About Us

Jean Arnold, Director of Falls Brook Centre

Falls Brook Centre is a sustainable community demonstration and training centre in rural New Brunswick.  Through local, national and international community development and resource stewardship work, we encourage and support initiatives that are working towards a society that respects ecosystems, honours diverse cultures and provides an economy in balance with communities and nature.

At Falls Brook Centre we strive to put our values into practice.  Through the development and promotion of meaningful demonstrations, we hope to show it is possible to live more lightly in our environment while contributing positively to the local economy.  We work on a range of successful regional and international programs that support local communities and organizations to adapt to a sustainable future.

Origins

Falls Brook Centre (FBC) had its origins around the time of the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.  Leading up to the Earth Summit, Jean Arnold, the FBC Executive Director, participated on an NGO Steering Committee in working relationship with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

A full two years of presenting papers, making speeches, organizing conferences, and participating in all levels of policy dialogue culminated in deciding that it is critical that we dedicate at least 50% of our work to proving ‘on the ground’ that what we advocate for is possible in practice.  It is important that, as a Canadian non-governmental organization, we work locally on environmental issues that are rooted in the Canadian reality but that also impact other communities around the world.  With this philosophy and vision shared by a group of New Brunswick environmentalists, Falls Brook Centre was formed in 1992.

Our Work

Falls Brook Centre is a sustainable community demonstration and training centre in rural New Brunswick.  Located in South Knowlesville on 400 acres of Acadian forest and farmland, it represents a balance between the two major economic drivers in the region – forestry and farming.  Falls Brook Centre strives to promote exemplary sustainable practices in these two areas through our organic gardens, orchards, forest trails and promotion of ecological certification.  Other on-site activities include solar and wind energy systems, a small conference centre, herbariums, tree nurseries, non-timber forest product plantings for mushrooms and ginseng, and other restoration sites that provide the basis for many outreach programs.  The 400 acres on-site is certified organic by OCIA, New Brunswick.

Falls Brook Centre has been instrumental in facilitating forest certification via the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) at a regional and international level.  We also implement international programs on climate change, solar electrification, organic agriculture and Analog Forestry.  Falls Brook Centre is active at the policy level with environmental NGOs and other partners on the national and international stage.  We are the New Brunswick representative for the Canadian Organic Growers (COG) and the Atlantic Council for International Co-operation (ACIC), the Canadian focal point for the International Analog Forestry Network (IAFN) and we house the North American office of the Environment Liaison Centre International (ELCI).

 Goals

Falls Brook Centre works to implement our Mission by:

  • Creating and replicating demonstrations and models of sustainable development – The foundation for all our activities is in the work we accomplish on the ground.
  • Researching and promoting sustainable production systems – We are learning more about the environment in which we live and are improving the tools and models that will assist communities to be stewards of the land.
  • Building community development and resilience – We are creating spaces for ourselves and for local communities to apply alternative social and economic models of a more sustainable society.
  • Bringing about progressive consumer change – Through increasing awareness and marketing, we are providing the public with opportunities to make choices that support the environment and local communities.
  • Promoting collaboration with our partners toward sustainable societies – Only with the support of our partners at home and around the world will we be able to bring about the positive change we advocate.
  • Increasing our own organisational capacity – Falls Brook Centre is continually growing and evolving to meet the needs of our expanding program base.

Policy

Gender policy and other policies regarding equity for minorities and marginalized peoples — Read More..