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Oak Valley Pioneer Park
A History
Murray Inch
Nine thousand years ago, the lands of eastern Ontario emerged from the glacial waters of the Champlain Sea. The sea drained away to the Atlantic and the water flow switched from the Ottawa River Valley to the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Valley. Eastern Ontario began its modern history.
Plants, birds and animals invaded the old sea floor. Tundra type plants spread from the beaches and small islands that dotted the sea. The aboriginal people moved onto the large clay flats and gravel ridges. The South Nation River drained the valleys.
As the climate warmed, coniferous trees, the softwoods, appeared bringing with them freshwater life. Over the next millennia deciduous trees, the hardwoods, arrived.
By two thousand years ago the climate and environment were similar to today. The river was already aged, with numerous oxbows and wetlands where layers of peat had been laid down. The land, air and water supported a wide range of plants, animals, fish and birds.
The aboriginal population was also growing. They were hunters and gatherers who developed tools and utensils using stone, wood, and bone. Clays were used to make pottery.They also imported shell, copper and skills.
Arrival of Agriculture
One thousand years ago the native peoples, south west of Chesterville, began to grow corn, beans, squash, sunflower, artichokes and tobacco. Their crops supported settled communities and trade with neighbours.
The St. Lawrence Iroquois lived in communities of up to 3000 people. It was a matriarchal society led by clan mothers and about 12 families lived in each longhouse. The houses were protected by a log palisade. One such site was east of Oak Valley near the corner of Pemberton Road and Sandy Row.
They located their villages by water, next to wetlands and large fields. The former provided fish, shell fish, plants and some security. The forests and meadows provided deer and other animals plus plants, wood, nuts and fruits. The fields were cleared and planted in crops. The residents lived a relatively comfortable life with a diverse diet.
About 1550, the St Lawrence Iroquois died out, probably from European diseases. Farming ended at Oak Valley for 200 years.
Early Settlement
After 1783, the United Empire Loyalists, Americans of English, Scots, Irish, German (Hessian) and Palatine origins, settled on the St Lawrence Front. Succeeding generations spread inland. Initial land grants made to UEL families were often sold to American and British settlers after 1800.
Mountain Township was surveyed about 1793 and named for Bishop Jacob Mountain. Several nearby lots were reserved for the established church and Kings College. Early settlers included the Hyndman, Bigford, Armstrong and Baldwin families.
Benjamin Bigford acquired an interest in lot 18 in concession 1 of Mountain Township near the Forks in 1814 while he was serving with the county militia as part of the war of 1812. Pressures were already building to clear and settle land in the middle and back of Matilda Township and adjacent Mountain Township.
The need for additional farm land came initially from the descendants of the Loyalists who had settled along the St Lawrence front following 1783. Secondly, there were American settlers like Bigford. Later there were Irish, English and Scottish settlers who arrived after the close of the Napoleonic wars. The new comers arrived along trails from the front, by the river and later the settlement road along the river from Spencerville and finally by trails from Kemptville.
Bigford, like many of his neighbours, probably arrived from Leeds and Grenville by water. He cleared some of the land and drained the swales and bogs, planted wheat, raised beef, lamb and pigs. Like his neighbours he was concerned by high water tables and slow drainage. A wet summer or single heavy downpour could destroy crops and drown livestock.
By 1851 Bigford had cleared half of his acreage and was operating a mixed farm which supported a family of some twelve children, though many were now adults and farming nearby.
Beginning in the 1860's demand for milk began to increase. Industrial production of cheese and butter was beginning and farmers close to rail lines could ship fresh milk to urban centres. These new markets transformed agriculture, resulting in the rapid clearing of farm woodlots to plant corn to feed expanding dairy herds.
The removal of the bush speeded spring thaws and reduced the land's capacity to retain water. Consequently, large quantities of water periodically overwhelmed the narrow channel and filled the river flood plain farms.
The settlers early campaigned for river channelization and for removal of downstream dams. In 1827, the first of many mill dams was built at Armstrong's Mills (Chesterville). In time, these were increased in size and created a head pond that would stretch back 15 miles. Carter on page 74 records that the McOuat, Bigford, Brown, McIntosh and associated families undertook a campaign to remove the dam, channel the river to improve drainage and lower the water table. They hoped that this would save their crops and livestock from the consequences of the high water table, the frequent flooding following summer deluges, and the problems of sowing and harvesting on the cool water saturated soils.
About 1900, farm (municipal) drains were constructed across the fields to improve drainage. This further concentrated the flow into the river after summer storms and the spring thaw. This effect was increased even more with the installation of tile drainage in the fields.
The Chesterville dam was essential to the village's economy: grist and saw mills, carding and fulling, and tanning plants. The mills in time, switched to steam power. Water continued to be required by the steam driven railway, by the Refrigerator or cold storage plant which collected and exported eggs, fowl and other produce, and subsequently by the Condensory and milk processing company. Consequently the dam became larger rather than being removed.
Initial Planting
In 1980, the river was channelled from Chesterville to the Forks. The work cut off the oxbows and promoted the increased flow of water. To bypass an oxbow west of the Forks, a channel was cut across the southern portion of lot 18. The channelization required removing the Bigford farm house. The barns and machinery buildings had collapsed into piles of rubble and remained to the north of the new channel.
The new channel cut off a small triangle from a larger cultivated parcel, leaving a ten acre rump beside the barnyard north of the river. The northern boundary of this parcel lay along Baldwin Road, the historic forced settlement road which ran from Spencerville to Chesterville.
After the drainage work was complete, local farmers had no interest in this orphan parcel. However, Irene Woolford was looking for a place to plant black walnut seed which she had collected during a visit to a friend. She mentioned this to Larry Grey, then a director with the South Nation River Conservation Authority, and he pointed her to the Authority's administration. They approved her proposal.
The soil on the Bigford parcel was severely compacted by the construction equipment and proved to be a challenge to work up. Irene recalls: "Oak Valley was just a scene of bare earth with a few weeds growing here and there, when I first saw it. Coming from the city, I did not know anything about acreages, so I thought it mighty small for ten acres. I would fill that in no time."
"Ha! I got two rows of seeds planted and left them to do their 'thing'. The next year a number came up but it was not until the third year that almost all germinated. In the meantime the weeds grew too - overtaking the seedlings in height, so the second year was a big weeding chore."
Irene had joined the Society of Ontario Nut Growers and mentioned to members that she needed help transplanting her seedlings. "And the third year, I had the good luck to have members of the Eastern Chapter, the Society of Ontario Nut Growers to help transplant the seedlings into the field."
"South Nation Conservation encouraged the project and planted the former arable portion mostly in white pine. The pines acted as windbreaks to the seedlings which were transplanted between the rows of pines. Now I figured it was the time to relax and let the trees grow. Not so, they needed TLC by keeping the weeds and grasses away from the transplants. The weeds block light and the grasses steal nitrogen from the baby trees. The solution was to put carpeting around the seedlings so the shade killed the weeds- yet let water through to the roots." Black Walnut transplants to the east end continued through 1989-90.
The Park Grows
Dr. Ralph McKendry succeeded Irene as chair/leader of the group and brought with him several new ideas, which included developing a comprehensive working plan, creating lanes and walkways, establishing sound funding, and development of the west (barnyard) portion. Spring and fall field days became the norm, with many volunteers stopping by during the summer to fight the weeds and to continue work.
McKendry's notes show that a seed nursery was established. They discovered that problems were solved by covering seeds placed in mulch with barn siding sheet metal during the winter. This promoted early sprouting and excluded mice and squirrels. Later seed boxes were used for germination, followed by transplanting the sprouts to a nursery before planting the seedlings out. The initial plantings included black walnuts and oaks.
A vision/work plan was prepared during 1991-92. The parcel was surveyed and laid out in blocks by Ernie Kerr who began to build a data base of trees. 1992-95 was an extremely busy period in the development of the Park. Irene reports that - "I preferred to forget that the next (west) half of the field was a mess of bushy growth and I did not feel able to clear it. Ralph McKendry organized a clearing project - digging machines to get the roots out, and cutters to cut the brush down. In due course, it was bald of vegetation. More planting began - but not just the two varieties I had started, but many other species, including ginkgo and many other kinds of oak."
The clean up continued from 1992-94, removing the Manitoba maples, sumac, perennial weeds, barn refuse and old farm machinery which littered the area. Local farmers such as Franklin Salter brought their tractors with loaders to assist with the clean up. Meanwhile the group continued to fight the wild parsnip and other weeds which grew in the east end, particularly in the lanes and where the pines were not grown enough to crowd them out. Mac Saunders used his bush hog to cut the weeds replacing the initial improvised efforts of Ralph McKendry and George Truscott.
The township installed a culvert and gravelled the entrance way. Twenty catalpa seeds were planted, germinated and with 150 walnuts were transplanted. As the west side was cleaned up the land was disced. Two dug wells near the barns were filled in.
By 1993, the nursery was filled with seedlings and protective snow fencing installed. Ted Cormier, accessing Ontario funding acquired 96 commercial named varieties of trees and some bur and chinquapin oak. Most of these were planted among the pines in the east end and some around the new seed nursery.
The many new species and varieties acquired were Carpathian or English walnuts, hazelnuts, heartnuts, shagbarks, chestnuts, Korean and Siberian Nut pines, northern pecan, horse chestnut, hican and American Chestnut. There were similar test plantings at Baxter Conservation Park, Kemptville, Long Sault Parks on the St Lawrence and at Alfred College.
Work also began on installing a 150 year old rail fence acquired from the Stuart farm in Osgoode Township. Neighbour Norm Tinkler provided a post hole auger to drill the post holes. After the fence was installed, a line of pine trees lifted from the laneways in the east end, was planted along the fence to provide a windbreak.
The same year, three rows of black walnuts raised in the nursery were planted along the west fence line. The Catalpa were transplanted by Kathleen Jones and Myrtle McKendry along the barrow pit or dug pond just south of the rail fence near the gate.
1994 was a year of frantic planting. Some nursery oak were transplanted to the west end and some horse chestnuts transplanted near the entrance way or mid section.
Thirty six caliper trees from Calumet Island were acquired. Twelve white pine were planted along the rail fence to replace trees damaged by voles. Twelve red oak and twelve beech were also planted. Additional named varieties were planted in the east end.
The nut pine orchard was established in the west side. Starting nut pine seedlings in the nursery had not been successful. However grafts of scions on white pine roots stock proved more successful.
Bur oak trees were collected from along side Kirkwood Road and planted along the new entrance way (Oak Lane); six promptly died. The surviving oaks were down to only 2 the following year. Hackberry were also planted on the drive way. South Nation Conservation provided 12 red oaks which were planted along the riverbank. Some black walnuts from the nursery replaced failed trees in the east end and a number were sent to Osnabruck High School.
