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CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Mer Bleue Bog 'filled with bombs,' according to new drone scans
Mer Bleue Bog 'filled with bombs' according to new drone scans 7 hours ago Duration 2:17 Social Sharing A recent project by Carleton University graduate students used drones to search for magnetic signals linked to unexploded bombs in the Mer Bleue Bog, which was used as a practice bombing range in the Second World War. Graduate students Pablo Arzate and Sareh Mirbagheri used magnetometers mounted on drones to survey part of the bog — a 3,500-hectare conservation area in Ottawa's east end that's owned and operated by the National Capital Commission (NCC). The site consists primarily of peat bog and was actively used as a bombing range between 1942 and 1945. While the Department of National Defence (DND) knows where the bombs were dropped, it doesn't know how many there are. But after surveying a small area with drones, the students' team was able to count more than 17 unexploded ordnances (UXOs) in one specific zone. Why the bomb disposal never happened "It was really interesting for all of us to see that result [in] the just the small part that we were exploring," Mirbagheri said. "Our technology doesn't say specifically, 'Hey this is a bomb, this is an airplane,'" added Arzate. "But it tells us, 'Hey there's something down here.' And the story of this place and the story of the geology tell us the whole interpretation — which is this place is filled with bombs, exploded or unexploded." A DND spokesperson told CBC News that while it was not involved in the project, it welcomes innovation in the unexploded bomb removal field. In 1960, a bomb disposal team was tasked with clearing the range. But due to the nature of the terrain, that never happened, and the bog was never declared free of explosives. Ownership of the land was transferred to the NCC in 1965. DND said the types of munitions dropped included aerial bombs weighing up to about 450 kilograms. 'A pretty honourable cause' For the project, Arzate said the team flew drones over the survey area five hours a day over the course of four days. Because of the bog's traits, any non-organic objects in the terrain would stand out to the detectors they used, he said. "The bog itself is very different from everything else. It's made of pure organic matter," he said. "That makes it easy for us when we're trying to detect abnormalities that are not composed of organic material." Using drones was particularly valuable, Arzate said, because they could survey the terrain without disturbing the site, demonstrating that the work can be done without needing heavy equipment. "I think we're really proud of where we're at and what we've achieved, especially because ... there's no big company giving us money," he said. Technology has potential for wider use Arzate said he intended to use the project's aerial surveying technology for mining and resource extraction, but wanted to demonstrate that it could be applied widely, including for defence and land remediation purposes. "We're having to use this technology to clear the the minefield and the bombs that have been there or are being placed as we speak, and we thought that this is a pretty honourable cause to join," he said. According to DND spokesperson Andrée-Anne Poulin, the UXO risk is low since there is little to no human contact with the parts of the bog where the explosives are located. Because of that, there are no plans to remove unexploded bombs unless the land is redeveloped.
CTV News
6 hours ago
- CTV News
‘Make a positive change': U of S shelter project now provides nutritious snacks for those in need
Chloe Canning is a PhD student at U of S in the College of Environment and Sustainability. She is part of the class taught by professor Colin Laroque, whose fourth-year assignment allows students to come up with imaginative projects based on their areas of interest. (Carla Shynkaruk/CTV News) There's an unassuming piece of land on the northwest corner of the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) along the river that serves many valuable purposes. It's a site to help students learn and also doubles as a space for providing nutritious snacks to those who need them. Chloe Canning is a PhD student at U of S in the College of Environment and Sustainability. She is part of the class taught by professor Colin Laroque, whose fourth-year assignment allows students to come up with imaginative projects based on their areas of interest. 'Having that opportunity to be creative, students take that on, and they take it head-on and they do crazy things that you would never think, you know, you could do,' Canning told CTV News. U of S shelter project now provides nutritious snacks for those in need It was back in 2019 when a group of students in Laroque's class came up with the edible shelter belt project, an assignment aimed at making a difference. (Carla Shynkaruk/CTV News) It was back in 2019 when a group of students in Laroque's class came up with the edible shelter belt project, an assignment aimed at making a difference. 'They picked specific plants like the haskap that will be ready to go later in May, with the first berries out, then the gooseberries, and then the Saskatoon's or the cranberries. They picked the plants that they needed to kind of go week by week, so there would be something new to eat,' Colin Laroque said. There are also apples and cherries. The garden along the river has been a labour of love for students in the class who faced issues keeping it going. They had to deal with harsh elements affecting the plants since the plot is exposed, and COVID shutting down school resulted in no students to look after the plants. Now, six years later, it's thriving. It has also evolved into a source of nutrition for those who are vulnerable and don't have food. 'But the people who kind of actually do most of the picking and eating tend to be from the homeless community. They'll sit on the park bench. It's a place for them to sit, enjoy the views, and get a handful of berries that are nutritious for them when sometimes they're just hungry,' Laroque said. Canning now helps teach the Sustainability in Action class, which helps provide volunteers to keep the garden running. She says she sees a real desire by students to make a difference and help the community with their projects. They are so invested that a lot of the work is done outside of school. 'It's not just for a grade; it's for actually being able to do something and leave your mark and say, 'I tried to make a positive change in my community.'' U of S shelter project now provides nutritious snacks for those in need Another way the project has grown since it started was involving young children in creating a seating space for visitors to enjoy the area. 'They did a little Easter camp over Easter break with some kids. It was in partnership with the Wonder Hub, and then at the end, they created a colourful picnic table,' Canning said. Students in another class she instructs also started a project installing protective houses for bats at the shelter belt. 'That student group wanted to provide habitat for pollinators, so they put up a bat box.' Some of the plants have died over the years, and they try to replace them. According to Laroque, it's thanks to great volunteers and their partnership with The City of Saskatoon and the Meewasin Valley Authority that the project has managed to stay out of the weeds. 'Our glass is half full. We're going to keep going. Our bushes will keep growing.'
CBC
6 hours ago
- CBC
Tłı̨chǫ reforestation project reaches 1.5 million planted in first year
A total of 13 million trees are being planted on Tłı̨chǫ lands in the next five years as part of an ambitious project to fight climate change, restore ecosystems, bring back boreal caribou habitat and create jobs.
