Category: Article Review

Posted in Article Review, Video Review

Three perspectives

Posted on by maherrv

Saturday, I received the Healthy Forest Coalition report to members.

Two points caught my attention:

  • Removal of industrial forestry from Crown Lands;
  • Harvest Plan Map Viewer (HPMV) becomes the only portal for responses to planned harvests on public land.

This lead to the conclusion.

”This position makes it explicit that public concerns about landscape level decisions for industrial forestry activity will not be entertained.”

Monday, I received the latest quarterly newsletter from the Bras D’Or Lake Biosphere Reserve.

It included contributions on ‘Getting involved in Citizen Science’ by Kirsty Lock, ‘Mesonet Observations’ by Jonathan Buffett and ‘Springs in the Bras D’Or Lake Biosphere Reserve’ by Fred Baechter.

Also, on Monday I listened to a CBC interview on Indigenous Architecture.

Tonight (21st) TVO is showing the film ‘From Earth to Sky’. This struck me as pertinent, given the design of the new wing at COGS.

Over the weekend, Heather and I went up to the family homestead in South Victoria. We were struck by the changes in land use in that part of the province. Many fields were being recolonized by trees and shrubs. And yet, the communities (e.g. Tatamagouche, Pugwash) are eagerly waiting for the loosening of COVID restrictions.

I would encourage members of Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve to look closely at the newsletter from Bras d’Or Lake Biosphere Reserve. There are many ideas relevant to this region.

I would also encourage the NSCC to consider ways of integrating the new wing into the COGS building, perhaps within the context of indigenous architecture and landscape design.

Acknowledgements

Bob Howard for passing conversations on landscape design. Heather shared the travels over the weekend. Edward added his graphics.

References

Healthy Forest Coalition newsletter, June 19,2021

Bras D’Or Lake Biosphere Reserve newsletter, Summer Solstice Edition, June 21,2021.

TVO documentary, June 21, 2021, From Earth to Sky.

Posted in Article Review

Enforced Withdrawal

Posted on by maherrv

In response to my latest blog, I received two helpful links. Gregory Heming sent me the link to Paul Kingsnorth article in Orion magazine on Dark Ecology and withdrawal.

“The Harvesters” painted by Pieter Bruegel the Elder

”Withdrawal so that you can allow yourself to sit back quietly and feel, intuit, what is right for you and what nature might need from you .”

Brian Reid sent me the link to the Village of Lawrencetown web site www.Lawrencetownnovascotia.ca

This helped me understand what has been happening locally, especially at the Lawrencetown Community Health Centre.

Meanwhile, under new COVID restrictions, I am trying to maintain my business interests that include filing income tax and access to computer services.

My latest challenge is maintaining Gmail service, as I am ‘almost out of storage and may not receive new emails’.

Access to Internet is temperamental in rural Nova Scotia. Combine that situation with the possibility of the loss of email access. I am certainly in line with Paul Kingsnorth and Gregory Heming, however not because of enforcement by Google. I have addressed the issue this morning by subscribing to Google One and cleaning up my files.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to both Gregory Heming and Brian Reid. Edward and Heather continue to support my blog activity. Kyle at Bridgetown Computers, and Tanya at Hollis Wealth have both been helpful.

Reference

Paul Kingsnorth, 2013, Dark Ecology: Searching for Truth in a post-green world,
Orion Magazine.

Posted in Article Review

Easter Eggs

Posted on by maherrv

We came up to New Glasgow for Easter. As usual, it was an opportunity to catch up with the latest magazines. In Saltscapes, there is a photoessay by Scott Leslie, Migrant Songs of Spring.

”Every Spring we welcome back throngs of songbirds to the region’s forests, as neotropical migrants of every shape, size and colour lift our spirits with a serenade that grows a little quieter each passing year. By truly adopting in both spirit and practice ecologically sensitive sustainable forestry practices we can ensure that this wondrous natural event can continue indefinitely.” p.49.

