South West Health is hosting a public meeting in Digby next Thursday to talk
about its commitment to keep emergency departments open 24 hours a day,
seven days a week.
For several years, emergency departments at Digby and Roseway hospitals have
been experiencing frequent temporary closures due to physician shortages.
The Nova Scotia government requires District Health Authorities to consult
with communities affected by such emergency department closures.
Public consultation will be held March 4 at 5 p.m. in the Community Theatre
at Digby Regional High School.
An advertisement for the session is included in this week’s issue of The
Digby Courier of page 5.
The meeting will begin with a short presentation with information on the
continuing temporary ER closures, what is being done to recruit physicians
and how South West Health is working with the community on these issues.
“Then we will open up the conversation and allow people to stand up and tell
us their ideas and solutions for minimizing temporary closures and keeping
the Digby General Hospital open 24/7,” explains health authority
spokesperson Fraser Mooney.
All input will be recorded and sent directly to the province’s minister of
health. Existing legislation requires the minister to then table a report in
the Legislature. The information will also be posted on the South West
Health website.
People who are unable to attend the meeting can also send heir thoughts to
Blaise MacNeil, CEO, South West Health, 60 Vancouver St., Yarmouth, B5A 2P5.
Input can also be sent by fax to (902) 742-0369. Or emailed to
info@swndha.nshealth.ca
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Caterpillar Hunters
By Arthur V. Evans
In July of 2008, while conducting a beetle survey of the Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve in Fauquier and Prince William counties in Virginia, I found numerous metallic green elytra scattered along a foot trail winding through an oak woodland on a west-facing slope. The area had been heavily infested with larvae of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, as evidenced by thousands of larval exuviae and pupal cases that festooned the trunks of oaks and other hardwood trees.
At first glance, I thought the beetle remains were those of the indigenous caterpillar hunter or fiery searcher, Calosoma scrutator, a common, brightly colored, and widespread carabid beetle found in the mountains and lowlands of Virginia. Closer inspection revealed that the elytra were much brighter and more yellow than those of C. scrutator and lacked the characteristic coppery red margins.
Further searching in the area produced a very fragile, yet nearly intact specimen ensnared in an abandoned spider web. The pronotum of this specimen was mostly black with metallic blue along the margins, rather than bluish with violet or coppery yellow green borders typical of C. scrutator. Of the five other species of Calosoma known in Virginia, only C. wilcoxi has entirely metallic green elytra, but it is smaller and much duller than either C. scrutator or the silk-wrapped remains in question. (Figure 1).
Figure 1. The Virginia species of Calosoma (from top to bottom, left to right): C. calidum (F.), C. externum (Say), C. frigidum Kirby, C. sayi Dejean, C. scrutator F., C. sycophanta (L.), and C. wilcoxi LeConte. The scale bar equals 5.0 mm. © 2009, Chris Wirth.
I soon realized that what I had in my possession were the remains of a European species, the forest caterpillar hunter, C. sycophanta. Long known as an important predator of gypsy moth larvae in France, 4,046 of these beetles were imported into the United States between 1905 and 1910, most of which were released in New England to combat outbreaks of two European species of lymantriids: the gypsy moth and the browntail moth, Euproctis chrysorroea.
In the United States, the forest caterpillar hunter is established in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. They have been released in Delaware, Michigan, Washington, and West Virginia, but they have yet to become established in these states. In spite of releases on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, the forest caterpillar hunter does not appear to be a permanent resident in Canada either.
Both the adults and larvae climb trees to attack and eat caterpillars and pupae of gypsy moths and other species. Adult males are more likely to be found on tree trunks, while females tend to remain on the ground. Based on observations in the laboratory and in the field, both sexes are active day and night. Males tend to be more conspicuous as they spend most of their time actively searching for mates. The more secretive females spend much of their time buried in the soil and hidden among leaf litter to feed and lay eggs.
Adult activity coincides with the larval activity of the gypsy moth. Beetles emerge from their overwintering sites in June to search for prey and mates, although some beetles may remain dormant for up to two years. Although adults are strong and agile fliers capable of leaving their overwintering sites behind to search for high populations of caterpillars, their appearance at new outbreaks of gypsy moths is by no means certain. In fact, beetles released as part of biological control programs often remain near their release site.
Forest caterpillar hunters will attack a variety of other caterpillar species, but are most abundant where populations of gypsy moth caterpillars are high. They remain active for about a month, re-enter the soil, and remain there until the following spring.
Adult predation is not this species’ primary impact on gypsy moth populations. It’s greatest impact is through larval production and the voracious appetites of the beetle’s larvae for mature caterpillars and pupae. The ability of adult beetles to reproduce is directly dependent upon the availability of high densities of gypsy moth caterpillars, especially since females require sufficient protein to ensure successful development of their eggs.
Eggs are laid in the soil beginning in early July and hatch in 4-7 days. The larvae climb trees in search of caterpillars and pupae. The remains of pupae attacked by beetle larvae have characteristically large and jagged holes. Mature beetle larvae seek pupation sites in the soil. The entire life cycle, from egg to adult, takes about seven weeks. In Connecticut, adults are known to live three to four years.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that forest caterpillar hunters are potentially important predators of gypsy moth larvae and pupae, but there is still much to learn. Nearly all of the information on the ecology and behavior of C. sycophanta was gathered during the brief period of adult activity that coincides with gypsy moth outbreaks, but little is known about the ecology of this species between outbreaks.
Many thanks to Chris Wirth for the wonderful color plate. This essay is excerpted from Evans, A.V. 2010. The forest caterpillar hunter, Calosoma sycophanta, an Old World species confirmed as part of the Virginia beetle fauna (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Banisteria [2009
In July of 2008, while conducting a beetle survey of the Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve in Fauquier and Prince William counties in Virginia, I found numerous metallic green elytra scattered along a foot trail winding through an oak woodland on a west-facing slope. The area had been heavily infested with larvae of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, as evidenced by thousands of larval exuviae and pupal cases that festooned the trunks of oaks and other hardwood trees.
