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Greta Vaivadaite for A\J: What are the major challenges our forests face in North America that your organization is finding solutions to?

DS: This is an interesting question because while forests face challenges, they can also be critical to providing solutions as well. The work we do at the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is directly focused on helping to find solutions to some of the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges. In fact, SFI’s mission is to advance sustainability through forest-focused collaboration.   

Without a doubt the biggest challenge facing our forests is climate change. The overall magnitude of change we are experiencing, primarily in terms of increasing global temperatures year over year, is worrisome. However, the speed at which change is happening is the most concerning. Natural systems are incredibly robust and able to adapt to changing circumstances. But, adaptation takes time, and at the current rate of change—over the last century much of North America has warmed almost 0.07 degrees Celsius per decade—forests will have trouble adapting fast enough. This doesn’t only affect temperature, but water cycles, fire intensities and return rates, and nutrient cycling, just to name a few. These changes can affect land cover—shifting forests into grasslands and wreaking havoc on pests and disease—and affect wildlife and biodiversity.

Fortunately, forests help us fight climate change—particularly when they are sustainably managed. At their core, forests are atmospheric carbon sucking machines, helping to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere, which is exactly what is needed to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Managed forests take these benefits to another level. In addition to capturing carbon, we know that well-managed forests have lower incidence of wildfire, helping to prevent massive carbon emissions to the atmosphere. Beyond that, managed forests produce long-lived harvested wood products that further sequester carbon, locking it into homes, furniture, and tall wood buildings.

SFI helps realize those benefits because our certification ensures that forests are well managed. We are working with our conservation partners, scientists, and SFI-certified organizations to ensure the practices on the ground and the long-term planning that takes place are designed to maximize the benefits of forests for the environment and communities where we live and work. The SFI Forest Management Standard and SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard are designed to ensure that SFI-certified forests are managed with an eye to protecting the health and vigour of our forests today and into the future.

We have recently launched new standards, which will help grow our ability to provide solutions to sustainability challenges like climate change. In fact, our new standards have some specific new objectives to ensure certified organizations are planning for climate risks and vulnerabilities; are taking concrete steps to mitigate those risks and where possible, enhance their capacity to capture carbon from the atmosphere; and are better tackling the risks of increased wildfire. Our new SFI Climate Smart Forestry Objective requires SFI-certified organizations to ensure forest management activities address climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. Our new SFI Fire Resilience and Awareness Objective requires SFI-certified organizations to limit susceptibility of forests to undesirable impacts of wildfire and to raise community awareness of fire benefits, risks, and minimization measures.

GV: In the forestry sector, how are different approaches working more effectively than the conventional top-down approach?

DS: At SFI, we focus on an “outcomes-based” approach, and there is currently 170+ million hectares of certified area in North America, covering forest types from western coastal rainforests to southern pine forests, to lake states aspen forests, to northern boreal forests. This massive and diverse landscape means that we have the scale to make a difference, but it requires regional and sometimes site-specific management. A traditional “top-down” prescriptive approach does not work as well. By collaborating with our strong, committed network including so many professionals who know their forests, we set achievable and focused forest management goals. This allows our SFI-certified organizations to use their expertise and knowledge, working both individually and collectively, to ensure their forests are well managed, and helping us collectively benefit from the forests around us.

GV: Do you find that blanket approaches often work for most forest management practices?

DS: In my experience, when you are dealing with forests that are as dynamic and diverse as those across North America, a one-size-fits-all approach very rarely works. Approaches used in the northern boreal of Canada look almost nothing like those used in the U.S. South. From both an ecological and forest management perspective, we ignore those differences at our peril. 

Occasionally you will find a general “rule of thumb” or best management practice that is broadly applicable, but even then, those approaches often differ in the details of their application. SFI’s Conservation Impact Project is all about using research to better understand how practices generate conservation benefits in our sustainably managed forests, and then communicating those benefits and practices across our network to realize them at a massive scale.

GV: Through the work that you have done, where do you see the most opportunity for improvement? And why is this important in the long run?

DS: We have many climate change models and reasonably well-informed guesses as to the dynamics our forests will experience over the next decade or two, but the uncertainty remains high. From an ecological perspective, the biggest area for improvement across the forest sector is to develop our adaptive capacity, and to be ready and willing to change the way we approach forest management at a large scale. Forest management has traditionally used many tried and true tools like growth and yield curves and sustained yield models. These tools are still useful, but many of them need updating and revision to adjust to the new reality of a changing climate. This is what is so valuable about the new SFI standards and particularly new elements like the SFI Climate Smart Forestry Objective. We are applying our expertise to pressing global challenges in innovative ways that will assess the risk and vulnerabilities to our forests and adapt our plans and practices to meet them head on. This is how we ensure the long-term values, benefits, and overall sustainability of our forests. 

GV: What is the change you wish to see for the future of this sector?

DS: I love the forest sector. It is not without its challenges, but fundamentally the people that work in this sector are dedicated professionals who care deeply about the forests they work in and who are dedicated to doing what they do and doing it better every single day. The biggest change I would like to see for the future of this sector is truly a world that values and benefits from sustainably managed forests. That is actually SFI’s vision and something we strive for everyday. I have said for years that many of the biggest challenges we face today—from climate change, to safe and healthy communities, to social inequality, to youth education—can all benefit from well-managed forests. For the future of the forest sector, I wish to see people from all places—including both urban and rural people—really come to appreciate and value that. There is one thing I think we all need to understand: when our forests win, we all win.

The post Listen to the Forest appeared first on A\J.

The CBC article and podcast features Kevin Parkinson, a wildfire operations officer based out of Slave Lake, Alberta, who is one of the few trained experts within the province with an intimate knowledge of utilizing prescribed burns for combating large wildfires. 

