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    NorthColumbiaEnvironmentalSociety2009 President's Report

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    uncleadolph
    The North Columbia Environmental Society had a productive year in 2009, growing its membership and activities. Key accomplishments included conducting an environmental survey, presenting a speaker series on environmental topics, participating in community events, and completing funded projects focused on environmental education and capacity building. The Society aims to promote conservation and increase environmental awareness in the region. It is made up of a board of directors, has monthly meetings, and involves members sitting on various municipal committees.

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    NorthColumbiaEnvironmentalSociety2009 President's Report

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    uncleadolph
    361 views4 pages
    The North Columbia Environmental Society had a productive year in 2009, growing its membership and activities. Key accomplishments included conducting an environmental survey, presenting a speaker series on environmental topics, participating in community events, and completing funded projects focused on environmental education and capacity building. The Society aims to promote conservation and increase environmental awareness in the region. It is made up of a board of directors, has monthly meetings, and involves members sitting on various municipal committees.

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    The North Columbia Environmental Society had a productive year in 2009, growing its membership and activities. Key accomplishments included conducting an environmental survey, presenting a speaker series on environmental topics, participating in community events, and completing funded projects focused on environmental education and capacity building. The Society aims to promote conservation and increase environmental awareness in the region. It is made up of a board of directors, has monthly meetings, and involves members sitting on various municipal committees.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    361 views4 pages

    NorthColumbiaEnvironmentalSociety2009 President's Report

    Uploaded by

    uncleadolph
    The North Columbia Environmental Society had a productive year in 2009, growing its membership and activities. Key accomplishments included conducting an environmental survey, presenting a speaker series on environmental topics, participating in community events, and completing funded projects focused on environmental education and capacity building. The Society aims to promote conservation and increase environmental awareness in the region. It is made up of a board of directors, has monthly meetings, and involves members sitting on various municipal committees.

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    of 4

    P.O.

    Box 3116, Revelstoke, British Columbia V0E 2S0


    EMAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: www.northcolumbia.org

    September 2009 Annual General Meeting


    President’s Report- Year in Review

    2009 was another productive year. We grew in membership numbers and in the scope
    of activity. Please read on.

    The North Columbia Environmental Society’s Constitutional goals are to:

    -promote the conservation, preservation, & restoration of the natural environment in the North Columbia region.
    - increase community awareness and participation to ensure that environmental health is recognized as essential
    for community well-being.
    -establish a unified voice for environmental issues.
    -find and share information about environmental issues of concern to North Columbia residents.
    -look for the common causes of environmental and social concerns and involve others in addressing them.
    -assist in developing strategies for ecological, social, and economic stability.
    -represent the environmental interests of the community and the surrounding ecosystem.

    Society Make up and Structure:

    -95 members
    -Board of Directors, 2009:
    President- Sarah Newton
    Vice-president- Alice Weber
    Treasurer- Debbie Koerber
    Secretary- Gregg Walker
    Director at Large- Virginia Thompson, Jim Maitre, Melissa Hemphill

    -Monthly general meetings and board meetings, as needed committee meetings, annual AGM
    -Christmas and summer social functions, annual spring canoe trip, new this year- Garden Guru Tour and
    workshops.

    Public Speaker’s Series:

    -November, Rivers at Risk: MLA Norm Macdonald, Films Power Play & 49 Megawatts.
    -December, Polar Regions and Climate Change Bernice Notenboom presentation.
    -February, What a Way to Go Film on Human Impacts on our environment.
    -March, Food Security film and Patrick Steiner from Stellar Seeds, discussed industrial agriculture and impacts.
    -March, Climate Change, Dr. Mel Reasoner and Michelle Laurier two speakers to the public and city council.
    -April, Water Conservation, Neal Klassen, city of Kelowna, spoke to city council and the public.
    -May, Cancer and Pesticide forum with Dr. Warren Bell, Canadian Association of Physicians for the
    Environment and Jerilynn Keily, Canadian Cancer Society, to city council and public.

    Guests to NCES General Meetings:

    -June, MLA Norm Macdonald and John Horgan, NDP Energy Critic, Independent Power Projects (BOD)
    -September, Revelstoke Mountain Resort President Paul Skelton
    -November, BC Ministry of Environment Cory Legebokow
    -January, Revelstoke City Planner John Guenther
    -February, Revelstoke Forest Worker’s Society Angus Woodman and Mike Copperthwaite

    Events:

    -January, board of director’s retreat, strategic planning


    -February, Olympics Spirit of 2010 information booth
    -April, Screen Smart Week- Nature Scavenger Hunt and Scrabble Run
    -May, Chickadee Nature Festival participation, Columbia Basin interactive model
    -June, Martha Creek rehabilitation willow tree planting session
    -June, Public information booth at local farmer’s market
    -October, Revelstoke Health and Wellness Information booth
    -Home Show November 2009
    -Earth Hour April 2009

    Continued and Current Actions:

    -Environment survey to residents, to be presented to city council, and stakeholders.


