ACAP Saint John’s “All Hands on Deck” Project aimed to continue our essential role as environmental stewardship leaders throughout the Greater Saint John area by building on the success of past projects while incorporating new emerging environmental issues and interests.

The goal of this project was to increase environmental awareness and actions by engaging with our network of volunteers, recruiting new volunteers, and promoting and providing environmental education events/initiatives with the general public, students and youth, and other organizations across the city.

With support from the New Brunswick Environmental Trust Fund (ETF), ACAP Saint John staff was able to continue to coordinate initiatives to fulfill two ETF priority areas: environmental awareness/education, and protecting our environment. Focusing on new emerging issues such as cyanobacteria, as well as general issues (i.e., climate change and its impacts, water quality, harbour monitoring, healthy riparian areas, etc.), ACAP Saint John has increased environmental awareness for residents of all ages and demographics including decision makers, city staff, developers, community members, and students.

Despite the global pandemic and COVID-19 restrictions, “All Hands on Deck” was able to fulfill all project deliverables including presentations to schools (both in-school and virtually) and community groups; hands-on field tours with school classes; organizing community cleanups and tree planting events; and creating online outreach materials that were posted to our webpage and multiple social media platforms.