Updaie on NHS activities 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Natural History Society meeting held on Oct. 7 was chaired by 
     
     past—president Jane Symmes, who filled in for Rosemary Curley. The . 
     
     Society renewed their membership in the Canadian Nature Federation and 
     
     Dan McAskill gave an update on the latest CNF news. Diane Griffin told 
     
     members about the property recently purchased on Courtin Island in Mal— 
     
     peque Bay and shared the Island Nature Trust's views on recent purchase 
     
     by developers by land in Greenwich. The INT had put a bid in on the pro— 
     
     perty and still hope to get some part of the area for a public trust. 
     
    

    
     The land in question is valued both for its natural environment and as 
     
     an archaelogical site. The Society donated $100 to the INT towards the 
     
     purchase of Courtin Island. 
     
    

    
     ,Society member Bruce Smith is now hard at work co—ordinating the 
     
     development of a conservation strategy for P.E.I. The provincial govern— 
     
     ment has donated two full-time people and groups are now at work dealing 
     
     with issues such as landscape protection, soil degradations and water 
     
     quality. February 1 has been set as the deadline for completion. We hope 
     
     to have Bruce keep members informed of the progress, perhaps through a 
     
     story for the newsletter. 
     
    

    
     John DeGrace, a professor at UPEI, was the guest speaker and gave 
     
     members a great lesson in geology. Using both slides and samples, he 
     
     really gave the subject life. 
     
    

    
     The November meeting was a lively one, with a lot of issues being 
     
     discussed during the business part of the meeting. Many members have ex- 
     
     pressed their dissatisfactionwith the present meeting room and a move to 
     
     the Farm Centre was discussed. A final decision should be reached soon 
     
     and we'll let you know where to go. 
     
    

    
     Dan McAskill gave a report from the CNF, bearing bad news from coast 
     
     to coast. He told of several wilderness areas being threatened. 
     
    

    
     And here on PEI, the Lake of Shining Waters came up again. The con- 
     
     sultants report on the proposed bridge is now available and people will 
     
     get a chance to commenton it. The consultant's report downgrades the 
     
     impact of the bridge, but a culture report has opposed it. A motion was 
     
     passed to oppose in principle the building of a bridge over the lake. 
     
    

    
     Rosemary will coordinate the Christmas Bird Counts, and areas will be 
     
     handed out at the DeCember meeting (or contact Rosemary at 651—2585 for 
     
     more information). The first count will take place at the National Park on 
     
     December 20;:thetsecond in the Hillsborough area on the 27th; and the 
     
     Montague count is on January 3. . 
     
    

    
     While slipping in numerous plugs for his favourite tree, the red oak, 
     
     Dan gave a talk on the eight trees nominated for the provincial tree. 
     
    
   
   
    
     CNF re-elects member as VP 
     
    
   
   
    
     Natural History Society members will be pleased to hear that Dan 
     
     was re—elected as a vice president of the Canadian Nature Federation at 
     
     the Federation's annual meeting in St. John's in July. He is also chair- 
     
     man of the Environmental Advisory committee which deals with all the en- 
     
     vironmental issues in which the CNF is involved across Canada. 
     
    

    
     The Federation is interested in strengthening its ties with its af- 
     
     filiated groups in an effort to improve effectiveness for environmental 
     
     protection. If you have any suggestions, please forward them to Dan. He 
     
     is usually present at each NHS meeting to report on CNF activities. 
     
    
   
   
    
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