Kate Sherren

Landscapes - People - Global change

Month: May 2023

Tabusintac and Esgenoôpetitj

May 29, 2023 /

Half of the research team getting started at the charming Wishart Point Lodge, Brantville, NB.

A quick note to say thank you to Fanny Noisette and her lab at UQAR (Marie-Pomme and Madeleine), Melanie LeBlanc, and the knowledgeable and passionate folks at the Tabusintac and Esgenoôpetitj Watershed Associations (Billie Joe, Rodrigue and Samantha) for a great few days learning about the state of and challenges facing RAMSAR-listed Tabusintac Bay and surrounds. The weather was nasty and so we didn’t get to use those waders to get out into the eelgrass beds, but the Wishart Point Lodge was a cozy revelation. Thanks and Wela’lioq to all the community members who came out to talk to us about this precious place. I look forward to seeing everyone again later this summer!

Congratulations, Amy

May 11, 2023 /

Amy Wilson (left) defended her MSc Rural Sociology in hybrid mode.

I enjoyed participating as a committee member on Tuesday as Amy Wilson defended her MSc in Rural Sociology at the University of Alberta. Frequent collaborator John Parkins was her supervisor for her project about the Grassy Mountain coal mine impact assessment process, called Navigating Conflict and Contention in Coal Country. Issues of identity associated with coal production has been an interest of mine for awhile, and serving on this committee allowed me to explore it vicariously. The defense led to a great conversation between the candidate and the examining committee, and sparked lots of ideas for where to go next. Congratulations, Amy!

ResNet AGM 2023

May 8, 2023 /

The L1 team at Jouvence for AGM 2023 (Emily, Lara, Sam, Maka, Evan, Isabel, me, Kiirsti and Brittney)

Last week we had a productive AGM for NSERC ResNet up near Montreal. Around 70 academics, students, postdocs and partners joined for some very full days of reflection, synthesis and planning. My highlight was the ecosystem service assessment we were tasked for the Hundred Aker Wood (see below), Winnie the Pooh’s world from A. A. Milne, during which we identified Pooh’s body mass index as a key indicator for honey production (a clear provisioning service). While it was a wet few days, it didn’t dampen the spirits of the indomitable HQP (highly qualified personnel), who particularly enjoyed the firepit. If you could see the fire better, you’d see they were writing words on the logs for things they’d like to see gone. I saw white supremacy and racism go in. Thanks to PI Elena Bennett and everyone at the Central team for organizing and seeing to all our needs so thoughtfully and patiently.

Isabel takes seriously our task of ecosystem service assessment for Winnie the Pooh’s world.

The firepit, surrounded by students and postdocs (mostly), with L1 folks playing firemaster.

New book review

May 8, 2023 /
book cover

The cover of Ogden’s book speaks to the palimpsest of the Tierra del Fuego landscape and mindset due to global and anthropogenic change.

I recently reviewed Laura Ogden’s excellent volume, Loss and Wonder at the World’s End, for Canadian Geographies (the new [French] gender neutral title of The Canadian Geographer). It caught my eye due to my field work in the nearby Falklands. Ogden’s engagement in Tierra del Fuego is a much longer and richer than mine in the Falklands and that commitment of time and reflection informed a delightful read. This link should allow you to get past the firewall to read about this great book.

© 2024 Kate Sherren

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