Experience Riding Mountain

Taking place in Brandon, Wednesday, March 18 and 19 at the CanadInns on 18th Street.  Highly recommended.  The case for climate change and the need for us to respond continues to grow stronger and to become more urgent.

What do we do now? What does this mean for our farms and businesses now? What can industry and communities and individuals do to reduce their carbon footprint?

The 2009 Prairie Innovation Forum will focus on the practical implications and innovations that will affect us all and help us, our communities, and our businesses reduce our footprint and respond to climate change.

Attend informative sessions on:

• Identifying and Calculating Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the Farm 
• Community-Based Energy Innovation (Dan Mazier & Laurence Lafond)
• First Nations responding to climate change (Assembly of MB Chiefs, Climate Change Task Force)
• Innovative products for home and business (Evolve Green)
• Reducing foods carbon footprint (Jack Moes, ACC)
• Dr. David Barber (The Arctic)
• Wind Energy (Endurance Wind Energy)
• Innovative Home Owner (Gareth Boys)
• LEED building design

To attend or register, go to: PRAIRIE INNOVATIONS Schedule & Registration

March 15, 2009.…….”The director of a Nasa space laboratory will this week lead thousands of climate change campaigners through Coventry in an extraordinary intervention in British politics…..Dr. James Hansen, director of Nasa’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, said he believed scientists, the people who knew most about climate change, now had a moral obligation to become politically active. He has chosen Coventry to stage Thursday’s protest because it is home to E.ON, the power company that is planning a giant new coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent.”

This is game-changing folks.  For so long, scientists have generated the data about the impacts of global warming, but have stayed out of the political arena.  Clearly, the statement last week from 2500 scientists at Copenhagen who have seen that the real impacts are occurring much faster than even the IPCC reports indicated, are an indication of the reality that climate change is upon us.  Our political and economic realities have to be integrated around a sustainable economy that reduces our carbon emissions and enables us to enjoy the quality of life that is possible by living using sustainable living practices.

Two articles today give hope to the growing world-wide responsibility that all governments (federal, state or provincial, municipal) must address in partnership with business to change how our investments and economy must change quickly to reduce the impacts of global warming.  This must come to fruition as international agreements and commitments to massive carbon emissions reductions in the Copenhagen treaty in December of 2009.

You can read both of these articles - The first article is with the Times Online (England) - Plan B: scientists get radical in bid to halt global warming ‘catastrophe’.  The second is the Telegraph (UK) - Al Gore: World will agree new climate deal.

Marcus du Sautoy, professor for the public understanding of science and professor of mathematics at Oxford University, said climate change was “galvanising” the scientific community.

“The evidence and data is all there but politicians don’t seem to understand what the science is telling them, so the scientists feel they have to respond,” he said.

On Friday, March 13, the temperature outdoors in the Riding Mountain area changed, as part of a major weather pattern.  The bitter cold temperatures of the previous day (-38C with windchill) gave way to +3C in the shade.   Let it be known that winter is passing…indeed!

Sometimes, it is most helpful when the information about what we need to do about climate change is summarized as just plain clear conclusions or paths forward, not as rhetoric or ideology, or reams of facts that overwhelm or paralyze us.

Here are six clear messages for politicians, governments, academics, citizens, economic development champions, and others about what we need to consider in a world in which climate change has already taken effect.  These were the preliminary conclusions and messages from 2500 scientists and participants who were at the University of Copenhagen which hosted an international scientific congress on climate change under the heading “Climate Change: Global Risks, Challenges and Decisions”, 10-12 March 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. 

The main aim of the congress was to provide a synthesis of existing and emerging scientific knowledge necessary in order to make intelligent societal decisions concerning application of mitigation and adaptation strategies in response to climate change.  Their aim was to identify and synthesize the science, technology and policy advances that are required in order to ensure sustainability of global communities in the current and coming decades.

From my perspective, being stuck in an ideological debate (like our present Conservative government in Canada is wanting to do) is not acceptable.  The science of climate change is unrefutable.  Our political leaders (all of them at municipal, provincial and federal levels) need to start acting on the science and the collective will of Canadians to move forward with tangible responses.  The business community is already responding with innovations, new green technologies and a flow of capital into the new low carbon economy.

Climate change is not an ideological debate.  What is needed is for citizens and businesses to get on with the process of working together to implement acceptable solutions to mitigate, adapt to, or reduce our carbon emissions, and to find ways of intentionally creating a new low carbon economy.  As citizens, we need to lead governments who are in denial, or are deliberately separating economic realities from environmental contexts.  These two are intertwined.  One affects the other.  We need to focus on both.  We also need to intentionally provide better and more factual information for Canadians, using social networking to address the deficiencies of good quality media coverage that is deliberating seeding doubt about the science and effects of climate change.   See this royal flush of climate deniers, many of whom are politicians, paid advisers, or columnists.  Become familiar with their names and the misinformation that they are deliberately seeding.