In Canada’s History, Nancy Payne’s Dreams of Harmony describes the utopian Finnish community of Sointula on Malcolm Island. Malcolm Island is off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.

“Even though it’s name means place of harmony in Finnish, life in Sointula had never been easy. Born of deeply held beliefs in equality, cooperation and hard work, the colony had for a few short years at the start of the twentieth century, offered a shining alternative to a world of exploitation and competition” p.36.

Canada’s History magazine used to be The Beaver. It is the history equivalent to Canadian Geographic.

Refreshed, I continued with my reading of Wendell Berry’s essays. From Preserving Wildness, p.151

”Looking at the monoculture of industrial civilization, we yearn with a kind of homesickness for humanness and the naturalness of a highly diversified, multipurpose landscape, democratically divided, with many margins. The margins are of utmost importance. They are the divisions between holdings, as well as between kinds of work and kinds of lands. These margins – lanes, streamsides, wooded fencerows, and the like – are always freeholds of wildness, where limits are set on human intention.” p.151.

Acknowledgements

John Stewart for his magazine subscriptions. Edward for his editorial graphics. Heather for her support.

References

Scott Leslie. Migrant Songs of Spring. Saltscapes. April/May 2021 Vol 22 No 2. p. 44-49.

Nancy Payne. Dreams of Harmony. Canada’s History. April/May 2021. p.36-43.

Wendell Berry. 1987. Home Economics. Preserving Wildness. p.137-151. North Point Press.

Posted in Article Review, Video Review

Glad Tidings

Posted on by maherrv

This week, I received the quarterly newsletter from Jon Percy. Fundy Tidings is a useful compendium of initiatives that impact the ecology of the Bay of Fundy. It serves to reinforce the concept that even within the global pandemic environment, there are still individuals concerned about our local geography: landscape and seascape.

Jon performs a service to the community by documenting the activities of the Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership (BOFEP).

Green Elephant

To celebrate my birthday and Valentine’s Day, Heather and I enjoyed a breakfast of Belgian waffles at the Green Elephant in Kingston.

White Tiger

To top off the day, we watched The White Tiger on Netflix. Set in India, the story describes the journey from rural poverty to entrepreneurial success.

Of course, white tigers are extremely rare, as indeed, are green elephants.

Postscript

On Friday afternoon, we picked up ‘take and bake’ tacos with the fixings at Lunn’s Mill on the Carleton Road, Lawrencetown ( Highway #201). Very good.

Acknowledgements

Jon Percy for Fundy Tidings. Heather for sharing our meetings with both the Green Elephant and the White Tiger. Edward added his graphic talent.

References

Fundy Tidings, Newsletter of the Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership, Creating-sharing-using knowledge about the Bay of Fundy, February 2021 issue

The White Tiger 2021. Netflix movie.

Posted in Article Review, Nature

Solace and Druids

Posted on by maherrv

After the events of this week, it was a pleasure to receive the link to Orion Magazine from Sandra Barry. The issue included a number of tributes honouring the life of Barry Lopez;
in particular, those by John Luther Adams, Margaret Atwood and David Quammen.

Photo: Barry Lopez on the McKenzie River, 1997 (Robert Kaiser) Oregonian/OregonLive

It brought back memories of driving the Alaska Highway to Homer from the Canadian Rockies in 1970. Over fifty years ago.

That, in turn, reminded me of time in California at Esri in Redlands. The creative contribution of a team of Americans to the technology of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). That would be in the 1980’s. We will need the contributions of all these creative individuals, as we attempt to address the global environmental challenges.

To complement these tributes, I happened to read the essay by Lucy Jones, The Druid Renaissance in this week’s issue of Emergence Magazine.

Photo by Rhonda Lashley Lopez

At the end of the afternoon (Sunday), there was still sufficient light to cross-country ski, down through the woods, to the Annapolis River.

