Weather and Climate: Not What Our Grandparents Knew
March 29, 2019 6:30 pm
UPEI, School of Sustainable Design Engineering building, Room 128A
David Phillips is embarking on a national tour. The UPEI Climate Research Lab is hosting his PEI stop this Thursday evening. Please join us for this free public lecture this Thursday evening!
Living Shorelines Workshop with Kevin Smith and Vincent Leys
March 29, 2019 10:00 am to 3:30 pm
Holland College Campus, 140 Weymouth St, Room 319- 3rd floor
Kevin Smith, Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources, Director, Office of Restoration and Resiliency
Vincent Leys, M.Sc., P.Eng. Coastal Engineer, CBCL Consulting Engineers
Topics covered to include:
I. Shoreline Erosion (Causes and Outcomes; Natural Processes)
II. Shoreline Erosion Control Practices – Overview (Traditional Practices)
III. Origins of Living Shorelines (History, Definitions, How the Practice Developed)
IV. Philosophy of Living Shoreline Practices (Physical Processes, Shoreline Habitat)
V. Living Shoreline Practices (Sand Fill, Sills, Breakwaters, Innovative Approaches)
VI. Engineering Aspects of Living Shorelines
VII. Benefits (Fish and Macroinvertebrates, Erosion Protection)
VIII. Living Shorelines and Coastal Resiliency
IX. Costs
X. Monitoring
XI. Wrap up and discussion
The event is FREE and is open to everyone. Lunch will be provided. Please register at allianceprojectmanager@gmail.com
Information session on new Canadian drone regulations
February 20, 2019 6 pm to 8 pm AST
Room 235 of Robertson Library
Photo credit: Don Jardine
The UPEI Climate Research Lab will host an information session on new Canadian drone regulations on February 20 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm in room 235 of UPEI’s Robertson Library.
The event features Roger Smith of Transport Canada and the Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) Task Force. The new regulations come into effect June 1.
The UPEI Climate Research Lab has done extensive work with drone technology, including studying dune systems, coastal erosion, shoreline armouring, wind turbine inspection, and waste management.
Space is limited. Please contact climate@upei.ca with your name, affiliation, email and mailing address to reserve your spot. All are welcome.
Please direct all inquiries regarding the RPAS Task Force or Transport Canada drone regulations to Transport Canada at (613) 993-0055 or media@tc.gc.ca.
Sustainable Forestry Practices for PEI: Compatible Ideas from Europe
November 20, 2018 7 pm AST
Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium of UPEI’s Don and Marion
McDougall Hall, Charlottetown, PE
UPEI’s Climate Research Lab and the PEI Woodlot Owners Association (PEIWOA) will host a public talk on sustainable forestry practices to deepen our understanding of how climate change can affect forestry management. Dutch expert Dr. Gert-Jan Naburs will compare European forestry practices with the situation on Prince Edward Island. All are welcome to this free public lecture.
Dr. Gert-Jan Nabuurs is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) coordinating lead author in good practice guidance for the its fourth assessment report. He will lead the agriculture and forestry chapter in the IPCC’s sixth assessment report, starting in 2019. He was assistant director of the European Forest Institute in Finland from 2009-2012. He is member of Ministerial Advisory Committee Sustainability of Biomass for Energy Purposes, advising on certification schemes and their applicability to Dutch biomass sustainability criteria. Dr. Nabuurs is also a professor of European forest resources at Wageningen University in the Netherlands and a senior researcher at Wageningen Environmental Research (WUR). His background is in European scale forest resource analyses and management under climate change. His work has both scientific and practical applications.
Although this event is important for woodlot owners and silviculture workers, Dr. Nabuurs’ ideas and experience will also be of interest to forestry contractors, environment and watershed groups, climate scientists, resource managers, local governments and chambers of commerce. All are welcome.