What are  the six (6) preliminary messages from the recent congress?

The six preliminary messages are:

Key Message 1: Climatic Trends

Recent observations confirm that, given high rates of observed emissions, the worst-case IPCC scenario trajectories (or even worse) are being realised.For many key parameters, the climate system is already moving beyond the patterns of natural variability.  Read more…

Key Message 2: Social disruption

The research community is providing much more information to support discussions on “dangerous climate change”.  In particular, temperature rises above 2 degrees C will be very difficult for contemporary societies to cope with Read more…

Key Message 3: Long-Term Strategy

Rapid, sustained, and effective mitigation based on coordinated global and regional action is required to avoid “dangerous climate change”.  Delay in initiating effective mitigation actions increases significantly the long-term social and economic costs of both adaptation and mitigation.  Read more…

Key Message 4 – Equity Dimensions

Climate change is having, and will have, strongly differential effects on people within and between countries and regions, on this generation and future generations, and on human societies and the natural world.  Read more…

Key Message 5: Inaction is Inexcusable

There is no excuse for inaction. We already have many tools and approaches  - economic, technological, behavioural, management –  to deal effectively with the climate change challenge.   Read more…

Key Message 6: Meeting the Challenge

To achieve the societal transformation required to meet the climate change challenge, we must overcome a number of significant constraints and seize critical opportunities.   These include reducing inertia in social and economic systems; building on a growing public desire for governments to act on climate change; removing implicit and explicit subsidies; reducing the influence of vested interests that increase emissions and reduce resilience; enabling the shifts from ineffective governance and weak institutions to innovative leadership in government, the private sector and civil society; and engaging society in the transition to norms and practices that foster sustainability.
Excerpted from the University of Copenhagen Climate Change Conference website, written by the Climate Secretariat at the University.  March 10 – 12, 2009.  The Congress received almost 1,600 scientific contributions from researchers from more than 70 countries.

Tom Wilson - Home Routes House Concert Performer

Tom Wilson 

Home Routes House Concert.

Tom is a Canadian music icon performing with Junkhouse, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Bob Lanois, as well as solo.  

An outstanding performer and songwriter.  We anticipate this House Concert will be sold out so we recommend that you reserve your tickets quickly!

Date: Monday, March 23, 2009
Time: 7:00 PM
Tickets:  $15.00pp
Please call Sue or email her for tickets: sue.davar@earthrhythms.ca
Phone: 848.7443

Links to Tom’s music: http://www.tomwilson.net/music.html

As in the past, here is how you can prepare for the house concert:

• Plan to arrive for 7:00 PM
• We’ll do the ticket purchase transaction right away at the door (tickets need to be reserved in advance.)
• Add your potluck snack to the table to share at intermission.  
• Bring a chair and set it up in the living room (some seating available).
• Help yourself to a beverage (one that you have brought, or from the counter – tea and coffee are provided).
• Chat, visit and make yourselves comfortable.
• We’ll provide a short introduction. There will be two 45 minute sets with an intermission to share snacks, visit, and meet the artist.
• Bring a spirit of musical adventure…and just enjoy yourselves!

As you may remember, Debbie McKeown (an adventure travel writer), at the invitation of Travel Manitoba, came to Riding Mountain National Park to experience snowshoeing in early February.  Staying at the Elkhorn Resort & Solstice Spa, Debbie took part in a number of unique experiences coordinated with Earth Rhythms and national park staff, dined at the Elkhorn Resort and Prairie Seasons Bakery & Café in Onanole, and soaked their snowshoe-strained muscles at the Solstice Spa.  Debbie was writing a feature article for a well-established online magazine called Snowshoe Magazine to feature the park, Earth Rhythms’ snowshoe packages, and snowshoeing as an adventure and learning experience in Manitoba.

Read her delightful article Stories In the Snow-Riding Mountain National Park and see some of her husband Jack’s photos of their time at Riding Mountain National Park.  While there are many who go south as Canadian snowbirds, it is positively delightful to see that Debbie and Jack have an audience at Snowshoe Magazine who are looking for the northern boreal experience.

Now, here’s a testimonial we received today that we just had to share with you.  Jenn and Joel had escaped from Winnipeg for the weekend, to enjoy an Earth Rhythms’ Riding Mountain Infusions package offered through their partner Elkhorn Resort & Solstice Spa.  I asked Jenn if she would mind sharing her thoughts about the morning experience.  There is nothing more authentic than the words and emotions offered by those who have personally found delight in an experience that matches their interests and needs….

“Starting off on a beautifully still and frosty morning, with an enthusiastic, welcoming, and very informative guide, we made our way across the crunchy snow of a lake in Riding Mountain National Park.  The hoarfrost lay on the pines and tamaracks like fine lace, creating a beautiful monochromatic landscape.  The stillness belied the obvious presence of coyotes, wolves, and elk, and we didn’t have to search for long to find evidence of their activity.  

