FRIENDS of the TAY WATERSHED

Association

 

P.O. Box 2065

57 Foster Street

Perth, ON

K7H 3M9

E-mail:    info@tayriver.org

Website: www.tayriver.org

 

August, 2011

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

Watershed Discovery Day Explores Climate Change

 

Friends of the Tay Watershed invite you to join in the celebration of their 11th annual Watershed Discovery Day on Sunday, September 18, 2011 from 1-5pm at ECOTAY Education Centre. This year’s event will explore several fascinating solutions for the ever-increasing global distress caused by climate change through workshops, exhibits, puppet shows and children’s activities. Come and enjoy a fun and informative afternoon for the whole family!

 

Workshops

Diana Beresford-Kroeger

Diana Beresford-Kroeger, a botanist, medical biochemist and self-defined "renegade scientist," brings together ethnobotany, horticulture, spirituality and alternative medicine to reveal a path toward better stewardship of our natural world in the face of climate change.  A precise and poetic writer steeped in Gaelic storytelling traditions gathered from her childhood in Ireland, her books include The Global Forest, Arboretum Borealis: A Lifeline of the Planet, Arboretum America: A Philosophy of the Forest, A Garden for Life and Time Will Tell.  In 2010, Diana was inducted as a Wings Worldquest Fellow.  She lives in near Merrickville, surrounded by her research garden filled with rare and endangered species.

 

Paul Egginton, Lanark County Community Stewardship Council
Working on climate change issues in Mississippi Watershed for the last 6 years, Paul Egginton will present an environmental perspective on forests, water and climate change with a specific focus on the interactions between these three elements including examples from Lanark County. Find out how flows in our river systems are expected to change as the climate changes and how forests are very important biological agents that also control the timing and magnitude of river system flows. Forests can be managed for many purposes but one that is often overlooked is water yield. Can forests offset some of the potential impacts to our rivers from climate change? On the other hand, could there be unexpected consequences from new afforestation/reforestation programs that do not consider water?

 

Franz Klingender, Curator of Agriculture at the Canada Science and Technology Museum
Franz will outline the concept of Let's Talk Energy – Engaging Ideas for Canada's Future, a national multi-year program exploring Canada's energy production and consumption and the implications of greening the country's energy network. Enhancing energy awareness and literacy among Canadians will help ensure a sustainable energy future for Canada. As part of this program, Franz will walk you through the new outdoor exhibit called Energy Park: Nature at Work at the Canada Agriculture Museum. The exhibit explores energy use on Canadian farms, and takes a look at how the technology for harvesting energy from renewable sources is changing both the consumption and production of energy on the farm.

 

Founders’ Day

There will also be a special tribute to the Friends’ Founders to acknowledge their important contribution to the Friends of the Tay Watershed organization.   

 

 

Children’s Activities                            
Special activities for children include animated movies, an interactive Fish Pond, tattoos, colouring and activity books and puzzles. Kids of all ages will be enthralled by Cool Captain Climate – a super cool hero that has recently joined the Paddling Puppeteer’s family.

 

Non-Motorized Boat Display
An outdoor display of non-motorized boats of every shape and size will help you to learn how to be kind to our shorelines and to keep pollutants out of our valuable water.

 

Exhibits in the Cow Barn

Over twenty exhibits will be on display exploring the many aspects of the watershed and climate change – guaranteed to educate and entertain inquisitive minds of all ages.

 

Bookshop

As in year’s past, Nature Lover’s Book Shop will be on hand to offer for sale an amazing array of books and games.

 

 

ECOTAY Education Centre is located at the corner of Upper Scotch Line at Menzies Munro side Road. For directions, go to www.ecotay.com. For more information please contact Annie Dalton at 613 259 5639 or visit www.tayriver.org