ADEDA News

It’s a time of seasonal contradictions for many of us here in Annapolis Digby. On one hand, we’re getting ready to herald the arrival of summer in our beautiful area. And nothing signals this perhaps more than the annual Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival which begins this week. That long standing celebration has its official opening ceremony in Digby on May 27th, and detailed information is available at www.appleblossom.com.

On the other hand, the last reminder of winter past lingers with the seemingly interminable Stanley Cup hockey playoffs. It’s been good news for those many Montreal Canadiens supporters here who are following the surprising fortunes of their team – and particularly for me, a long time, and long suffering, Blackhawks fan who remembers (yes I can) their last Cup victory in 1961.

The Puck Stops – and Starts – Here
But a recent story reminds us that the soul of our national pastime still firmly resides – not in Montreal or Chicago – but in the dedication of all those local volunteers who make things happen in their home towns. So it was great to see Bridgetown’s Steve Clayton honoured nationally as part of RBC’s Local Hockey Leaders program.

A Legacy of Learning Leadership
And speaking of local leadership, for both our area’s young students as well as our lifelong learners, I couldn’t let this edition of the newsletter pass without a heartfelt “hats off” to Clyde Baltzer who is moving on from his latest stint as one of our premier educators. Clyde is winding up a crucially important six year term with the renowned Digby Area Learning Association (DALA) and taking a well deserved break. I was the Board Chair when Clyde was retained to lead DALA. We believed then that he was just the person to take DALA to the next level – and we were right.

High Acclaim on the High Seas
In a recent column in the Halifax Chronicle Herald, my friend Jim Meek wrote about the manner in which dogged economic optimism combined with a special lifestyle combine to make rural Nova Scotia a special place to live and work. And while his piece was set in our neighbouring area, it holds true for this region as well. Evidence of the ability of our traditional businesses to succeed in world markets was reported this week in the accolades accorded to Meteghan River’s A.F. Theriault & Son Boatyard.

New Site to House Ongoing Challenge
While the success of companies such as the Theriault Boatyard show the continuing vibrancy in our regional economy, challenges still remain in creating and maintaining a relevant workforce. That’s why it was encouraging to learn that PeopleWorx, a non-profit group that, since 1986 has run innovative programs for the unemployed and underemployed in this area, is getting a new, “green”, training facility.

I had a great time this past long weekend with visiting family attending local farm markets – and there are even more opening soon. Check our web site events listing for updates. Remember to take in the Blossom Festival activities if – and where – you can. And if you’re getting ready to finish those summer garden preparations, and at the same time support our own award winning Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens, you may want to put aside next Sunday to attend the Gardens Society’s Spring Gala and Auction; check the events listings for time and place.

As for me, I’ll be alternating the begonias and the “boob tube”. Go ‘Hawks – and, OK, Go Habs Too!

Till next week;

Peter

Peter MacLellan
Annapolis Digby EDA
86 Atlantic Avenue
PO Box 271
Cornwallis, Nova Scotia
Canada B0S 1H0

Tel: (902) 638-3490
Fax: (902) 638-8106
E: communications@annapolisdigby.com

We invite you to visit us anytime at www.annapolisdigby.com.

A Simple Way to Help Fight Climate Change

A draft of the Green India [ Images ] Mission to double India's forest cover in 10 years at a cost of Rs 44,000 crore (Rs 440 billion) was released in New Delhi [ Images ] on Monday as part of the national action plan on climate change.

An environment and forest ministry spokesman said the draft, based on discussions with all the stakeholders, will be finalised after a series of public consultations across the country. The feedback has been solicited by email to kbthampi-mef@nic.in, varad.pande@nic.in, bmsrathore@yahoo.co.in.

As the executive summary of the draft stresses, the mission takes holistic view of 'greening' as it will not be limited to just trees and plantation but lay emphasis on restoration of eco-system and habitat diversity through development grassland and pastures, more so in arid/semi arid regions, mangroves, wetlands and other critical ecosystems.

Local communities will get a key role in project governance and implementation under the mission. Besides addressing climate change through carbon sinks in forests and other ecosystems, the mission will adapt vulnerable species/ecosystems as also the forest dependant-local communities.

The mission's goals include doubling the area of afforestation or eco-restoration to 20 million hectares in the next 10 years by 2020. The first year would be utilised in institution building, sensitisation, capacity building and baseline research. Actual field operations will commence from the second year of the Mission.

According to Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh [ Images ], the Green India Mission will not only affect the climate change but also influence food, water, environment and livelihood security of tribal and forest dwellers.

He says the biggest challenge before the mission is the demand-supply gap of various provisioning services from forests, particularly fuel wood, fodder, grass, grazing, timber, cane and bamboo, creating unsustainable pressure and degrading forests and their ecosystems. Its goals include adaptation of forest-dependent local communities in the face of climatic variability.

Fort Anne, Port Royal Plan Events

Big year ahead for Fort Anne, Port Royal

By GLEN PARKER
Tue. May 25 - 4:53 AM
This is a special year for Parks Canada’s Fort Anne and Port Royal National Historic Sites.

Celebrations this summer will include the 400th anniversary of the baptism of Grand Chief Membertou on June 24 at Port Royal and A Heritage Snapshot on Aug. 29 at Fort Anne.

"It’s a busy time of year for us right now with school groups visiting the parks," said Lillian Stewart, National Historic Site manager for Fort Anne and Port Royal. "The events planned for this summer are pretty exciting."

The season opened May 15.

The two sites are minutes apart in the Annapolis Royal area. Last year, Fort Anne had 30,650 visitors and Port Royal 22,230, Stewart said.

The loss of the Cat ferry running from Maine to Yarmouth will likely adversely affect those numbers this year, but Stewart said Parks Canada is making an effort to increase visitation from the Halifax region.

"We know a lot of our visitors come from the U.S. but we don’t track how they come," Stewart said. "Halifax is an important market for us. It’s close, two hours and 15 minutes away. We’ve participated in trade shows like the Saltscapes East Coast Expo in Halifax with an effort to raise awareness."

The Fort Anne and Port Royal National Historic Sites are open daily from May 15 to Oct. 15. For more information on this year’s special events, visit www.parkscanada.gc.ca/fortanne.

( gparker@herald.ca)

Freeport Opens New Firehall

Firehall opens doors in Freeport


Mon. May 24 - 4:53 AM
Residents of Freeport celebrated the Victoria Day weekend with the grand opening of the Digby County community’s new firehall.

Freeport, on Long Island off the tip of Digby Neck, now boasts a 6,000-square-foot hall with an accessible community room and kitchen able to serve up to 161 people.

The facility will also serve as the local Emergency Management Office and an emergency gathering place for the nearby school and seniors complex, a federal government release states.

Ottawa contributed $240,000 to the project through its community adjustment fund, part of its economic stimulus plan.

"This new firehall is the result of a vision and many hours of hard work by the firemen of this department," Freeport Fire Chief Gerald Moore said in the release.

"It was also made possible with the support of the local communities and grants from both the provincial and federal governments."