As a highlight on the podcast series, this CBC article touches on a lesser-known side of wildfires, that is, that wildfires are not necessarily inherently bad. In fact, they can even be beneficial. Wildfires themselves are natural and the complete prevention of them is not always the “best solution”, even from a human-centric point of view. Massive, destructive wildfires can be devastating, as we’ve all seen in the media in recent years, with fires including the 2016 Fort McMurray fire in Alberta or the 2020 El Dorado fire in California. These large, out-of-control massive fires differ significantly from the prescribed burns described by Snowdon’s article.

Wildfires themselves are natural and the complete prevention of them is not always the “best solution”…

Prescribed burns, also commonly known as controlled burns, are fires set intentionally by experts for land or fire management. As mentioned by the article, these types of burns are done across Alberta each year, however, it is important to note that they are used across Canada and other parts of the world for the benefits they provide. Interestingly, they can be used for fire management, reducing the risks associated with subsequent fires on the landscape. They can also aid in greenhouse gas abatement, promoting regeneration and regrowth of forested areas, and the restoration or maintenance of habitats.

Re-growth on the forest floor after the 2017 Horse Prairie Fire in southern Oregon // Credit: Chelsea Uggenti

You may ask yourself: “How does starting fires lead to less fires?” Although it may seem counter-intuitive, prescribed burn fires can help reduce the risk of later, and often more severe and thus dangerous, fires. Over time, combustible materials such as dried leaves and branches can build up on the forest floor. This accumulation can make the forest more susceptible to a severe fire. Attempting to suppress and prevent fires indefinitely actually often helps enable excess combustible material to accumulate, thus increasing the risk of a severe fire later. Prescribed burns are used to clear this material away before the risk becomes too great. 

Cleaning up the forest floor litter after a prescribed burn in 2018 near Bend, Oregon // Credit: Chelsea Uggenti

Cleaning up the forest floor litter after a prescribed burn in 2017 in the Ochoco National Forest // Credit: Chelsea Uggenti

From an ecological point of view, fires can be important to maintaining certain habitats, and some ecological communities are even regarded as “fire dependent”. Without relatively frequent fires, these areas will not support the same species they otherwise would. Prolonged fire suppression efforts by humans have altered these landscapes, but we are realizing that fires can be important. Through prescribed burns, some of these ecosystems have been at least partially restored.

A few ways that prescribed burns can begin were also highlighted in the CBC article. One such method included dropping fireballs (ping-pong like balls filled with glycol that chemically react) from helicopters to ignite slow burning forest fires. However, sometimes a more intense fire is warranted during a prescribed burn. For these more intense fires, another aerial technique that is employed is called a heli-torch, a helicopter with a 45-gallon drum with gel that is ignited as it is dumped over the forest. Other tamer methods include using a drip torch – a canister that pours flaming fuel onto the ground, done manually while walking in the forest – which are a bit less intense but just as important for wildfire suppression. These are just a few of the hazard reduction technologies and techniques Parkinson uses to protect from larger wildfires, however, there is a lot more strategy involved than simply playing with pyrotechnics. As the article highlights, smaller strategic fires can be set to redirect wildfires in safer directions towards natural fire breaks and often, these fires are carefully planned and executed in detail.

A scorched tree after a wildfire in Umpqua National Forest, Oregon // Credit: Chelsea Uggenti

These burns must be done responsibly, with careful consideration and planning of the present environment. Short and long-term weather conditions, the combustible material present, the types of ecosystems, and nearby infrastructure are all factored in when agencies create a “burn plan”. Parkinson mentioned the carefully planned and executed prescribed burn in Rocky Mountain House that took 10 years to occur while they waited for the right conditions. Although some people believe these burns are bad since they can create or increase smoke plumes in populated areas which can lead to uncomfortable breathing conditions or increased smoke-related illnesses, it is important to realize that the smoke generated by these burns is usually less intrusive and dangerous than the smoke generated by a raging wildfire.

What does this mean to us, exactly? We feel that articles like this give us hope. Although wildfires can be very dangerous and scary, there are some amazing preventative measures, like prescribed burns, in place that help to reduce their risks. It is inspiring to read about Kevin Parkinson’s flaming ping-pong balls technique and the other methods employed by fire fighters and crews. Moving forward, we hope to see better communication (I mean, we’re living in the digital age, right?!) between fire management agencies, fire fighters, and the public that continues to share and strengthen the knowledge that prescribed burns are necessary and effective. We hear the common “short-term pains for long-term gains” phrase ringing in our minds.

This article is part of our March 2021 Western Student Editorial Series – a series that showcases the works of students in the Collaborative Specialization in Environment and Sustainability program. Read more articles from this series here!

The post Fighting Fire with Fire appeared first on A\J.

Tree planting initiatives are becoming more and more popular, especially as carbon offsets or “carbon credits”. Several tree planting initiatives are on the go in North America, like the Nature Conservancy’s Plant A Billion Trees campaign and Forests Ontario’s 50 Million Tree Program, and there are similar programs all over the globe. Corporations, brands, and companies are jumping on the bandwagon as well, investing in tree planting projects as a way to work towards being carbon neutral. In Canada, the government recently announced that they are committing to a project of planting 2 billion trees by 2050 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Now, that’s a lot of trees! And what’s that famous quote again? “With a great amount of trees, comes great responsibility.”

Planting trees is not a simple environmental fix and has great potential to put our ecosystems and people in danger if it is not done properly. It’s time we started understanding all sides of this story, so we know what type of tree planting and other restoration projects to support going forward.

The Role of Trees in Climate Change

Climate change is being driven by greenhouse gas emissions – CO2 being a significant one – and the planet is warming, ice is melting, sea levels are rising, and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe. Trees are known to be a solution against climate change because they take in CO2 and release oxygen during photosynthesis, which typically produces a net cooling effect for the climate. This means trees are a carbon sink – they hold onto carbon and prevent it from being released (until they are chopped down or die by other means). And tree lifespans are very long, naturally speaking; they can live for several decades and even centuries for some species. Given they aren’t cut down, trees can be fairly safe places for carbon to stay. This is why it seems so obvious to plant more trees to suck up more CO2 and cut down less to reduce CO2 emissions. 

