THANK YOU SAGE ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT!
Summary:
Over the course of the summer the St. Margret’s Bay Stewardship Association (SMBSA) piloted a volunteer stewardship program. SMBSA has a stewardship agreement with the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for the management of a 22-acre tidal island, Micou’s Island, in Glen Haven. The program was based on ten principles of stewardship. SMBSA developed a goal to be achieved on Micou’s Island and measurable indicators of progress for each of the ten principles. The program was run by a single project coordinator and involved dozens of volunteers from May through October, 2009.
Our ten stewardship principles are based on advise from organizations such as: GPI Atlantic, Environment Canada, Clean Nova Scotia, and our own experience with stewardship on Micou’s Island. Our stewardship indicators include: public outreach, energy consumption, waste reduction, transportation needs, food sources, land preservation, water conservation, septic management and biodiversity. We have implemented these practices on Micou's Island and the results have been documented for this report.
The project coordinator developed the ten stewardship practices, the goals and indicators for Micou’s Island, developed the meadow management plan, trained the Island Stewards, organized the volunteer summer residency and the meadow restoration.
A group of 17 volunteers lived and worked on the island over 110 days. On the island volunteers lived in the original “Cape Cod” house, (with few modern amenities) and performed a variety of stewardship activities. Volunteers sleep in the cottage and record observations of island activities in a log book. Two gatherings were held to introduce the principles of stewardship. Features such as the meadow and composting toilet were identified as stewardship initiatives. A dozen volunteers agreed to be part of a formal stewardship program. These dozen form the first formal Island Stewards and represent the more experienced and capable stewardship volunteers. Island Stewards are also responsible for helping to reach the ten goals for the island and for exploring the principles of stewardship in their own homes.
The volunteer’s main role was in public outreach. From May-October they received over 1500 visitors and several groups: eight from Seasun Kayak tours, four from the Halifax Regional School Board, three visits from the Indian Point Young Naturalists (IPYNC), two visits from GPI Youth and one from the YMCA. This summer the Island Stewards also preserved a 2-acre meadow as a distinct natural habitat on Micou’s Island. The restoration involved 25 volunteers (including some Island Stewards) and 50 work hours. The meadow also preserves part of the island’s European heritage. Up until ten years ago it was cut regularly since the original settlers in the 1850’s.
Top Ten Principles:
1. Public outreach
2. Local food supply
3. Transportation
4. Energy consumption
5. Waste reduction
6. Waste management
7. Septic management
8. Water conservation
9. Land preservation
10. Biodiversity
Expenses: $3500 Total
$2500 Project coordinator, May-October
$750 SMBSA indirect costs
$250 Food and supplies for volunteer work days