Acknowledgements

To Sandra Barry for forwarding the link to the latest issue of Orion magazine. Heather shared the cross-country ski explorations. Edward put together the graphics and links.

References

Orion Magazine, January 8, 2021, Authors and Artists on the Life of Barry Lopez.

Emergence Magazine, January 10, 2021, Lucy Jones. The Druid Renaissance.

Posted in Article Review

Mapping Annapolis County

Posted on by maherrv

One of the community mapping initiatives that came out of the Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS) in the last ten years was MapAnnapolis.

It combines research by local citizens with mapping technology available through students from COGS. In response to my recent question on its status, Heather LeBlanc sent me the link to their web site. She mentioned, too, that they are currently upgrading the site with interactive videos and the use of Esri storyboards. The new version should be completed in early 2021.

Map: Acadian settlements.

The MapAnnapolis web site includes heritage properties, the Garrison graveyard, Acadian settlements, Black Loyalist history, cemeteries and churches, Bear River Artist studios, and more.

The Story of COGS project focused on the lives both JB Hall and Major Church. This complements the web site by Heather Stewart and myself on the story of COGS.

To date, I have received no new information on either Community Counts or the CLICK project. The first was a provincial initiative and the second supported by the municipalities. Given the COVID necessity for online learning, it is unlikely that we will see the return of local field work at COGS to support community mapping in the near term.

Yesterday, I had a fitness session to stretch the body. This compensates for an excess of sitting and reading. It is important to recognize the same need to stretch the mind. The COVID restrictions offer up the time, however it is now more challenging to share the ideas through the face to face social network.

I did manage to complete my reading of Harold Horwood’s memoir. Besides his opinions on many Canadian authors, from Farley Mowat to Margaret Atwood, Graeme Gibson to Margaret Lawrence and Alice Munro, Horwood recounts his travels in Atlantic Canada. He also took several longer trips across Canada and the United States. He provides a detailed natural history of these foreign places.

Acknowledgements

Heather LeBlanc for her web site update. Heather for COVID company. Edward for support.

References

MapAnnapolis go to mapannapolis.ca
Harold Horwood, 2000, Among the Lions, Killick Press.
The Story of COGS. see web site thestoryofcogs.ca

Posted in Article Review, Video Review

Times have changed

Posted on by maherrv

Do you remember when we had a weekly local newspaper in Bridgetown (The Monitor) and in Middleton (The Mirror-Examiner)? Do you recall reading the column written by Anne Ottow?

As we were completing the organic certification and inspection process with Allison Grant, I discovered in my filing cabinet a copy of Ottow’s interview with Raymond and Rona Hunter. It was published on October 9th, 1996. I hope that you can read it.

After the Hunters, the farm was briefly in the care of Rob and Clara Flanagan. Andrew, my son, purchased the property in 2005. And here we are in 2020, maintaining and harvesting organic apples from trees planted by Raymond.

The news media has changed significantly in the Valley, partly in response to the Internet. Larry Powell, who was a reporter with the Saltwire network is now employed by the municipality of Annapolis. His latest contribution is a YouTube video with Gregory Heming. Gregory has decided to withdraw, and not defend his seat in the forthcoming municipal election. Meanwhile, in Lawrencetown, I received a flier in my mailbox about the voting patterns of Councillor Martha Roberts. The author was Ron Habinski, father of the warden, Timothy. Not sure exactly what this means.

The best source of information for the forthcoming election, meetings and gatherings,and items for sale and service is The Reader. Steve Raftery and Andy Kerr are maintaining an election web site.

