundane In February 2007 the Society On Saturday March 24, 2007 the earthly world to their final resting received a bequest of $2,000.00US annual general meeting of the place. Both individuals profiled from the estate of Mabel Grosvenor Society was held at the Bell Museum below were dedicated in their who died in November 2006. Dr. in Baddeck. Both the President’s commitment to making the world a Mabel was a keen and perspicacious report and Treasurer’s Report were better place to live by the mantra, observer of what was going on presented. A presentation was made ‘act locally, and think globally”. by Shauna Barrington regarding around her. She had a 101 year life Dan E. MacNeil: her current work with the Mabou long relationship with the Bras d’Or Development Association regarding Lakes given her family’s property On May 21, 2007 Dan MacNeil, Mabou harbor. About twenty holdings on Beinn Breagh. The age 46, lost his tenacious battle individuals attended the annual Society is both indebted and grateful with cancer.