Premise:

The main premise of such a centre would be to provide a central location whereby people interested in the natural environment and its conservation, under a number of themes (see Subject areas in details section) could meet, share ideas, attend conferences and attend practical training in a variety of related areas.

In addition, provide a suitable location for the training of preparedness in natural disasters and how to safely survive in the great outdoors, both in the short term and long term.

Initially, the centre will be set up as a day/weekend centre, however, ultimately the plan is to develop a residential centre, where people may attend for weekly courses, workshops and residential conferences. The centre will also be available to hire for any related conferences or meetings.

Subject Areas:

The environment around us – Recognition of our natural surrounding

Conservation - Flora and Fauna and the balance of nature

Art and the Environment – earth energies captured in the medium of art

Intelligence of Nature – Reconnecting with nature and recognition of sacred spaces

Preparedness for natural disasters – Towards an understanding on how to prepare for, and survive, events such as; hurricanes, earthquakes, storms and volcanic activity.

Safe Outdoor Survival –SOS- Awareness of living with nature and how to manage living from the land.

Alternate green home living – sustainable architecture and natural building. How to construct your home with natural materials

Food storage and alternate heating and lighting methods

Outdoor survival skills

Location

After many visits to a number of areas in Manitoba, Canada, a few locations have been short-listed, all of which are between the two large lake of Winnipeg in the East and Manitoba in the West. Further visits later in 2006 will hopefully designate a particular area and instigate the means of raising capital to purchase a suitable property.

Why Manitoba?

Basically, two reasons; Geographical location and cost.

Manitoba is located in the centre of Canada and is mainly prairie, where land is abundant and very inexpensive. In addition, Manitoba has two large lakes, Lake Manitoba in the West and Lake Winnipeg in the east being the 11^th biggest lake in the world, therefore, supplies of fresh water are in abundance. Whilst the climate is variable, very cold in winter and very warm in summer, these extremes could be put to an advantage in training scenarios.

In general, Manitoba ranges from 150 metres to 300 metres above sea level, however, Baldy Mountain is Manitoba’s highest peak, reaching an altitude of 831 metres (2727 feet).

http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=6161

http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/parks/popular_parks/duck_mtn/info.html

Quick facts

Costs:

Land in Manitoba is relatively inexpensive, due mainly to the fact that it is sparsely populated (a population of just over one million – 2005) has 100,000 lakes, a quarter of the land covered with trees, and the only manufacturing areas are around the capital city of Winnipeg in the south. Manitoba stretches far up north to what I call ‘polar bear country’ Churchill, and beyond.

 http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/wildlife/managing/polar_bears/index.html

This is an ideal environment to be in commune with nature and prepare oneself to live at one with nature, and learn how to manage a self-sustainable lifestyle.

A basic dwelling with outbuildings and approximately 80 acres may be purchased for approximately 30000 – 40000 CDN (Canadian Dollars) 15000 – 19000 GB Pounds or $ 27000 – 35000.

This would provide  basic facilities from which to work with initially, and over time progressively improve and extend facilities to eventually provide residential accommodation and hopefully extend land acreage for environmental projects.

Purpose

To acquire suitable land, accommodation and outbuildings, to develop ultimately a residential Environmental awareness and Preparedness centre, providing courses and training in a number of related subject areas – see Subject list.

Our natural resources and land world-wide are rapidly depleting, and therefore so are the fauna and flora who rely on a delicate global equilibrium to maintain diversity and survival of the species. This balance has been greatly affected, and in many cases, it may already be too late for much to be done to alleviate the problems on our planet. However, we can do much to slow this degradation down, and by promoting environmental awareness, combined with attempts to understand the increasing severe weather anomalies we are witnessing today, we may understand our role in this delicate cosmic balance of nature.

In addition, by promoting environmental awareness, this may help in turn to understand our real function within society, and how to cope and prepare for major natural disasters, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and droughts etc. Thus, one other main purpose of the proposed centre would be the training in such preparedness skills, whether at home with the family, or living a self-sustainable lifestyle in remote or non- suburban areas.