A Training Session and Q & A on Calculating Sea-level Rise and Storm Surge Flooding Scenarios
Presented by: Réal Daigle
August 14, 2018 9 am to 4 pm
Topics include:
- Historical water level statistics
- Science of sea-level rise
- Methodologies and uncertainties in sea-level rise predictions
- Regional sea-level rise estimates
- Storm surge climatology and other flooding factors
- Comparison of storm surge scenarios for PEI north and south shores
- Exercise: Calculate storm surge rates
Cost: $100 per person (lunch is included). Space is limited. Please register at climate@upei.ca.
Visitors may park in any of the General Parking Lots at no cost and without a permit from mid-April to mid-September. These lots are labeled as General Parking Lots A, lower B, D, and E on the UPEI Campus Map. (DRC is Building 28 on the campus map)
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Research Information Session
July 23-24, 2018
UAV offer researchers a cost effective and flexible means of collecting high spatial and temporal resolution data. The user friendly nature of commercial UAV has led to wide spread adoption across industries and research areas; however, there are a number of important considerations that need to be made before purchasing and operating a UAV. This two day information session hosted by the UPEI Climate Research Lab is intended to give researchers considering or already using UAV in their research the necessary background knowledge to determine the applicability of UAV to their situation. Outcomes of the session (what you will learn) include:
- How to purchase a UAV, the various models
- How to plan drone flights, and operation options
- Options and procedures for image processing
- How to establish ground control points to increase the precision of data captured
- Understanding scale considerations for answering research questions
- The Department of Transport rules and regulations for operating UAVs
- How to operate UAVs safely
Webinar “Our Incredible Shrinking Island: Climate Science Public Outreach Information Sessions on Prince Edward Island”
June 20, 2018 2pm ADT
The University of Prince Edward Island Climate Lab has undertaken a travelling road show of public information sessions on sea-level rise, coastal erosion and their potential effects on the island province. The lab, which undertakes research on climate change vulnerability, impacts and adaptation, did a similar series of presentations four years ago, but had a strong incentive to visit over eight communities again this year. The first was funding from the Ecology Action Centre. The second was the new science surrounding the rate of sea level rise. For the last 30 years, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world’s leading authority on climate change science, advised planning for a one metre of sea-level rise. The new science says it could be as much as three times that. The star of the show is CLIVE (Coastal Impacts Visualization Environment), a visualization tool developed by the UPEI Climate Lab and Simon Fraser University’s Spatial Interface Research Lab to show the impact of future coastal erosion, sea-level rise and storm surges. Using a game controller, users can fly over a 3D representation of PEI and zoom in on their home or community. They then select different erosion and sea-level rise scenarios to see how they will affect the land. Results of showing CLIVE to PEI communities have proved an increase in knowledge and awareness about climate change impacts; an increase in the concern over these impacts; and a willingness to adapt or “take action.” This webinar will provide more details.
Registration is free. Please visit https://mailchi.mp/b2b13eddf79a/webinar-our-incredible-shrinking-island-climate-science-outreach-by-dr-adam-fenech-june-20-2018-10-am-pacific-time
PEI Meteorological Monitoring Workshop at Rodd Charlottetown
February 20, 2018
The workshop brings together researchers, governments, industry organizations, NGOs, and businesses to discuss the need for climate data systems; ways in which climate data is collected, shared, and used; challenges in accessing climate data; and future needs and opportunities for climate data.
Our Incredible Shrinking Island
February – August, 2018
Dr. Adam Fenech and researchers from the UPEI Climate Research Lab are travelling across Prince Edward Island over the next few weeks to speak to communities about sea-level rise. The purpose of the presentations will be to increase understanding and awareness about the impacts of sea-level rise, coastal erosion and storm surges as well as tools for adaptation and coastal planning. There will be an opportunity to ask questions and to discuss what sea-level rise means for Islanders. The events are open to the public and will run for approximately two hours. Refreshments will be provided. There is no charge to attend.