In conclusion, I did receive an email from Nina Newington about a moratorium on spraying on private forest land this year. However, it still leaves unanswered a number of questions about forest management in Annapolis County:

How much forested land exists in Annapolis County?
How much forested land in the County has been clear-cut and sprayed? When and where?
If there is a moratorium on clear-cutting/spraying, what is the impact on the forestry sector?
How much of Annapolis County is crown land?
How much is private woodlots?
How much is forested but conserved for outdoor recreation, e.g. parks?
How much is forested but protects the water supply, e.g. Lawrencetown?
How much is forested wetland or deciduous woodland at the slope of North Mountain

This is the type of analyses that the county needs to undertake on behalf its citizens — if, indeed, it believes in ecological forestry. I have suggested to Timothy Habinski that the Municipality should collaborate with COGS to conduct this type of geographic analysis, with maps, imagery and statistics.

Postscript

Raymond and Rona Hunter were strong advocates for organic agriculture. This means NO SPRAYING on our agricultural land.

Acknowledgements

Edward and Heather for their abiding interest in the landscape of Annapolis County and the species that live there. The potential for evidence-based management. Anne Crossman for moderating the all-candidate meetings for Districts 3 and 7.

References

Larry Powell, YouTube video.
Steve Raftery and Andy Kerr for the municipal election web site via The Reader.



Posted in Article Review

Canadian Geographic

Posted on by maherrv

While in New Glasgow this weekend, I had the chance to browse the latest issue of Canadian Geographic. Alex Trebek, Honorary President of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society, has launched an appeal in support of geographic literacy and education.


In these turbulent times, it is important that we change our level of understanding of the Earth’s geography: globally, nationally, provincially and at the local level.

In response to Trebek’s appeal, I contacted Mike Goodchild( in Seattle) and Brent Hall (in New Zealand), both with a deep understanding of both GIS technology and Geographic Information Science.

persons_mGoodchild_bHall
Michael Goodchild, U of California Santa Barbara (left) and  Brent Hall, ESRI Canada (right)

My question: what are geographers doing in these new times?

They both responded quickly on the weekend, in particular, related to the pandemic. In Brent’s words:

“So, I agree with Mike – the pandemic has provided an unprecedented window of opportunity for data analysts to realize that much of what they are analyzing is inherently geographic or spatial in nature”.

For myself, what can I do, here in Nova Scotia? In the Annapolis Valley. We have the Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS) in Lawrencetown. They have access to the same technologies for application in Nova Scotia and the Maritimes. I forwarded the responses from Mike and Brent to COGS’ Dave Colville and Dave MacLean.

But what can I do? I can try to encourage a much higher level of Geographic literacy at the College, in the schools, and in the community. This is what I attempt through my blog.

Here are three new examples.banner_myMothersHands

1
from Emergence Magazine, read the essay by Gina Rae La Cerva My Mother’s Hands.

2
go back to the video link from the BC Knowledge Network and watch The Art of Japanese Life, Episode 2: Cities.

3
from Divisions of the Heart, read the essay by Brian Robinson ‘Bridging a Divided Place’, p.77-90. Brian is a geographer interested in the relationship between geography and literature.

Footnote from Robinson, p.89. For a review of how Heidegger has influenced humanistic geography’s concern for place, see Pickles, especially Chapter 9 on Human Spatiality (p.154-170).

updateOnAppleHarvest_27Jul2020
“If you were wondering about this year’s harvest”

Acknowledgements

Mike Goodchild and Brent Hall for their detailed responses to my question. Heather, my travel companion this week, to Pictou and New Glasgow. Edward for his graphics.

References

Alex Trebek appeal in support of Geographic literacy and education. Canadian Geographic, July 2020.
Emergence Magazine, July 26,2020, Wild Medicine and the Gap between Worlds.
BC Knowledge Network, The Art of Japanese Life.
Barry, Davies, Sanger (Ed.) 2001, Divisions of the Heart. Gaspereau Press.
Brian Robinson, Bridging a Divided Place, p.77-90. in Divisions of the Heart.
John Pickles.1985.Phenomenology: Science and Geography, Spatiality and the Human Sciences.Cambridge University Press.

