Emma Garden

Research Assistant

In the summer while other kids splashed in the water, Emma kept her eyes open for the bugs swimming and crawling around in the lake. You might say Emma has never grown up. She continues today as a Research Assistant in Aquatic Research and Stewardship at UINR.

Emma specialty is rivers and streams, but she also helps out with anything related to water. Most of her work is on young Atlantic salmon and aquatic bugs. From spring to fall you can find her outside, in or close to water! She worked on our smolt wheel, salmon monitoring, and stream health assessments. In the winter she gets down to research and report writing in between helping out with MEK workshops.

If you want to know about insects, Emma’s your go-to-person. She’s a certified taxonomist for aquatic insects in Eastern North America and has identified aquatic bugs from all over the Maritimes. She’s been a member of Shubenacadie Watershed Environmental Protection Society since 2009.

If that’s not enough, she is pursuing a Certificate in Aquatic Environmental Techniques where she is learning practical skills in stream restoration, stream assessments, and fish and bug identification.

After graduate school, she worked with a conservation authority in Southern Ontario collecting water samples, doing stream assessments, and of course, identifying aquatic bugs.

Emma’s wealth of experience is a valuable asset to UINR, enriching our knowledge of our local environment and giving us new insight into the natural world.

“At UINR I have the opportunity to make a difference while doing something I enjoy. Being able to hold a wild Atlantic salmon! Where I am from, salmon are basically gone. Knowing that I am helping to conserve them is something I am very proud of.”

Emma: In the News

Plamu/ Salmon NOTICE

Plamu/ Salmon NOTICE

January 20, 2017News, Research

Salmon returns remain critically low in most of Nova Scotia. Kelt fishing is only permitted in the Margaree River. Please refrain from fishing and/or keeping kelts (slinks, black salmon) in any other river. For more information please contact your local fisheries office.   Here’s a printable version of our poster.

Attention Unama’ki Salmon Fishers

Attention Unama’ki Salmon Fishers

January 20, 2017News, Research

Please report the river, date, and number of salmon kept between June and December, 2016 to your local fishery department by January 31, 2017. Please indicate whether retained salmon were large (63 cm or larger, 24 inches or larger) or small (less than 63 cm or 24 inches.) It’s our responsibility to report our catches … Read More

Two New Books on Oysters and Mi’kmaw Knowledge

Two New Books on Oysters and Mi’kmaw Knowledge

November 17, 2016News

Bras d’Or Lakes’ oysters have been harvested and enjoyed for thousands of years. UINR just published two new books on oysters–one, an illustrated children’s book in Mi’kmaw and English, and the other on Mi’kmaq ecological knowledge and scientific research. Both books are written by UINR’s Shelley Denny, Angela Denny, Emma Garden, and Tyson Paul. The Oyster Garden, Kiju’ … Read More

Oyster Expert Guest Speaker at Book Launch

Oyster Expert Guest Speaker at Book Launch

November 13, 2016News, Research

René Lavoie is UINR’s special guest speaker at the launch of UINR’s two new books on oysters on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at 11:00 am at Membertou Heritage Park. Dr. Lavoie is no stranger to oysters. For nearly fifty years he has been involved in oyster management and research with DFO and Aquaculture Association of Canada. … Read More

Two New Books on Oysters Launched

Two New Books on Oysters Launched

November 7, 2016News, Research, Unama'KIDS

On Wednesday, November 16, UINR is launching two new publications on oysters–one, an illustrated children’s book in Mi’kmaw and English, and the other on Mi’kmaq ecological knowledge and scientific research. Meet the authors and hear guest speaker René Lavoie on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at 11:00 am at Membertou Heritage Park. There will be readings, … Read More

CABIN Training 2016

CABIN Training 2016

September 30, 2016Research

The Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) is an aquatic biomonitoring program for assessing the health of fresh water ecosystems in Canada. In Unama’ki, UINR has been working with Environment Canada to survey rivers and streams to collect, assess, and report on their health. To survey the Broad Cove River, part of the Broad Cove watershed, … Read More

UINR and Ocean Tracking Network

UINR and Ocean Tracking Network

August 23, 2016News, Research

The Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) is a global research, technology development, and partnership platform headquartered at Dalhousie University. UINR has been working with OTN helping to insert electronic tags that track the movement of Atlantic Salmon in and out of the Bras d’Or Lakes. This spring they were able to insert tags in salmon smolt … Read More

Interns at UINR

Interns at UINR

July 24, 2016News, Research

Fisheries and Oceans Canada interns and St. Mary’s University students Farrah Stevens, Pictou Landing/Halifax, and Shurenda Michael, Sipekne’katik (Indian Brook) First Nation, are working with UINR for a week this summer getting hands-on experience.  

Bras d’Or Watch 2016

Bras d’Or Watch 2016

July 16, 2016News, Research

UINR participated in the Second Annual Bras d’Or Watch 2016 on Saturday July 16 at Morris Beach in Eskasoni. Here’s some photos from the day. .

Help Us Help Malikewe’j

Help Us Help Malikewe’j

June 9, 2016News

The mosquitos and blackflies were in full force for our annual Malikewe’j Clean-up. Things have been steadily improving and there was much less garbage to clean up this year. UINR’s Shelley Denny, Karlee Johnson, Lisa Young, and Emma Garden prepare for the ditch clean-up. shelley.denny@uinr.ca

©2016 UINR