At first glance, I thought the beetle remains were those of the indigenous caterpillar hunter or fiery searcher, Calosoma scrutator, a common, brightly colored, and widespread carabid beetle found in the mountains and lowlands of Virginia. Closer inspection revealed that the elytra were much brighter and more yellow than those of C. scrutator and lacked the characteristic coppery red margins.
Further searching in the area produced a very fragile, yet nearly intact specimen ensnared in an abandoned spider web. The pronotum of this specimen was mostly black with metallic blue along the margins, rather than bluish with violet or coppery yellow green borders typical of C. scrutator. Of the five other species of Calosoma known in Virginia, only C. wilcoxi has entirely metallic green elytra, but it is smaller and much duller than either C. scrutator or the silk-wrapped remains in question. (Figure 1).
Figure 1. The Virginia species of Calosoma (from top to bottom, left to right): C. calidum (F.), C. externum (Say), C. frigidum Kirby, C. sayi Dejean, C. scrutator F., C. sycophanta (L.), and C. wilcoxi LeConte. The scale bar equals 5.0 mm. © 2009, Chris Wirth.
I soon realized that what I had in my possession were the remains of a European species, the forest caterpillar hunter, C. sycophanta. Long known as an important predator of gypsy moth larvae in France, 4,046 of these beetles were imported into the United States between 1905 and 1910, most of which were released in New England to combat outbreaks of two European species of lymantriids: the gypsy moth and the browntail moth, Euproctis chrysorroea.
In the United States, the forest caterpillar hunter is established in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. They have been released in Delaware, Michigan, Washington, and West Virginia, but they have yet to become established in these states. In spite of releases on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, the forest caterpillar hunter does not appear to be a permanent resident in Canada either.
Both the adults and larvae climb trees to attack and eat caterpillars and pupae of gypsy moths and other species. Adult males are more likely to be found on tree trunks, while females tend to remain on the ground. Based on observations in the laboratory and in the field, both sexes are active day and night. Males tend to be more conspicuous as they spend most of their time actively searching for mates. The more secretive females spend much of their time buried in the soil and hidden among leaf litter to feed and lay eggs.
Adult activity coincides with the larval activity of the gypsy moth. Beetles emerge from their overwintering sites in June to search for prey and mates, although some beetles may remain dormant for up to two years. Although adults are strong and agile fliers capable of leaving their overwintering sites behind to search for high populations of caterpillars, their appearance at new outbreaks of gypsy moths is by no means certain. In fact, beetles released as part of biological control programs often remain near their release site.
Forest caterpillar hunters will attack a variety of other caterpillar species, but are most abundant where populations of gypsy moth caterpillars are high. They remain active for about a month, re-enter the soil, and remain there until the following spring.
Adult predation is not this species’ primary impact on gypsy moth populations. It’s greatest impact is through larval production and the voracious appetites of the beetle’s larvae for mature caterpillars and pupae. The ability of adult beetles to reproduce is directly dependent upon the availability of high densities of gypsy moth caterpillars, especially since females require sufficient protein to ensure successful development of their eggs.
Eggs are laid in the soil beginning in early July and hatch in 4-7 days. The larvae climb trees in search of caterpillars and pupae. The remains of pupae attacked by beetle larvae have characteristically large and jagged holes. Mature beetle larvae seek pupation sites in the soil. The entire life cycle, from egg to adult, takes about seven weeks. In Connecticut, adults are known to live three to four years.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that forest caterpillar hunters are potentially important predators of gypsy moth larvae and pupae, but there is still much to learn. Nearly all of the information on the ecology and behavior of C. sycophanta was gathered during the brief period of adult activity that coincides with gypsy moth outbreaks, but little is known about the ecology of this species between outbreaks.
Many thanks to Chris Wirth for the wonderful color plate. This essay is excerpted from Evans, A.V. 2010. The forest caterpillar hunter, Calosoma sycophanta, an Old World species confirmed as part of the Virginia beetle fauna (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Banisteria [2009
Annapolis County Events
by Larry Powell
Lenten fish chowder
February 19 Every Friday from11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. until March 26 at St. James Anglican Church Hall, Bridgetown. Take out available for pick-ups or deliveries. Contact: Hall, 665-4734; Peg, 665-2480; Hilda, 665-4627.
Winterfest 2010
February 19-21 Come to Bridgetown this week-end. Enjoy the Parade of Lights, a giant bonfire, Lion’s brunch, activities with Club 400, a family skate, broomball tournament, chicken barbecue, a variety show, Lion’s Church parade, and a lunch buffet. For a complete list with times, visit www.bridgetownwinterfest.ca Sponsored by the Bridgetown Lions Club.
4-H Rally
February 20 The Lucky Stars 4-H Club is holding a Public Speaking and Demonstration Rally on Saturday, Feb. 20 at the Melvern Square Community Center. The public is invited to attend and are welcome to join us for our Incredible Community Lunch. Support the local 4-H members and enjoy a celebration of local food. Doors open at 9 a.m., speeches start at 9:30. Meal begins at 12 noon. Awards are presented at 1 p.m. There will be 4-H members who will be speaking as part of a competition as well as three guest speakers to help celebrate eating local. For more information contact Krystal Brown at 765-2433, jkbrown@eastlink.ca.
Breakfast
February 20 Big breakfast at Middleton Curling Club, 6 King St., from 8 to 11 a.m. A community favourite.
Chicken Barbeque
February 20 As part of Winterfest 2010, the Bridgetown Curling Club will be holding a Barbeque Chicken Dinner on February 20 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Bridgetown Curling Club. Includes half chicken, potato salad, dinner roll and dessert. Eat in or Take Out only $12. $15 per plate for delivery in Bridgetown / Annapolis Royal area.
HART fundraiser
February 20 Chili and Flea Market fundraiser at Aylesford Volunteer Fire Hall, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Enjoy veggie or meat chili for lunch and supper. Freewill flea market and pet basket to be raffled. Cost is $8 (children 12 and under $5). All proceeds go to Port Royal Animal Hospital where our rescues are all treated (including spay/neuters).
