Fleming College
EN-10: Community Partnerships

The RCE initiative recognizes regions from around the world that demonstrate leadership in addressing complex sustainability challenges and works to network these communities internationally to support even greater innovation and collaboration. The region was selected through a juried review process by the Ubuntu Committee of Peers and was among only a few to receive the prestigious designation. This is a true testament to the leadership and commitment to sustainability demonstrated across this region. In addition to Toronto and Sudbury, Peterborough-Kawarthas-Haliburton is only the third RCE to be designated in the province, and the eighth in Canada. There are 150 RCEs globally. A diverse partnership that included academic institutions such as Fleming College, Trent University, Indigenous communities, municipal governments, and government agencies, private sector partnerships, and NGOs came together to support the development of our region’s RCE application. “This designation is a testament to a commitment, across our region, to sustainability education at all levels. It reflects our strong capacity to work together as academic institutions, businesses, NGOs, governments, and citizens to achieve a more sustainable future for generations to come. Fleming College is proud to be a partner in this initiative,” said Fleming College President Tony Tilly. The success of this application also speaks to the long regional history of transformative and collaborative education to achieve local and global sustainability goals. The application identified five long-term objectives that will guide the work of the local RCE network moving forward. These include: • To recognize the vital importance of Indigenous Knowledge systems as they engage across all curricula To implement age-appropriate sustainability and stewardship education frameworks from pre-school to secondary school, in both formal and informal settings To build strong bridges between the school curriculum and the spectrum of programs offered at Trent University and Fleming College To link post-secondary programs and community-based training programs to green jobs, research, and innovation in the region, and To develop reciprocal exchanges of sustainability knowledge and practice between residents within the region and with communities across the globe While the work of this newly established RCE network lies ahead, this designation will serve as a meaningful platform and catalyst for deeper partnerships and sustained collaborative action.

- Fleming's Frost Campus and the City of Kawartha Lake a have a Multi-Year Sustainability Agreement (MOU) to undertake joint projects in the City of Kawartha Lakes to support sustainability. This involves Fleming staff and students and many projects have been undertaken. The City of Kawartha Lakes also has an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan and a Healthy Environment Plan (released in early 2019) the Frost Campus is a significant participant/member of these initiatives.

Fleming College is a member of the Sustainable Peterborough Steering Committee which is led by the City, County and First Nations governments in the region and covers every aspect of sustainability (water, energy, economic development, land restoration, agriculture) in the area. The Steering Committee makes key decisions about priorities in each of these areas and oversees the reporting on actions to meet targets and goals through an Annual Report Card. Fleming College also participates in the development of a first of its kind multi-governance Climate Change Action Plan for the region under the Sustainable Peterborough umbrella.

In addition, Fleming College has been a key member of the steering committee for the annual Peterborough-Kawarthas-Northumberland Regional Envirothon Competition. The Envirothon competition held in partnership with community conservation organizations such as Otonabee Region Conservation Authority, Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters, and Forests Ontario has assisted over 85 high school students, over the past three years, in an experiential learning opportunity at Fleming College's Sutherland Campus. Additionally, Fleming has international partnerships. For several years, students and faculty from the Ecosystem Management Technician (EMT) Program (and formerly the Applied and Community-Based Research ACBR Program) at Fleming College have been working with the Association Salvemos las Tortugas de Parismina (ASTOP) in Parismina, Costa Rica. Work with the community began in 2013 with an initial visit to explore the possibilities and learn about the challenges ASTOP and Parismina are trying to address. Marine turtle conservation and economic development were the two primary issues that the community prioritized. The EMT program has visited four times and spent a total of 8 weeks assisting with Marine Turtle research, community projects, and providing income through the use of the local home-stay system in Parismina. Two students from the ACBR program each spent three months in Parismina conducting community-based research that provided insight into the home-stay and community priorities for ASTOP and the village as a whole. Our visits have resulted in additional human resources and knowledge that resulted in the completion of specific community projects and beach patrols. Our visits have resulted in economic benefits for ASTOP and the residents employed by ASTOP. Our visits have resulted in economic benefit for the home-stay mothers who provide students with lodging and meals during our visits to Parismina. We have had a positive impact on the community from an economic, human resources, and capacity perspective. We have positively reinforced the concept of conservation as a source of economic and social development in the community. We are working to reinforce and support the transition from a culture of consumption to a culture of conservation in Parismina.

MOU with City of Kawartha Lakes: https://flemingcollege.ca/news/fleming-partners-with-city-of-kawartha-lakes-on-sustainability/ Sustainable Peterborough Involvement: https://sustainablepeterborough.ca/community-partners/list-of-sp-partners/fleming-college/