Nature Classroom renovations!

This fall the Nature Classroom at Kinark is getting an overhaul. New paint job, new format, more fun! The classroom also holds three new program computers! The Climate change program has been using this room since the spring and the Kinark Outdoor Centre staff are eager to unveil this great place to learn. The classic "nature stuff" is in there like the taxidermy ermine, beaver chews, bird nests and information resources. New environmental education materials are available to teach about Climate change, natural resources, alternative energies and waste minimization and disposal. The room definitely brings a grand atmosphere to the classes that visit it so far. The students are always eager to hear about the things on the shelf as well as the posters on the wall. Keep checkin out the blog, Facebook or www.koc.on.ca for more info.

"Messy" Jesse the Intern

Water Festival takes over Kinark!

On September 27th and 28th in 2010 the Haliburton Muskoka Children's Water Festival took over the Kinark Outdoor Centre for two days of action packed learning. 834 students from 12 schools participated in 40 different stations around the Kinark Outdoor Centre.
The day started students arriving from the surrounding communities as well as briefing the 90 volunteers from Trent University who helped run stations. Primary students then broke off into smaller supervised groups that went to the stations that interested them. Lunchtime was in the main field with 6 large tents (thanks to the Township of Minden Hills and Castle Carnarvon for your help) where students ate and attended the largest drum circle I’ve ever seen. Barry Hayward led over 200 students at a time in a rhythmic community that shook ear drums. Barry brought a full load of drums, shakers and other percussion instruments and gave the students an opportunity to use all of them.
Stations included curriculum based games that fit into four categories which included water protection, conservation, technologies and attitudes. Some games were simple and very active (ex. Rolling Through the Shed: students donned Velcro vests and rolled down a vinyl “watershed” picking up particles and chemicals along the way), while other games were very demonstrational and educational (ex. Lay an egg: students placed cut out eggs in appropriate nests along a boardwalk and learned about wetland habitats)
According to the HMCWF website “Two of the primary objectives of this holistic-focused event are to develop personal awareness of the importance of water, and to foster respect for the natural environment. It is hoped that by increasing awareness and respect, as individuals we will make a commitment to use natural resources wisely.”
For more information go to http://www.hmwaterfestival.ca/ and remember… “Water covers 75 per cent of the planet, and also makes up about 75 per cent of a person's body weight. Water is essential for all life on Earth. Without it, nothing lives and nothing grows.”

Sincerely,

"Messy" Jesse the Intern

Building projects this fall at the Kinark Outdoor Centre

There are five beavers building a new lodge just 20 metres from where the Outdoor Centre keeps its canoes. They are busy using renewable resources (sticks) for structural support and other natural materials (mud) to make their winter home comfortable and warm.

There are also some humans working to make the Sustainable Living Centre warm and beautiful. This past October was busy with the Climate change having many Grade 5 classes through the program and two workshops teaching the public how to sustainably add to their homes.

The Natural Plaster Workshop with Sebastian Renal was very successful and allowed this intern to live up to his nickname of “Messy” Jesse! Mixing sand and clay takes a lot of care, consideration and willingness to get covered in sand and clay. Plastering it on the wall was sort of like putting icing on a cake. It didn’t taste quite the same though. We patched leaky spots and coated some walls with Alis paint which is made of natural pigments and flower paste. One participant actually made a beautiful symbol on our shed and we covered it in Mica which shimmers in sunlight.

The Solar Hot Water Heater Workshop with Sean Flannigan was also a great success with participants building their own thermal collectors out of simple materials. Teams of two put together a wooden case that held layers of insulation, a black piece of plywood, copper piping in a grid pattern and plexi-glass on top. The pipes were pressure tested and re-soldered until perfect. Participants were taught how to install the solar collector in their homes and how to maintain their panels.

We still have a few rain barrels left and anyone can contact me at Jesse.Christensen@kinark.on.ca to order or go to www.rainbarrel.ca/minden.

More blogs are coming very soon!

Keep up with us online at www.koc.on.ca or www.sustainablebuilding2006.com or www.kinark.on.ca or Jim McHardy’s twitter https://twitter.com/KinOutDoor or Jim McHardy’s blog http://www.speakingofkidsmentalhealth.com/blog/jim/ or search for Kinark Outdoor Centre on Facebook

Sincerely,

“Messy” Jesse the Intern

Solar Panels monitored by a heavy puppy!

The "Fat Spaniel" solar monitoring system is now in place so anyone can see exactly how much energy is being produced from Kinark Outdoor Centre's solar panels. Go to http://siteapp.fatspaniel.net/siteapp/simpleView.jsf?eid=523172 to see the website.