Book Sale
February 20 Don't miss Annapolis Valley Regional Library's annual Summer Reading Club fundraiser Book Sale. Amazing variety and selection of books at affordable prices. Saturday, Feb. 20 from 9 a.m. to noon, 26 Bay Road, Bridgetown. All proceeds go to the Summer Reading Club for kids and teens.
Gospel Music
February 21 Gospel Music afternoon on Sunday, Feb. 21 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Forresters Hall, Clementsvale. Features 3+3 from Weymouth, Salem from Kentville, Highway 10 from New Minus, and Tilly & Friends from Clementsvale. A free will offering will be taken. Storm date is February 28. (Listen to AVR for cancellation)
Museum Exhibit
February 21 The Light Shines On, 2 to 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 21, Macdonald Museum, Middleton. An exhibit and reception celebrates 100 years of registered nurses in Nova Scotia. It features uniforms, yearbooks, photos and much more. Come in and show your appreciation of nurses and support the museum. There is no admission charged for this event. All welcome. Phone 825-6116 for more information.
MS Society
February 22 Meeting of the Valley Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society at 7:30 p.m. in the Cornwallis Room, Kentville Research Station.
Funds for Fuel
February 22 Funds for Fuel bridge party. Play begins at 1:15 p.m., Monday, Feb. 22, Macdonald Museum, Middleton. Come out for a fun afternoon and support your Museum. Cost $4 per person, light lunch served. Call 825-6116 for more information.
Historical Society Meeting
February 23 Annapolis Valley Historical Society will meet at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 23, Macdonald Museum, Middleton. Guest speaker David Attree will give a presentation on his father who died in Iceland while serving during the Second World War. All welcome. No admission charged. Phone 825-6116 for more information.
Middleton Fireflies’ Luncheon
February 23 Middleton Fireflies’ Luncheon, Tuesday, Feb. 23 at Middleton Fire Hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Menu: corn chowder; split pea/ham soup; turkey vegetable soup; hamburger soup, apple crisp; rice pudding, tea/coffee. $7 (beverage not included in take out orders). Middleton deliveries call and leave message by Monday, Feb. 22 at 825-3062.
CAPS meeting
February 24 Monthly meeting of Companion Animal Protection Society of Annapolis County starts at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Building, Lawrencetown.
Shopping Spree
February 25-26 Doing some spring cleaning? We're having a Frenchy Shopping Spree on February 25 at 2:30 p.m. and February 26 all day at Northhills Nursing Home and would love to have donated items to sell. We'll take everything from cloths to electronics. Donated sale items can be dropped off at the Rec. Dept. office before February 25. All proceed go towards the Rec. Dept. in support of our activities.
Lenten fish chowder
February 26 Every Friday from11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. until March 26 at St. James Anglican Church Hall, Bridgetown. Take out available for pick-ups or deliveries. Contact: Hall, 665-4734; Peg, 665-2480; Hilda, 665-4627.
Pub quiz night
February 26 At the Bridgetown Lions Club at 6:30. Chili supper followed by trivia contest, $10 per person. Proceeds to Companion Animal Protection Society of Annapolis County. Info: Nahleen, 665-5244.
Variety Show
February 26 The Annual Outreach Review Variety Show will be held at Kingston United Church on Friday, Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Come prepared to laugh a lot and also to enjoy the music of Graham Moorehead and Ruth Manning. Partial proceeds for the church outreach work. Free will donation. Refreshments following. All welcome.
Cribbage tournament
February 27 At the Middleton Legion Branch #1, registration at 12, noon, play starting at 1:00 p.m. All entrance monies returned in prizes. Canteen available. Members and guests welcome. Must be 19 years of age. Info: 825-4751
Chinese auction
February 27 Auction sponsored by Middleton and Area Fireflies at the Fire Hall. Starts at 10 a.m, canteen opens at noon, and draws start at 2:05 pm. (Re-scheduled from Jan. 30)
Legion Darts
February 27 There will be a Men’s and Women’s Doubles Tournament on Feburary 27 at the Bridgetown Legion. Call 665-2820 to register. Start time 10 a.m.
Dinner & dance
February 27 Support the Valley Cardiac Rehab Program Fund at Kingston Lion’s Club, (Cocktails: 6 p.m.; Dinner: 7 p.m.; Dancing: 8 p.m.). Dinner music by Frank Dobbins. Dance to the “Hi-Lites.” Menu: hors d’oeuvres, shrimp salad, roast pork loin & Godfather parfait. Tickets, $35 a couple, available at Pharmasaves, Kingston & Middleton, Lola’s and T&S Office. Sponsored by Kingston Lions Club. Info: 765-6746; 765-2128
Memorial Hymn Sing
February 28 As part of the 300th anniversary celebrations of the Parish of Annapolis, an Old Fashioned Memorial Hymn Sing will be held at St. Luke's Church, Annapolis Royal on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. Choose a favourite hymn and dedicate it to loved ones or just come and join in the singing. Free will offering and refreshments. Storm date Sunday, March 7. For more information please call Norma Grant at 532-5568.
Chinese auction
March 7 At New Ross Fire Hall. Doors open at 12, noon, draw starts at 2:30. Canteen available. Also a sale table for larger items. Proceeds for the on-going health care of cancer patient, Wanda Bezanson (Broome).
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Lenten fish chowder
February 19 Every Friday from11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. until March 26 at St. James Anglican Church Hall, Bridgetown. Take out available for pick-ups or deliveries. Contact: Hall, 665-4734; Peg, 665-2480; Hilda, 665-4627.
Winterfest 2010
February 19-21 Come to Bridgetown this week-end. Enjoy the Parade of Lights, a giant bonfire, Lion’s brunch, activities with Club 400, a family skate, broomball tournament, chicken barbecue, a variety show, Lion’s Church parade, and a lunch buffet. For a complete list with times, visit www.bridgetownwinterfest.ca Sponsored by the Bridgetown Lions Club.
