Once a biologist, always a biologist

Cliff Drysdale, considered the instrumental force in establishing Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute Cooperative Ltd. in Kempt about four years ago stepped down recently as chair and chief executive officer enamoured with the cooperative research effort that has resulted.

“Today, rural areas are losing businesses so to be able to create a business that appears to be viable and employ young people in the area as well as some older folk was rewarding,” says Drysdale.

Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute arose out of Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Sites’ rising prominence as an important, if not essential place for environmental and ecological research, which primarily started in the late 1970s when the area became a major component of the acid rain study program.

Drysdale, who worked at Kejimkujik for about 30 years, retired as the Eco-Systems Science Manager in 2004 but never really left.

He says the region is important because it is located away from the ocean, has a variety of lake and water chemistries, good weather records, and is largely untouched.

“The results coming out of the Keji study were very influential in the acid rain legislation.”

With these studies, data was compiled on numerous aspects of the eco-system, ranging from soil chemistry, flora and fauna to precipitation and numerous examples between. Subsequently, a mercury study started as well, meaning more data was compiled. This continued over the years to result in a large body of data that is highly beneficial to researchers.

“One of the benefits of all of this as a science manager at Keji is we had access to data that we could layer with data on wildlife information and habitat. It had the effect of attracting researchers. They didn’t need to collect data; they could add to it.”

They soon realized they needed a centre for these researchers, including accommodations and office space.

He and others soon realized North Queens was ready for a true “cooperative research monitoring system.” With Bowater, volunteer help and a Parks Canada grant MTRI was born.

The centre was incorporated as a charity with the mandate to educate and carry out study contracts for clients. Species at risk studies are an example.

Drysdale says one example of how the cooperative approach to research grew involves the forest. “The forest industry are often considered the bad guys by environmentalists. In fact, they have a common interest but didn’t have the chance to sit around the table and talk about it.” That interest is sustainability, he says, which both industry and environmentalists want.

“It’s not an us and them situation. It’s a situation for all of them, figuring out how to help each other. That’s what’s so powerful about the organization as well.”

Drysdale says they are often exchanging ideas and working with each other. They might not have had that opportunity if it had not been for that facility.”

In addition, he says, the community became highly involved through volunteerism and private land agreement.

“Southwestern Nova Scotia is a pretty special place so it does deserve recognition as a model community. It’s really a very functional region. We take it for granted but you need to look at it from a global perspective.”

As a result, the area has become famous in research circles for studying ecology, socio-economic policy, and other facets of creating a balance between all aspects of the eco-system, including humankind.

Drysdale is now working with the Smithsonian to establish a research station in Gabon, Africa, which straddles the equator on the West coast.

Although not a certainty, he is excited by the opportunity because the area is largely untouched. “It’s going to be an exciting cause. As a biologist, I’ve always wanted to go to Africa. Gorillas, hippos and elephants are still fairly abundant and are not too frightened of humans. It’s also one of the few places in the world where hippos and elephants come down to the sea to bathe. That’s a phenomena I want to see.”

He also plans to stay connected to MTRI because the North Queens people “have given me so much. I feel fortunate and blessed.”

Drysdale does plan to do slow down a bit and do some sailing, for example, he says, but, “When you’re a biologist, you just don’t stop. I love the field.”