    -Water Conservation, presented to Environmental Advisory Committee and soon to city council.
    -Climate change and conservation education in local schools.
    -Provided reusable mugs for a local café that are lent out to reduce paper waste used
    -Continued Eco-fact sheet promotion and distribution
    -12 Green Business Awards and articles in the Times Review
    -Independent Power Project Petition asking for local input into decision process
    -Letter writing campaign to provincial politicians regarding rivers at risk
    -Environmental Awareness video and book library for member use.

    Correspondence:

    -Numerous letters to the provincial government on Independent Power Projects & Bill 30.
    -Letters to the federal government on amendments to the Navigable Water Protection Act.
    -City of Revelstoke regarding transit buses, recycling, to Revelstoke Mountain Resort, master trail plan.
    -District & Region; Columbia River drawdown zone, mountain caribou, local boat ramp repairs, West Nile
    Disease pesticide program.
    -Private Companies regarding logging, RMR,
    -BC Hydro regarding high water, trails, public use of drawdown zone.
    NCES Presentations to other local groups:

    -On cosmetic pesticides: to SD 19, Youth Soccer, Friends of Revelstoke & Glacier National Parks, Revelstoke
    Rod and Gun Club.

    Municipal & District involvement (NCES members sit on the following committees)

    -City of Revelstoke: Solid Waste, Liquid Waste, OCP Steering, Community Development Action Plan Steering,
    Advisory Planning Commission, Environmental Advisory, Transportation
    -Columbia Shuswap Regional District: Solid Waste Advisory Committee.
    -Provincial and Regional: Columbia River Drawdown Zone Advisory Committee, Mountain Caribou Project,
    Wildfire Protection, South Revelstoke Ratepayers Association

    NCES Internal Committees:

    -Shelter Bay Development -Revelstoke Mountain Resort


    -Rivers at Risk -Website
    -Trails

    2009 Funding Sources (see actions section below for details):

    -Canadian Centre for Sustainability $3000


    -Columbia Basin Trust $20,000
    -City of Revelstoke Grant-In-Aid $5,500
    -Annual membership dues $300

    Purchases: Society membership in Mountain Equipment Cooperative, LCD projector, banner

    Articles in The Revelstoke Times Review and REVED Quarterly:

    -Topics: Independent power projects, caribou, food security, vegetarianism, env. conundrums.
    -Green Business Awards: Mountain Goodness Natural Foods- local and organic foods, Flowt Skis and Bikes-
    alternative transportation, waste reduction, Modern Bakeshop- waste reduction, Wild Flight Farm- local/organic
    foods, Comfort Zone Delivery- waste reduction, local food, D’s Eco-friendly Cleaning- toxins and chemicals,
    Talisman Fibre and Trading- fair trade products, VerdaTech Energy Consultants- energy efficiency, Chocolate
    Summit- fair trade/ local/ organic foods, Refinery Day Spa- toxins, Mountain Menus- local waste reduction.

    FUNDED PROJECTS (projects had volunteer contributions as well as funded positions):


    *CBT/City of Revelstoke Environmental Education Project- -5 members hired.
    -Environment Survey (water conservation and cosmetic pesticides) for the city of Revelstoke to gauge level of
    public awareness and interest. Results to be used in NCES and city planning.
    -Water conservation report, focused on water metering, to be used for city planning.
    -School based environmental education; the David Suzuki Nature Challenge delivered to grades K to 12 in
    Revelstoke, as well as Earth Day activities.
    -Public Education speaker’s series, articles, and green business awards (see above for details).
    *Centre for Sustainability, Environmental Partners in Organizational Development
    -The NCES board of directors hosted speakers from nearby environmental organizations (John Bergenske
    Wildsight, and Matt Lowe and John Alton, West Kootenay Eco-Society), to discuss capacity building, board
    challenges, community partnerships, conflict resolution, etc.
    -Board of Director’s Retreat: strategic planning, capacity building, common visioning.

    Professional Development by Board and Committee Members:

    -Climate Change Symposium in Nelson, BC Citizen’s for Public Power Forum in Vancouver, Tax filing for non-
    profit societies workshop in Kamloops, Wild Voices for Kids in Revelstoke.

    Sincerely,

    Sarah Newton, President


    North Columbia Environmental Society

    Revelstoke BC, September 30, 2009

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