4-H Rally
February 20 The Lucky Stars 4-H Club is holding a Public Speaking and Demonstration Rally on Saturday, Feb. 20 at the Melvern Square Community Center. The public is invited to attend and are welcome to join us for our Incredible Community Lunch. Support the local 4-H members and enjoy a celebration of local food. Doors open at 9 a.m., speeches start at 9:30. Meal begins at 12 noon. Awards are presented at 1 p.m. There will be 4-H members who will be speaking as part of a competition as well as three guest speakers to help celebrate eating local. For more information contact Krystal Brown at 765-2433, jkbrown@eastlink.ca.
Breakfast
February 20 Big breakfast at Middleton Curling Club, 6 King St., from 8 to 11 a.m. A community favourite.
Chicken Barbeque
February 20 As part of Winterfest 2010, the Bridgetown Curling Club will be holding a Barbeque Chicken Dinner on February 20 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Bridgetown Curling Club. Includes half chicken, potato salad, dinner roll and dessert. Eat in or Take Out only $12. $15 per plate for delivery in Bridgetown / Annapolis Royal area.
HART fundraiser
February 20 Chili and Flea Market fundraiser at Aylesford Volunteer Fire Hall, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Enjoy veggie or meat chili for lunch and supper. Freewill flea market and pet basket to be raffled. Cost is $8 (children 12 and under $5). All proceeds go to Port Royal Animal Hospital where our rescues are all treated (including spay/neuters).
Book Sale
February 20 Don't miss Annapolis Valley Regional Library's annual Summer Reading Club fundraiser Book Sale. Amazing variety and selection of books at affordable prices. Saturday, Feb. 20 from 9 a.m. to noon, 26 Bay Road, Bridgetown. All proceeds go to the Summer Reading Club for kids and teens.
Gospel Music
February 21 Gospel Music afternoon on Sunday, Feb. 21 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Forresters Hall, Clementsvale. Features 3+3 from Weymouth, Salem from Kentville, Highway 10 from New Minus, and Tilly & Friends from Clementsvale. A free will offering will be taken. Storm date is February 28. (Listen to AVR for cancellation)
Museum Exhibit
February 21 The Light Shines On, 2 to 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 21, Macdonald Museum, Middleton. An exhibit and reception celebrates 100 years of registered nurses in Nova Scotia. It features uniforms, yearbooks, photos and much more. Come in and show your appreciation of nurses and support the museum. There is no admission charged for this event. All welcome. Phone 825-6116 for more information.
MS Society
February 22 Meeting of the Valley Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society at 7:30 p.m. in the Cornwallis Room, Kentville Research Station.
Funds for Fuel
February 22 Funds for Fuel bridge party. Play begins at 1:15 p.m., Monday, Feb. 22, Macdonald Museum, Middleton. Come out for a fun afternoon and support your Museum. Cost $4 per person, light lunch served. Call 825-6116 for more information.
Historical Society Meeting
February 23 Annapolis Valley Historical Society will meet at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 23, Macdonald Museum, Middleton. Guest speaker David Attree will give a presentation on his father who died in Iceland while serving during the Second World War. All welcome. No admission charged. Phone 825-6116 for more information.
Middleton Fireflies’ Luncheon
February 23 Middleton Fireflies’ Luncheon, Tuesday, Feb. 23 at Middleton Fire Hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Menu: corn chowder; split pea/ham soup; turkey vegetable soup; hamburger soup, apple crisp; rice pudding, tea/coffee. $7 (beverage not included in take out orders). Middleton deliveries call and leave message by Monday, Feb. 22 at 825-3062.
CAPS meeting
February 24 Monthly meeting of Companion Animal Protection Society of Annapolis County starts at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Building, Lawrencetown.
Shopping Spree
February 25-26 Doing some spring cleaning? We're having a Frenchy Shopping Spree on February 25 at 2:30 p.m. and February 26 all day at Northhills Nursing Home and would love to have donated items to sell. We'll take everything from cloths to electronics. Donated sale items can be dropped off at the Rec. Dept. office before February 25. All proceed go towards the Rec. Dept. in support of our activities.
Lenten fish chowder
February 26 Every Friday from11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. until March 26 at St. James Anglican Church Hall, Bridgetown. Take out available for pick-ups or deliveries. Contact: Hall, 665-4734; Peg, 665-2480; Hilda, 665-4627.
Pub quiz night
February 26 At the Bridgetown Lions Club at 6:30. Chili supper followed by trivia contest, $10 per person. Proceeds to Companion Animal Protection Society of Annapolis County. Info: Nahleen, 665-5244.
Variety Show
February 26 The Annual Outreach Review Variety Show will be held at Kingston United Church on Friday, Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Come prepared to laugh a lot and also to enjoy the music of Graham Moorehead and Ruth Manning. Partial proceeds for the church outreach work. Free will donation. Refreshments following. All welcome.
Cribbage tournament
February 27 At the Middleton Legion Branch #1, registration at 12, noon, play starting at 1:00 p.m. All entrance monies returned in prizes. Canteen available. Members and guests welcome. Must be 19 years of age. Info: 825-4751
Chinese auction
February 27 Auction sponsored by Middleton and Area Fireflies at the Fire Hall. Starts at 10 a.m, canteen opens at noon, and draws start at 2:05 pm. (Re-scheduled from Jan. 30)
Legion Darts
February 27 There will be a Men’s and Women’s Doubles Tournament on Feburary 27 at the Bridgetown Legion. Call 665-2820 to register. Start time 10 a.m.
Dinner & dance
February 27 Support the Valley Cardiac Rehab Program Fund at Kingston Lion’s Club, (Cocktails: 6 p.m.; Dinner: 7 p.m.; Dancing: 8 p.m.). Dinner music by Frank Dobbins. Dance to the “Hi-Lites.” Menu: hors d’oeuvres, shrimp salad, roast pork loin & Godfather parfait. Tickets, $35 a couple, available at Pharmasaves, Kingston & Middleton, Lola’s and T&S Office. Sponsored by Kingston Lions Club. Info: 765-6746; 765-2128
Memorial Hymn Sing
February 28 As part of the 300th anniversary celebrations of the Parish of Annapolis, an Old Fashioned Memorial Hymn Sing will be held at St. Luke's Church, Annapolis Royal on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. Choose a favourite hymn and dedicate it to loved ones or just come and join in the singing. Free will offering and refreshments. Storm date Sunday, March 7. For more information please call Norma Grant at 532-5568.