Site improvements continued, with gravelling of the entrance, Oak Lane and the exit drive. The trails through the pines were levelled. Mac Saunders of Inkerman brought his John Deere tractor and finishing mower to cut the grass and weeds. This reduced competition for the seedlings, ensured continued light and air circulation, thereby boosting their survival rate and encouraging rapid growth.
The Pioneer Memorial
In 1995, over 65 glacial boulders were uncovered when the barn foundations were cleared. These were placed along the driveways and the river bank. Ralph McKendry proposed that the park be dedicated to the pioneer settlers of Eastern Ontario. Bronze plaques would be sold to families of pioneer settlers and placed on the boulders to commemorate their ancestors. The funds raised would be retained and invested for the purpose of providing for perpetual maintenance of the park. Today, many of the visitors to the site are families coming to see the plaques commemorating their ancestors.
Irene missed the fall field day in 1995, to attend her wedding to Michael Broad. In her absence, the volunteers named one of the trails in the east end in Irene's honour.
1996 was another busy year of planting out seedlings. Over 300 red oak seedlings were planted out in the west end as well as 150 black walnut and 150 red oak provided by South Nation Conservation. Commercially grown oak were planted along Oak Lane to replace the unsuccessful Bur Oak transplants.
Fifty black walnut and the following year another 200 seedlings were planted on another South Nation Conservation property east along the river at Pemberton Road and Sandy Row. In 2008, the surviving Pemberton Road trees were producing seed. Several black walnut were also planted on the Franklin Salter "school house" property to the east of the Park.
The devastation of a fungal disease on formerly numerous butternut trees, brought Oak Valley volunteers, the Eastern Ontario Model Forest, Ministry of Natural Resources and the Forest Gene Conservation Association together to establish a Butternut Archive at Oak Valley. Scions cut from apparently healthy butternut trees in areas where canker was common, were grafted to black walnut rootstock and planted immediately west of Oak Lane. After 15 years only 6 of the 21 grafts were successful, though the root stock survived in most cases, reverting to black walnut which was seeding by 2008.
In 1997 and 1998, butternut seedlings from seed selected from healthy trees, were started at the Ferguson Forestry Nursery in Kemptville and planted out in the western part of the Archive. These seedlings were very successful with few losses. These are expected to produce seed about 2010.
Trial plantings of nut pine seed were not generally successful. However, grafts of Korean and Siberian nut pines scions to white pine root stock were planted out in 1998. They have been generally successful and produced some seed in 2008. However the trees and root stock grow at different rates so there are many top heavy nut pines rising from slim white pine trunks which are slower growing. These specimens are not likely to survive heavy winds or ice storms in future years.
In 1997, some 40-50 commercially grown bur and white oak caliper trees were planted. Kurt Wasner supplied 10 English Oak from his nursery and these were planted along Oak Lane and near the river bank. The 10 acre site was rapidly filling up and the emphasis began to shift from planting seedlings to protecting and encouraging existing transplants.
In 1998, the last of the major plantings/transplants took place, filling the back of the Butternut Archive, the nut pine planting, and the south west quadrant along the river.
The are now over 25 varieties of tree and nut bearing shrubs planted on the site. The black walnut have done very well, as have the red oak, English oak and bur oak. Hazels have also done very well, around the nursery and the transplants to screen the scrap heap in the west end. ginkgo in the west end have done well. Nut pines have done moderately well. The butternuts have not performed as well as the black walnuts.
Horse Chestnuts have not been successful. Those planted in the mid section have largely died out due to a rust infection which has also wiped out most of the seedlings in the nursery. Buckeye have done much better and in 2008 several produced seed.
The American chestnuts also have not done well. Transplants from the nursery have generally been unsuccessful. Several named varieties were planted in the pines and have not been able to compete with the fast growing pines for light.
Throughout the planting phase there was a constant struggle with Manitoba maples and aggressive weeds such as wild parsnip, thistle and golden rod. Anywhere with good light penetration resulted in an excess of these plants. Vigilance and constant effort was required to clear open areas, around the barn foundations, and the areas around new plantings.
In the east end particularly, the Manitoba maples grew faster than the pines and most of the hardwoods planted among them. Repeated attacks were required to cut and suppress the aggressive plants. A backhoe was used to attack these trees, followed later by chain saws, chippers and herbicide. In more recent years ash have become more invasive in the east end with many cut in 2004 and 2005.
Control of the aggressive weeds was easier in open areas because the grass was cut routinely beginning about 1995. However on the margins of the fields, and in the east end amongst the pines they remained a problem, especially where pines and seedlings intermingled.
The weed problem was solved manually by use of a scythe, freeing up the seedlings until they were tall enough to overreach the weeds which in turn cut off the light to the weeds.
1998 also marked a turning point in the leadership of the volunteers. The early group consisted of Irene Woolford, Ralph and Myrtle McKendry, Ernie Kerr, George Truscott, Len and Genice Collett, Alex and Kathleen Jones, Ted and Isabel Cormier, and Mac Saunders. In 1998, Ralph McKendry and Mac Saunders both died.
A new group began to come to the fore. Peter Carr succeeded Ralph McKendry as group leader. Gord Bartholomew and Buck Cairncross took over mowing of the grass. They were later succeeded by Gord's grandsons Scott and Tory Baldwin. Other volunteers included Kim Baldwin McInnis and her husband Lester who developed and built the Victorian flower gardens in the base of the silos and around the nursery. Rob Saunders involvement was short lived due to his too early death. His wife Jo continues to be active.
Other new faces included John Sankey, chair of ECSONG; Robert McKendry who continues his family's involvement; John Adams who has picked up Ernie Kerr's surveying of land, trees and building of the tree data base. Murray Inch would succeeded the Baldwin's in mowing of lawns and scything weeds. He later succeeded Peter Carr. Roman Popadiouk brought his international forestry training to the Park and with it some additional specimens. Other names are the Metcalfe's, Jo-Anne, Cliff and Hugh, Debbie Decooman and family, Bart Steele, and Nick Zrymiak.
Throughout the development phase, Josée Brizard, a forester, was South Nation Conservation's (SNC) supportive representative/liaison person. She continued to play this role when she moved into management responsibilities with the authority.
A great deal of credit for facilitating progress was due to Josée's active involvement and enthusiastic support in creating this facility. SNC also maintains the records of the families who purchase commemorative plaques at Oak Valley.
In 1999, the park vision statement and working plan were updated. The focus changed from establishing a plantation, to developing a science based arboretum and public recreation park. A business plan was prepared at the request of the SNC Board of Directors, and an application was made to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for funding to speed up development of the Park. The application was not successful.
However the work involved in updating the vision and developing the business plan led to a formal agreement between South Nation Conservation and The Society of Ontario Nut Growers. It recognized that the volunteers were responsible for managing and operating the park. The volunteers also have a right of first refusal should SNC ever dispose of the property.
Under Peter Carr's leadership, in addition to the above, a shelter was constructed; an outhouse was installed; the Victorian Garden's were worked up and planted; the struggle to eradicate Manitoba maples and to suppress weeds was largely successful, and walnut seedlings were provided for the Gypsy Lane Trail between Winchester and Chesterville.
At this same time, John Adams began to build the computerized data base of the trees; the 1993 planting of named varieties was surveyed, as was the Butternut Archive. Trees from the nursery were sold to raise funds; and a cairn was constructed to commemorate the pioneer settlers.
In 2000, Kim and Lester McInnis undertook the creation of the Victorian Gardens, including adding flowers to the west and north sides of the nursery. Brian Henderson supplied 6 ginkgos which were planted in the south west side of the park. Kurt Wasner replaced two dead bur oaks along Oak Lane. George Truscott provided Shagbark hickory seedlings plus bur oak, English oak, Kentucky coffee trees, butternut and chestnuts. Ted Cormier provided seeds of beaked hazels, red oak, American hazel and white swamp oak.
In July 2000, the South Nation Conservation Board of Directors came for their summer meeting and luncheon. In August 2000, South Nation Conservation held a Volunteers and Pioneer families day at the park. A sign marking the Heritage function of the Park was unveiled by Myrtle McKendry and Mary Ann Wilson of SNC. Pat Coyne spoke about the history of the region and a lunch was served.
In the fall of 2000, many pines were cut to increase light to under-planted hardwoods.
In 2001, many seedlings in the nursery were lifted for sale, some by parents of students at Nation Valley school. A major effort was made with SNC assistance to cut and treat Manitoba maples and chip the wood. The shelter, built with financial assistance by the Royal Canadian Legion, was installed. The National Defence Fish and Game Club which undertook a project to promote fish spawning in the remains of the old oxbow, built the viewing platform in the south west corner of the Park. Land Stewardship Program youth helped with maintenance work during the summer, including weeding the gardens and Nursery. Peter Carr stepped down as group coordinator at the end of the year.
In 2002, the year started sadly with Rob Saunders sudden death, which occurred shortly before his much anticipated retirement from teaching. 56 black walnut, 25 swamp white oak and 30 American hazel were delivered to Dolman Ridge and 3 Wisconsin butternut secured in return. Seedlings were also provided to SNC for sale to the public as a fund raiser. The hazels were especially popular with the public. Some hazels were planted as a screen in the south west corner of the park.
A lot of general maintenance was done at the park this year. The trees despite plentiful rain, were showing stress after the near drought conditions in 2001; fungal problems developed with the humidity, plus an excess of tent and other caterpillars. The nut crop was very small. Some assistance was secured from a SNC work crew, who also took out a dead elm, and a Human Resources youth employment crew did several days maintenance work on the site. Two black walnut trees were provided to North Dundas Township for Chesterville Park.
2003 started off with group members called to North Dundas Township Council on April 28. They were presented with certificates from the Ontario Heritage Foundation and the Township Council, recognizing the work of the group in creating the Oak Valley Pioneer Park. As a result Oak Valley received good coverage in the Winchester Press, Chesterville Record and the Eastern Ontario AgriNews. Eastern Chapter, Society of Ontario Nut Growers (ECSONG), recognized Peter and Sheila Carr and John Sankey for their work at Oak Valley and Dolman Ridge Nut Groves.
Seedlings were again lifted for sale through SNC for fund raising. Field days were held in June and September and focussed on general maintenance, and suppression of weeds and weed trees. Meanwhile the trees recovered from the drought conditions of 2001, put on good growth.
To mark the 25th anniversary of ECSONG, a history focussed edition of the Nuttery was published in December 2003. It contained several articles about Oak Valley: An obituary-tribute to Clarence Cross, the historian/genealogist who had served as historian for the Pioneer Memorial Plaques program at Oak Valley; Oak Valley Nut Grove Genesis by Irene and Michael Broad; Creation of the Oak Valley Plantation and Arboretum by Murray Inch; Future Vision for Oak Valley Nut Grove and Pioneer Memorial, by Murray Inch; and ECSONG Onward and Upward by Kim and Lester McInnis.
2004 started off with transplant day April 25 when walnuts, catalpas and hazels were lifted for sale and some hazels for transplant to the south west corner. George Truscott donated honey locust, hazel, oak and walnut trees to the sale. Spring field day in June cut branches on pines to increase light and air circulation, cleaned up nursery and flower gardens, updated the survey of 1993 cultivars in the east end, and updating the tree survey data base. Murray Inch reached an agreement with SNC about taking over grass cutting at the Park.
