Vol. 1, No. 3
Headline Back Issues
|
Shipboard program enlightens and entertains Digby, Nova Scotia - Activities and demonstrations about the Gulf of Maine ecosystem educated and entertained summer ferry passengers crossing the Bay of Fundy from here to St. John, New Brunswick as part of a new ship-board program operated by the Nova Scotia Youth Conservation Corps (NSYCC). The pilot project, which took place on Bay Ferries vessels during July and August, involved four young people who were hired to sail on board the ferry three days a week, engaging interested passengers in activities and conversation about the Gulf, according to Amy Weston of the Nova Scotia Department of the Environment's (DOE) Youth Conservation Corps. The bay crossing lasts two and a half to three hours, providing both a captive audience and enough time for activities and demonstrations relating to watershed management topics including waste reduction, recycling, and oil spills. Weston said her department had heard of a similar project run by the Newfoundland Youth Conser-vation Corps and thought that, given DOE's involvement with the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, which works to educate residents of the Gulf of Maine watershed about the resource, "It seemed like an excellent way to promote some of our goals." According to Bay Ferries Gen-eral Manager Donald Cormier, "One of our company's objectives is to be sensitive to the environment that we operate in. We wanted to cooperate in raising the general public's awareness of the ecosystem in the Gulf of Maine." Ferry crews and passengers frequently see whales and other marine mammals along with fishing vessels, making the ferry crossing "a unique opportunity to heighten people's awareness" about the watershed. "It certainly will also help in providing opportunities to the Youth Corps in providing young adults with opportunities to develop as individuals and contribute," he asserted. Ferry project one facet of Corps' environmental focus The nine-year-old Nova Scotia Youth Conservation Corps (NSYCC), which includes participants ages 17 to 24, is involved with 49 environmentally- oriented projects now under way in the province, including several in the Bay of Fundy watershed. The Corps' community-based programs focus on four themes: waste manage-ment, watershed management, fish habitat restoration, and ecotourism. Environmental education projects such as the ferry rides may incorporate several of those themes. Corps participants have also helped develop trail systems, operated environmental day camps, educated communities about pest management alternatives to pesticides, and worked with schools to raise their interest in "naturalizing" their grounds by replacing paved surfaces with green ones. Youth are chosen to participate in NSYCC projects according to their interest in the environment, their experience relevant to the project and position for which they are applying, and their ability to contribute as a team member, said Weston. The NSYCC office has advised the youth participating in the ferry project on techniques and helped them find resources and supplies, but has relied on the young people to use their own ingenuity to develop the activities that will work for the "interesting mix" of adults and children traveling on board the ferries, Weston said. "They have a lot of autonomy in trying to determine what people are interested in. We have quite a bit of faith in their ability to develop programs," she noted. Flexibility proves valuable "It's quite an interesting summer job," said Jennifer Morine, a 23-year-old college student from Bear River, Nova Scotia, who hopes to pursue a career in education or social work after she graduates from St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick. As is the case with most pilot projects, the summer ferry program involved some experimentation. At first, said Morine, she and the other Youth Corps participants intended to give more on-deck presentations, as that part of the vessel can accommodate a large number of people. But a ship's deck is also noisy, making traditional presentations difficult. Instead, Morine and the others have found working with smaller groups to be more successful. Much of the interaction Morine and her fellow Corps participants have on board the ferries is with children, although, she explained, "We kind of have to come prepared because we never know what our audience is going to be." Morine and her colleagues converse individually with older children, teens, and adults, while younger children are drawn into stories, coloring, and some age-appropriate demonstrations, she said. According to Weston, NSYCC hopes to build on the apparent success of the pilot project and provide an expanded environmental education program aboard the ferry again next summer. |
||||||||||
Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine