Sunday, November 11, 2007

Fundy Biosphere Reserve news

Now that the Upper Bay of Fundy is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, plans are moving ahead for scientific and educational program development. New Brunswick's Environmental Trust Fund (ETF) is providing $30,000 to get these programs going. This is a great use of our bottle deposit! (Revenue for the ETF comes from about half of the environmental fee that is paid when people buy redeemable beverage containers in New Brunswick.)

I think we are no where near having as much public programming about the Bay of Fundy we should have. The Bay is an amazing place but, due to its diversity, sometimes a bit challenging for both residents and visitors to fully appreciate. Biosphere reserves are often defined as 'living laboratories' where research, monitoring, public education, capacity building and local community involvement contribute to promote sustainable development. This can only improve the Bay experience!

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