"Water is everything"

John is a newcomer to SMBSA, but has lived in the area for twelve years, with spectacular views of the whole bay at home. He has had a long career in research and teaching in environmental - especially aquatic - sciences. Among his interesting jobs were: four months sailing around the North Atlantic on a Tall Ship training programme and leading a Canadian Arctic conservation study for WWF Canada. Retired now - no less than six times, from various university, international and national organizations - he never seemed to get it right. He has been fortunate that people keep asking him to do things!

John was born and completed his education in Britain before coming to Canada. Always interested in how things function and interact in the environment, he is now keen to apply his knowledge and skills at a more regional level. A reluctant terrestrial being, he sails his own boat during the summer, and races as a crew, every Tuesday evening.

Born into a proud Nova Scotian family, Luke was raised to appreciate the outdoors from a young age. Over the years Luke’s inherited appreciation for Nova Scotia’s unique landscape and forest’s turned into an admiration and now, a pure love. He married his wife Venessa and into a family of nature lovers and outdoorsmen/women. He lives with his wife and two daughters in the Bay and considers himself one of the most fortunate guys alive.

Through photography, biking, fishing and outdoor cooking Luke’s passions and interests have organically led him into into a role of volunteering, people gathering and advocacy.

With his keen interest and desire to learn about growing and protecting his community, Luke has become a member of the St. Margaret’s Bay Rails to Trails Association, is a trail warden, has spent time on and still works with the Nova Scotia Salmon Association and is now a proud member of the St. Margaret’s Bay Stewardship.

Helga Guderley made St. Margaret’s Bay her home since retiring in 2010 from being a professor of comparative physiology at Université Laval for 30 years. She continues to teach graduate students at Dalhousie University. The amazing variety of physiological adaptations of living organisms continues to delight her. She became involved with environmental advocacy shortly after arriving in Boutiliers Pt fighting the clear cutting on Crown lands just off our coast. The wonderful Anne Martell suggested she join the board of the SMBSA as there were plans for a Community Forest underfoot for the Ingram River valley. She has been with the board ever since working for the protection of our forests and natural landscapes.

Helga was born of recently arrived German immigrants in Dayton Ohio, and did her PhD in Zoology at the University of British Columbia where she met her husband, John Himmelman. They have two grown sons and a lovely little grand-daughter. They look after a mix of gardens and forest in Boutiliers Pt. She enjoys hiking, biking, being in natural landscapes and knowing some of the names of the plants she sees.

Kellie has been a board member since 2016 and has worn several hats (co-chair, treasurer and communications chair). She feels a responsibility to give back to nature as it gives us so much. Having lived in Hubley w her husband and 2 children since 2012, she feels deeply rooted to the Bay Area and adores Nova Scotia as home.

A Nova Scotia native, husband, and father of two, Horne has lived in HRM his whole life and in the district for almost 14 years. Horne is very engaged and involved with community issues, Chairing the St Margaret’s Bay Stewardship Assn from 2016 to 2022 , Nick is deeply involved in making his community a better place, receiving both Provincial and Municipal Volunteer Awards in 2018 for his dedication.

"It always seems impossible until it's done."

Nelson Mandela

Lindsay Lee is passionate about preserving biodiversity and enriching communities by expanding Nova Scotia's network of protected areas.

Thanks in part to her family’s multi-generational woodlot, Lindsay grew up with a strong connection to the natural world. From mainland moose to fireflies, singing songbirds to babbling brooks,

Lindsay believes that nature is integral to our physical and mental health.

She is the Secretary of the Eastern Shore Forest Watch Association and serves on Sierra Club Atlantic’s Executive Committee. She also enjoys volunteering for the Ecology Action Centre's Wilderness Issues Committee, the Rights of Nature Network, and Friends of Blue Mountain Birch Cove Lakes.

Lindsay is perhaps best known as one of the leaders of the movement to Save Owls Head Provincial Park; now, she’s excited to bring that same dedication and enthusiasm to ensuring that the 15,000-hectare Ingram River Wilderness Area is protected for generations to come.

A lifelong nature need, Lindsay can still be found hiking, photographing native plants, and peering into wetlands looking for frogs.

Tim joined the Board of SMBSA as Treasurer in August 2022. Brought up in Scotland, he developed a strong interest in the outdoors, travelling around the world, trekking in the Himalayas, Andes and Africa. He became a keen kayaker and has carried out kayaking trips to Alaska, British Columbia and also joined an expedition to Ellesmere Island.

He worked as an accountant in the UK, latterly specialising as a financial adviser to many major charities. He was also Treasurer for a national UK charity which supported people who had suffered homelessness.

Since retirement, he and his partner, Barbara, a Nova Scotian, have spent an increasing amount of time at their property on the Bay. Now a Canadian Permanent Resident, he is keen to support local charities such as the Association.

I became interested in biology during my youth. For example, I was fascinated when I first saw living sea urchins in tidal pools - their extremely precise morphology and unusual symmetry was remarkable. After focusing on terrestrial plant communities at Acadia University, I went on to study sea urchins in Newfoundland. The grazing of the great numbers of urchins found in most subtidal areas (100s per square meter) greatly restricted where many other organisms (most algae and some invertebrates) can live. During 30 years at Université Laval the research in my laboratory had two major themes (1) elucidating the role of the predators and grazers in determining the organization of subtidal communities and (2) studying the mechanisms controlling reproduction and growth in marine echinoderms and molluscs. During my life I have seen substantial degradation of communities in many of my favourite places, often due to overharvesting and the introduction of invasive species. I would like to support efforts to conserve natural terrestrial and marine communities in our area. I am also interested in the way our human communities develop, in particular limiting urban sprawl, removing excessive lighting, making access to our coast easier and encouraging walking, bicycling and public transport as ways of getting around.

Gillian was born and raised in St. Margarets Bay and has spent her life immersed in its natural delights. Whether it be sailing, hiking, fishing, foraging, snowshoeing or rescuing wildlife, the flora and fauna of the Bay are at the centre of her heart. She joined the board to help protect the watershed and biodiversity of the SMB community.

Gill has a keen interest in sustainable homesteading - namely beekeeping, gardening and raising chickens.oes here

Excited to be a new member with the SMBSA; Tim is a long-time resident who feels extremely lucky to raise his family in beautiful St. Margaret’s Bay. Tim is most at home outside, exploring, sharing and showcasing Nova Scotia and St. Margaret’s Bay. You can often catch him stand-up paddle boarding on the Bay in all seasons and weather.

Tim’s looking forward to engaging with the community through continued island stewardship, active transportation and access for all to our beautiful St. Margaret’s Bay. He is also looking forward to sharing ideas, images and new approaches to working together to build on what is an amazing and growing region.

Mike Lancaster has been working with the St. Margaret's Stewardship Association (SMBSA) since 2012, starting off in the position of Micou's Island Stewardship Coordinator and now fulfilling the role of Executive Director. He has been instrumental in the expansion of programming and capacity that the Association has seen over this period of time. Mike has led the SMBSA to become a provincial leader in community-based stewardship planning and programming. As a result, many federal and provincial organizations and governments seek our advice and experience. A trained forester, Mike also has extensive experience in assessing and documenting old forests, Species at Risk, and ecologically-significant places across Nova Scotia.