Wandering up a small ravine revealed the winter beauty of the Weeping Forest – the layers of ice created by the water seeping out of the hillside lay like multicoloured puddles of wax, building up atop one another and freezing in amazing shapes and tones.  It was a fantastic experience – connecting with Manitoba’s natural wonders with a small group allowed great conversation, a relaxed atmosphere, and the ability to enjoy the outdoors on a very personal basis.  

The pictures taken could only capture a single frame of the gorgeous panorama, but they’ll always lead to stories and memories. The wonderful homemade muffins and herbal tea only added to the personalized and welcoming outing!

How fortunate we are to be able to have the beauty of Riding Mountain National Park revealed to us by such a personable, intelligent, and ecologically-conscious entrepreneur!  And no matter how much you think you know about the outdoors, Riding Mountain always has something new to show you – don’t miss it!”
 
Cheers, and all the best!!
Jenn Cassin and Joel 

Morning light on layers of ice in Riding Mountain National Park

Jenn and her partner Joel were given a wonderful Christmas gift in December, 2008.  A getaway to the Elkhorn Resort for a weekend and experience an Earth Rhythms Riding Mountain Infusions winter escape.  This two night getaway package provides travelers with the opportunity to stay at the 4-star Elkhorn Resort, soaks in the mineral pools, and an outdoor snowshoe experience into Riding Mountain National Park with Earth Rhythms’ adventure guides.  

Riding Mountain Infusions couples getaway - ice & snow stories in the park

When we headed out this morning to go snowshoeing on our “Ice Escapades in the Weeping Forest”, the boreal forests were a-glitter with fresh morning hoarfrost, mammal tracks and the quiet and slightly muffled sounds of raven wings overhead.  What we discovered was the beautiful textures of fresh ice from a creek that was flowing into the lake.  

Riding Mountain National Park is an oasis of wildlife.  The stories etched in snow and ice offer intrigue and a world of discovery for anyone wanting to re-connect to each other and to nature.  And, winter is a perfect time to do that…when the people pressures are less, and you are more likely to discover wildlife moving around.

Are you looking for a unique gift for someone special?  Earth Rhythms provides customized gift certificates for personalized guided experiences for individuals and couples.  These include very unique opportunities to meet craftspeople, artists, musicians, guides, naturalists, and many others “behind the scenes” and do things with them that the ordinary traveler would not have access to.

We were going for our regular afternoon walk yesterday, just outside Riding Mountain National Park, where we live.  Another reminder that we live in paradise…a Great Gray Owl flew softly, with large slow wing beats across the road in front of us and perched in a snag off on the hillside.  My wife has seen three different species of owls here this winter – a Long-eared owl (most unusual), a Great Horned Owl (common), and now a Great Gray Owl (unusual). Riding Mountain National Park is a great spot to bird-watch during the day, and watch stars by night.  

Earth Rhythms facilitates both kinds of experiences.  Call 1.204.848.4680 to reserve a customized adventure to look for wildlife.

We snowshoed, we baked bread with babas, we carved ice sculptures at Festival du Voyageur, we learned about honey bees and how to weave cane seating for furniture seats, we learned about Hutterite traditions and ate organic food with Prairie Seasons Bakery, we learned Ukrainian dancing and watched a cymbale being played; we went behind the scenes to reflect, to discuss and to share the kinds of practical ideas that could be put to work as unique tourism experiences.  A cultural GPS adventure quest with Tourisme Riel in which we encountered unique characters, actors and moments of Francophone history within the St. Boniface area was outstanding.  And, finally, an evening of incredible cuisine with Chef Alex and his wife Daniele at Bistro 7 1/4 topped off the entire trip.  How to do Manitoba in six easy days!!

Atlantic Best Practices Mission participants make & bake Ukrainian Easter breads in Dauphin

A Best Practices Mission it was called…. to learn about experiential tourism, in winter!  This was a professional development opportunity for 16 Atlantic Canada tourism operators initiated supported by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.  Earth Rhythms was asked to create and deliver this Best Practices Mission in its backyard – Riding Mountain National Park - where we have been successfully crafting and delivering unique tourism experiences with our local community partners for over 13 years.  

One of the participants, Anne Arsenault, from western PEI  shared her enthusiasm for what she encountered during a week in Manitoba in the middle of February…….”I just wanted to thank you all for making this mission the best I have ever attended. You were all inspiring, from Celes and his associates to Johanna and all you fellow participants, it has been a pleasure!  

There were a few ah ha moments for me which opened my eyes to new opportunities in my own community and region. The process now begins to enrich and build upon the experiential product offering we have already developed and that gives me great hope and excitement for the future…..

It has become very apparent to me that we all have beauty and uniqueness in our respective communities but what makes it most special and interesting to our visitors is the passion that the local authentic people bring to it……it is all about making that personal connection to place…..with that being said I have great memories of Manitoba largely due the special people we had a chance to meet including everyone of you!”