Source: Know Your Meme

Nothing is ever as simple as it seems though, especially in nature. Forests do not always produce a net cooling effect because of a little thing called albedo. Albedo is the measure of how much solar radiation (heat and light from the sun) can be reflected off of a surface. Darker colours absorb more radiation and lighter colours reflect more. That is why my old black car with leather seats and dysfunctional air conditioning was killer to drive on a hot, summer day. Since it had a black surface, it absorbed a lot more heat and was essentially a sauna on wheels. Similarly, darker coloured land surfaces, like forests, absorb more solar radiation than lighter ones, like grasslands or snow. So, forest cover can actually warm the climate in some regions of the world. There is a complex and delicate balance between the warming and cooling effects of forests, and the net effect can vary depending on where the trees are.

An accredited study from 2007 suggested that the best region to plant trees is the tropics because trees grow fastest closer to the equator and, in those regions, they have the ability to take in the most amount of CO2. Planting trees closer to the poles, in colder environments where it’s snowy, is likely to cause a net warming effect. And in the in-between space? Well, planting trees in temperate regions, like Canada or the UK, might produce a neutral effect as the cooling and warming is likely to cancel out in many cases.

Dr. Christopher Williams, geography professor and researcher from Clark University, is working on some of the latest research on reforestation, and he said the following: “If we fail to consider both the carbon and the albedo effects, large-scale tree-planting initiatives, such as Canada’s 2Billion Trees Initiative and The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees campaign, could end up placing trees in locations that are counterproductive for cooling the climate system … It is all about putting the right trees in the right place.”

Problems with Plantations

“You can’t plant a forest; you can only plant a plantation,” said journalist Ted Williams, in an article on the harms of reforesting, and I think this statement says it all. Forests are entire ecosystems – trees are only one part of the whole complex system. It would take a lot more time and effort to create a full, natural forest from the ground up than it does to plant a tree plantation, which is what some, if not many, tree-planting initiatives probably turn out to be. 

A lot of trees being planted are monocultures, which means they consist of many trees of the same species, and these species are usually fast-growing commercial species, like acacia or eucalyptus. In terms of biodiversity benefits, tree plantations do diddly-squat. Rich, natural forests are the way to go to boost and support biodiversity.

Eucalyptus Plantation in Thailand // Source: Yale E360

Some tree plantations can also pose threats to water sources because trees are pretty thirsty organisms. According to a study on the impact of tree plantations, planting trees can dry up streams and change the soil quality in some areas. In fact, 13% of the forests studied caused streams to dry up for at least one year. And on average, plantations reduced stream flow in those ecosystems by 50%. Due to the water demands of tree plantations, natural wetland systems and aquatic habitats could be seriously disrupted. But these issues associated with the water and nutrient needs of trees also impact humans because obviously, we need water too! Tree plantations can limit the water available for drinking and irrigation. For example, in arid regions of China, planting trees is causing water scarcity. 

So, next time you see a corporation committing to plant 2 million trees to account for their carbon emissions, ask yourself the following:

• Where are these large scale tree-planting initiatives happening? 
• What purpose will they serve long-term i.e. are they planting a tree farm or a true forest? 
• Are they paying attention to what species they are planting i.e. native species? 
• Are they simply planting monocultures of tree species that are not diverse, which would be vulnerable to diseases and pests?

Clearly, there are a lot of local factors to consider when initiating a tree planting project. It is important to look at the big picture – whether the project will actually cause net cooling or warming – but then it’s equally important to scale it right down to the local level and make sure no harm is being done to the existing ecosystems and nearby communities.

Important Treeless Ecosystems

There are so many different types of ecosystems that thrive without trees and still combat climate change. Pleistocene Park in Siberia is an example of a region that thrives without trees. It is an Arctic, tundra ecosystem populated by musk-ox, wild horses, and bison. Nikita Zimov runs this park and his goal is to protect the frozen ground from thawing and thus emitting carbon. He said, “Here, trees worsen climate change,” and he’s right. This Arctic ecosystem relies on grazing animals to eat the ground vegetation and trample the snow to a thin layer. A thin layer of snow allows the ground to cool much more than a thicker, insulating layer would. However, when humans hunted most of the grazing animals from this area, the ecosystem began to transition from snowy grassland to forest, since the vegetation was not being eaten and could continue growing without limitation. An increase in trees has resulted in ecosystem warming. Nikita is one of many protectors of these vulnerable ecosystems and would like to see the Arctic rewilded and brought back to it’s natural, cool temperature.

Pleistocene Park in Siberia // Source: Animal People Forum

Prairies are also important ecosystems and they combat climate change on their own without a need for trees. Prairies reflect solar radiation and a study from the University of California found that in some areas, grasslands are even better carbon sinks than both tree plantations and natural forests because grasslands are more stable and reliable storers of carbon. Grasslands are less impacted by droughts and wildfires, so there is a lower risk of the carbon being emitted from these ecosystems. Plus, grasslands store carbon underground, so even if they were burned, the carbon would still safely be stored in the earth.

Many native grasslands have been destroyed by anthropogenic activities, such as agriculture and invasive species. We should start thinking about taking climate action by restoring these types of ecosystems instead of planting trees in areas that might not even be effective.

The American Prairie Reserve is an organization that is taking action to recover native prairie ecosystems. In Montana, they are working on removing non-native trees, like the Russian olive and Chinese locust, and reseeding abandoned cropland to restore the native prairie. Neil Shook, the manager of the projects, said, “I have old photos showing settlers out on the prairie, and there’s not a single tree in the background. Now the same places are littered with trees. By cutting trees we’re seeing increases in prairie vegetation and grassland songbirds.” So, this ecosystem is on its way back to thriving with native vegetation and wildlife and without trees.