Chinese auction
March 7 At New Ross Fire Hall. Doors open at 12, noon, draw starts at 2:30. Canteen available. Also a sale table for larger items. Proceeds for the on-going health care of cancer patient, Wanda Bezanson (Broome).
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Annapolis County Nova Scotia
Fundy High Tides Around March 2
high tides around March 2
Thought you might be interested in checking out the link to the Nova Scotia webcams at the end of this forwarded message. You can see the changing tides at Halls Harbour and Digby. The ones on March 2nd should be spectacular.
Gini
Subject: [NatureNS] High Tides around March 2
Hi everyone:
For those who are interested in high tides, at the last Minas Astronomy Group meeting, Roy Bishop noted that several astronomical effects were going to coincide to produce exceptionally high tides in the Bay of Fundy around March 2. He also predicted that the wharf in Hantsport would likely be underwater during the highest of the tides.
Mark Drysdale, who was at the meeting, found a webcam that can let people see the tides even if they can't be there.
http://www.novascotiawebcams.ca/hallsharbour
Thought you might be interested in checking out the link to the Nova Scotia webcams at the end of this forwarded message. You can see the changing tides at Halls Harbour and Digby. The ones on March 2nd should be spectacular.
Gini
Subject: [NatureNS] High Tides around March 2
Hi everyone:
For those who are interested in high tides, at the last Minas Astronomy Group meeting, Roy Bishop noted that several astronomical effects were going to coincide to produce exceptionally high tides in the Bay of Fundy around March 2. He also predicted that the wharf in Hantsport would likely be underwater during the highest of the tides.
Mark Drysdale, who was at the meeting, found a webcam that can let people see the tides even if they can't be there.
http://www.novascotiawebcams.ca/hallsharbour
Tidal Power - General
Ocean Tidal Power as Renewable Energy
February 10th, 2010 Posted in Uncategorized
One of the Earth’s great renewable energy sources is actually the energy that can be found in all the waves of the ocean. Let’s look at this further.
If you have ever been to the ocean, you were probably fascinated by the phenomena of the waves crashing against the shorelines as the tides came in. The ocean’s tides are the product of gravitational pull of the sun and the moon, as well as, the Earth’s rotation. It causes the ocean waters to be raised and lowered from time to time. The tides have cycles of twelve and one half hours, twice per day, and are easily predictable.
The use of tidal power is seen as early as the twelfth century where tidal mills used the force of the tides to grind grain and corn. The eighteenth century brought competition from windmills and waterwheels. Tidal mills pretty much became extinct with the invention of cheap steam engines. In 1967, France became the first to be able to put tidal wave power to work on a large scale to produce electricity.
The generation of electricity from tidal waves is similar to that of hydroelectric power generation. Bigger dams, known as barrages, are built on the bottom of a tidal basin. Gates on the barrage allow the tidal basin to fill during incoming high tides. Likewise, the basin will empty through a turbine during the outgoing tide. This would turn an electric generator for the production of electricity. There are also systems that generate electricity from incoming and outgoing tides. This system can have a negative effect on plants and animals in the area.
Tidal fences are also used to generate electricity. Vertical axis turbines are mounted on fences. Passing water is forced through the turbines. Ideal locations for these are channels between two landmasses. Tidal fences are cheaper than tidal barrages and cause less of an environmental impact on large marine life.
Tidal turbines are a new technology used for tidal energy. They are similar to wind turbines and are arranged underwater in rows. They work best in areas with strong tides. Although they are heavier and costlier to build, they also are capable of capturing more energy. They are also the least environmentally damaging of all the tidal power technologies, since they do not interfere with migration paths.
In order for tidal power to work successfully it requires a tide difference of at least sixteen feet. Unfortunately there are only a few places where this occurs. This means tidal power plants cannot just be constructed anywhere. There are only a handful of sites on Earth with this type of tidal range. At present, France is the only country that has been successful in using tidal power. It is hoped developments in technology, through research, will be made to allow better use of this, what is now, wasted energy. The future of tidal energy seems hopeful. Tidal power has great potential and hopefully we can make better use of it in the future in our quest to find a replacement for fossil fuels.
More Tidal Renewable Energy Articles at http://www.RenewableEnergy.com. Learn how to operate a Successful Niche Website Network with eWebCreator, profitable Adsense Software
February 10th, 2010 Posted in Uncategorized
One of the Earth’s great renewable energy sources is actually the energy that can be found in all the waves of the ocean. Let’s look at this further.
If you have ever been to the ocean, you were probably fascinated by the phenomena of the waves crashing against the shorelines as the tides came in. The ocean’s tides are the product of gravitational pull of the sun and the moon, as well as, the Earth’s rotation. It causes the ocean waters to be raised and lowered from time to time. The tides have cycles of twelve and one half hours, twice per day, and are easily predictable.
The use of tidal power is seen as early as the twelfth century where tidal mills used the force of the tides to grind grain and corn. The eighteenth century brought competition from windmills and waterwheels. Tidal mills pretty much became extinct with the invention of cheap steam engines. In 1967, France became the first to be able to put tidal wave power to work on a large scale to produce electricity.
The generation of electricity from tidal waves is similar to that of hydroelectric power generation. Bigger dams, known as barrages, are built on the bottom of a tidal basin. Gates on the barrage allow the tidal basin to fill during incoming high tides. Likewise, the basin will empty through a turbine during the outgoing tide. This would turn an electric generator for the production of electricity. There are also systems that generate electricity from incoming and outgoing tides. This system can have a negative effect on plants and animals in the area.
Tidal fences are also used to generate electricity. Vertical axis turbines are mounted on fences. Passing water is forced through the turbines. Ideal locations for these are channels between two landmasses. Tidal fences are cheaper than tidal barrages and cause less of an environmental impact on large marine life.
