Symbiosis: Creating Interrelationships Towards Environmental Action

Symbiosis: Creating Interrelationships Towards Environmental Action

When a relationship exists between different species allowing the collaboration between the species to the advantage of  either one or both parties, it is called symbiosis. For more information about this conference, please visit their website for consistent updates.

The Climate Change Adaptation CollaborativeChildren’s Environmental Health Collaborative, and Sustainability Education Alliance—collaboratives under the NBEN—aim to explore this type of relationship and see how, together, we can symbiotically drive environmental action.

This conference will offer:

  • live interpretation between French and English
  • a catered lunch and health breaks with coffee, teas, and snacks
  • a great array of speakers, workshop hosts and guides
  • opportunities for networking and creating space for future collaboration

See the draft Agenda below for details on sessions, followed by Speaker Biographies.  (Nb. the agenda and speaker list will continue to be updated as sessions are confirmed.)

This event is offering a one day registration fee if you can only attend one of the two days.

Registration Fee Structure:

Single Day: Full Conference:
  • General Admission: $80,
  • NBEN Members: $70,
  • NBEN Associates: $70,
  • NBEN Indigenous Groups: $70,
  • Students: $60
  • General Admission: $145,
  • NBEN Members: $125,
  • NBEN Associates: $125
  • NBEN Indigenous Groups: $125,
  • Students: $105

Nb. There is an Early Bird discount of $10 until October 2nd.

Event Information

Event Date16 October, 2025 9:00 am
Event End Date17 October, 2025 5:00 pm
Cut off date14-Oct-2025
LocationKingswood Resort, Hanwell, NB (near Fredericton)
CategoriesAnnual Provincial ConferenceCEH Annual ConferenceCCAC ConferenceSEA Conference

Agenda

Day 1 — Thursday, October 16th

 

8:30

Registration | Networking

Register, mingle and network with fellow participants. Get seated with a beverage and snacks for the morning’s sessions.


 

9:00

Welcome and Introductions

NBEN facilitators will orient you to the venue and interpretation, then introduce you to the organization and its collaboratives before setting the stage for the keynote speaker.


 

9:15

Keynote Speaker – Psi-te Ntolonapemok – All My Relations

Wolastoq Grand Chief spasaqsit possesom Ron Tremblay

Air, Water and Earth are dynamic and creative elements that sustain all life and without any of these essentials there would be no life. Air, Water and Earth are interconnected and it’s not possible to separate them for in our understanding as Wolastoqiyik, everything in life is related and connected.

Air is the breath of Mother Earth that supplies life to every living species. Without Air, nothing could or would exist. Air is a gift, so we as humans can communicate through words in song, laughter, crying and most importantly, speaking words of gratitude for life.

In this constant ebb & flow, that Water nourishes & cleanses the entire world. It makes up who we are, as well as the other living beings. We live, grow, play, work, wash, cook, drink, rest, pray and celebrate with Water. What we do to the Water, we do to ourselves.

Earth is our foundation of life! Nothing could grow or populate without Earth. In our Creation Story, we derived from the depths of Mother Earth through the roots of the Great Cedar Tree. Because of our existence, we are Earth and Earth are we.


 

10:05

Health Break

10:20

World Café

Upon arrival, participants will sign up to interact with four of the Table Hosts(TH) listed below. During the session, participants will rotate through their list of TH in the order of sign-up, with each round lasting 15 minutes.

Table Hosts for Children’s Environmental Health:
Marg Milburn & Bonnie Hamilton Bogart — An overview of the Environmental Rights Caucus and their work on Bill 19: An Act Respecting the Right to a Healthy Environment

Table Hosts for Climate Change Adaptation:
Armin Nikkah, CLIMAtlantic — A guided introduction to ClimateData.ca
Charles Thibodeau, NBEN — An introduction to the Benefit-Cost Analysis Tool for Nature-based Solutions (NbS)

Table Hosts for Sustainability Education:
TBD — Learn about the NB Indigenous Career College
Julie Cyr — Learn about Brilliant Labs
Catalina Ramirez, Master’s Student in Education, York University — Nature, Urbanization and Sustainability in Humber Bay Park, a Research presentation


 

11:40

Sharing Session

Participants will have the opportunity to reflect and share takeaways from the presentations they attended in the previous session.


 

12:00

LUNCH

1:00

Panel Discusssion

A panel discussion evaluating the benefits of Greening the Education System on Climate, Education, and Health.

Moderator:
Michelle Thibault, Education and Early Childhood Development

Panelists:
Masah Douabul, Student
Jarrett Francis, EECD (Office of First Nation Education)
Ryan Jones, EECD (Anglophone)
Dre. Renee Turcotte, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
TBD, Department of Environment & Local Government


 

2:10

Concurrent Indoor Workshops

Participants will choose between the two workshops below:

Clark Dedum and Sara McCafferty, Esgenoôpetitj First Nation — Current projects, working with Guardians, community, and Traditional Knowlege
Annie Furman, Conservation Council of New Brunswick— Environmental Literacy Framework

 

3:30

Concurrent Outdoor Workshops

Participants will choose between the workshops below:

Tatem Andrews — Medicinal Plant Identification Walk
Jessika Gauvin — Mushroom Identification Walk
Wolastoq Grand Chief spasaqsit possesom Ron Tremblay — Penniac Sacred Land

 



 

Day 2 — Friday, October 17th

 

8:30

Registration| Networking

Register, mingle and network with fellow participants. Get seated with a beverage and snacks for the morning’s sessions.


 

9:00

Welcome and Introductions

NBEN facilitators will orient you to the venue and interpretation, then set the stage for the first speaker.


 

9:15

Morning Presenter

Shawna O’Flaherty, VALORĒS


 

9:55

Health Break

10:10

Concurrent Sessions

Participants will choose one of the sessions below:

Session 1:
Lyle Vicaire, Maqamigew Anqotumeg Inc. —

Session 2:
Crystal Roberts, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development —

Session 3:
TBD —


 

11:20

Open Space

This session is structured around several pre-selected discussion topics, while also allowing a few participants to introduce a topic of their choice. This invites others to join in as they feel inspired.


 

12:00

LUNCH

1:05

Engaging in Partnerships


 

2:45

DELG Update

Danielle Léger, Director of Adaptation