news // 4 theotherpress.ca UNIBUG returns with ‘Bugs with Benefits’ » Douglas community program hosts fourth annual open forum Angela Espinoza News Editor Mi news @theotherpress.ca ouglas’ User Network for Inset Biology in the Urban Garden (UNIBUG) will be hosting their fourth forum on April 11. This semester’s forum, titled “Bugs with Benefits,” is dedicated to showing how presumed pests in the garden can actually help the average gardener. Executive director of the Institute of Urban Ecology Rob McGregor provided some background on the history of UNIBUG. “The UNIBUG project grew out of research conducted by the Institute of Urban Ecology at Colony Farm Community Garden a number of years ago,” said McGregor. “There, we were testing whether certain flowering plants could attract predatory and parasitoid insects into food gardens. The predators and parasitoids are the natural enemies of plant-feeding pest : insects and feed on them, : subsequently reducing pest : damage. The plants provide : these beneficial insects with : important food sources like : nectar and pollen. “In the UNIBUG project, : we are working with citizen : scientists in the community : to provide habitat for a variety : of beneficial insects involved : in natural pest control and : pollination. That involves : planting insect-attracting plants : and building and hanging : native bee nesting habitat—for : example, for mason bees—to : increase the local presence of : pollinators.” McGregor explained : that one of the goals of this : year’s UNIBUG event was to : highlight contributions made : by UNIBUG’s many community : volunteers that have allowed the : project to collect its research : thus far. “These citizen scientists : Smukler of the Faculty of Land : & Food Systems at UBC” McGregor described : Smukler, who is the director : of the sustainable agriculture : landscapes lab at UBC, as : : someone whose work “relates to: : how biological diversity and the : ecosystem services provided by : natural systems contributeto : the sustainability of agricultural : : systems. “He will speak about the : impacts of agriculture on : biodiversity and the strategies : that agricultural producers are : using to reverse negative trends : that have occurred in the past.” For those wishing to get : involved with UNIBUG through : Douglas, McGregor explained : that volunteering allows : those interested to be directly —: : involved with the project and its : : findings, and in “learning about: : beneficial insects and increasing : : their contribution to pest : : management and pollination. : make an enormous contribution : : to UNIBUG and now number : over 400 people. We will provide : : an update of this year’s UNIBUG : : data and thank and celebrate : our volunteers. We are also : presenting a lecture by Sean “For anyone interested : in urban agriculture and the sustainability of food : production, this event will bea : great introduction.” McGregor : added that along with getting : an insight on UNIBUG, other : benefits to attending the : forum include, “educational : presentations, volunteer : appreciation, an insect scavenger : : hunt, anda reception.” Image via Douglas Collage The forum is free and open : toall and will run from 10 a.m. to : 1p.m. in room 2201 on the New Westminster campus. Safe injection site’s operational future 1n jeopardy » Vancouver's Insite receives one-year renewal Cazzy Lewchuk Staff Writer (: March 25, Parliament passed the “Respect For Communities Act,” or Bill C-2. This amendment creates further regulations in allowing supervised drug consumption sites across the country. Insite, located in the Downtown Eastside, is the first and the only legal supervised injection site in North America. The facility is operated by Vancouver Coastal Health and the Portland Hotel Society. The centre provides a healthy and supervised environment for intravenous drug users. Insite also provides access to medical staff, needles, and resources aimed at education, harm health care. Doctor Patricia Daly, chief medical officer for Vancouver Coastal Health, expressed concern over the : new regulations in a media : statement: “Vancouver Coastal : Health] is troubled by the : numerous conditions set out : in the new legislation, which : will make it much more : difficult for Insite to apply for : an exemption in the future, : and near impossible for a : new supervised injection site : to receive exemption under : the Controlled Drugs and : Substances Act.” Insite recently received : a Health Canada exemption : allowing it a one-year renewal. : : The site will continue to operate : : until March 31, 2016, at which : point the application will have : to be renewed. Analysis of the : new laws show that Insite’s : ability to continue operating : under the current government : addition, future safe-injection reduction, and detox or primary : sites will also be hindered in : their ability to open. Proposed : current or future supervised : injection sites will be up to the : discretion of Canada’s Minister : of Health. : Studies and analyses : of Insite’s activities provide : support in regard to its effect : on harm reduction and public : safety. On average, its services 7° - : prevent three deaths, 35 HIV : in the future will be difficult. In: : infections, and hundreds of : overdoses amongst drug users : every year. This is done through : : education about safe limits, : provision of sterilized drug : equipment such as needles, and : : medical staff on site to treat : overdoses. : use. Controversy over Insite : has been rampant since its : opening in 2003, particularly : by Canada’s Conservative government. As Insite is a non- : profit healthcare organization, : it receives funding from both : the BC Ministry of Health and Health Canada. Prime : Minister Stephen Harper was : quoted in the past stating, “We as a government will not use : taxpayer’s money to fund drug ” Photo via en.academic.ru Despite its controversial : status, public support of Insite : has been positive. Polls show : that 76 per cent of Vancouver : residents support the facility, : and 63 per cent of Canadians : believe the federal government : should renew Insite’s licence. Insite has had 1.8-million injections supervised by nurses : since its opening in 2003. In : that time, there has not been an overdose-related death on the : premises.