Source: The Property and Environment Research Center

Conclusion

Now, after all my researching and writing of this article, I still believe that planting trees is a way to combat the climate crisis. Trees, of course, are needed. Deforestation is still a huge, pressing issue for climate change. But the point to remember is that tree planting campaigns may not always be the answer to combating the climate crisis. We need to pay attention to planting trees in the right spaces, but we should also be sharing the spotlight with other types of ecosystem restoration – like grasslands and wetlands – that have their own critical ecosystem functions without the presence of trees. Maybe we will start to see carbon offsetting programs in the future that invest in other types of ecosystem restoration instead of simply planting loads of trees in places they may not belong.

Trees are complex, climate change is complex, and nature is complex. Being aware of the complexity of nature is important, so that we can support the right kinds of initiatives and have a better grasp on the role that trees have in climate change. It helps to do a little research, dig a little deeper, and keep on supporting helpful tree-planting efforts, while also diversifying your support by giving attention to other types of restoration projects. Trees are wonderful – personally, I love trees – but I think we should all start giving a little more love to those native grasses, shrubs, and other wildlife, and highlight the importance of those ecosystems as well. 

The bottom line is that we as humans need to be very careful with how we rebuild nature. It is clear from history that many humans were not careful with nature in the past, which has led us to now – humanity facing a smorgasbord of issues that threaten our very existence. We know that nature is super complex, so obviously, restoring nature is going to be complex too. We need to tread lightly and be fully informed, and not cut any corners while doing so.

The post Are We Failing to See the Forest for the Trees? appeared first on A\J.

…including ways we can right our environmental wrongs and help nature thrive…”

I do not believe that humans are inherently bad for nature. In history, humans lived harmoniously with nature for generations, living as an intertwined part of nature rather than separate from or in control of it. In fact, even today, in many places in the world, healthy ecosystems actually depend on human intervention and stewardship to thrive.

Does that mean the problem is that humans aren’t living in harmony with nature anymore, as we should be? Well, that may be a piece of it; however, in addition to being better environmental stewards by taking measures to protect the environment, I also believe that we should be taking reactive measures to fix the problems we have already caused. This is where ecological restoration comes into play. There are plenty of things individuals can do to help the environment, including ways we can right our environmental wrongs and help nature thrive in places it used to. Ecological restoration is just that – righting the wrongs, repairing the relationship.

WHAT? – Defining Ecological Restoration

The Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) is the leading organization in ecological restoration across the globe. SER defines ecological restoration as “the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed”^[1]. In other words, ecological restoration involves looking at spaces that used to be natural areas that have been ruined in some way as a result of human activities and disturbances, and then taking measures to turn those areas back into functional ecosystems.

The process of ecosystem restoration // SOURCE: Medium

An example of this process in a community could be transforming a damaged, unused parking lot space into a city park where native vegetation can be planted. A larger scale project might look like reverting a decommissioned, highly polluted mine site back into a thriving natural ecosystem. But, wait. Isn’t this supposed to be about how individuals can practice ecological restoration? Absolutely! Ecological restoration does include large scale projects, research, and experiments, since restoration ecology is an academic field of study. But the concept of restoring natural spaces can also be scaled down to the local, household level. So let’s get into what ecological restoration has to do with YOU.

WHY? – The Benefits

Before we discuss the how, we should discuss the why. Why should you care about ecological restoration? Because it benefits you!

Restoring natural areas can do wonders for human health and wellbeing by making our communities healthier and more desirable places to live. For example, transforming degraded areas into functional, natural spaces may improve air and water quality. Ecological restoration projects could also combat climate change, since plant life takes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and cools our environment.

Natural areas also directly benefit human mental health and wellbeing by providing recreational outdoor space, and making urban and suburban areas more aesthetically pleasing. Several studies, including one conducted by the NASA Earth Observatory, have shown the link between positive mental health and both the accessibility and proximity to green spaces. Green spaces are valued by many for enjoyment, boosting their mood, and inspiring deeper connections with nature. To break it down: Ecological restoration = more parks and gardens = more outdoor fun and good-looking cities = happier people.

Ecological restoration projects also usually provide increased and improved habitat spaces for wildlife. Now, I know this article is focused on why ecological restoration is relevant to people, and you are probably not a butterfly or toad looking for habitat, but hear me out. Some very important species are at risk of extinction since their habitat needs are becoming harder to meet in this era of urbanization and climate change. Many natural areas have been reduced or destroyed, and the animals who need to live in those spaces are struggling to survive in many cases. The karner blue butterfly is just one of many examples of a pollinator species that has gone locally extinct in Ontario.

The Karner Blue Butterfly // SOURCE: Nature Canada

Pollinators are especially valuable species for the health of the entire planet, so we really can’t afford to lose any more of them. It is estimated that up to 95% of flowering plants depend on pollination^[2]. In terms of plants that humans eat, that means roughly one out of every three bites of food that you take exists because of pollinators. So if pollinators can’t find habitats and continue to decline, our entire global food system could be at stake. Now that is a scary thought. Allow me to bring back the optimism. It is truly amazing that we have the capability to stop those environmental dooms from happening, and a key method to do so is ecological restoration!

HOW? – The Actions

The individual’s role in ecological restoration is simple: transform your areas with little to no diversity into biodiverse paradises, and take part in local community projects.

One great starting point for figuring out where you should do ecological restoration is identifying areas outdoors that have little to nothing growing there. The average North American lawn is a great example of this. What comes to mind when you think of a lawn? Probably an expanse of short, uniform grass. Let me explain why lawns are one of the areas with the most potential for ecological restoration at the household level.

Lawns are very common green spaces in urban and suburban areas, yet they have no ecological value. Many lawns actually do more harm than good for the environment because they require lots of water and can even release more greenhouse gases than they absorb. It is nonsensical that these precious areas of green space are being wasted on lawn grass!