Tidal turbines are a new technology used for tidal energy. They are similar to wind turbines and are arranged underwater in rows. They work best in areas with strong tides. Although they are heavier and costlier to build, they also are capable of capturing more energy. They are also the least environmentally damaging of all the tidal power technologies, since they do not interfere with migration paths.
In order for tidal power to work successfully it requires a tide difference of at least sixteen feet. Unfortunately there are only a few places where this occurs. This means tidal power plants cannot just be constructed anywhere. There are only a handful of sites on Earth with this type of tidal range. At present, France is the only country that has been successful in using tidal power. It is hoped developments in technology, through research, will be made to allow better use of this, what is now, wasted energy. The future of tidal energy seems hopeful. Tidal power has great potential and hopefully we can make better use of it in the future in our quest to find a replacement for fossil fuels.
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Sea Snakes Produce Power
Captain Nemo’s Dream: How Europe Draws Power from the Sea
By Steven Hill | Tuesday, February 23, 2010
While wind and solar power are the most common forms of renewable energy deployed in Europe, other energy forms are gradually being utilized and show impressive potential. One of these is power derived from the sea. Steven Hill, the author of "Europe's Promise," discusses how the EU is developing this unconventional alternative energy source.
arnessing the sea has long been the stuff of science fiction, the allure of seemingly limitless and continuous energy (unlike solar or wind, since the sun doesn’t always shine or the wind blow).
However, science fiction is becoming reality in Britain, Portugal, Spain and elsewhere.
With the services of a Scottish company, Portugal is the first country to pioneer an eye-popping new technology known as a “sea snake” or “energy eel.” Sea snakes are long, floating cylinders that bob semi-submerged in the waves and convert wave motion to electricity.
Europe has long led the world in marshaling power from the sea. The world’s first tidal station was the Rance Estuary dam, built in Brittany, France, in 1966.
Each sea snake is about 400 feet (120 meters) long and 11 feet in diameter and is composed of three or four segments linked together, end to end. The ocean’s constant wave motion causes them to undulate in the sea like a giant snake, up and down and side to side, the motion pumping fluid through pistons that drive generators, both of which are housed inside the cylinders.
The power produced is then fed into underwater cables and brought to land, the entire array composing a wave farm that provides energy that is inexhaustible and more predictable than wind or solar power.
Portugal’s first sea snake had three segments, producing over two megawatts of power, which met the electricity needs of an entire coastal village — some 1,500 homes. Now Portugal is planning to expand that to 30 segments capable of producing 20 megawatts of power, sufficient for 15,000 households, saving some 30 million tons of carbon emissions.
Scotland also has purchased four of the sea snake segments to produce three megawatts of power off the coast near the Orkneys, with talk of expanding to a 30-megawatt wave farm that would occupy a half square mile of ocean and provide sufficient electricity for 20,000 homes. Twenty of these farms could power a city the size of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland.
Europe has long led the world in marshaling power from the sea. The world’s first tidal station was the Rance Estuary dam, built in Brittany, France, in 1966. The station harnesses an exceptional tide differential with a range of 27 feet to produce 240 megawatts of power for 100,000 homes.
In this age of oil uncertainty and unstable energy prices, Europeans are experimenting with all sorts of renewable energy and transportation options that previously had limited appeal.
But modern technology is allowing the futuristic promise of tidal energy to step up to a new level. Britain is pushing forward with a new tidal machine that has created a stir of excitement. Imagine taking a windmill, turning it on its side, and sinking it into the ocean.
That, in effect, is what engineers have done in the Bristol Channel, south of Wales, about a mile off the British coast. Sixty feet beneath the sea surface, 35-foot-long turbines turn 17.5 times a minute, generating renewable energy from the water’s current. Above the surface, only a white and red-striped tower is visible.
Just as dozens of windmills can be deployed in a field to create a wind farm, these underwater “seamills” create the possibility of grids of undersea turbines producing hundreds of megawatts of carbon-free power — an energy sea farm.
Europe is employing a whole array of these energy technologies and more. Italy, Iceland, Switzerland, Germany and Portugal are developing geothermal energy, which makes use of the earth’s interior heat to produce steam that rotates turbines. Italy has 95% of the EU’s installed capacity, and volcanic Iceland produces over 50% of its electricity from geothermal sources.
The EU overall is nearly on track for reaching its 2010 target of generating 21% of its electricity needs (excluding transportation) from renewable energy sources.
In 2007, Germany generated 14% of its electricity consumption from renewable energy, preventing 114 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Meanwhile, the United States generates a paltry 6% of electricity from renewables.
Portugal is the first to pioneer a new technology known as “sea snakes,” which are long, floating cylinders that bob semi-submerged in the waves and convert wave motion to electricity.
In this age of oil uncertainty and unstable energy prices, and with the urgency of Europe’s governments to meet their goals for sustainable energy and greenhouse gas reductions, Europeans are experimenting with all sorts of renewable energy and transportation options that previously had limited appeal.
Each country is deploying different technologies and acting as a laboratory for the others, plotting a meandering course toward the future. Motivated by the increasingly urgent crisis of global climate change, previously futuristic ideas now are seen to be within reach scientifically as well as economically.
Of course, such pronouncements and proclamations would be hot air without the funding to back them up. But substantial capital investments are being made — not only by governments, but also by venture capitalists, major banks, financial institutions and blue chip technology companies.
At a national energy summit convened by Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany’s energy industry pledged to invest $50 billion in new renewable energy infrastructure by 2012, with $20 billion in the solar industry alone. On a per capita basis, that would be equivalent to the United States investing $180 billion, nearly $30 billion per year, in renewable energy — an unprecedented sum.
The outline of a low carbon economy is emerging, with Europe at the forefront. “Renewable energy is the source of energy for the future,” says Manuel Pinho, Portugal’s economics minister. “We think this can create an industrial revolution and a lot of opportunities for jobs and research, and we want to be ahead of the curve.”
That’s how Europe is viewing this — as a new industrial revolution. And it is at the lead of this revolution.
