Dr. Helene Van Doninck is the featured speaker at Nature PEI’s November meeting on Tuesday, December 6th, 2016. The title of her presentation is “Getting the lead out – Impacts of Lead on Wildlife and non-lead Hunting and Angling”. Dr. Van Doninck is a wildlife veterinarian who co-founded the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre near Truro, Nova Scotia, in 2001. She will be giving a presentation on the impacts of lead shot, bullets, and fishing tackle and discussing non-lead alternatives for both hunters and anglers.

Dr. Van Doninck says, “An effective way to decrease the incidence of lead poisoning in wildlife and to keep lead of out of the human food chain is hunter and angler education. In 2012, the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Nova Scotia started an information based outreach program for hunters and anglers, encouraging voluntary transition to non-lead ammunition and fishing tackle. This ongoing effort has result in positive and groundbreaking results and initiatives”.

Her talk will summarize the main issues in lead and lead poisoning and will discuss the non-lead ammunition and tackle exchange in Nova Scotia. The program has been very successful and cooperation between groups seeking common ground has resulted in positive change. Members of the public can bring lead based fishing tackle to this meeting to exchange for non-lead tackle.

In her spare time, Dr. Van Doninck is an avid reader and bird watcher. She currently sits on the board of the Nova Scotia Bird Society and is part of the Oiled Birds Response Team in Nova Scotia.

We encourage everyone to join us on Tuesday, December 6th at 7:30PM. Please note our meeting next week will not be held at the Carriage House at Beaconsfield, which is undergoing renovations. For December, our meeting will be at the PEI Farm Centre. The farm centre is located at 420 University Avenue, through the main doors.  Admission is free and all are welcome.”

 Media please contact: 

Dr. Helene Van Doninck 902-893-0253 helene.birdvet@gmail.com

Julie Vasseur Julie.Vasseur@natureconservancy.ca 902-892-3608