1. Implementing bioregional planning in the Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve
Dr. Bob Maher, Chairman of the Board
Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve Association (SNBRA),
Senior Research Scientist
AGRG, NSCC Middleton
May 2007

2. Outline What is Bioregional planning?
What are the goals of the UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve?
Plan of Action:
Community mapping
Institutional collaboration
Public Engagement
Final comment

3. Bioregion
A bioregion can be determined by use of climatology, physiography, animal and plant geography, natural history and other descriptive natural sciences. The final boundaries of a bioregion are best described by the people who have lived within it, through human recognition of the realities of living-in-place.
Berg & Dasmann 1977
Berg, P. and Dasmann, R. (1977) “Reinhabiting California, The Ecologist 7 (10):

4. Events in the Story of Bioregionalism
Tentative expression as intersection of concern for place, politics and ecology
Spread beyond community of origin
Coalescence and inspiration of a vocabulary
Attraction of an artistic, intellectual and literary vanguard
Articulation as unified theory informed by practice
Expression of proposed methods of applied practice
Regional and continental congresses/gatherings
Exploration of a broad intellectual history
Extension of definition to more firmly include a social/spiritual dimension
Connection/integration with other social change movements
“Discovery” by mainstream government institutions
Broadening into a body of teaching with balanced social and ecological dimension
- Doug Aberley
From Bioregionalism. Part 1, section 2; Interpreting bioregionalism: A story from many voices. pg 13

5. Values of Biosphere Reserve Concept
a conservation function - to contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation;
a development function - to foster economic and human development which is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable;
a logistic function - to provide support for research, monitoring, education and information exchange related to local, national and global issues of conservation and development.
Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve

6. Community Mapping “Mapping our common ground” Community Mapping
create a sense of place
facilitates dialogue
transforms “reality”
From Mapping our Common Ground; a community and green mapping resource guide. Part 1, pgs 1-2, Lee Bagrow.
Editor Maeve Lydon

7. Mapping Food Matters A resource on place-based Food System Mapping
Ground Works Learning Centre

8. Action Plan Community Mapping
Boundaries of Home: Mapping for Local Empowerment. Edited by Doug Akerley. The New Catalyst, Bioregional Series
Chapter 5. How to map your bioregion: A Primer for Community Activists.

9. Specific Actions community mapping workshop (s)
access to maps and technology
develop a network in southwest nova
create a ‘mapping’ culture
provide resources: NSCC/COGS $$, people

10. Institutional Collaboration
education
high school
community college
university
non Government organizations
MTRI
CARP
Bay of Fundy, MRC
TREPA

11. Institutional Collaboration
industry
tourism industry
resource-level industries (forestry, mining, fishing, agriculture)
government (quasi-government)
federal – Parks Canada
provincial – NSDEL, NSDNR
municipal – Annapolis Valley RDA (Annapolis & Digby counties)

12. Public Engagement
It is not bureaucratic top-down approach

13. Public Engagement Who owns the map?
“One thing I have learned as a professional geographer is that whoever has the maps in their hands controls the fate of the land. Cartographers have been at the forefront of turning land and nature into polygons of commodities”. Briony Penn
From Islands in the Salish Sea, A Community Atlas.
Foreword, pg 10.

14. Final Comment
“Artistic community mapping is a collaboration between science, art and the community. These maps help us to understand and protect significant natural and cultural features. It’s almost as though its not the final product, the map, that saves the place; it’s the actual process of working together. The final art in a visual statement of the collaboration.” p.20
From Islands in the Salish Sea A Community Atlas
edited by Sheila Harrington & Judi Stevenson