Meeting of Board of Directors with Marc-Andre Guertin, CEO Canadian Biosphere Reserve Association

Meeting 1: Heron’s at the Bayside, Parksville, – Feb. 28, 2011

In attendance – MA Guertin, Cindy Hutchison, Christopher Stephens (arrived late) Nicole Muchowski, Jim Boggs, Holly Clermont, Karen Hunter, Ceri Peacey,

Meeting 2: Serious Coffee, Parksville – March 1, 2011

In attendance: MA Guertin, Phil Carson, Julie Carson, Christopher Stephens, Mark Stephens, Karen Hunter, Ceri Peacey (left early),

 

Monday PM and Tuesday AM Summary

1) According to these meetings, there exist significant differences evident among Director’s personal views on role of biosphere reserves.

2) MA Guertin clarified what MABR role should be if:

- BR is allowed to persist by Canada MAB

- BR wants to affect change or work towards the UNESCO mandate

- BR wants to be networkers vs alienators

- BR does not want to risk losing EC funding and future federal support

Summary: MABR must not be an advocacy group.

Education vs Activism needs to be clarified for MABF board members.

 

3) Because MABF has staff, the Board likely needs to shift to Policy Board and provide definitions of what that entails.

 

4) Solutions will come from networking informally to establish trust where MABF is able to contain discussions for the benefit of the MABR

 

5) Solutions are to be found by offering science-based solutions to those who appear to be neglecting/ignoring components that make MABR what it is.  MABF to support projects and seek funding to conduct research, monitoring and education.