Posted in Article Review, Opinion

Keeping Healthy

Posted on by maherrv

pic_theMindThis week, I reconnected with Cathy Bruce-West. She is a personal trainer. Before COVID-19, I had worked with her to strengthen my knees. So we had two sessions ‘en Plein air’ at Andrew’s studio across the road. The local gymnasiums are still planning their re-opening. After too much sitting, the program is designed to open up the body, through a series of stretches and strengthening exercises.

What impresses me is the knowledge of anatomy – joints, ligaments, muscles, plus the discipline of the session. It does, however, raise an interesting question: what are the equivalent stretches to open up the mind?

Heather has shared with me the Walrus podcast for June 20 ‘Your brain in COVID-19’. Would highly recommend it, especially the contributions from Andrea Soddu and Philip Mai.

The Walrus · Your Brain on COVID-19

Another local non-fiction reference, from Heather this week, Geology of Nova Scotia, a field guide by Martha Hill and Sandra Barr. It provides directions and interpretation to forty-eight sites in the province. The better we appreciate our landscape, perhaps, the less likely we will tolerate its abuse.

This concept resonated with a message that I noticed on the public notice board at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Middleton.

Reading: how to install new software in your brain

Postscript.

Edward sent me the Gizmodo link as an illustration of the contribution of citizen science towards our understanding of nature.

Acknowledgements

Cathy Bruce-West for her patience and support. Heather for her ‘scientific’ approach to life. Edward for emails and online graphics skills.

References

Martha Hild and Sandra Barr. 2015. Geology of Nova Scotia: touring through time at 48 scenic sites. Boulder Publications.
The Walrus. June 2020. Carolyn Abraham. Your Brain on COVID-19. It is also available as a Walrus Podcast.
Gizmodo: A ‘viral’ new bird song in Canada causing sparrows to change their tune.

Posted in Article Review, biographical sketch

Notes from Butternut Tree Farm

Posted on by maherrv

A few years ago, Roger Mosher gave us a bag of butternuts. We left them in a pot and promptly forgot about them. The end result was a cluster of butternut trees in the front garden.bookCover_3books_rogerDeakin

The blog title comes from Roger Deakin’s Notes from Walnut Tree Farm. Roger was the author of three books. The others are Waterlog and Wildwood. He came to the front of mind this week because of an essay in Emergence Magazine on the History of the Apple. It describes his trip to Kazakhstan, entitled East to Eden, with contribution from Robert MacFarlane.

honeycrispApplesLater in the day, I picked up a bag of Honeycrisp at Graves grocery store in Bridgetown. Grown locally at Inglis Farms in Tupperville. The Honeycrisp variety is a product from the Kentville Research and Development Centre.

Driving to Kentville yesterday, we noticed that the larger orchards in Kings County were burning their prunings. We checked locally with NS Lands and Forests. Our small pocket orchard, with less than one hundred trees, is too close to the woods. No burning. Instead, I had the opportunity to clear around each trunk and apply several scoops of vermiculture (worm castings).

banner_brickyardRedLunnsLater, we received our first online delivery of Brickyard Red beer from Lunn’s Mill. This complemented a couple of episodes of Mother, Father, Son; a BBC2 production, featuring Richard Gere, Helen McRory and Billy Howle, available on GEM. It is set in England and explores the relationship between the press and politics as well as the complexity of family dynamics. A single series with eight episodes.

Today, with snow on the wind, it looks like an indoor day, except for dog walking.

Acknowledgements

Roger Mosher for his enduring interest in fruit and nut trees. Chantelle at Lunn’s Mill, reminding us about online delivery. Heather for her Spring cleaning efforts in the greenhouse.Edward for his earlier blog and the graphics.

References
Emergence Magazine, April 5,2020. East to Eden. Roger Deakin with Robert MacFarlane.
Roger Deakin. 1999. Waterlog: A Swimmer’s Journey through Britain. Random House.
Roger Deakin. 2007. Wildwood. A Journey through Trees. Penguin Books
Roger Deakin. 2008. Notes from Walnut Tree Farm. Penguin Books.