The key to remember here is simply – restore your green spaces so they are welcoming to a diversity of species in order to create functional ecosystems and promote sustainability.

nstead of having a boring, homogenous lawn, you can transform that space into something more beautiful and ecologically-beneficial! Alternative lawns may look different depending on where you live and what kind of space you have available, but planting a diversity of native plants is a good start. Using a diversity of plants, meaning plants of different species, is important to create habitats. The more diverse your space is, the more types of pollinators and other species it will accommodate, and the more functional the ecosystem will be! If you take pride in the beauty of your yard, then now is the time to let your creativity shine! Check out Credit Valley Conservation’s tips and resources on how to “ecologically landscape” your lawn.

SOURCE: Hamilton Pollinator Paradise

If you don’t have the resources to completely change your lawn right away, don’t worry. You can also just let your grass grow longer instead of regularly cutting it, which can lower the lawn’s water requirements and still foster a space for pollinators. Even simply taking a break from raking leaves in the fall is a strategy to make your spaces more ecologically beneficial because leaf piles are actually super important spaces for small critters to live and hide, like butterfly larvae, salamanders, and shrews!

The key to remember here is simply – restore your green spaces so they are welcoming to a diversity of species in order to create functional ecosystems and promote sustainability.

 For those who don’t have a lawn and don’t have any areas where you can create habitats and gardens, there are still things you can do – just get involved. There are so many local ecological restoration community projects, practically across the whole globe. Finding a project near you that you can help with is just a few clicks away! Just research ecological restoration projects near you. You can also go to the project database on SER’s website to find some larger scale projects in your area if you’re interested in learning more! Many ecological restoration projects welcome volunteers with open arms. You could spend a day in nature by joining a team pulling invasive species in a natural area, or donate to a local initiative trying to turn an old landfill site into a park in your city, or even take a field trip to a conservation area! For example, the Ontario branch of SER hosts several field trips each year in order to introduce the public to restoration efforts near them. Even during the pandemic, they are hosting virtual field trips and webinars.

I study at the University of Waterloo and I like to go for walks on my study breaks. Recently, I took a walk in Filsinger Park, in Kitchener, and I found out that the Filsinger Park stream had been a restoration project. The city replaced the concrete stream channels with native vegetation to create a naturalized, functional stream ecosystem, and it is now a beautiful place to take a walk and appreciate nature! My point is, simply going for a walk and discovering ecological restoration in your city could be the first step in making your mark on the environment a positive one. Ecological restoration is relevant to you. We can all contribute to restoring natural spaces in our own backyards and communities. And by making these contributions, we can restore our relationship with nature, one step at a time.

^[1] Society for Ecological Restoration, “International Principles and Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration: Second Edition” (accessed January 7, 2021) <https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.ser.org/resource/resmgr/docs/ser_international_standards_.pdf>^[2] Ollerton J, Winfree R, and Tarrant S, “How many flowering plants are pollinated by animals?” (accessed January 7, 2021) <https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0706.2010.18644.x>

^[2] Ollerton J, Winfree R, and Tarrant S, “How many flowering plants are pollinated by animals?” (accessed January 7, 2021) <https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0706.2010.18644.x>

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But even within that innovative and dynamic environment, I sometimes find myself in need of inspiration: a personal reminder of why I find my work so meaningful and quite frankly, fun. 

Lately, that inspiration has come in the form of a matter-of-fact insight, shared with me by an extraordinary young First Nations man during my graduate studies. 

I couldn’t have asked for a better master’s project. Building on an existing Lakehead University partnership, I was invited into the Outland Youth Employment Program (OYEP) camp to live, work and learn throughout their six-week program. My goal was to gather the stories of OYEP’s First Nation youth participants, to better understand their perspectives on forest sustainability and opportunities for forest sector career exploration.

Each Ranger, as they’re called, taught me valuable lessons. Even today, I regularly find myself going back to my thesis and research notes, seeking their wisdom and advice. For some reason though, I turn back to a single statement more than any other: 

“Most of my family weren’t really doing good as far as education… So, I had to work on my own at home. They couldn’t have helped. They wouldn’t know how,” one young man offered during a sharing circle. “I was the only one paddling the boat, I guess you could say.”

Poetry, struggle, resiliency and determination all contained in a then 16-year-old’s few simple sentences. I must have read them hundreds of times by now. Yet, without fail, they still simultaneously break my heart, fill me with pride and energize my soul with the most profound feeling of hope for our future.

In many ways, that young man’s lived reality couldn’t be any more different than my own. Higher education has long been a priority—almost an expectation—in my family. To this day, I still love hearing about my grandma’s adventures in Western University’s Secretarial Science program during the 1940s. With those types of experiences in my family, I grew up taking for granted that when it came to pursuing my aspirations, I would never have to paddle my boat alone. 

I now recognize my deeply engrained sense of potential as an immense privilege. It’s through the stories of incredible, resilient young people—like those who have generously shared with me at places like OYEP, Feathers of Hope, and the 2018 Emergency Meeting on Indigenous Child and Family Services—that I can constantly remind myself that the world is far bigger than my own experience. 

It’s in those stories that I also find inspiration. They serve as my personal calls to action, the fuel I need to do more, whether it be knocking on the doors of elected leaders, building and growing youth-focused programs, or writing editorials that call even more people into the conversation. 

No young person should have to paddle their boat alone. In the Green Jobs sector, we have a responsibility to use our collective passion, knowledge, insights and experiences to be the community of support that many young people currently struggle to find. As a single voice, we must consciously invite young people into our circle and help instill within them the confidence that they can achieve their highest aspirations—whatever they may be. 

Taking action has never been easier. Whether you’re a student, young professional, or corporate leader, it can be as simple as sharing your own story, offering your time as a mentor or a role model, or committing to continuous action-oriented learning and professional growth. I invite you to reach out to PLT Canada if you want to take action, but simply don’t know where to start—our team is here for you through our growing toolkit of resources, webinars and one-on-one support! 

