Hastings Stewardship
Thursday, January 16 at 7 pm: Climate Change: are there New Ways of Living? Dr. Warren Mabee, Associate Dean and Director of the School of Policy Studies, Queen’s University. The changing climate is affecting us, and while governments are recognizing the problem, workable solutions remain in short supply. Warren Mabee provides an overview of the situation in Canada, and the ways Canadian governments are slowly moving to a low carbon economy. He explores controversial policies, like carbon taxes, and more impactful alternatives. These include the use of bio-based building products, new materials, alternative fuels, and adapting the management of forests, and agriculture. He will talk about the role we all can play.
Thursday, January 30 at 7 pm: Find Out the True Story of Plastics, Rebecca Foreman, communication coordinator, and Alana Bancroft of Quinte Waste Solutions. What happens to the plastics you put into the blue box. Where do plastics go? How can we cut down on our use of plastics? What are sustainable alternatives?
Thursday, February 13 at 7 pm: Maple Syrup: Sustainable Harvesting Then and Now, Gareth Metcalfe, local maple syrup producer and chair of Hastings Stewardship. How the maple syrup industry has evolved over the centuries in Ontario and how you can follow in these traditions.
Thursday, February 27 at 7 pm: How Ruminants Fit in the Ecosystem: Grazing Animals and Soil Health, Sebastian Belliard, soil management specialist with OMAFRA, is passionate about healthy soils: soil carbon and nutrient cycling, soil structure, and soil ecology. Katherine Fox, senior policy advisor, Beef Farmers of Ontario, working on environment and sustainability policy. New research shows the importance of grazing animals and the symbiotic relationship between cattle and grassland. Sebastian Belliard will talk about what is a healthy grassland soil and the role of livestock in improving soil health and carbon sequestration. Katherine Fox will discuss the importance of cattle in the production of beef, dairy and other products.
Thursday, March 12 at 7 pm: New Roles for Cannabis and Hemp, Josh Powles, PhD., professor and coordinator, Cannabis Applied Science, Loyalist College. John Baker, President of CBD Baker Inc., is a recognized hemp breeder and researcher with Health Canada and with Canadian Seed Growers Association. Josh Powles will describe the role that cannabis has within society, looking at recreational, medical, and potential future applications. He will also talk about how agriculture and applied industries could benefit from the cannabis sector. Hemp is valuable in many ways. Expert plant breeder John Baker will describe what is happening in the hemp industry and how this relates to cannabis. He will explain the varied uses of hemp: CBD, fibre and yarn, biodegradable plastics, biofuel, insulation, food and animal feed, and also the role of hemp in soil improvement.
Thursday, March 26 at 7 pm: Dragonflies and Damselflies: Guardians of our Wetlands and Creeks, Colin Jones, provincial arthropod zoologist, Natural Heritage Information Centre, dealing primarily with rare species. He is co-author of “A Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Algonquin Provincial Park and Surrounding Area.” Colin Jones is a naturalist who can connect us to nature. The beautiful dragonfly or damselfly, silently skimming the surface of the water, is enchanting. He will distinguish between the two and outline their life cycles and talk about conservation, and habitats of the dragonflies and damselflies of Ontario. They play vital roles in terrestrial and aquatic habitats as predators feeding on a variety of mosquitoes and biting flies, and as prey for birds.
Thursday, April 9 at 7 pm: Practical Solutions: Building an Earth Sheltered Home, Steven Moore, Professor of Sustainability/Environmental Policy/Ecological Economics, Queen’s University. Steven Moore will show how to build a low-maintenance house that features energy-efficient and recovered materials, passive solar heating, a green roof, and more. You will get many ideas about how to adapt your own house without necessarily building a new one. Steven says, “We’ve built an earth-sheltered house, hoping to be more sustainable, on the wooded banks of the Salmon River where we live relatively maintenance-free, listening to the roar of the rapids.”
All Winter Speaker events are at the Huntington Veterans Community Hall, 11379 Hwy 62 Ivanhoe An entrance fee is $5 per person, or a donation, help us cover the costs. Children are free. For information, contact Ray Wellman, (613) 848-7697, rwellm2007sympatico.ca, hastingsstewardship.ca
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May 13, 2024
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