The number of visitors increased this summer due to publicity we have been receiving and the fact the park is now being shown on some tourist maps.
This was another summer with lots of rain so the trees experienced excellent growth. Fruiting was moderate after several disappointing years. Control of park weeds continued but was accomplished in half the time of previous years indicating the trees now had the upper hand.
Shagbark plantings from 2002 and 2003 in the Truscott Nursery were inexplicably lost. Attendance at the fall field day was very low. George Truscott indicated that the drive from Calabogie was becoming a challenge and asked for someone to take over the ongoing duties in the Nursery.
Some of the volunteers visited the Long Sault planting of named varieties that were planted in 1993. It is similar to the planting at Oak Valley made that same year. At Oak Valley 52 of the 96 trees and shrubs planted survived while over 40 of the 63 trees and shrubs survived at Long Sault.
The Long Sault planting suffered from the numerous deer who have no predators. As a result, all the Long Sault hazels, were destroyed. The American chestnut mostly survived but were cropped to 3 feet high as were most of the Persian and Carpathian walnut, butternut, heartnut, hickory and buartnut. Black walnut, one chestnut, some butternut and one hican constituted the bulk of trees which survived and have grown beyond the reach of the deer.
A presentation was made to North Dundas Township Council on November 22, 2004 explaining the goals and development of the Park and requesting an operating grant for 2005. This was adopted so the financial position was strengthened with operating grants from SNC and the Township.
In 2005, transplant day was held April 24, with black walnut, hazels, honey locust and oak delivered to SNC for sale. Seedlings were also donated by John Adams, Len Collett and George Truscott, and some stock was started on an adjacent property by Murray Inch. Seedlings were also donated to Inkerman public school and planted by students, but were lost during the zealous cutting of the grass. Seedlings were also provided to the Ottawa Urban Forest Project in Alta Vista and to McIntosh Community Park in Berwick.
Spring Field Day was held May 14 with a good turnout. While parsnip and similar weeds were coming under control, invasive species such as buckthorn, plus grape vine, Virginia creeper and poison ivy had begun to show up in the Park.
The focus in operating the park had clearly changed. While field days continued to be held, more of the maintenance of the lawns, flower gardens, trees etc are done on an ongoing basis over the summer. With public support we also recognize that passive recreation opportunities must be developed as well as education programs.
The survey of trees in the east end was begun.
The spectacular growth of trees has reached sufficient size many over 25 feet, that culling of trees must begin. The seedlings had been planted on as little as 10 foot centres, and expanding crowns have shaded out the grass and is affecting neighbouring trees. The cull is necessary to ensure that remaining trees have sufficient space so they are self supporting, and there is sufficient air and light available to develop healthy stock.
Seedlings started at the Central Experimental Farm from seed from the Ukraine were planted in the extreme west side near the ginkgos and south of the black walnut orchard rows.
The seedlings included English or Carpathian walnut, Mongol oak, English oak and horse chestnut. The horse chestnut quickly succumbed to the fungus which killed most of the native plants at the site. Len Collett supplied Levant Township Shagbark Hickory seedlings, and John Sankey supplied some black and white oak seedlings.
This was also the year that erosion of the river bank became a serious problem, with large sections of the bank slumping into the river channel during spring freshette.
In June 2005, some of the Volunteers: Kim and Lester McInnis, John Sankey and Murray Inch visited the Long Sault Park with the named tree varieties . John Sankey led the group in preparing a GPS based plan. Everyone helped to create tree guards of fence wire and chicken wire to protect the over browsed trees. A lot of invasive sumac and buckthorn was cut back. In late 2008, most of these trees had developed a strong base and were poised to grow beyond the guards.
As part of out reach to the public, the brochure concerning the Memorial Plaques project was revised, and two new brochures concerning the history of the park, and the park as a public resource were drafted. An Oak Valley page was added to the SNC website. There was also study of improving the signage for the Park and some local sign stands were acquired.
Volunteers made presentations about Oak Valley and the region to the Chesterville and District Historical Society and a visiting tour group from Ottawa.
The year was disappointing as the longstanding relationship with ECSONG broke down. Many volunteers left the increasingly unstable organization and some members were barred from its affairs.
The erosion of the river bank continued with additional sections of the bank slumping into the river channel during spring freshette.
In March 2006, a report was made to the Township Council and a request for an operating grant was made. This request was approved.
In March, a Conservation Group from Manitoba on a fact finding tour visited Oak Valley and were briefed on the role of volunteers and community members in delivery of South Nation Conservation programs. The topics included development and management of Oak Valley Pioneer Park while Norm Tinkler talked about farmers' involvement in delivery of farm conservation programs.
Due to the collapse of the relationship with ECSONG, the volunteers met, adopted their own constitution, adopted the name Volunteers of Oak Valley Pioneer Park, and elected Murray Inch as president and John Sankey as Secretary. The Park was officially named Oak Valley Pioneer Park.
The letter of understanding between SNC and ECSONG for management of the site had expired and it was replaced by a letter of understanding between SNC and the Volunteers of Oak Valley Pioneer Park. SNC was very supportive during the disruptive period with ECSONG.
Transplant day was held in April and a significant number of trees were sold with the surplus honey locust and pin oak being sold locally. The spring field day was held May 27 and prepared the site for summer visitors. On this day the constitution of the Volunteers was adopted and elections held. North Dundas Councillor Estelle Rose joined the group for lunch.
During the summer, Roman Popadiouk and Sergei Ponomarenko planted an additional 10 Juglans regia (Carpathian walnut) from the eastern Ukraine. Four of these were later transplanted to a clearing in the east end. Five of the remaining 6 which were planted near the top of the river bank in the mid section survived. Roman also planted in the nut pine orchard, two Scots pines started from seed collected in east Russia.
The number of visitors to the park continued to grow. The Chesterville and District Historical Society held a picnic during July followed by talks about the Bigford family and other early settlers. The visit was reported in the Chesterville Record. The brochures drafted the previous year were published and made available to the public through the SNC office, North Dundas Council office the SNC display at local fairs,(Navan, South Mountain, Chesterville, Spencerville and Metcalfe) and in a display at Oak Valley.
A report was made to North Dundas Council and they agreed to provide the operating grant for 2007.
The year began as with prior years with lifting of seedlings for sale by SNC. This was done as part of its distribution of seedlings purchased by local property owners. Two caliper trees were transplanted to the South Mountain Recreation Park as part of the Library branch construction and improvements to the Park.
The park was opened as in recent years for Mothers' Day, and the field day was held June 9. The day consisted of general cleanup and routine maintenance. Trimming of the pine tree branches on the lanes in the east end improved public access. General maintenance and grass cutting continued over the summer and John Adams paid visits to continue the tree tagging and building the tree data base for the east end.
Visitors reached an estimated 400, over the summer and visits continued late into the fall due to the good weather. The Chesterville and District Historical Society held its visit during August. History talks touched on the naming of Oak Valley, previously the Forks, the Bigford and Fralick families, the Chesterville mill, and the Victorian Flower Gardens. Several volunteers are also part of the North Dundas History Stewards a group promoting local history and culture, thus raising the profile of the Park.
Brochures were distributed as in previous years, and at the Chesterville farmers market. Irene Broad made two well received presentations about Oak Valley to The Riverside Women's Institute and the Winchester Women's Institute.
Transplants were lifted in April for sale by South Nation Conservation. Sales were down this year even though South Nation bought a selection for landscaping their new office site. Some local sales and a number were given to neighbours who had helped out on field day. Debbie Decooman also sold many ginkgo seedlings which she acquired from George Truscott and donated the proceeds to Oak Valley.
Summer operations began on Mother's day. Spring field day was held on June 21, and the main focus was on rebuilding the cedar rail fence. Fence work continued over the summer with the assistance of Richard Huyda and Adam Inch from Ottawa, and finished up on October 18, the fall field day. SNC supplied a power post hole auger as a tractor and mounted auger could not get through the pine trees to the fence line. Thinning of the pines continued and the flower gardens were prepared. Irene Broad trimmed the oaks.
There was again a steady stream of visitors especially on the weekends, although some came to enjoy a quiet lunch or evening respite. The Chesterville and District History Society and the North Dundas History Stewards came in August for their annual picnic and discussion of local history. This year the topic was the grist and saw mills of Inkerman with discussions led by Kim McInnis and Murray Inch.
Due to the frequent rains the lawns required frequent cutting over the summer and the trees grew very well. Seed production was small: primarily walnut, oak, some nut pine, and hazels. Aided by the weather conditions the Victorian Flower gardens were outstanding, particularly in July.
The Volunteers took part in the butternut recovery project, with ten butternut seedlings planted at Sandy Row and Pemberton. Others were planted on volunteers properties throughout North Dundas. The coordinator of the butternut recovery project Rose Fleguel, visited Oak Valley to review the trees in the archive.
The volunteers led by Kim and Lester McInnis took part in the Open Doors Project on September 7. Kim developed a new brochure for visitors which we hope to print and use widely in 2009.
Fall field day completed the reinstallation of the cedar rail fence and gate posts. Barclay Cormack, a SNC Board member led the group in thinning the pines. Some discussion was given to improvements, including a shelter for picnic tables and barbecue units. Also being considered are gravelled paths and caps for the silo foundations. The future of the Truscott nursery is also under review.
The annual report was made to North Dundas Township Council, SNC and to members and a request made for continuation of operating grants for 2009.
2009 Progress
Operating funding was contributed by SNC, North Dundas Council, the sale of seedlings, and donations for the long term maintenance of the park. The summer started well, but heavy rains arrived in June and continued into July. Growth of trees and grass was strong. There was almost no seed produced by the walnuts, oaks, just a little buckeye and hazel. Field days were held on May 30 and October 17. Thinning of the east end pines continued, with the help of Barclay Cormack.
In addition to the usual field day activities in October, we started the rehabilitation of the main sign, and about thirty red oak were culled.
Because of the weather the number of people coming to picnic declined. One of the two barbecues was installed with second deferred until 2010. Consideration continues concerning building a larger shelter and other improvements to the Park.
A new group of visitors, participants in geocaching came in significant numbers since the park was been listed on the Geocache.com website. A geocache event is planned to open the season in April 2010.
A Tri-Valley Conservation certificate was awarded to the Volunteers for their contribution to rural conservation. The awards are granted by the Mississippi, Rideau Valley and South Nation Conservation Authorities.
With the arrival of the bi-centennial of the war of 1812, we are exploring activities that will feed off tourist funding and bring greater recognition of the Park, in the community.