Eight communities across PEI will be visited. This round of presentations begins this winter, with a second round of presentations happening throughout the summer. The sessions are as follows:
Friday, February 16th – John J. Sark Memorial School, Lennox Island (4:00 – 6:00 PM)
Tuesday, February 20th – The Eagle Nest, North Rustico (6:30 – 8:30 PM)
Thursday, February 22nd – Fire Hall, Tyne Valley (6:30 – 8:30 PM)
Tuesday, March 6th – Eastern Kings Community Centre, Bothwell (1:30 – 3:00 PM)
Tuesday, July 3rd – Kings Playhouse, Georgetown (6:30 – 8:30 pm)
Wednesday, July 4th – Victoria Schoolhouse, Victoria (6:30 – 8:30 pm)
Monday, July 9th – Alberton Community Centre, Alberton (6:30 – 8:30 pm)
Tuesday, July 10th – Rossiter Park Community Building, Morell (6:30 – 8:30 pm)
Please RSVP by emailing climate@upei.ca or calling 902-894-2852.
These workshops are part of the national Educating Coastal Communities About Sea-level Rise (ECoAS) project which is supported by financial contributions from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the UPEI Climate Research Lab, the M’kmaq Confederacy of PEI and the Ecology Action Centre. For more information about the project, please visit www.sealevelrise.ca.
Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases 101 in Charlottetown, PE
January 11, 2018
What is climate change, anyway?
We hear about climate change on a daily basis in the news and on social media because it is a real, growing concern that has the potential to affect everyone. However, most of us don’t have a good understanding of what climate change, and the various terms associated with it, actually mean. If you’re interested in this topic and would like to learn more, please join us for a free introductory presentation on climate change to be held on Thursday, January 11 at Receiver Brass Shop (178 Water Street) from 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. The presentation is offered by Stephanie Arnold, Senior Research Assistant at the UPEI Climate Lab, in coordination with the City of Charlottetown.
This event is open to the public and light refreshments will be provided. No registration required.
Breakfast Seminars with the Honourable David MacDonald at UPEI
July 4 – August 22, 2017 (Tuesday mornings)
Join the Honourable David MacDonald as he leads discussions on topics around the theme of…
Now That’s a Really Great Question – “Can Mother Earth and her peoples survive and thrive in the Anthropocene?”
These UPEI breakfast seminars will be held in Room 103 at 618 University Avenue, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island every Tuesday morning from 8 to 10 AM during the weeks from July 4th to August 22nd, 2017. Parking and registration are free.
Topics include:
July 4, 2017
Are Oceans Us? The Climate/Ocean Crisis: How can we end the global ‘addiction’ to fossil fuels?
July 11, 2017
Is Politics the Art of the Deal? What is indispensable about Politics in our Global Village?
July 18, 2017
How can we create a habitable, thriving and just future?
July 25, 2017
Who’s Speaking, Who’s Listening, Who Cares? Why is The Medium really the Message?
August 1, 2017
Is Capitalism Over? What are healthy Models for a Caring Economy?
August 8, 2017
Why does our culture depend on Violence? If we love this Planet, can we Live in an age of Mass Destruction?
August 15, 2017
Why Racism? – its roots and branches. The African Condition’ meets ‘Black Lives Matter’
August 22, 2017
Is Reconciliation Possible? Why do we need to unsettle the settler?
Please register which seminars you wish to attend by emailing climate@upei.ca or calling (902) 894-2852. All are welcome.
For more information, click here to view the poster. Please print and post around your office.
Atlantic Green Expo at UPEI
April 21-23, 2017
The Atlantic Green Expo is held in partnership with the UPEI Climate Lab, UPEI School of Sustainable Design Engineering, and Sierra Club. The expo will highlight the importance of green living and the need to address global climate change. It will give businesses and organizations the opportunity to showcase innovative and environmentally-friendly products and services. The UPEI Climate Lab will present its research activities, including the award-winning visualization tool CLIVE, at Booth #105. Dr. Adam Fenech and Derek Ellis from the Climate Lab will also chair educational sessions on how to make more environmentally sound decisions when choosing products and services. Industry experts will share their knowledge on different themes, such as: solar, wind, energy, and transportation.
