Discovering new ways to explore New Brunswick
ExploreEcoNB screenshot (Photo by NCC)
As technology evolves, people today are expecting a lot more out of their mobile phones. The use of mobile applications is increasing across phone users and everybody is trying to find a way to take advantage of it. Mobile applications help you everyday; from keeping in touch with family and friends, organizing your everyday life and even finding new amazing places for your next vacation!
The new mobile application, ExploreEcoNB, is doing just that. This app encompasses all that is nature in New Brunswick; trails, nature reserves, Important Bird Areas, parks, protected natural areas and even public access points for paddlers on the St. John River. More specifically, it is a multi-partner mapping application that encourages physical activity, exploration and appreciation of natural places in New Brunswick. It is available on iOS, Android and Windows devices.
This initiative was first launched by the Nature Trust of New Brunswick, who initially created an app for their nature reserves. Last year, they thought it would be better to include different groups and organizations so that the app would be better marketed and that more people would learn about it.
The partnership now includes the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), New Brunswick Provincial Parks, Sentier NB Trails, Parks Canada, Meduxnekeag River Association, Department of Natural Resources, the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, Nature New Brunswick and Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.
As a communications and community relations officer at the Nature Conservancy of Canada, it was my responsibility to put together descriptions of each site so that people can learn about our nature reserves beforehand.
ExploreEcoNB screenshot (Photo by NCC)
This was a great way for me to also learn about each of the 31 NCC nature reserves in New Brunswick and discover what makes them special.
This app enables you to search for its content in a lot of different ways. You can search by area, by organization and even by activities available!
Each one of our nature reserves that are included in the app contains three information sections (some of our nature reserves are not easily accessible so we did not include them). The first one, the “about” section, explains the history of the reserve and gives a brief description. The “natural features” section talks about the ecology of the reserve and the significant species that can be found. The “activity” is the last section and indicates what activities are permitted or available on the reserve.
Each group associated with this project has something different to offer that will be of interest to many people who are looking for activities and experiences. This has been a very positive initiative and I encourage everybody to use this app and discover the beauty of New Brunswick. Visit www.exploreeconb.com to learn more and download the app.
About the Author
Joanie Bertin worked on the Eco NB App for the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
