Coastal Restoration: A Case for Integrating Innovation, Collaboration, and Equity

Join the Nova Scotia Environmental Network for a free, educational event about environmental restoration efforts in Nova Scotia! Explore the success, resilience, and Indigenous ways of knowing behind Coastal Restoration Society's initiatives in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona.

Founded in 2017, Coastal Restoration Society (CRS) specializes in industrial-scale environmental restoration initiatives, mobilizing projects from headwaters to coastlines with an emphasis on developing long-term, strategic partnerships. 2023 marked CRS’ first season of restoration work in Nova Scotia, thanks to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Ghost Gear Funding, allocated to address the damage and fishing gear loss resulting from Hurricane Fiona in September of 2022.

Ghost Gear Project Lead, Rheanna Drennan, Health and Safety Coordinator, Pete Clarkson, and Indigenous Engagement Lead, Earl Hope, will discuss the origins of CRS, the importance of centering Indigenous knowledge in restoration, and CRS’ successes and aspirations surrounding restoration projects here in Nova Scotia. 

Guest Speakers

Rheanna Drennan
Ghost Gear Department Lead

Rheanna oversees data management, planning, coordination, funding, and ALDFG database development. She has twelve years’ experience with data management, benthic habitat modeling, and hydrographic productions in non-profit, DFO, and academia. MRM specializing in Coastal & Marine Management. BIT & Advanced Diploma GIS. CRS DFO GGF project lead overseeing overall project coordination, implementation, and reporting - 2021, 2022 & 2023.

Pete Clarkson
Health and Safety Director

Pete specializes in industrial-scale project occupational health and safety (OH&S) program development and implementation.  He has thirty years of Federal Government project management experience with a focus on anthropogenic marine debris and ghost gear retrieval from sensitive marine habitats.  He also has extensive experience supporting multiple NGO partners and First Nations through project-specific OH&S implementation on ghost gear, shoreline remediation, derelict vessel, and aquatic invasive species projects. He is also a self-taught artist, making art from marine debris, and has work on display in the Museum of Nature, Vancouver Aquarium, and numerous public art venues in Tofino.

Earl Hope
Indigenous Engagement Lead

Earl is from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. He has been living there most of his life. He moved to NS back in 1979 from Happy Valley - Goosebay in NFLD & Labrador. He has both Inuit and Innu heritage and his current job title is the Indigenous Engagement lead for Coastal Restoration Society. He is married with two children and enjoys spending time with his family. Before he worked for CRS, he worked for the Department of Fisheries & Oceans for 21 years, 16 years as a Fishery Officer, and the remaining time as a Program Officer directed towards Indigenous Engagement.