Exercise #3: Connecting Past and Present
Instructions
For Exercise #3, you will make connections between what you have learned in the course about the past and what is happening today through contemporary media.
- Find two recent media items thematically connected in some way to two of the three topics covered in Unit 3: conservation, parks, and urbanization. For each of these, post a paragraph of three to five sentences, connecting the media story to what you learned, or were challenged to consider, from the resources in Unit 3. Provide the web link to the article in each post.
- These postings may be informal but should be grammatically correct. You should be respectful of other students’ opinions, but that does not mean you must agree with their ideas.
- Post your response by clicking ‘Add Submission’ below.
- Then post two separate comments responding to any other student’s posts.
- Please note, you should write and edit your submission in a separate file then copy and paste it into the submission box. Once submitted to the HIST 3991 trubox site, you will not be able to edit your post.
Are you a student of HIST 3991? Click here to add a submission to this assignment.
Submissions
Polar Bears!!
July 14, 2025 By: Robert Pritchard
Conservation I’ve chosen a media article which pertains directly to conservation; however, it is related to a class reading that is partially about conservation but more generally about parks. The article is from WWF Canada and is about the conservation of polar bears in northern Canada through investing in the mapping of denning habitats and population estimates by way of a new smart phone app: “SIKU”. How this ties to the course reading by Theodore Binnema and Melanie Niemi is the consideration (or lack thereof, in the case of the course reading) of Indigenous Peoples right to hunt. It was…
Connecting Past and Present
June 22, 2025 By: Sunia Khan
Conservation pledges falling short, says UN biodiversity report https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/05/conservation-pledges-falling-short-nature-biodiversity-cop15-report This article highlights a 2024 UN biodiversity report showing that most countries are not on track to meet their global pledge to protect 30% of Earth’s land and oceans by 2030. The article connects directly to our Unit 3 theme on conservation, where we learned that goals alone are not enough- historically, conservation success has required both political commitment and local involvement. What stood out to me is that despite increased attention to conservation, many governments lack the infrastructure or enforcement to follow through. This parallels past issues with conservation areas…
Exercise #3
June 19, 2025 By: Shelsey Ambrosi
Development digs up deep concerns from North Okanagan Naturalists https://www.kelownacapnews.com/news/development-digs-up-deep-concerns-from-north-okanagan-naturalists-7888141 This article focusses on concerns from the North Okanagan Naturalist Club around a developmental proposal which requires 421 hectares for a proposed 3960 housing units. The potential development requires urban sprawl into already sensitive areas that are intact, natural ecosystems that provide habitats for species at risk in the Okanagan. The North Okanagan Naturalist Club voice concerns around the potential for increased single-vehicle traffic and strain on infrastructure, long-term environmental damage, and the 421 hectares required for this proposed development. Additional housing in the region is most certainly required;…
Connecting Past and Present
June 16, 2025 By: Simran Kamboj
Alberta government, feds spending $7M to fund 6 new urban wildfire teams https://globalnews.ca/news/11194184/alberta-urban-wildfire-teams-funding/ This news article discusses wildfires in Alberta and the efforts being made to increase the number of firefighter crews in order to prevent these fires from spreading. Their goal is to create teams that are more specialized and prepared for deployment. Alberta’s public safety minister announced on Friday that six teams of urban wildfire crews will be established with nearly $7 million in provincial and federal funding. Native American tribe steps up to protect Florida lands for wildlife https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/15/miccosukee-tribe-florida-wildlife-corridor-foundation This article tends to talk about how Native…
Connecting Past and Present
June 13, 2025 By: Bryce Feltrin
Reclaiming Streets: Gastown’s Car-Free Summer Echoes Global Urban Trends https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/gastown-car-free-summer-events The article highlights a growing global movement seen in cities like San Francisco and Paris, where roadways are being transformed into pedestrian-friendly spaces. This trend aligns closely with urbanization and the ongoing tension between development and sustainability. The pivot away from car-dominated city planning toward people and nature centered design challenges the long-held belief that progress demands more pavement and traffic. It also reminds the legacy of early urban reformers who sought to soften the impacts of industrialization through the creation of parks. Reminding us that today’s urban…