Admission to the Expo is free. Additional details can be found at: http://atlanticgreenexpo.com/
UPEI-Holland College Environmental Science Event
April 5, 2017
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- Photos by: Chris Barrett
Over 150 students and teachers from Three Oaks Senior High School, Colonel Gray High School, Kensington Intermediate Senior High School, Bluefield High School, and Charlottetown Rural High School attended If You’re Curious About Climate Change, an event for PEI high school teachers and students held at Holland College on April 5, 2017. Topics such as renewable energy, hydrogeology, and climate change were presented, with a special introduction from PEI Minister of Communities, Land and Environment, the Honourable Robert Mitchell. UPEI Climate Lab PhD student Hope Parnham and UPEI Climate Lab Researcher Stephanie Arnold represented UPEI at the event discussing sea-level rise, coastal flooding and erosion, regional impacts of climate change, extreme weather events, and the UPEI Climate Lab’s use of drones and computer simulation (CLIVE) in Environmental Science research. Many students were interested in pursuing their academic careers at UPEI as a result.
Living Shorelines Training
July 21, 2015
Staff and students of the UPEI Climate Lab attended Living Shoreline Training organized by the South Shore Watershed Association and Camp Abegweit, Augustine Cove. Living Shorelines are a soft management approach that uses plants and biomass in combination with some rocks to buffer coastlines from erosive environmental forces. This approach improves the overall health of the shore by helping to stabilize coastal ecosystems and create habitat for native species. Rosmarie Lohnes, President of Helping Nature Heal Inc. is working with SSWA and Camp Abbey to design a restoration plan for a section of the shoreline at the Camp. Come and learn about the alternative to ‘hardscaping’ (using rock to prevent erosion).
Climate Diary Project
March 2015
The UPEI Climate Lab and Nature PEI are partnering to offer two training sessions for Islanders interested in participating in the Climate Diary project. The Climate Diary is a printed journal for Islanders to keep record of the changes in the environment as they occur year to year. Rosemary Curley of Nature PEI will provide training on plant and bird identification on Monday, March 3 from 9:00 am to noon, and again on Tuesday, March 30 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
To register for either session, contact climate@upei.ca. The sessions are free. Copies of the Climate Diary will be made available at $10 per copy.
Schedule of CLIVE Demonstrations in PEI Communities
July 2014
Photo by: Don Jardine
Dr. Adam Fenech, director of UPEI’s Climate Research Lab, will tour Prince Edward Island communities in July to give demonstrations of CLIVE-better known as the CoastaL Impacts Visualization Environment tool.
This tool allows users to manipulate a 3-D map of Prince Edward Island with a video game controller and experience simulated erosion and sea-level rise and their impact on our infrastructure over the next 90 years.
Dr. Fenech will lead discussions about coastal erosion and sea-level rise, and the risk to homes, cottages, roads, and communities.
Attendees will be encouraged to share ideas about how we might best adapt to these conditions, and through CLIVE, view local areas that may be affected.
Demonstrations and discussions will be held at 8 locations across the island, as follows:
Tuesday, July 8 Victoria, the Old School House on Victoria Road
Wednesday, July 9 Souris, St. Mary’s Parish Hall
Tuesday, July 15 Abram-Village, Rec Centre
Thursday, July 17 Montague, Wellness Centre
Tuesday, July 22 North Rustico, Lion’s Club
Wednesday, July 23 Charlottetown, Beaconsfield Carriage House
Thursday, July 24 Summerside, Silver Fox Curling Club
Wednesday, July 30 Alberton, Community Centre
Each presentation will run from 7:00-8:00pm, with drinks and light refreshments provided.
The events are sponsored by the PEI Department of Environment, Labour and Justice, and by the Climate Research Lab at the University of Prince Edward Island.
Official Launch of the 2015 PEI Weather Trivia Calendar
May 20, 2014
Photo by: Leanne Newson
A public event will be held from 7:00 – 9:00 pm at the Carriage House behind Beaconsfield Historic House, 2 Kent Street, Charlottetown. A light lunch will be offered.
