Download pdf - ACAP Annual Report 2013-2014

Annual Report 2013-2014

ACAP Saint John

ACAP Saint John ! of !1 19

Who We Are 2

2013 AGM Minutes 3

President’s Report 6

Executive Director’s Report 7

Sponsors & Donors 8

Staff 2013-2014 9

Secretary’s Report 10

Treasurer’s Report 11

Financial Statements 12

2013-2014Annual Report

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Who We Are "ACAP Saint John is a community based, non-profit organisation that encourages local involvement from all sectors of the Saint John community. "ACAP Saint John was started in 1991 as one of thirteen environmental “hot spots” in Atlantic Canada. We are currently implementing recommendations from our Comprehensive Environmental Management Plan which was developed locally, through a broad based consensus. "The two primary goals of ACAP Saint John are: 1. To engage the multi-sectorial community of Greater Saint John in the collaborative management and restoration of our watersheds; and, 2. ACAP Saint John envisions a sustainable community that embraces the inter- dependence of the unique social, economic and environmental characteristics of the region’s watersheds. "ACAP Saint John can be found online at www.acapsj.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/acapsj and @ACAPSaintJohn on Twitter. "


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2013 AGM Minutes


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President’s Report "This AGM marks the completion of yet another successful year at ACAP Saint John. Even with a significant reduction in funding, ACAP completed a long list of projects which have helped to promote and improve the environmental sustainability of the Saint John Region’s watersheds. These include, but are not limited to, Tree Planting in Marsh Creek & Salmon Creek, Marsh Creek Water Quality Monitoring and Fish Communities research, Ashburn Creek Dam Busting, Fish Rescue Operations on the Pettingill Road & Fundy Trail and the continuation of the very successful Green Network, Marsh Creek Cleanup and Eco-Challenge initiatives. ACAP continued to build upon critical relationships with local stakeholders and further developed, promoted and outsourced our expertise. "None of these accomplishments would have occurred without the efforts of Tim Vickers (Executive Director), Graeme Stewart-Robertson (Project Manager) and their summer students. Their continued tireless dedication, hard work and professionalism form the very heart of this organization. I thank them on behalf of the Board of Directors. "I would also like to thank the Board of Directors and the Executive for donating your invaluable time to ACAP. The knowledge and expertise you each bring to the table only serves to make the organization stronger, ensures its longevity and makes for some really good conversation. "In closing, Mother Teresa once said “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” It took 20 years of persistent determination, leadership, collaboration, and more than a few stones to see the vision of a sewage free harbour realized. Looking forward, using these same qualities, we continue to create ripples and are making our vision of a restored March Creek, one that is utilized as a nature and recreational corridor, become a reality. I very much look forward to the upcoming year. "Craig Silliphant President


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Executive Director’s Report "ACAP Saint John actively advanced its ‘Comprehensive Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) 2013-2018’ with an emphasis on Habitat Improvements; Data, Information & Knowledge Management, and Capacity Development. Habitat improvements included the removal of an historic and derelict wooden dam in Ashburn Creek, and volunteer-based riparian planting of 350 potted evergreens in Marsh Creek (via canoe) with 300 more native trees established along the banks of Salmon Creek. Information & Knowledge Management activities included ACAP staff collecting and reporting on what was the last full field season of pre-Harbour Cleanup water quality parameters in Marsh Creek. NBCC Chemical Technology students Matthieu LeBlanc and Zackary Sears completed an exceptional report on previous and current water quality results that will enable a seamless comparison with those obtained in the current (2014) season as wastewater treatment comes online. These 2013 measurements complimented fish collection activities in lower Marsh Creek and provided valuable insights into the ecological characteristics of this estuarial wetland. "Capacity Development occurred through both stakeholder engagement by way of the 3rd Marsh Creek Eco-Challenge and the 1,234 volunteers who removed 12,712 kg of litter and debris, and through staff participation in the fish rescue services that we provided in Salmon Creek and the Fundy Trail. These aforementioned activities have leveraged new opportunities to advance ACAP’s five-year management plan, with bold new initiatives already underway in 2014. "Unfortunately, the success that ACAP realised in advancing is sustainability agenda through field work was not paralleled in its ability to acquire sustainable levels of funding. Reductions in the grants received from long-time funding partners Environment Canada and the NB Environmental Trust Fund not only thwarted our ability to achieve all of our objectives in 2013-2014, but eroded our ability provide historical levels of work–related employment to regional youth. The change in funding levels, while predicted in previous Executive Director’s reports, has culminated to the point that requires a robust and strategic approach to mitigating further declines. As always, I remain confident that ACAP Saint John possesses the human resources and community support required to weather this changing economic landscape and provide exceptional multi-sectorial collaborative solutions to our sustainability challenges.

Tim Vickers, Executive Director "2013-2014Annual Report

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Sponsors & Donors "ACAP Saint John is sincerely grateful for the generous financial and in-kind contributions we have received from environmentally conscientious businesses, foundations and grant agencies. The following list acknowledges those who have assisted us in improving the quality of life in Saint John over the past year. """


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Staff 2013-2014 "Tim Vickers, Executive Director """"""""Graeme Stewart-Robertson, Project Manager """"""""""" Sarah Cole Zackary Sears Matthieu LeBlanc Kesharaju Venkatesh


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Secretary’s Report "According to the by-laws of the company, the following are the current members of ACAP Saint John for the purposes of the year 2014 Annual Meeting. "Craig Silliphant Brenda MacCallum Terry Cormier Jean MacDonald Renee Morais Don Shaw "Brian Comeau Gordon Dalzell Jody Kliffer Mike Griffin Rob MacAndrew Randy McLellan Greg Marquis Neil Pond Rick Russell Tim Ryan Rick Turner """Respectfully submitted, Rene Morais Secretary "


ACAP Saint

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