South Nation Conservation and North Dundas Council both approved operating grants for the park.
The season formally opened on a surprisingly warm April 24 with a picnic by 52 members of the GeoCachers of Eastern Ontario. (Earlier, MNR had ticketed 2 visitors for fishing out of season.) The grass was again cut for Mother's Day, May 9, the usual opening day for the park but the weather was cold and wet with no visitors a surprising turn of events.
Spring field day was held May 15, over 16 persons turned out to enjoy the fine weather and do a great day's work, trimming trees, repairing the ruts and damages of early spring invading 4 wheelers, reinstalling the entrance way sign, removing more pine in the east end, trimming and removing weeds and tending the flower gardens. At the Annual General Meeting the executive members Murray Inch and John Sankey were continued on for another year. Irene Broad missed the meeting because she had no wheels.
The trees reached a new level of maturity, so culling of the nursery pines and tree stock continued. The final group of seedlings were removed from the Truscott Nursery. This ended a long lasting tradition of selling trees to raise funds. Unfortunately no one could be found to succeed George Truscott as manager of the nursery.
The number of public visits continued to increase as 2 geocaches were located in the property attracting the visit by the adherents of the new sport of geocaching; The South Nation Conservation Communications Committee visited for a meeting, and the Chesterville Kayak Club enquired about establishing a dock which would permit travel between the park and the dam at Chesterville.
The Volunteers recognized Josée Brizard for her many years of support and encouragement as she moved on from her SNC Liaison role for the Park. As trees developed selective culling continued, especially the nursery pines in the east end. Visitors during the fall included 4H Wood Working Clubs as well as the usual groups of Geocachers and historians. No progress was made on establishing a dock at the property. A fall field day was revived.
We employed a summer student for one day a week which improved the property significantly, with trimming of trees, and addressing grounds and outstanding property maintenance needs; plus the tagging and recording of east end trees adding a significant new component to our science data base. During the wet summer the entrance road was up graded with the addition of gravel, and the fencing removed from the abandoned nursery.
The amount of grass cutting has declined as the canopy has filled in. We resolved problems which included a municipal proposal to close Baldwin Road and hence prevent public access to the park. A second problem was the lack of timely financial reporting by the Conservation Authority (SNC), and we proceeded to seek amendments to the financial aspects of our Agreement with SNC. The third problem with the gate to control access, was resolved with the purchase of a new gate. Erosion of the river bank has been a concern for a decade and we continue to report the issue to South Nation Conservation.
The spring started with a flood, the first such freshet since the river was channeled, and the Volunteers assumed responsibility for the Park parcel. There was almost no damage except to a Kentucky Coffee tree on the riverbank. We continued to cull trees especially the nursery pines which are suffering from disease (rust), and competition with the hardwoods.
The perspective of the Park has changed significantly over the past decade. The lower branches on the pines have all died so one can now see across the east end without obstruction; the two largest elms succumbed to Dutch elm disease and were removed and the butternut archive has been overwhelmed by canker with several trees dead or dying. Eight small hemlocks were added to provide diversity. A significant canopy has developed.
Seed development has been light in recent years: some black walnut, a small quantity of English oak, buckeye and red oak and some American chestnut and nut pines seed was produced. Several members volunteered to assist during the summer while the student was working and we have continued to make progress with the science data base. Three students from the University of Ottawa undertook a butternut canker survey and a report has been posted to our website.
A new geocache was added by SNC as part of a new geocache tour of the Watershed and this brought new visitors to our outstanding Conservation Area. Finally a new financial management agreement was signed with SNC,
Oak Valley Pioneer Park enjoyed another successful year in 2015. We had more than 500 visitors. Growing conditions were good with nut production of walnut, buckeye, nutpine and oak seed.
The park opened for Mother's Day weekend. During the field work, a large family group attended for photographs to mark a family christening, and two geocache groups visited. One of the geocachers took pictures of elderberries in flower and posted them to the geocache website, providing publicity for the park.
The Chesterville and District Historical Society held its annual picnic in July and spent the evening discussing the contribution of Lewis Grant, the first settler/mill operator in the region, and his connections to North Dundas and Oak Valley Pioneer Park.
During the summer, we again employed a local high school student for one day per week. We cleared many outstanding maintenance tasks: the trimming, identifying and tagging of trees for building the science data base; trimming dead pine branches; removal of invading buckthorn and noxious weeds.
Non-resident descendants of local families are a core group of visitors. They enjoy the beauty and repose of the site and appreciate the recognition of their pioneer ancestors whose names are recorded on plaques. They are drawn by history of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Leeds and Grenville, Prescott- Russell, and Osgoode Townships and their ancestors role in settling Eastern Ontario.
SNC reported that over 1000 persons visited the Park during the very dry summer and an estimated 200 came during the mild fall. The visitors are generally very respectful of the site and frequently very proprietary if the Park was not respected by others.
Basic maintenance was provided by the volunteers, grass cutting, garbage clean up, weed control and tree trimming. Selected culling or removal of dead trees continued. There was moderate seed production from black walnut, buckeye, nut pine and red oak.
Little was achieved in the development and upgrading of the Park in the absence of a suitable summer student arrangement with South Nation Conservation. Responsible staff changed during the summer.
The new financial agreement with SNC for management of Park funds was in place and timely reports were provided to the Volunteers. A balanced budget was achieved.
Lester McInnis and Margaret Johnson succeeded Murray Inch and John Sankey as the leaders of the Volunteers.
As with the rest of Eastern Ontario, weather was the dominant story for the 2017 growing season at Oak Valley Pioneer Park. Well above average rainfall and overall lack of sunshine and heat made for poor growing conditions for everything but mosquitoes which emerged in biblical proportions. As the latter made going outside an endurance test, visitor attendance was down, and some of our development work simply didn't happen.
Activities for the year included the spring and fall field days. There was a good turn out of volunteers for both events. The Chesterville and District Historical Society held their annual picnic in July. The Society of Ontario Nut Growers visited the park in September and were treatedto a formal tour by Murray Inch.
To further our educational mandate, this year a walking tour of the site was created. Sign posts were installed at various locations with identification literature pertaining to that particular tree. This is a great addition to the park and should enhance the visitor experience.
Despite what has been two years of less than ideal growing conditions, drought followed by deluge, the trees seem to be continuing to grow well. The exception of course being the continued proliferation of butternut canker. Pines are being culled from the east field freeing up the hardwoods. Seed production of the black walnuts, buckeye, hazel; bur, English and red oak was moderate this year.
Non-resident descendants of local families are a core group of visitors. They enjoy the beauty and repose of the site and appreciate the recognition of their pioneer ancestors whose names are recorded on plaques. They are drawn by history of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Leeds and Grenville, Prescott- Russell, and Carleton (Osgoode Township) counties and their ancestors' role in settling Eastern Ontario.
The Park is unique among South Nation Conservation (SNC) Conservation Areas. It was developed and continues to be managed by the Volunteers who have a formal management agreement with SNC. The Volunteers are responsible for the management, operation and development of the Park. They also manage the education, science and other activities carried out at the Park. Their fund raising and in kind labour reduces costs which would otherwise require substantial funds from the SNC tax levy.
We are looking forward to the upcoming 2018 growing season with perfect weather...and fewer mosquitoes.
Oak Valley Pioneer Park has made dramatic progress in just over 20 years. The founder of the Park, Irene Woolford Broad continues to be active. She encourages present volunteers to build on her contributions and those of Ralph McKendry and his wife Myrtle, Ernie Kerr, George Truscott, Alex and Kathleen Jones, Len and Genise Collett, Peter and Sheila Carr.
The trees are reaching a stage where their shape and characteristics are becoming distinguishable and thus demonstrate the unique characteristics and qualities of each variety for the visitor. We are reaching what in the wild would be recognized as a mature forest where the hardwoods, oaks, walnuts, buckeye, hickories and other varieties have succeeded the coniferous forest. Thus the role of public education about local trees and plants will become a larger part of the role of Oak Valley.
Irene Woolford Broad and Michael Broad. Conversations and "Oak Valley Nut Grove Genesis" in the Nuttery vol. 23, No. 3, December 2003
Peter Carr. Reports on Oak Valley for the Nuttery, 1998-2002
J. Smyth Carter. The Story of Dundas from 1784 to 1904, St Lawrence News Publishing, Iroquois, 1905
Murray Inch. Reports on Oak Valley for the Nuttery, 2000-2005, and records from the operation of Oak Valley Pioneer Park.
Ralph McKendry. Records and notes for Oak Valley and the Eastern Chapter, Society of Ontario Nut Growers
Provided by the Volunteers of Oak Valley Pioneer Park. Feel free to copy with a credit.
1964: the Bigford farm before rechanneling; the house, two barns and a shed are still in use
1985: Irene Woolford trimming 1 year old walnut seedlings
1991: the view west from the entrance
Manitoba maples seeding into the new SNC pine plantation
1992: the first attempt to stabilize the river bank: Ernie Kerr & George Truscott planting shrubs
Ernie Kerr & George Truscott with their first seed bed
George Truscott & Irene Woolford uncovering stratified black walnut seed
the Bigford barn foundation hidden by invading Manitoba maples
the nursery crew: Alex Jones, Irene Woolford, ?, George Truscott
weed suppression in the nursery: Irene's old carpet and tin roofing
Adri Verhey ripping out Manitoba maples
Ralph McKendry at work on the fence
1993: the spring flood
unloading posts for the nursery fence
spring work crew: Heather & Steve Palmer, ?, George Truscott, ?, ?, ?
Steve & Heather Palmer, George Truscott moving seedlings
Alex Jones recording planting details
salvaging the 140-year old Stuart cedar rail fence
re-installing the fence at Oak Valley
Ernie Kerr, Elizabeth Stuart, Irene Woolford dedicating the fence
bird carvings from scraps of the fence by Ernie Kerr; one was presented to Elizabeth Stuart
Adri Verhey moving pines for a shelter belt along the fence
winter view of the fence and new shelterbelt
1994: Len Collett, Ernie Kerr, Genice Collett at lunch break beside the new nursery shelter fence
Ted & Isobel Cormier showing nuts they collected for Oak Valley
Ralph KcKendry and the black walnuts of Calumet Island
1995: Adri Verhey moving boulders to frame Oak Lane
dedicating Kerr Lane: Bob McKendry, Lester McInnis, Josée Brizard, Ralph McKendry, Ernie Kerr, ?, ?, Alex Jones
Michael & Irene Broad
1996: official opening of the park: speaker Larry Grey, front row Estelle Rose, ?, Ralph McKendry, ?, Clarence Cross
geologists Len Collett, Walter Fahrig (& wife), Peter Carr cataloguing the memorial boulders
1997: Ralph McKendry's tree shelter factory
Isobel Cormier, Kurt Wasner, Barb Boysen planting English oaks from Kurt's nursery
1998: SONG meeting
2000: the new entrance sign, unveiled by Mary Ann Wilson (SNC) & Myrtle McKendry
Peter Carr with Kim McInnis at the beginning of her Victorian garden in the barn outbuilding foundation
the garden in bloom on Volunteers' Day
2001: the new picnic shelter
the new out house
2009: installing new sign posts: Roman Popadiouk, Murray Inch, Barclay Cormack, John Sankey
the Stuart fence after 15 years at its new location
the picnic shelter after 10 years
Mesha Sagram clearing black walnut trimmings spring 2016