August was my busiest month yet and full of exciting happenings at the Kinark Outdoor Centre. It was a truly august month (pun intended). For this intern it included working at the Naturally Kids Discovery Day Camp in the Sustainable Living Centre. The camp was run by Out to Learn, which is a environmental education company based in Haliburton. To learn more about them visit www.outtolearn.ca. The camp was an amazing time and the kids were very creative and energetic. Mornings were spent doing crafts, writing a song, doing activities and games with nature themes. Afternoons were spent swimming, boating, rock climbing and hiking around site.

Our fall promises to be just as busy with grade 5's returning for the Climate change education program and a lineup of workshops at the Sustainable Living Centre in October. We also just ordered a few new displays and activities for the living centre including a bicycle generator to demonstrate that we've got all the power we need right inside of us!

Enjoy this heat before it's beat!

"Messy" Jesse the Intern

Solar Summer

The Kinark Outdoor Centre is the newest energy provider for the province of Ontario.

In the big field across from the baseball diamond is our power plant which collects the light from the sun and turns it into electricity for the power grid. Photo voltaic solar panels are now able to sell power back to their electricity provider. Kinark's panels provide about 2 kilowatts of power.

Kinark has used solar panels in the past to power the Sustainable Living Centre as well as heat water at the SLC and in the Dining Hall. We are also the proud owners of the Tamarack Lake Electric Boat Company's first Solar Pontoon Boat. Using solar energy to heat water is one of the best ways to use the sun's energy since the sun emits more heat than it does light.

A "Build your own Solar Water Heater" workshop will take place in the fall this year which is currently in the planning phases. Participants will be able to bring a guest and assemble their own solar water heater that can be installed in their own home. Email Jesse.Christensen@kinark.on.ca for more information or to register for the workshop.

We hope your having just as much fun in the sun!

"Messy" Jesse the Intern

Natural Plaster Workshop

On Saturday, July 31st, 2010 the Kinark Outdoor Centre will be holding a Natural Plaster Workshop led by Sebastian Renel at the Sustainable Living Centre. Natural plaster walls have been used by humans for generations and have been improved even more in the 21st century. This method involves using sand, clay, water and cattail fluff in a mixture that can be smeared onto a surface to create a stunning earthen wall. We will also add plaster colouring and mica to make a beautiful glittering effect. The day will start at 10 am with an introduction and background of natural plaster technique. There will be lunch provided by KOC and opportunity to explore the Sustainable Living Centre. The workshop fee is $60 (no HST) and the funds will go toward the workshop and future ones being held at the Sustainable Living Centre. Get plastered!

What: Natural Plaster Wall Workshop
Where: Sustainable Living Centre, Kinark Outdoor Centre, Minden, ON
When: Saturday, July 31st, 2010 from 10 am to 5pm
How: Email Jesse.Christensen@kinark.on.ca to sign up
Why: To forever be able to create your own personalized earthen wall

Also on July 31st is the pick up day of our Rain barrel fundraiser which is available at www.rainbarrel.ca/minden. The barrels come with everything needed and are made of reused or recycled materials (they are recyclable as well). The cost is $50 and all barrels must be pre ordered online at www.rainbarrel.ca/minden. Listen in to Moose FM (95.3) at 10 am and Canoe FM (100.9) at 10:30 am on Tuesday, July13th, 2010 to hear your friendly neighborhood Intern sing a jingle about our rain barrels.

Happy Summer All!

"Messy" Jesse the Intern

Grand happenings

Grand things have been happening at Kinark during the last little while. There are some new additions to the Sustainable Living Centre(SLC) building including a beautiful bathroom ceiling built by Bob and Donelda. We had our plumber Chris Harrison fix and improve our rainwater plumbing system.

I've planted a voluptuous vegetable garden with the gracious help of the previous SLC intern Stephanie Hall. We planted tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, celery, Swiss chard, sweet onion, spicy basil, thyme and celeriac. Our garden will be used for educational purposes and makes an excellent edible demonstration of sustainable living. Rain water that overflows from the main collection tank goes into an outdoor rain barrel that feeds water by gravity to a soaker hose that waters our veggies.

We learned that the Annualized Geo-Solar heating system (which pumps hot air from the ceiling under the SLC into a two metre deep insulated trench) is an experiment that did not meet scientific standards. The technology has been disproven and does not significantly change the temperature of the building in the winter months. It does however cool the building slightly in the summer by removing heat from the hottest part of the building. This is one example of how the Sustainable Living Centre is participating in the study of experimental technologies and their practicality for a sustainable future.

The Kinark staff (Kristy, Jamie & Jesse) and Out to Learn educators (Irene & Rick) are now in full swing of the Climate Change education program with five grade five classes already successfully completing a full day of fun activities and lessons. There will be another six classes before the school year ends and then we will be changing gears to make the program fun for families that participate during the summer.

Here's hoping for happy happenings!

Messy Jesse the Intern