Communication, Education & Outreach

Communication, Education and Outreach is a big part of what we do at UINR.

One of our goals at UINR is to reach the people in our communities and work with them to determine what information they need, and to develop innovative ways to get that information to them that will have the most impact.

We are very active on social media sites Facebook and Twitter, publish and distribute a quarterly newsletter UINR MARTEN, and produce a host of educational publications, videos and reports. Our website, uinr.ca contains a wealth of information, news, photographs and video, Check out our Library to find all our publications.

Every year we host a week-long summer camp for youth, Nikani Awtiken and our UNAMA'KIDS program has seen us planting trees, cleaning up shorelines, developing puppet shows and more. Through MELC–Mi'kmaq Environmental Learning Centre–we bring information, programs, and events to the entire Unama'ki Mi'kmaw community.

We do important work at UINR through our various programs and we want to make sure that everyone knows about them.

UINR’s 2017 calendar

December 25, 2016News, Unama'KIDS

UINR’s annual calendar goes out every year to our partners, friends, and supporters of the work we do at Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources. The calendar takes you through the Mi’kmaw year, plotting moon cycles, Mi’kmaw celebrations, and other holidays. Each page includes a photograph that gives a snapshot of that month in Unama’ki. Here’s a link to a printable version.

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

Nikani Awtiken 2016

August 25, 2016MELC, News, Unama'KIDS

This year’s Nikani Awtiken summer camp for youth was a great success. The 23 participants did everything from surveying tree plantings in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park to building a sweat lodge. Add a generous helping of story-telling, first aid and boating safety training, making drums, bonfires and a generous amount of socializing, and you’ll … Read More

UINR Tribute to Charlie Dennis

April 22, 2016News, Unama'KIDS

Our tribute to Earth Day 2016 is a new video to honour the legacy of Charlie Joe Dennis. Charlie worked tirelessly for the health and well being of the natural environment of Unama’ki. Naqtmuksi’k/Legacy shows Charlie throughout his career from a young man with a particular interest in oysters to his work as a community … Read More

Not Just the Facts! :)

December 18, 2015Forestry, News, Unama'KIDS

UINR just published a series of twelve fact sheets on Unama’ki plants, animals, birds, and fish that are of special importance to Mi’kmaw people. In both Mi’kmaq and English, our fact sheets don’t just give scientific information, they also look at why they are important to Mi’kmaw people and what we have learned from our Elders. … Read More

Nikani Awtiken–2015 Edition!

June 17, 2015News, Unama'KIDS

Nikani Awtiken is back for its fourth year after successfully completing its third week-long youth training program–Nikani Awtiken–at Camp Rankin, St. Peters in 2014. Nikani Awtiken is a Mi’kmaq phrase that means ”trail blazing” or “creating a new path.” Nikani Awtiken is designed to instil an interest in Mi’kmaq youth to pursue careers in natural resource … Read More

Meet MELC's New Coordinator

February 1, 2013MELC, News, Unama'KIDS

Welcome Nadine LeFort, Mi’kmaq Environmental Learning Centre’s Education and Outreach Coordinator. Nadine will be coordinating the Unama’KIDS program, Nikani Awtiken summer camp and working on other education projects. Nadine recently returned home to Cape Breton after working for four years as Education Program Director and Curriculum Developer for the Sierra Club BC in Victoria. She … Read More

Apistane’wj

June 2, 2011News, Unama'KIDS

Apistane’wj is the Mi’kmaq word for the American marten, the subject of a new play put together by UINR’s Unama’KIDS. UKids coordinator Selena Cremo worked with direction from Maura Lea Morykot, well-known teacher and performer, to put together a story on the endangered marten and attempts to reestablish it in Unama’ki. They researched the … Read More

Unama’KIDS–carpenters for conservation

February 25, 2010News, Unama'KIDS

Unama’KIDS–carpenters for conservation Unama’KIDS enjoyed a full-day workshop with Paul Koziel from Nova Scotia Natural Resources, building nesting boxes for the final release of American Martens in Unama’ki. The American Marten is an endangered species here and UINR has been involved with Parks Canada and Nova Scotia Natural Resources in a project that has seen … Read More

Unama’KIDS shoreline cleanup

November 15, 2009News, Unama'KIDS

Unama’KIDS shoreline cleanup Unama’KIDS got off to a productive start this year participating in the TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. They joined nearly 60,000 volunteers from across the country who helped clean up almost 1,600 different sites. While picking up debris and garbage along the Whycocomagh shoreline, they counted every piece of garbage and catalogued … Read More