Online registration is now closed. Please call 620.5221 for more information/possible cancellations.
Calendars may be purchased online at peiweathercalendar.ca or at any Murphy’s Pharmacy location.
Crop Management in the Atlantic Region
March 12-14, 2014
UPEI Climate Lab hosted a three-day training workshop of agricultural scientists developing an integrated assessment model to guide crop management in the Atlantic Region under a changing climate. Known as the “Envision” model, it is being applied to Prince Edward Island to understand the influence of alternative future scenarios including changing global market prices, changing landscape management practices and a changing climate. The model includes modules on crop allocation, hydrologic flow, nitrogen, habitat and human population growth and development. Fifteen researchers were in attendance at the Regis and Joan Duffy Research building while over thirty were linked in virtually using WebEx.
Coastal Erosion and Sea Level Rise – Preparing for Prince Edward Island’s Future
February 11, 2014
Join us on Tuesday February 11 at 7:00 pm for the UPEI Climate Lab Lecture Series as Dr. Adam Fenech, Director of the Climate Lab, presents results from recent coastal erosion research projects conducted on Prince Edward Island. The change in PEI’s coastline has been measured, mapped, and analyzed from 1968 to 2010. Buildings, roads and bridges have been assessed as to their vulnerability to future coastal erosion and sea level rise. Come see how our communities will be affected. Dr. Fenech will present the results of this research including the unveiling of a new interactive 3-D geo-visualization platform known as CLIVE. CLIVE allows stakeholders to interactively explore PEI’s coastline, and scenarios of future climate change, sea-level rise and storm surges. The presentation will take place in the Duffy Science Centre Amphitheater on the UPEI campus.
Training on Statistical Downscaling of Global Climate Models
August 19-20, 2013
Training at UPEI on Statistical Downscaling of Global Climate Models using SDSM 5.1.1 will be provided by Robert Wilby, Loughborough University (UK)
Training on Applied Climate Change
August 6-9, 2013
Training at the University of Toronto on Applied Climate Change: Gaining Practical Skills for Climate Change Adaptation will be provided by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Training on Calculating Climate Changes
June 20, 2013
Training at UPEI on Calculating Past and Future Climate Changes for Your Heritage River will be provided by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab, at the 7th Canadian River Heritage Conference in Charlottetown, PEI
Session on Climate Change and Rivers
June 19, 2013
Special session on Climate Change and Rivers will be provided by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab, at the 7th Canadian River Heritage Conference in Charlottetown, PEI
Atlantic Coastal Zone Information Steering Committee Meeting
May 29-30, 2013
UPEI is hosting a meeting of the Atlantic Coastal Zone Information Steering Committee
Training on Environmental Assessment Processes for Land Use
May 21, 2013
Training at the UPEI Centre for Life Long Learning on Environmental Assessment Processes for Land Use by Graham Whitelaw, Queen’s University and Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Training on Carbon Accounting
May 9, 2013
Training at UPEI Centre for Life Long Learning on Measuring Your Carbon Footprint: Carbon Accounting Using ISO and CSA Standards by Guilad Egeh, Queen’s University and Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Training on Climate Change Adaptation
May 7, 2013
Training at the UPEI Centre for Life Long Learning on Reducing Risk Through Climate Change Adaptation by Monirul Mirza, University of Toronto and Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Earth Day Panel Discussion
April 22, 2013
Presentation to the Earth Day Panel Discussion at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Global Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainability Conference
April 15, 2013
Presentation to the International Conference Global Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainability at Alexandria, Egypt on The Changing Climate of the Arab MENA Region by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Presentation on Climate Change: Adaptation, Public Health and the Built Environment
April 4, 2013
Presentation to the session Building Common Ground in a Climate of Change: Adaptation, Public Health and the Built Environment at the Ontario Public Health Convention Ontario’s Changing Climate: Challenges to Human Health in Toronto, Canada by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Presentation on Climate Change and Agriculture
April 2, 2013