Editor's Note: This feature has been adapted from EUROPE'S PROMISE by Steven Hill, published by the University of California Press. Copyright 2010 Steven Hill. Reprinted with permission of the author.
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By Steven Hill | Tuesday, February 23, 2010
While wind and solar power are the most common forms of renewable energy deployed in Europe, other energy forms are gradually being utilized and show impressive potential. One of these is power derived from the sea. Steven Hill, the author of "Europe's Promise," discusses how the EU is developing this unconventional alternative energy source.
arnessing the sea has long been the stuff of science fiction, the allure of seemingly limitless and continuous energy (unlike solar or wind, since the sun doesn’t always shine or the wind blow).
However, science fiction is becoming reality in Britain, Portugal, Spain and elsewhere.
With the services of a Scottish company, Portugal is the first country to pioneer an eye-popping new technology known as a “sea snake” or “energy eel.” Sea snakes are long, floating cylinders that bob semi-submerged in the waves and convert wave motion to electricity.
Europe has long led the world in marshaling power from the sea. The world’s first tidal station was the Rance Estuary dam, built in Brittany, France, in 1966.
Each sea snake is about 400 feet (120 meters) long and 11 feet in diameter and is composed of three or four segments linked together, end to end. The ocean’s constant wave motion causes them to undulate in the sea like a giant snake, up and down and side to side, the motion pumping fluid through pistons that drive generators, both of which are housed inside the cylinders.
The power produced is then fed into underwater cables and brought to land, the entire array composing a wave farm that provides energy that is inexhaustible and more predictable than wind or solar power.
Portugal’s first sea snake had three segments, producing over two megawatts of power, which met the electricity needs of an entire coastal village — some 1,500 homes. Now Portugal is planning to expand that to 30 segments capable of producing 20 megawatts of power, sufficient for 15,000 households, saving some 30 million tons of carbon emissions.
Scotland also has purchased four of the sea snake segments to produce three megawatts of power off the coast near the Orkneys, with talk of expanding to a 30-megawatt wave farm that would occupy a half square mile of ocean and provide sufficient electricity for 20,000 homes. Twenty of these farms could power a city the size of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland.
Europe has long led the world in marshaling power from the sea. The world’s first tidal station was the Rance Estuary dam, built in Brittany, France, in 1966. The station harnesses an exceptional tide differential with a range of 27 feet to produce 240 megawatts of power for 100,000 homes.
In this age of oil uncertainty and unstable energy prices, Europeans are experimenting with all sorts of renewable energy and transportation options that previously had limited appeal.
But modern technology is allowing the futuristic promise of tidal energy to step up to a new level. Britain is pushing forward with a new tidal machine that has created a stir of excitement. Imagine taking a windmill, turning it on its side, and sinking it into the ocean.
That, in effect, is what engineers have done in the Bristol Channel, south of Wales, about a mile off the British coast. Sixty feet beneath the sea surface, 35-foot-long turbines turn 17.5 times a minute, generating renewable energy from the water’s current. Above the surface, only a white and red-striped tower is visible.
Just as dozens of windmills can be deployed in a field to create a wind farm, these underwater “seamills” create the possibility of grids of undersea turbines producing hundreds of megawatts of carbon-free power — an energy sea farm.
Europe is employing a whole array of these energy technologies and more. Italy, Iceland, Switzerland, Germany and Portugal are developing geothermal energy, which makes use of the earth’s interior heat to produce steam that rotates turbines. Italy has 95% of the EU’s installed capacity, and volcanic Iceland produces over 50% of its electricity from geothermal sources.
The EU overall is nearly on track for reaching its 2010 target of generating 21% of its electricity needs (excluding transportation) from renewable energy sources.
In 2007, Germany generated 14% of its electricity consumption from renewable energy, preventing 114 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Meanwhile, the United States generates a paltry 6% of electricity from renewables.
Portugal is the first to pioneer a new technology known as “sea snakes,” which are long, floating cylinders that bob semi-submerged in the waves and convert wave motion to electricity.
In this age of oil uncertainty and unstable energy prices, and with the urgency of Europe’s governments to meet their goals for sustainable energy and greenhouse gas reductions, Europeans are experimenting with all sorts of renewable energy and transportation options that previously had limited appeal.
Each country is deploying different technologies and acting as a laboratory for the others, plotting a meandering course toward the future. Motivated by the increasingly urgent crisis of global climate change, previously futuristic ideas now are seen to be within reach scientifically as well as economically.
Of course, such pronouncements and proclamations would be hot air without the funding to back them up. But substantial capital investments are being made — not only by governments, but also by venture capitalists, major banks, financial institutions and blue chip technology companies.
At a national energy summit convened by Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany’s energy industry pledged to invest $50 billion in new renewable energy infrastructure by 2012, with $20 billion in the solar industry alone. On a per capita basis, that would be equivalent to the United States investing $180 billion, nearly $30 billion per year, in renewable energy — an unprecedented sum.
The outline of a low carbon economy is emerging, with Europe at the forefront. “Renewable energy is the source of energy for the future,” says Manuel Pinho, Portugal’s economics minister. “We think this can create an industrial revolution and a lot of opportunities for jobs and research, and we want to be ahead of the curve.”
That’s how Europe is viewing this — as a new industrial revolution. And it is at the lead of this revolution.
Editor's Note: This feature has been adapted from EUROPE'S PROMISE by Steven Hill, published by the University of California Press. Copyright 2010 Steven Hill. Reprinted with permission of the author.
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Dexter Touts Fundy Tides in Washington
Premier’s power point
Dexter promotes Fundy’s renewable energy in Washington
By DAVID JACKSON Provincial Reporter
Tue. Feb 23 - 4:53 AM
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, centre, talks with Utah Gov. Gary Herbert as National Governors Association chairman James Douglas of Vermont looks on at left in Washington, D.C., on Saturday.(Cliff Owen / AP)
Promoting Bay of Fundy tidal power was at the top of Premier Darrell Dexter’s agenda in Washington last weekend.
