Island Naturalist – Jan-Mar 2022

As you know, COVID19 messed-up 2021 even more than it
messed-up 2020. Amazingly, our membership still grew.
Thank you.
In 2021, Nature PEI worked closely alongside the PEI
Museum and Heritage Foundation. The museum bestowed
a Natural Heritage Activity Award to our nominee, the
Birding on PEI Facebook Page, and presented Nature PEI
with the Award of Honour. Hear! Hear! Our focus was
on urging the museum to hire a curator of natural history; letters were sent on that account to Hon. Matthew
MacKay, the minister responsible for the museum, and
to Premier King. Through discussions with the museum
Director and participation in the New Museum Advocacy
Group, we learned that the curator job will be the next position sought. In September, a Request for Proposals was
issued by the Province to prepare a provincial museums
system strategic plan having six main objectives including
attention to standard museum functions such as educational programming and carrying out exhibitions. It also
discusses preserving and conserving the province’s human
and natural heritage, including existing collections, and
providing a place for research and scholarship into human
and natural heritage on PEI. We congratulate the PEI Government for advancing the cause toward a better museum
with improved programs.