As I wrote about last week, life’s most impactful moments can come at the most unexpected of times. We can truly never know when something we do or say might be that moment for someone. So, let’s treat every moment like it is. Let’s let intentionality and generosity be our legacy. 

Let’s all commit to doing our part now so that someday every young person can grow up knowing that they too can become a forest and conservation leader. Let’s show them that there is an entire community of support that is eager to paddle alongside them, who values their voices and experiences and is excited to work together to grow a future in which everyone can fully value and benefit from sustainably managed forests. 

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It was my first Green Job – a co-op placement toward completing the Forest Technician program at Confederation College. I was a summer research assistant, tasked with supporting an interdisciplinary team of graduate students, university researchers, and forest sector professionals exploring sustainable bioenergy opportunities in two northern First Nation communities. 

We had been invited to help determine how local forests could help reduce dependency on existing heating sources like diesel or electricity. But also with a bigger picture in mind – that sustainable forest management would also catalyze other community benefits like employment creation, business development and reduce wildfire risk. 

Data collection was key, especially for one fly-in community partner, located in Ontario’s Far North. Within that region, there are no accurate forest inventories. It’s beyond what’s known as the Area of the Undertaking—the zone in which active forest management occurs. We therefore needed boots on the ground to paint an accurate picture of whether local forests could sustainably meet the community’s needs. 

As the most junior person on the team, my role largely involved trailblazing inventory lines and trying to ensure we didn’t get lost along the way. Luckily by my side was our local guide, Fred. 

From my knowledge, Fred never had any formal forestry training—at least in the conventional Western sense. But he possessed a lifetime of experience in the bush. Beyond that, he possessed the collective knowledge of countless generations who had walked those same forests before him. I may have felt isolated in one of Canada’s most remote forested regions. Fred, however, was very much in is backyard. 

The days spent together traversing spruce bogs and jack pine sand flats gave Fred and I lots of time to together. Typical small talk of hobbies and disdain for the incessant the swarms of biting insects, quickly gave way to deeper curiosity. 

Turned out we are very much curious about the same things. Not least of which was learning as much as we could about the forest. “What do you call that?” became our go-to game. The rules were simple: point at a plant, big or small, and ask, “What do you call that?”, generally followed by, “What does that mean?”

At their best, I quickly recognized, the Latin and common names I was learning generally referenced some aspect of a plant’s physical appearance. Many others seemed completely arbitrary. Others, as I see it now, appear modern vestiges of the Doctrine of Discovery, where European explorers have given way to botanists, no longer naming “discoveries” after monarchs but rather notable scientific figures.

Fred’s OjiCree understandings couldn’t have been more different. Each name spoke to a relationship. Sometimes between a plant and its ecosystem. Others between the plant and the human world. For example, where the name I’d learned was simply tamarack, Fred’s spoke to its swampy home. Where I knew simply jack pine, Fred knew its relationship to fire.

Each new word opened my eyes a little more to a different way of seeing, knowing and appreciating the forest. 

One name stood out in particular, though, and continues to live with me to this day. Diverging from our usual pattern, Fred pointed to a tree we’d already covered—I knew as a black spruce. Its needles were brown, many lying on the ground around it. I knew he was looking beyond just a recap of its name. I struggled to find an answer. 

Fred on the other hand, did not. His name, roughly translated, referred to a standing piece of firewood. Where I merely saw a dead spruce and therefore a bypass in our forest inventory, Fred saw a new relationship opportunity. 

In the conifer-dominated forests in which Fred’s community is located, chimney fires are a real and constant danger. Knowing where to harvest dry firewood can be a matter of life and death. That name and the relationship it speaks to have helped keep generations of that community safe. 

In that moment, I couldn’t help but feel humbled. The words I’d learned in school suddenly seemed like just that—words. 

Fred’s on the other hand were glimpses into relationships, histories and ways of knowing the forest that could only ever be fully discovered through many generations of lived experience in that one place. The language itself was a reflection of and testament to the inextricable connections between a people and their home.

With so much collective knowledge contained in even a single word, imagine what else we could learn? 

I carry that experience with me today in my work at Sustainable Forestry Initiative. Through Objective 8, forest-focused community programming, knowledge sharing and convening, we create space where people from all backgrounds can come together, listen and learn from one another. 

Our hope is that through curiosity, conversation and collaboration, everyone can come to their own lasting, “What do you call this?” moment, like I had. 

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Being Métis, that statement by Jim Sinclair to the 1987 First Ministers’ Conference often plays in my mind. 

Self-determination—the ability to freely pursue one’s own destiny—is a basic human right. It is enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and has since been formally recognized by the Government of Canada. 

More than 35 years after Mr. Sinclair’s principled stand, however, Canada continues to grapple with how to breathe life into that most fundamental of principles. Progress is undoubtedly being made, but not at the pace that many would like. Untangling the web of colonial systems, attitudes and assumptions upon which Canadian society is built is a complex task. One requiring nuanced, nation-specific approaches developed through nation-to-nation relationships.  

As a former elected Métis Nation representative, I’ve sat across from ministers, senior government officials and private sector leaders, attempting to untangle this very web. I can attest to the many practical challenges of achieving full and lasting reconciliation. I can also attest to the value of conversation, learning and relationship building, however long it may take. 

What gets me most excited, though, is myriad of ways through which Indigenous Peoples across what is now Canada are taking action today. Asserting their inherent right to self-determination through efforts big and small, as diverse and unique as Indigenous Nations themselves. Creating positive, lasting change for their communities in the process. 

The #BeadworkRevolution was one such action that I was privileged to be a part of. The reasoning, for me at least, was simple. To advance our nation’s rights and aspirations now and into the future, we needed to harness the collective knowledge, skills and passion of all Métis citizens, including Métis youth. To create that collective consciousness, we needed to rebuild a sense of shared identity and pride that many Métis youth struggle to find. 