Presentation to United Agri Products Canada Inc on PEI’s Changing Climate: Implications for Agriculture by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Presentation on Climate Change and Agriculture
March 27, 2013
Presentation at PEI Soil and Crop Improvement Association on PEI Changing Climate: Implications for Agriculture by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Chasing Ice Documentary Screenings
February 2013
February 7: Presentation at the 2nd Special Screening of the documentary Chasing Ice by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
February 5: Presentation at the 1st Special Screening of the documentary Chasing Ice by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Guest Lectures to Environmental Studies Students
January 24, 2013 and November 6, 2012
Guest lectures to Environmental Studies ES201 in Summerside by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Presentation on Climate Change Adaptation
November 29, 2012
Presentation to UPEI Board of Governors Meeting on Understanding and Adapting to PEI’s Climate by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Presentation on What to Expect from Climate Change to 2100
November 15, 2012
Presentation on What to expect from a changing climate to 2100 by Neil Comer, UPEI Climate Lab at the event Preparing for Climate 2100: Information, Tools and Strategies held for New Brunswick Communities hosted at Fredericton Convention Centre, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Presentation on Climate Observation
November 10, 2012
Presentation to PEI Watershed Alliance in Hunter River, PEI on Opportunities for Volunteer Climate Observers by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Research on Tap Presentation
November 6, 2012
Presentation at UPEI Research on Tap on Sunny with a Chance of Climate Change by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Training on Climate Change Adaptation
October 15-26, 2012
Training at the Smithsonian Mason School of Conservation on Applied Climate Change: Gaining Practical Skills for Climate Change Adaptation by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Presentation on Global Climate Models
October 13, 2012
Presentation to the Canadian Association of Geographers – Ontario Division on A Validation Against Observations of 24 Global Climate Models over Canada: Which GCMs Model Best, Where? by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Climate Change and Tourism
September 2012
September 26: Training at the UPEI Centre for Life Long Learning on Climate Change and Tourism: Opportunities for PEI by Dan Scott, University of Waterloo
September 25: Public lecture at UPEI on PEI Tourism Opportunities under Climate Change by Dan Scott, University of Waterloo
Training on Applied Climate Change
July 30 to August 10, 2012
Training at the University of Toronto in Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada on Applied Climate Change by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Presentation on Climate Change
July 17, 2012
Presentation at Rotary Club of Summerside, PEI on PEI’s Changing Climate by Adam Fenech, UPEI
Leadership and Climate Change
July 2012
July 4: Public Lecture at UPEI on Sustaining Momentum for Climate Change Adaptation: The Role of Leadership by Bradley May, Environment Canada
July 4: Training at the UPEI Centre for Life Long Learning on Climate Change Adaptation Leadership: A Facilitated Workshop and Case Study on Developing Climate Change Action Plans by Bradley May, Environment Canada and Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Global Climate Models and Local Decision-Making
June 15, 2012
Presentation to the UPEI Biology Department Seminar Series on Linking Global Climate Models to Local Decision-Making by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Climate Change in PEI
May 22, 2012
Presentation to the Stratford and Hillsborough Watershed Stakeholder Meeting on PEI’s Changing Climate: Both Good and Bad by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Training on IDF (Intensity Duration Frequency) Curves
April 18, 2012
Training on Understanding IDF Curves for Infrastructure Planning by Heather Auld, Risk Services International
Training on Climate Change
April 2012
April 16: Training on PEI Scenarios of Future Climate Change by Neil Comer, UPEI Climate Lab and Approaches to Selecting A Climate Model by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
April 16: Training on Calculating Past Climate Changes in Community Climate on PEI by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
Guests Lectures
April 2012
April: Guest Lecture to UPEI Physics Department by Neil Comer, UPEI Climate Lab
April 2: Guest Lecture to UPEI Biology Course BIO454 on Climate Change and Biodiversity by Adam Fenech, UPEI Climate Lab
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Symposia