Natural Histoy Sociefy news

At the November 3 meeting of the Natural History Society, Dan Mc— Askill announced that the 1988 P.E.I. Visitor's Guide will have a tourism theme, "Touch Nature". They will have two pages devoted to wildlife and perhaps add on a section on birdwatching. A bird checklist will be in— cluded in every copy and a natural history map of P.E.I. may also be included.

NHS president Rosemary Curley met with Barb MacDonald (president of the Island Nature Trust); the President of the P.E.I. Wildlife Federation; and the Chairman of the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation Board, Ian MacQuarrie. Mr. MacQuarrie indicated that the Board would like to have a Natural History Curator, and Rosemary has written a letter to Gilbert Clements urging him to have the money available. NHS members can write on their own behalf. A discussion followed regarding the role of the Natural History Curator and museum policy regarding the type of museum.

Sue Stephenson will be the new liason with the Canadian Coalition on Acid Rain, taking over from Evelyn Meader, who has provided us with information for three years. .

The NHS is sending a letter of support to Tom McMillan after a recent Globe and Mail article slammed the Minister of the Environment, saying he hasn't done anything. Anyone who wished to support Mr. McMillan (regarding South Moresby, Ellesmere, etc.) is encouraged to write him and the PM as well.

The NHS has renewed our affiliate membership with the Canadian Nature Federation and given a donation of $50.

Thirty one people took part in the recent walk on the Bonshaw Hills Trail. The trail has been upgraded.

Kathleen Blanchard, from the Quebec/Labrador Foundation and the At— lantic Centre for the Environment gave a very interesting and well-receiv— ed presentation. And a special thanks to Sue for taking the notes at this meeting.

Hire ragioncfl coordinafor

BY GARY SCHNEIDER

The Atlantic region of the Canadian Environmental Network now has a full—time Regional Coordinator, with an office at the Conservation Council in New Brunswick. Leslie Cuthbertson, most recently the Execu— tive Director of the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC) in B.C., has a Bachelor of Science in Forest Resource Management from the University of New Brunswick. Leslie's most immediate duties will be to pull together a regional directory of environmental groups as part _of the CEN's nationwide computer directory. Printed copies will be made available. She will also be producing a newsletter for the region, as well as fundraising and facilitating the networking of local groups. Leslie can be reached at 506-453-0680, or at the Atlantic Environmental Network, 180 St. John St., Fredericton, N.B., E3B 4A9.

The computer network is now being used across the country and at least one more user on P.E.I. should be up and running soon. Reports on the Federal Environmental Assessment Review Office's consultation hear- ings now underway across Canada will be put on line so that everyone with a user I.D. can have access to the progress of the hearings.

Plans are underway for the Canadian Environmental Network's Annual General Meeting in May of 1988. If anyone would like to find out more about the network, please contact me at 838-2678.

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