Dexter and other Canadian premiers met with United States governors, senators, and two top federal officials — Lisa Jackson, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, and Jon Wellinghoff, chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission — to talk about renewable energy and carbon emission regulations.
There is debate in the United States about whether some types of hydroelectric power, particularly associated with dams, should qualify as a renewable resource because of its effect on the environment.
Dexter said Monday he wanted to be sure Wellinghoff knew that the Nova Scotia project is different.
"In-stream tidal (is) of a wholly different nature, and that we were proceeding with a regulatory regime that was, of course, going to respect the proper environmental stewardship"" of the Bay of Fundy, Dexter said during a conference call from the Centre for Naval Analyses, a non-profit research organization in Washington.
Dexter was one of seven premiers at the first meeting of the Council of the Federation and the National Governors Association. The former is a group of Canadian premiers and the later American governors.
Scott Travers, president of Minas Basin Pulp and Power Co. Ltd., and John Woods, the company’s vice-president, joined Dexter in discussing the potential for tidal power.
Minas Basin is one of three proponents involved in a test project in the bay. The company, with technology partner Marine Current Turbines Ltd. of Bristol, England, plan to install a turbine in the bay in 2011, a year later than hoped.
Another prototype planned by Clean Current Power Systems Inc. of British Columbia and its partner, Alstom, is also scheduled to go in the water next year rather than this one.
Nova Scotia Power and its Irish partner, OpenHydro, put a turbine in the water last year, but it isn’t hooked up to the grid yet.
Potential energy exports are still years away, but Dexter said it’s not too early to lay some groundwork.
"We want to be a world leader in tidal technology," he said.
"In terms of utility planning and energy planning, this is not something that’s done on a year-to-year basis. These kinds of planning initiatives look out 10, and 15, and 20 years, and it would be dreadfully ill-advised, I think, to take the narrow view that you only look to the near-term."
Dexter said he also talked with Jackson about how the United States may regulate carbon emissions, and the potential impact on Nova Scotia manufacturers.
The premier said he also met with some business leaders, including officials with aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.
Last April, the company announced that it would add 100 more employees to its Halifax staff of 80 over five years. The province is supporting the expansion with a $1.8-million payroll rebate.
Dexter said the company continues to look for opportunities in Nova Scotia and has identified possibilities, but he couldn’t offer any specifics.
"We were there, really, to encourage their increase in their investment in the province and to ensure that they know that we’re appreciative of the jobs that they’ve already brought into the province," the premier said.
Lockheed Martin’s business in Halifax includes being the prime contractor for $1.4 billion in work upgrading the Canadian navy’s combat management and control systems on 12 Halifax-class frigates.
There is also a second contract that will run to 2024, worth $600 million, for in-service support of those systems.
( djackson@herald.ca)
‘We want to be a
world leader in tidal technology.’
PREMIER DARRELL DEXTER
Dexter promotes Fundy’s renewable energy in Washington
By DAVID JACKSON Provincial Reporter
Tue. Feb 23 - 4:53 AM
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, centre, talks with Utah Gov. Gary Herbert as National Governors Association chairman James Douglas of Vermont looks on at left in Washington, D.C., on Saturday.(Cliff Owen / AP)
Promoting Bay of Fundy tidal power was at the top of Premier Darrell Dexter’s agenda in Washington last weekend.
Dexter and other Canadian premiers met with United States governors, senators, and two top federal officials — Lisa Jackson, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, and Jon Wellinghoff, chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission — to talk about renewable energy and carbon emission regulations.
There is debate in the United States about whether some types of hydroelectric power, particularly associated with dams, should qualify as a renewable resource because of its effect on the environment.
Dexter said Monday he wanted to be sure Wellinghoff knew that the Nova Scotia project is different.
"In-stream tidal (is) of a wholly different nature, and that we were proceeding with a regulatory regime that was, of course, going to respect the proper environmental stewardship"" of the Bay of Fundy, Dexter said during a conference call from the Centre for Naval Analyses, a non-profit research organization in Washington.
Dexter was one of seven premiers at the first meeting of the Council of the Federation and the National Governors Association. The former is a group of Canadian premiers and the later American governors.
Scott Travers, president of Minas Basin Pulp and Power Co. Ltd., and John Woods, the company’s vice-president, joined Dexter in discussing the potential for tidal power.
Minas Basin is one of three proponents involved in a test project in the bay. The company, with technology partner Marine Current Turbines Ltd. of Bristol, England, plan to install a turbine in the bay in 2011, a year later than hoped.
Another prototype planned by Clean Current Power Systems Inc. of British Columbia and its partner, Alstom, is also scheduled to go in the water next year rather than this one.
Nova Scotia Power and its Irish partner, OpenHydro, put a turbine in the water last year, but it isn’t hooked up to the grid yet.
Potential energy exports are still years away, but Dexter said it’s not too early to lay some groundwork.
"We want to be a world leader in tidal technology," he said.
"In terms of utility planning and energy planning, this is not something that’s done on a year-to-year basis. These kinds of planning initiatives look out 10, and 15, and 20 years, and it would be dreadfully ill-advised, I think, to take the narrow view that you only look to the near-term."
Dexter said he also talked with Jackson about how the United States may regulate carbon emissions, and the potential impact on Nova Scotia manufacturers.
The premier said he also met with some business leaders, including officials with aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.
Last April, the company announced that it would add 100 more employees to its Halifax staff of 80 over five years. The province is supporting the expansion with a $1.8-million payroll rebate.
Dexter said the company continues to look for opportunities in Nova Scotia and has identified possibilities, but he couldn’t offer any specifics.
"We were there, really, to encourage their increase in their investment in the province and to ensure that they know that we’re appreciative of the jobs that they’ve already brought into the province," the premier said.
Lockheed Martin’s business in Halifax includes being the prime contractor for $1.4 billion in work upgrading the Canadian navy’s combat management and control systems on 12 Halifax-class frigates.
There is also a second contract that will run to 2024, worth $600 million, for in-service support of those systems.
( djackson@herald.ca)
‘We want to be a
world leader in tidal technology.’
PREMIER DARRELL DEXTER
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