text:
AnimatedMenu::AnimatedMenu(State* attachedState, Translatable* offset, GraphicalEffects* effects, int layer, VFS::File* scriptFileName, const char* defaultItem, KeyAnimation* l_keyAnimation) : Entity(attachedState), Menu(attachedState, scriptFileName, defaultItem), Renderable(attachedState, offset, effects, layer)
{
	assert(l_keyAnimation != NULL);
	keyAnimation = l_keyAnimation;
	if( keyAnimation ) {
		keyAnimation->setParent(this);
	}
}

AnimatedMenu::~AnimatedMenu()
{
	if( keyAnimation )
		delete keyAnimation;
}

void AnimatedMenu::addItem(const char* itemName, AnimatedMenuItem* item)
{
	Menu::addItem(itemName, item);
}

void AnimatedMenu::replaceItem(const char* itemName, AnimatedMenuItem* item)
{
	Menu::addItem(itemName, item);
}

void AnimatedMenu::changeTo(char *destItem)
{
	assert( items.find( destItem ) != items.end() );

	if( destItem && currentItemName && strcmp( destItem, currentItemName ) )
	{
		if( currentItemName )
			AOEFREE( currentItemName );

		currentItemName = AOESTRDUP(destItem);
		keyAnimation->playTo( ((AnimatedMenuItem*)items[currentItemName])->getKeyName() );
	}
}

void AnimatedMenu::setCurrentItem( char *destItem )
{
	assert( items.find( destItem ) != items.end() );

	if( ( destItem && (currentItemName && strcmp( destItem, currentItemName )) ) || !currentItemName )
	{
		if( currentItemName )
			AOEFREE( currentItemName );

		currentItemName = AOESTRDUP(destItem);
		keyAnimation->setPositionByKey( ((AnimatedMenuItem*)items[this->currentItemName])->getKeyName() );
	}
}

void AnimatedMenu::setAnimation( KeyAnimation* newKeyAnimation )
{
	assert(newKeyAnimation != NULL);
	if( keyAnimation )
		delete keyAnimation;
	keyAnimation = newKeyAnimation;
}

void AnimatedMenu::renderGraphics()
{
	keyAnimation->render();
}

void AnimatedMenu::updateObject(dur elapsedTime)
{
	keyAnimation->update( elapsedTime );
}

void AnimatedMenu::loadGraphics()
{
	keyAnimation->loadGraphics();
}

void AnimatedMenu::unloadGraphics()
{
	keyAnimation->unloadGraphics();
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Saltwater People Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA)
Location: Greater Taree, New South Wales, Australia
Legal Status: Removed from the National Native Title Tribunal Register of Indigenous Land Use Agreements on 25 July 2006.
Legal Reference: Previously National Native Title Tribunal No. NI2002/001
Subject Matter: Access | Fishing | Native Title | Sports and Physical Recreation | Tourism
This Indigenous Land Use Agreement was removed from the National Native Title Tribunal Register of Indigenous Land Use Agreements on 25 July 2006 as a result of judicial review of the Native Title Registrar's decision to register the agreement.
This took place in the proceeding of Kemp v Native Title Registrar [2006] FCA 939, where Branson J of the Federal Court of Australia ruled that the Registrar had erred in determining that the agreement should be registered pursuant to s 24CL(1) of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth). Branson J then ordered that the application for registration be remitted to the Registrar to be determined according to law.
New South Wales Native Title Services Limited
National Native Title Tribunal
State of New South Wales
Saltwater Tribal Council (Aboriginal Corporation) - Signatory
Greater Taree City Council - Signatory
Native Title (Indigenous Land Use Agreements) Regulations 1999 (Cth)
Anthony Bernard Kelly - Signatory
Debus, Robert John - Signatory
Patricia Davis Hurst - Signatory
Director General of Department of the Environment and Conservation (NSW) - Signatory
Federal Court of Australia (25 July 2006) Kemp v Native Title Registrar [2006] FCA 936
Parliamentary Paper
Parliament of New South Wales, Members of Parliament Homepage "Profile of The Hon. (Tony) Anthony Bernard Kelly ALGA MLC"
National Native Title Tribunal (30 September 2010) Registered ILUAs by Name
Saltwater People Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) Map - ( Image | Thumbnail | PDF)
Native Title (Australia) | Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) (Native Title Act 1993 (Cth)) (Australia)
Prepared By: Lily O'Neill
Created: Friday, 23 December 2005
Updated By: Jessica Cotton
Modified: Friday, 10 June 2011

