MTRI is a non-profit co-operative with a mandate to promote sustainable use of natural resources and biodiversity conservation in the Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve and beyond through research, education, and the operation of a field station.
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Field Station
MTRI operates a field station in Kempt, Queens County which provides office space and basic accommodations for researchers carrying out studies in the area. The field station includes bunkbeds and a full kitchen, two indoor bathrooms and a shower, wireless internet, garden, a specimen freezer, and parking. It is also equipped with five green technologies which, in combination with energy conservation measures, have helped us reduce our power consumption by more than 50%!
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MTRI before (left) and after (right) the renovation.
Left to Right: Field Station Kitchen, Office Space and downstairs sleeping area (partitions removed).
We are now renting our beautiful Community Room for meetings. It costs $50/day and boasts solar power, geothermal heating and cooling, and an adjoinnig kitchen supplied with new energy-efficient appliances! Please contact the main office at 902-682-2371 for details.
MTRI Community Room
Bunk Building
MTRI also has space in its Bunkhouse building (shared accomodations) behind the field station and currently has a recently added a small private "Bunkie" for rent as well.
Left: Bunkhouse kitchen and living space. Right: Bunkhouse exterior.
Left to Right: Bunkie exterior, bunkhouse bunkbeds, bunkhouse kitchen in summer.
Species at Risk Hooked Rug Series on display now in MTRI's new Community Room
For more information click on the pictures
New to the Field Station: Edible Trees and Shrubs
On May 14 and 24, the North Queens Regional High School’s O2 students and a group of exchange students fromToronto joined the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute (MTRI) and planted various fruit-bearing shrubs at the school andat MTRI. This community-based project titled “Edible Trees” was funded by Trees Canada in partnership with Loblaws and Taste of Nature and helps to provide Canadian residents with access to fresh fruit and nut trees while making a positive difference to the environment. The project was led by Scott Verreault, a student from the Nova Scotia Community College’s Natural Resource Environmental Technology program who was volunteering at MTRI.
MTRI, the NQRHS, and the community will not only benefit from the product of fruit and nuts, but will benefit from a continued educational site, cleaner air, shade, wildlife habitat and beauty. This project is a great educational opportunity for community members and school children alike to learn more about edible trees.
Hear about MTRI's Grand Opening on CBC's Information Morning
...and read about it in the Queen's County Advance
Green Technologies at MTRI
At MTRI, we are seeking ways to reduce our carbon footprint and net energy consumption so that we can limit our impact on our climate and demonstrate ways to incorporate green technologies at a residential scale. Between 2010 and 2012 we installed a geothermal ground source heat pump, CanSolair space heater, sixteen solar panels, solar hot water system, and a 1.5 kW wind turbine. MTRI achieved LEED Gold rating after the retrofits and green technologies were installed.
In 2017, we participated in Energize Bridgewater's Living Energy Lab and we won a monetary contribution towards a an energy monitor. With assistance from Davis Gosse, a student at NSCC, we selected the Brultech GreenEye Monitor to help us monitor energy production from our green technologies, their performance, and our energy consumption patterns. We anticipate the monitor will be online soon! Our energy management plan is also in its final stages and will be posted here shortly.
Green technology presentation for MTRI Seminar Series:
Green Technology 2017- 2 minute
Mersey Tobeatic Green Technology Video- ThermalWise
After our first round of retrofits in 2010, Thermalwise teamed up with MTRI to create a short video above that details all the new features of the green technology demonstration site, as well as the construction of the new building addition. They have also included the MTRI project overview on the Atlantic Green Building website:
Feel free to contact us or drop by with any questions you might have about our green technology projects and we'll be happy to help out.
Mersey Tobeatic from ThermalWise on Vimeo.