This past week was Environmental week at HNMCS! We celebrated this special occasion through a variety of sustainably-oriented initiatives planned by the Eco Team. throughout the week, environmental facts were sent via email on a daily basis with attached fun activities and challenges for students to participate in. The week ended with a Green Dress down day and a flex block to celebrate Earth Month.
In addition, the annual HNMCS ECO Conference took place during this week. The theme of this year's Eco Conference was 'Maintaining Biodiversity in Urban Areas'. Urban planning, which occurs at the intersection of disciplines like architecture, engineering, public health, economics, geography and several others, is the complex process of deciding what urban centres will look and feel like. Increased demand for urban living space has resulted in the degradation of ecosystems and loss of biodiversity. The 2022 ECO Conference explored the relationship between urbanization and the populations of native and invasive species. Through presentations and interactive computer games, created by the grade nine mathematics and science students, middle school students explored the effect of development on native species. They gained awareness of the importance of restoring and maintaining viable ecosystems.
HNMCS was also fortunate to have David Owen, project manager of the Thailand conservation charity, Bring the Elephant Home, deliver the opening remarks as well as lead inspiring workshops for all of the attendees. David Owen has lived in Thailand for nearly eight years, working in the fields of elephant welfare and conservation. They are currently completing their masters degree in the Department of Biology at Miami University. Their research focuses on sustainable, community-based solutions to human-wildlife conflict, and implementing conservation strategies that bring mutual benefits to humans, elephants and their shared ecosystems.
Some Interactive game links:
Interactive Game 1
Interactive Game 2
Interactive Game 3