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


overwrites the requests environ with TestApp scoped extra_environ.
In practice this means that using TestApp.request it is impossible to override extra_environ defaults which seems plain wrong to me.
Test.app.get/post/delete... seems to do this logic correctly where TestApp.extra_environ is updated with the parameter extra_environ.


text:
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
Title: Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
Subject: Action AWE, List of states with nuclear weapons, Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Comparison of United States presidential candidates, 2008, Nuclear proliferation
Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)
Participation in the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
Annex 2, signed and ratified
Annex 2, signed
Annex 2, non-signatory
Not Annex 2, signed and ratified
Not Annex 2, signed
Not Annex 2, non-signatory
Not in force
180 days after it is ratified by
all 44 Annex 2 countries
Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Romania, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Vietnam, Zaire
Ratifiers
163 (states that need to take further action for the treaty to enter into force: China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, United States)
Secretary-General of the United Nations
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a [1] but it has not entered into force due to the non-ratification of eight specific states.
1.1 Partial Test Ban Treaty
1.2 Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
2 Negotiations for the CTBT
2.1 Adoption of the CTBT
2.2 Obligations
3.1 U.S. ratification of the CTBT
4 Monitoring of the CTBT
4.1 Nuclear testing after CTBT adoption
To date, over 2,000 nuclear tests have been carried out at different locations all over the world.[2] Arms control advocates had campaigned for the adoption of a treaty banning all nuclear explosions since the early 1950s, when public concern was aroused as a result of radioactive fall-out from atmospheric nuclear tests and the escalating arms race. Over 50 nuclear explosions were registered between 16 July 1945, when the first nuclear explosive test was conducted by the United States at White Sands Missile Range near Alamogordo, New Mexico, and 31 December 1953. Prime Minister Nehru of India voiced the heightened international concern in 1954, when he proposed the elimination of all nuclear test explosions worldwide. However, within the context of the Cold War, skepticism about the capability to verify compliance with a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty posed a major obstacle to any agreement.
Partial Test Ban Treaty
Limited success was achieved with the signing of the Partial Test Ban Treaty in 1963, which banned nuclear tests in the atmosphere, underwater and in space, but not underground. Neither France nor China signed the PTBT. However, the treaty was still ratified by the United States after an 80 to 19 vote in the United States Senate.[3] While the PTBT reduced atmospheric fallout, underground nuclear testing can also vent radioactivity into the atmosphere, and radioactivity released underground may seep into the ground water. Moreover, the PTBT had no restraining effects on the further development of nuclear warheads.[4]
A major step towards non-proliferation of nuclear weapons came with the signing of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1968. Under the NPT, non-nuclear weapon states were prohibited from, among other things, possessing, manufacturing or acquiring nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. All signatories, including nuclear weapon states, were committed to the goal of total nuclear disarmament. However, India, Pakistan and Israel have declined to sign the NPT on grounds that such a treaty is fundamentally discriminatory as it places limitations on states that do not have nuclear weapons while making no efforts to curb weapons development by declared nuclear weapons states.
Negotiations for the CTBT
Given the political situation prevailing in the subsequent decades, little progress was made in nuclear disarmament until the end of the Cold War in 1991. Parties to the PTBT held an amendment conference that year to discuss a proposal to convert the Treaty into an instrument banning all nuclear-weapon tests; with strong support from the UN General Assembly, negotiations for a comprehensive test-ban treaty began in 1993.
Adoption of the CTBT
Intensive efforts were made over the next three years to draft the Treaty text and its two annexes. However, the [1]
(Article I):[6]
Each State Party undertakes not to carry out any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion, and to prohibit and prevent any such nuclear explosion at any place under its jurisdiction or control.
Each State Party undertakes, furthermore, to refrain from causing, encouraging, or in any way participating in the carrying out of any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion.
The Treaty was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 September 1996.[7] It opened for signature in New York on 24 September 1996,[7] when it was signed by 71 States, including five of the eight then nuclear-capable states. As of September 2014, 163 states have ratified the CTBT and another 20 states have signed but not ratified it.[8][9]
The treaty will enter into force 180 days after the 44 states listed in Annex 2 of the treaty have ratified it. These "Annex 2 states" are states that participated in the CTBT's negotiations between 1994 and 1996 and possessed nuclear power reactors or research reactors at that time.[10] As of 2013, eight Annex 2 states have not ratified the treaty: China, Egypt, Iran, Israel and the United States have signed but not ratified the Treaty; India, North Korea and Pakistan have not signed it.[11] In 1998, India said it would only sign the treaty if the United States presented a schedule for eliminating its nuclear stockpile, a condition the United States rejected.[12]
U.S. ratification of the CTBT
The United States has signed the CTBT, but not ratified it; there is ongoing debate whether to ratify the CTBT.
The United States has stated that its ratification of the CTBT is conditional upon:
A: The conduct of a Science Based Stockpile Stewardship Program to ensure a high level of confidence in the safety and reliability of nuclear weapons in the active stockpile, including the conduct of a broad range of effective and continuing experimental programs.
B: The maintenance of modern nuclear laboratory facilities and programs in theoretical and exploratory nuclear technology which will attract, retain, and ensure the continued application of our human scientific resources to those programs on which continued progress in nuclear technology depends.
C: The maintenance of the basic capability to resume nuclear test activities prohibited by the CTBT should the United States cease to be bound to adhere to this treaty.
D: Continuation of a comprehensive research and development program to improve our treaty monitoring capabilities and operations.
E: The continuing development of a broad range of intelligence gathering and analytical capabilities and operations to ensure accurate and comprehensive information on worldwide nuclear arsenals, nuclear weapons development programs, and related nuclear programs.
F: The understanding that if the President of the United States is informed by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Energy (DOE) – advised by the Nuclear Weapons Council, the Directors of DOE's nuclear weapons laboratories and the Commander of the U.S. Strategic Command – that a high level of confidence in the safety or reliability of a nuclear weapon type which the two Secretaries consider to be critical to the U.S. nuclear deterrent could no longer be certified, the President, in consultation with Congress, would be prepared to withdraw from the CTBT under the standard "supreme national interests" clause in order to conduct whatever testing might be required.[13]
Proponents of ratification claim that it would:
Establish an international norm that would push other nuclear-capable countries like North Korea, Pakistan, and India to sign.
Constrain worldwide nuclear proliferation by vastly limiting a country's ability to make nuclear advancements that only testing can ensure.
Not compromise US national security because the Science Based Stockpile Stewardship Program serves as a means for maintaining current US nuclear capabilities without physical detonation.[14]
Opponents of ratification claim that:
The treaty is unverifiable and that other nations could easily cheat.
The ability to enforce the treaty was dubious.
The U.S. nuclear stockpile would not be as safe or reliable in the absence of testing.
The benefit to nuclear nonproliferation was minimal.[15]
On 13 October 1999, the United States Senate rejected ratification of the CTBT. During his 2008 presidential election campaign Barack Obama said that "As president, I will reach out to the Senate to secure the ratification of the CTBT at the earliest practical date."[16] In his speech in Prague on 5 April 2009, he announced that "[To] achieve a global ban on nuclear testing, my administration will immediately and aggressively pursue U.S. ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. After more than five decades of talks, it is time for the testing of nuclear weapons to finally be banned."[17]
An article in Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists describes how a North Korean underground nuclear test on 25 May 2009 was detected and the source located by GPS satellites. The authors suggest that the effectiveness of GPS satellites for detecting nuclear explosions enhances the ability to verify compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, giving the United States more reason to ratify it.[18]
Monitoring of the CTBT
Geophysical and other technologies are used to monitor for compliance with the Treaty: forensic seismology, hydroacoustics, infrasound, and radionuclide monitoring. The technologies are used to monitor the underground, the waters and the atmosphere for any sign of a nuclear explosion. Statistical theories and methods are integral to CTBT monitoring providing confidence in verification analysis. Once the Treaty enters into force, on site inspection will be provided for where concerns about compliance arise.
The Vienna, Austria, was created to build the verification regime, including establishment and provisional operation of the network of monitoring stations, the creation of an international data centre, and development of the On Site Inspection capability.
The monitoring network consists of 337 facilities located all over the globe. As of May 2012, more than 260 facilities have been certified. The monitoring stations register data that is transmitted to the international data centre in Vienna for processing and analysis. The data are sent to states that have signed the Treaty.[19]
Nuclear testing after CTBT adoption
Three countries have tested nuclear weapons since the CTBT opened for signature in 1996. India and Pakistan both carried out two sets of tests in 1998. North Korea carried out three announced tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013. All three North Korean tests were picked up by the International Monitoring System set up by the [20][21]
List of weapons of mass destruction treaties
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization Preparatory Commission
National Technical Means
Nuclear proliferation
Nuclear weapon
Nuclear-free zone
Paranuclear
Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
^ a b "Resolution adopted by the general assembly:50/245. Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty".
^ "Nuclear testing world overview".
^ "1963 Year In Review". UPI.com. 1963. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
^ Daryl Kimball and Wade Boese (June 2009). "Limited Test Ban Treaty Turns 40". Arms Control Association. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
^ "Comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty: draft resolution".
^ "Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty CTBTO".
^ a b United Nations Treaty Collection (2009). "Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty". Retrieved 23 August 2009.
^ "Status of Signature and Ratification".
^ David E. Hoffman (1 November 2011), "Supercomputers offer tools for nuclear testing — and solving nuclear mysteries",
In this news article, the number of states ratifying was reported as 154.
^ "The Russian Federation's support for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty".
^ """STATE DEPARTMENT TELEGRAM 012545 TO INTSUM COLLECTIVE, "INTSUM: INDIA: NUCLEAR TEST UNLIKELY. Nuclear Proliferation International History Project.
^ Enver, Masud. "Rebuffed by U.S., India, Pakistan Storm Nuclear Club". The Wisdom Fund. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
^ Jonathan Medalia (2 June 2005). "Nuclear Weapons: Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty". Congressional Research Service, The Library of Congress (US). Retrieved 4 December 2011.
^ "Press Release: U.S. Stockpile Security and International Monitoring Capabilities Strengthened, Says New Report on Technical Issues Behind the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty". National Research Council of the National Academies. 30 March 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
^ http://adamvn1.wordpress.com/tag/ctbt/ Kathleen Bailey and Robert Barker, "Why the United States Should Unsign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and Resume Nuclear Testing," Comparative Strategy 22 (2003): 131
^ "Nuclear Testing Is an Acceptable Risk for Arms Control".
^ "Remarks by President Barack Obama, Hradcany Square, Prague, Czech Republic". The White House. 5 April 2005. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
^ Park, J., Grejner-Brzezinska, D., von Frese, R. (18 August 2011). "A new way to detect secret nuclear tests: GPS". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
^ "US nuclear security administrator dagostino visits the CTBTO".
^ "Highlight 2007: The CTBT Verification Regime Put to the Test – The Event in the DPRK on 9 October 2006".
^ "Press Release June 2009: Experts Sure About Nature of the DPRK Event".
Full text of the treaty
For official news releases and information on the treaty see – http://www.ctbto.org
Two articles from the March/April Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists cover the state of play regarding the CTBT: Keith Hansen, "Forecasting the future" and Trevor Findlay & Andreas Persbo, "Watching the world."
The Test Ban Test: U.S. Rejection has Scuttled the CTBT
US conducts subcritical nuclear test ABC News, 24 February 2006
International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, 1991
Daryl Kimball and Christine Kucia, Arms Control Association, 2002
General John M. Shalikashvili, Special Advisor to the President and the Secretary of State for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
Christopher Paine, Senior Researcher with NRDC's Nuclear Program, 1999
Obama or McCain Can Finish Journey to Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
For the number of nuclear explosions conducted in various parts of the globe from 1954-1998 see – http://blip.tv/file/1662914/
Introductory note by Thomas Graham, Jr., procedural history note and audiovisual material on the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law
Lecture by Masahiko Asada entitled Nuclear Weapons and International Law in the Lecture Series of the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty: Background and Current Developments Congressional Research Service
The Woodrow Wilson Center's Nuclear Proliferation International History Project or NPIHP is a global network of individuals and institutions engaged in the study of international nuclear history through archival documents, oral history interviews and other empirical sources.
Nuclear weapons limitation treaties
1963 Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
1974 Threshold Test Ban Treaty
1970s Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
1991 START I
1993 START II
1994 United States – Russia mutual detargeting
1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (not in force)
1997 START III
2002 Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty
2010 New START
Book:Arms control treaties
Category:Arms control treaties
Use dmy dates from July 2012
Commons category with local link same as on Wikidata
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Foreign relations of India
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106th United States Congress
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Articles with images not understandable by color blind users
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Action AWE
Atomic Weapons Establishment, UK Trident programme, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, Civil disobedience, Nonviolence
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Cold War, Soviet Union, Non-Aligned Movement, Nato, International Atomic Energy Agency
Comparison of United States presidential candidates, 2008
Barack Obama, John McCain, Cynthia McKinney, Republican Party (United States), International Relations
India, Pakistan, Israel, North Korea, United States


