The Prince Edward Island Eco-Net de l`Ile-du-Prince-Edouard [PEIEN] is a not-for-profit, non-governmental network of groups on Prince Edward Island who care about our environment. The organization was originally formed in 1991 and was formally incorporated as a co-operative in 2000. The PEIEN is non-advocacy and thus does not take stands on particular issues. Instead, we try to help our member groups with the work they do through the sharing of information and provision of administrative and technical support. We are affiliated with 12 other Environmental Networks: a Network in each province, one in the Northern Territories, a First Nations Environmental Network, and a network of groups with a national focus such as the Sierra Club of Canada. We all come together under the Canadian Environmental Network [CEN], based in Ottawa, which coordinates the activities of 16 national Caucuses concerned with specific areas of interest.



The PEIEN has an office in Charlottetown. We produce a quarterly newsletter, "The Networker", as well as a weekly environmental news summary of local, national and international events. The office of the PEIEN also acts as a point of access for federal, provincial and community programs as well as informing member organizations of government and other initiatives through mail outs and a newsletter. In addition, the staff is able to recommend people who are active and informed with respect to particular issues, so that the most effective individual can be sent to provide the environmental perspective at government and industry consultations.



The PEIEN also has acted as facilitator for its member groups to discuss and provide position papers on current environmental issues. In the past this has involved such topics as the federal and provincial governments` harmonization initiative. Future workshops will center around such issues as climate change and sustainable agriculture.