Falls Brook Centre, Knowlesville, NB

We work on a range of successful regional and international programs that support local communities and organizations to adapt to a sustainable future.
Falls Brook Centre (FBC) had its origins around the time of the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Leading up to the Earth Summit, Jean Arnold, the FBC Executive Director, participated on an NGO Steering Committee in working relationship with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
A full two years of presenting papers, making speeches, organizing conferences, and participating in all levels of policy dialogue culminated in deciding that it is critical that we dedicate at least 50% of our work to proving ‘on the ground’ that what we advocate for is possible in practice. It is important that, as a Canadian non-governmental organization, we work locally on environmental issues that are rooted in the Canadian reality but that also impact other communities around the world. With this philosophy and vision shared by a group of New Brunswick environmentalists, Falls Brook Centre was formed in 1992.
Falls Brook Centre is a sustainable community demonstration and training centre in rural New Brunswick. Located in South Knowlesville on 400 acres of Acadian forest and farmland, it represents a balance between the two major economic drivers in the region - forestry and farming. Falls Brook Centre strives to promote exemplary sustainable practices in these two areas through our organic gardens, orchards, forest trails and promotion of ecological certification. Other on-site activities include solar and wind energy systems, a small conference centre, herbariums, tree nurseries, non-timber forest product plantings for mushrooms and ginseng, and other restoration sites that provide the basis for many outreach programs.