You may have noticed that the client-side website has been overhauled. Many improvements have been made to the way things look but it is still the same client system you have grown acustomed to. The website has been upgraded to meet and exceed current technical standards and clients don't have to do anything different.
We love security here at Werner Host and are very proud of our Titan AI security software that works while we (and you) sleep. So it brings us great joy and a little bit of sadness that our own AI found a way to breach into the password manager we deployed recently. This is great that Titan discovered a possible way to steal passwords, but its bittersweet because we spent many hours developing the password manager. What Titan found was a way to break into MOST ALL password managers accross the Internet, so if you are using one you should stop.
We will be releasing our AI's findings to the public as soon as a few of the major password managers are notified and have time to issue a patch.
This means no more password manager and we all have to go back to writing down our passwords on pieces of paper.
At least we have a shiny new website to play with.


Let their imagination run wild with robot and space wall stickers. These cute robot friends and dreamy planets make great decorations for bedrooms and playrooms. Customise your colour and finish for a fun bold look or minimalist design.


Chicago's Sean Beagan and Bailey Erickson stop in Chattanooga for one night only at Improv Chattanooga!
Sean Beagan is based out of Chicago and a native to South Florida. He is the winner of the Boca Raton Comedy Festival, Finalist in the Comedy Central South Beach Festival and Semi Finalist in Florida's Funniest Comedian. Sean has opened for Chris D'Elia, Tom Segura, and Michael Lawrence. His style is manically rooted in storytelling by exposing his awkwardly real life situations as well as delivering quick zingers. He is always eager to hit any stage with excitement and energy, making every audience feel like they are just hanging out with a buddy. He is also a writer, actor, and director whose feature film Guffpunch, a low budget independent film about struggling comedians, has been in a number of international and national film festivals and is distributed through Amazon Prime, and Google Play.
Bailey Erickson hails from Georgia and has hit the ground running all through the southern United States. Now currently working out of Chicago, she showcases her unique view on the world which includes everything from being in a sorority to being robbed. There is no subject this charming young woman can't make audience find hilarious. She has been on Gainesville's Changeville Comedy Festival, Fridge Comedy Festival and Daytona Beach's Woman of Comedy Festival.


Veterans receive a number of health benefits that improve on their health in a great way. However, the number of patients under the Department of Veterans Affairs medical system has increased tremendously in recent years with more than two wars being fought by the United States. Notably, the quality of care and patient satisfaction has improved a lot from the mid 1990's when the condition of veteran's hospitals had been pathetic. Most of them were considered filthy and short of essential medical supplies. While a lot seems to have been done, some veterans still complain about the time it takes for them to schedule appointments. It is important to note that the veteran medical system caters for only those who meet determined criteria. In my view, this should not be the case since these are individuals who risked their lives to fight wars that ensure the well being of Americans and the world at large. It is important that the veteran medical system provides the most up to date medical care to all veterans.
Veterans of the United States army usually become eligible for a wide variety of programs and services that are provided by the United States department of Veterans Affairs, usually abbreviated as VA. According to the Elderlaws Articles (2011), their dependants, as well as survivors, may also be added on the list and become legible for a number of those benefits. Firstly, the Veteran's Affairs Department offers health care the United States Army veterans. The health care plan covers various health care services such as hospitalization, preventive services, diagnostic, in addition to treatment services. It also goes further to cover long-term care options and nursing home as well.
According to the Veterans HealthCare Handbook (2007), for one to receive such care, a veteran must have been enrolled in the VA health care system. Their eligibility status for the system has various conditions. It depends with the nature of their discharge from the military service, the income level, the length of service, available VA resources, whether they have disabilities that are connected to service and many more others.
Another important point to note is that, the veterans must not have been dishonorably discharged from their military service for their eligibility. While the length of service is important, veterans who had already begun active duty before the eighth of September, 1980, and those who first started active duty just before the seventeenth of October, 1981, have no requirement of a length-of-service of any kind. The requirement for the rest is that they must have about twenty four months of non-stop active military duty. However, there are a number of exceptions for National Guard members, reservists, hardship discharges, and service-connected disabilities among others.
Notably, there are a few veterans who do not require enrolment in the VA health system for them to receive benefits. Among this group are those who seek for a service-connected disability that is VA rated and those who are fifty percent or above disabled from a disability that is connected to the military service, those who had been discharged for a disability that was determined as caused by the service, but not yet rated by the VA. Due to the fact that the Department of Veteran Affairs has limited resources, those who are eligible get assigned to a priority group. These priority groups range from one to eight with number one being the highest. Before 2009, veterans assigned to priority eight were not eligible for care for conditions that are of non-service. However, after fifteenth of June, 2009, new regulations were introduced, which enabled the VA to loosen income restrictions on eligibility to health care benefits.
Standard benefits package include prescriptions, preventive care services, inpatient diagnostic and treatment services, outpatient diagnostic and treatment services, and long-term care. Notably, outpatient diagnostic and treatment services include mental health and substance abuse treatment. All veterans that have been enrolled become eligible for a number of services including home care, respite care, geriatric evaluation, adult day health care, hospice and palliative care. According to the Veteran Journal (2011), home care covers physical therapy, nursing and other services offered in the veteran's residence. Respite care covers inpatient or outpatient supportive care for veterans enrolled so as caregivers can get a break. Geriatric evaluation gives an inpatient or outpatient evaluation of whether a veteran can be able to care for him or herself. On the other hand, adult day health care refers to a therapeutic day care program that offers rehabilitation and medical services to veterans. Lastly, palliative or hospice care provides services to veterans who are terminally ill as well as their families.
Despite all these, some health care services are only limited to a few of the veterans, for example, domiciliary care and nursing home care. They are not automatic to all that have enrolled in to the VA health plan. Those who automatically qualify for unlimited nursing home care include veterans who are unemployable and have a service-connected disability of sixty percent, those with a service-connected disability rating of seventy percent or more, and those who seek for nursing home care for a condition that is service-related.
By description, a service-connected disability is that which the VA has officially ruled was sustained while on active duty in the army and in line of duty. It is important that the VA rule that the condition is related directly to active military service as it assigns each of the disability a rating. Notably, the ratings are usually instituted by Veterans Affairs regional offices countrywide. If there is space, the VA could also provide home care to a number of other veterans; however, those with service-connected disabilities usually receive top priority.
Concerning veteran's nursing homes run by the state, the VA provides funds to help in the building of homes as it pays part of the costs for veterans fit for VA health care. However, the states are free to set eligibility criteria for admission of veterans. A domiciliary refers to a VA facility, which provides care with ambulance for the disabled by disease or age, but not in need of keen hospitalization or skilled nursing services provided in a nursing home. This type of care is usually available to veterans with low income and the disabled.
According to Work World (2008), there are no costs for low-income veterans and other certain veterans. Those who automatically qualify for cost-free health care benefits include veterans with sexual trauma, cancer of the neck or neck, former POWs, Purple Heart Medal recipients, a veteran participating in a research project approved by the VA, a veteran who seeks care of a specific disability that is service-connected, those receiving VA compensation benefits, and those who sustained a service-related condition while in the Gulf War or thereafter, during the Vietnam and in Japan. Those with their income exceeding the threshold or do not submit to the test may be required to make a copayment. Co-payments are made by those who have surpassed the set yearly income thresholds or those with more than $80,000 in property.
These are just but a few of healthcare benefits extended towards veterans. For those who want to enroll do it on-line or by calling a designated number. Two disability benefits are also offered to a number of veterans; disability compensation, and disability pension. Disability compensation is to those with service-connected disabilities. The amount depends on how disabled a veteran is, whether they have children or dependants. Those with severe disabilities are offered more funds. On the other hand, disability pension is extended to those who served during wartime and have a disability; however, the disability may not be related to military service. The pension is also extended to surviving spouses or children of a veteran.
In conclusion, the government des a lot to ensure the heath of veterans is well catered for. The New York Times reported of the Congress passing the Veterans' Health Care Eligibility Reform Act in 1996, which paved the way for the Medical Package Plan that is available to all veterans that have enrolled into the program. The package stresses on preventive and primary care that offers a wide range of impatient and outpatient services. Combat veterans from active military become eligible for free health care and nursing home for about forty eight months.


text:
Author: Vincenzo Raimo
UK universities have never been as popular among international students as they are today
"The rationale is clear, if you can't get international students to the UK then take your degree programmes to them"
While the UK's onshore international enrolments are in the doldrums, UK HE has never been more popular argues Vincenzo Raimo, pro-vice-chancellor (global engagement) at the University of Reading. He makes the case for increasing TNE activity from UK universities to expand more than just revenue streams.
As the screw has tightened on international student recruitment to the UK since 2010, increasingly its universities have looked to off-shore provision for growth. The rationale is clear, if you can't get international students to the UK then take your degree programmes to them.
Vincenzo Raimo
Vincenzo Raimo is pro-vice-chancellor (global engagement) at the University of Reading in the UK.
Higher education, Transnational education, UK
Thinking about the wider dimension of internationalisation
"It's clear that too often internationalisation within our universities is too narrowly defined as the inward mobility of international students, and then generally only for the economic benefit they bring"
Vincenzo Raimo, pro-vice-chancellor (global engagement) at the University of Reading, reflects on conferences he has attended, and asks what higher education leaders can do to broaden their perspectives on internationalisation.
The recent International Higher Education Forum was a mix of the practical: how to develop partnerships in India; the commercial: how to segment your student recruitment markets and improve return on investment; together with a dash of inspiration towards the end of the day from Professor Bertil Andersson, President of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, who is able to "smell" the success of his strategy by walking around his campus and by speaking to his very international mix of staff and students.
Higher education, Internationalisation
Brexit might not deter students, but it could devastate global faculty and research
"The lifting of the cap has inadvertently made international strategies more real – at least when it comes to student diversity. Would a so-called Brexit end all of that? I don't think so"
The lifting of the cap on student numbers at UK universities led many institutions to rethink their recruitment and internationalisation policies, with many putting greater efforts into recruiting students from within the EU than before, writes Vincenzo Raimo, pro-vice-chancellor (global engagement) at the University of Reading. Here he looks at how this has led to growth in European student numbers, and asks: how would this change if the UK were to leave the EU?
The focus of the majority of UK university international strategies for the past 20 years or so has been fee income growth. Constrained within a highly regulated system with strict limits on domestic students, the only way universities could grow was to recruit (unregulated) international fee paying students. As well as adding to the diversity of our universities and the quality of student experience, these international students brought income which allowed our universities to grow and develop, appoint new faculty and build new and better facilities.
Higher education, UK
Is it time for Gilligan II?
"The target for the UK's market share proposed by the British Council in 2000 was 25% by 2005 – a fantasy figure which just didn't see the competition coming"
Universities' international marketing strategies have no doubt grown smarter in the 15 years since an influential report on the subject was published, writes Vincenzo Raimo, pro-vice-chancellor (global engagement) at the University of Reading – but as competition stiffens and the challenges facing UK HE change, is it time for a new one?
It's been 15 years since Professor Colin Gilligan published his report for the British Council on international marketing and student recruitment practices within UK universities. The Gilligan Report challenged UK universities to professionalise their marketing activity and to meet the opportunity of growing international student intakes.
Higher education, International student recruitment, UK
The UK does not have a God-given right in the international student recruitment market
"Our bellicose rhetoric and criticism of UK immigration policy is simply picked up and repeated in the press overseas as criticism of the UK and of our universities"
Vincenzo Raimo, director of the international office at The University of Nottingham, writes about how poor lobbying tactics can damage the UK's reputation abroad, and the complex factors impacting on Indian students' decision to study in the UK.
Thank goodness the University of East Anglia's Edward Acton, who said that Home Office rhetoric on immigration was having "a horrible, negative effect" on international student recruitment, is on his way out. But how do we stop other Vice-Chancellors going on about visas as if they're the only reason numbers are down from India?
We've decided to be very transparent in our work with student recruitment agents
Vincenzo Raimo, Director, International Office at the University of Nottingham, UK, writes…
"The value of international students to UK universities is unquestionable and much more than just financial: they help create more diverse and interesting student communities, they help UK students develop a more global outlook and they help UK universities compete with the very best in the world by ensuring our student body, particularly at postgraduate level, is made up of the very best students from around the world.
But the need to bridge income shortfalls has put a great deal of pressure on international student recruiters to bring-in more students and increase income levels.
Education agents, Higher education, International student recruitment, UK
International student recruitment & the power of agents
At the internationally active University of Nottingham in the UK, Vicenzo Raimo, Director of the International Office, shares his views:
"In an ever more competitive international student recruitment market, UK universities are increasingly relying on the use of student recruitment agents to meet targets. Not only are universities failing to appreciate the full costs of international student recruitment but some are also in danger of failing to meet ethical standards in their work overseas.
Despite the significant increase in international students coming to the UK in recent years I am concerned that as a result of increasing competition and the more difficult environment resulting from the UK government's changes to visa requirements, recruitment agents have become too powerful and the balance of power between universities and agents has shifted increasingly towards agents.
Education agents, Higher education, International student recruitment


In an episode earlier in the night, horrified viewers watched as Rana was lured into flying to Pakistan to visit a "dying" aunt with her mother, Saira Habeeb.
The second episode of the night began with Rana and Kate sharing one last kiss before Rana drove to the airport – little knowing it could have been the last they saw of each other.
In nerve-shredding scenes, Saira used a key to scratch the sim card in her daughter's phone to prevent anyone contacting her to stop her getting on the plane.
But the sinister plot started to unravel after Yasmeen, the grandmother of Rana's estranged husband Zeedan, started to suspect something was amiss.
This prompted Imran, Rana's brother, to speak to his relatives in Pakistan – and discover his mother was lying.
Imran, Yasmeen, Zeedan and Kate then drove to the home of Rana's parents.
Kate spotted Rana and her mother putting their suitcases into the back of a taxi – before frantically urging her lover to check the flight tickets.
But Rana insisted on seeing the tickets – and realised hers was one-way.
In emotional scenes, the kidnap plot unravelled – but Rana's father disowned her because of the lesbian affair.