What started as a project to simply teach Métis floral beadwork to a new generation, so that every young person could feel connected to and proud of their Métis heritage, grew into a bigger change-making action that none of us could have originally imagined. 

More youth wearing beadwork led to more awareness, more interest, and more requests for materials and instruction by Métis and non-Métis people alike. To keep up with this enthusiasm and demand, our youth group created a “Learn to Bead” kit—everything someone would need for their first beading project, complete with graphical instructions, all in a handy and easy to mail jar. 

By selling these $20 kits to individuals, communities, service providers, governments, school boards and more, we not only raised the awareness and excitement we’d hoped for, but enough money to start a province-wide micro-grant program, through which any Métis youth could apply for up to $500 to host a community gathering or cultural event, to bring community members young and old together. We knew that the potential of our young people was infinite. The grants helped them bring it to life.

With the support of a growing number of partners, that success grew into an annual Métis youth conference, a full-time staff person dedicated to Métis youth issues, and a province-wide initiative where Métis youth could come together to take action on issues that mattered most to them, including education, health and well-being, environmental sustainability, language and culture, and nation building. 

Our small idea grew into Métis youth coming together to assert their inherent right to self-determination. And while I’m no longer a youth, the initiatives carry on under a new generation of leaders. 

Working now at the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada), I’m constantly amazed to learn about and partner with other Indigenous Nations who are actively and creatively exercising their inherent right to self-determination.

This includes the Lac Seul First Nation, whose community-owned business, Ondaadiziwin Forest Management, obtained Ontario’s first Enhanced Sustainable Forest License and successfully certified to the SFI Forest Management Standard. Through Ondaadiziwin, Lac Seul is creating jobs and training opportunities for local youth. They are deepening relationships with local municipalities, businesses and land managers. They have not only reclaimed active stewardship of over 1 million hectares of their territory, but are building a resilient and sustainable local economy in the process.

SFI and PLT Canada have been privileged to partner with Ondaadiziwin, co-creating positive, community-driven change that advances the interests and priorities that matter most to them. Together, we have supported land-based Green Jobs for youth, invested in skills training to further build the Nation’s forest management capacity, and have shared the stories and voices of Lac Seul’s current forestry leaders to help inspire their next generation of environmental stewards. 

Like SFI and PLT Canada, Canadians old and young are taking up their own call to relationship and reconciliation. Listening and learning to become the best neighbours and partners they can be. We all have a role to play. Not least of which is letting Indigenous Peoples lead.

The reality that started for me with the #BeadworkRevolution becomes clearer every day is that Indigenous Peoples have long been leading and will continue to lead. The Lac Seul First Nation’s efforts through the vehicle of sustainable forest management is just one example on a list far too long and diverse for me to fully describe. Through creativity, determination and respectful partnership, that list continues to grow by the day. 

Seeing it now from both sides of the table, I can’t help but recognize the prophetic nature of Mr. Sinclair’s words to the First Minister’s Conference all those years ago: “This is not an end. It’s only the beginning… We break new roads for those who’ll come in the future. Don’t worry Mr. Prime Minister and premiers of the provinces, I may be gone but our people will be back.” 

The post Growing Partnerships, Prosperity and a Brighter Future for Us All appeared first on A\J.

But coming out of university, I found myself being just another young person with a diploma and few employable skills. Weeks of job hunting led to me questioning my situation and decisions. Was a university education not a sure-fire ticket to a great job? Had I tumbled off the time-tested path to career success? Or had I been misinformed? 

Then one day, I happened upon an issue of Maclean’s calling Canadians into the forest. Positions needed to be urgently filled before an impending wave of Boomer retirements decimated the sector’s ranks, it said.

For someone who practically grew up in the forest, I realized I held an old fashioned, plaid-wearing, axe-swinging picture of forestry in Canada. Who knew it was still an option? Maybe it was time for me to put the plaid back on and give it a swing!

To my good fortune, the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) had recently launched a program designed exactly for people like me who were eager to work but in need of employment-ready training. With the MNO’s full support, I went off to the Forest Technician program at Confederation College. 

This kickstarted my new career pathway. One with no clear destination, far messier than the one I’d been sold in high school, but guided by a desire to accumulate experiences, skills and knowledge under my belt that would get me somewhere I loved. I invited myself to wander, following new interests and new opportunities, building a one-of-a kind skillset, while learning what made me happiest and brought me the most fulfillment in the process. 

Now, in my role as the Director of Indigenous and Youth Relations at the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Project Tree Learning Canada (PLT Canada), I get to use my lived experience to help other young people navigate their own pathway to success—whatever that means to them. Serving as the guidance I needed when I was in their position.

From pre-employment training programs to post-employment community service opportunities; every program, service and support tool we provide is a stepping-stone that a young person can take along their own unique career path. 

Free resources like our career fact sheets and “Guide to Green Jobs in Canada: Voices of Indigenous Professionals”highlight the diversity of green job opportunities in the forest and conservation sector. Webinars, online courses and skills funding help youth build their professional competencies. Work-ready equipment grants can help remove employment barriers. Green Jobs wage-matching connects youth with paid work experiences. Mental wellness services help ensure youth are supported along the way. Mentorship experiences and conference scholarships help youth grow into bigger and better roles. And PLT Canada’s Green Jobs Ambassador Program helps youth pay it forward through community service. Completing an overall well-rounded support system to get indigenous youth into the forest and a rewarding career.

Like in the forest itself, there is no right or wrong green path. Only your green career path. 

So, embrace new experiences. Pursue what gets you most excited. Don’t be afraid to take a couple steps back (or sideways) or make your own path when something doesn’t feel right. And learn every step of the way. Take it from this now not-so-young person with a green career he loves!

The post Forging a Career Path in the Forest Sector appeared first on A\J.

SFI advances sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. SFI is an independent, non-profit organization that demonstrates its commitment to forests through its work in standards, conservation, education, and community. SFI works with the forest sector, conservation groups, academics, researchers, brand owners, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and governments to achieve a vision of a world that values and benefits from sustainably managed forests. Learn more: www.sfiprogram.org.

About Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada)

An initiative of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) believes in a society that values and benefits from sustainably managed forests and the great outdoors. PLT Canada is committed to using the outdoors to engage youth in learning about the world around them—in rural, Indigenous and urban communities—and using trees and forests as windows on the world to inspire action and grow the next generation of future forest and conservation leaders.

Since 2018, PLT Canada has placed youth in over 3,000 high quality work experiences through its Green Job program, achieving both gender balance and over 500 placements for Indigenous youth. The program is successful thanks in large part to the organization’s employer partners across the SFI and Canadian Parks Council networks. Green Jobs youth gain valuable work experience that helps them pursue careers as foresters, wildlife biologists, Indigenous knowledge coordinators, hydrologists, park rangers and much more.

PLT Canada also offers a mentorship program, factsheet, resume and cover letter review services, and webinars to support the career growth and essential skills development of both job seekers and employers. PLT Canada also offers environmental education materials to help inspire the love of forests and nature, and mental health and wellness services to help participants be their best self! Learn more: www.pltcanada.org

Week One: Forging a Career Path in the Forest Sector.

Week Two: Growing Partnerships, Prosperity and a Brighter Future for Us All.

Week Three: What do you call this?

Week Four: Let’s Paddle Together

The post #ForestFridays appeared first on A\J.

Source: The Guardian// Photograph: Yvette Cardozo/Alamy

Two Wrongs Do Not Make A Right

Source: The Guardian// Photograph: Yvette Cardozo/Alamy

A few years ago, the province of British Columbia decided to place a bounty on wolves. This decision was in response to declining caribou populations, a species which can now only be found in BC as they have completely disappeared from the United States. After all was said and done, the cull estimated to have killed over a thousand wolves.

This week, a study from the University of Alberta shared that the cull did very little to bring back caribou herds, and these apex predators died for nothing.

Reasoning behind the cull was simple; humans have been clearcutting forests and intruding the hinterlands (for snowmobile and ski trails) for years, which have created corridors and open spaces for wolves to stalk the caribou more easily. In fact, the Guardian stated that over the last five years, BC has permitted “more than 900 sq. km of land to be logged, despite the forests being listed as critical caribou habitat. In the last year, 314 logging cut-blocks have been approved in areas where the caribou are most vulnerable.”

Instead of addressing the clearcutting which plagued caribou populations (because that would mean WE would have to make change), we decided to slaughter the wolves that hunt them instead.

Not only did the cull have little effect on saving caribou populations, in regards to “the endangered Wells Grey herd in central British Columbia, which has suffered one of the worst population declines, the researchers found that wolves weren’t even a major predator.”

When are we going to realize that two wrongs do not make a right? The web of life is complicated, and by removing an apex predator like wolves from the food chain, we are triggering complex relationship breakdowns that extend beyond wolves and caribou.  

Ian McAllister, the executive director at Pacific Wild, echoed these sentiments. He stated, “Wolves in every meaning of the word are being used as a scapegoat for government negligence.”

Incredibly sad indeed.

Have you ever heard of an Australian “Bilby”? 

The Australian native Bilby is a marsupial with rabbit-like ears – extremely cute. The Bilby is an important ecosystem engineer with its excellent digging ability allowing other species to reap the rewards of its hard work. Populations of this interesting little animal have been devastated over the past 200 years after being hunted to near extinction by cats and foxes. Last year bilbies were released into the Malle Cliffs National Park in New South Wales as part of a programme for threatened species, which has now resulted in a baby boom. Check out the video of the little creatures here. 

The bilbies released in October of 2019 were protected in a 9,500 nectar, feral predator-free fences area which is designed to keep the cats and foxes out. The bilbies have thrived in this projected environment, and as a result young joeys at various development stages can now be found in the national park. Ecologists capture the bilbies to perform health checks and monitor the population and ensure smooth sailing. 

Australia has one of the highest mammal extinction rates in the world, and this species is no different. Ecologists say that the successful reintroduction gives hope to the threatened species and shows that the population is going in the right direction. 

Source: Bush Heritage Australia citing Minden Pictures | AUSCAPE

New research finds that Beluga Whales can form social networks just like humans  

A new study led by Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute shows that just like humans, beluga whales can also form social networks and connections beyond their close relatives, even with distantly related and completely unrelated whales. 

The researchers used molecular genetic techniques and field studies from 10 locations across the Arctic from Alaska to Canada and Russia to Norway to pull together decades of research about the group dynamics, group behaviour and complex relationships among beluga whales. 

The study found that beluga communities have some similarities to human ones, where social networks, cooperation and culture involve interactions between kin and non-kin. Beluga whales have a lifespan of approximately 70 years, making it possible for them to form long-term affiliations with whales of all ages, and both sexes in migratory and resident populations in numbers of hundreds and even thousands across various habitats. Think of it like having a connection with that person you met 3 years ago while at a friend’s get together. Belugas have similar affiliations for forming long-term connections. 

The researches stated that it may be the belugas highly developed echolocation – clicks of noises that bounce back from the environment which are interpreted to identify objects such as food or to communicate with others –  that enables them to remain in regular acoustic contact with close kin even when not associating for a while. The researchers hope that the new understanding of why individuals may form social groups, even with non-kin, will promote new research on what constitutes species resilience. It could also provide more knowledge on how species like the beluga whale can react and respond to emerging threats such as climate change. 

Source: Oceanographic

The future of carbon neutral infrastructure projects in Canada 

Proposals for new mines, power plants, pipelines and railways in Canada will have to include plans to reach ’net zero’ by 2050 if they want to get approved. ‘Net zero’ means any greenhouse gases emitted are absurd by natural or mechanical means, rather than being left to gather in the atmosphere, which of course contributes to global warming. Environmental Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said this plan will ensure that Canada meets its goal to exceed the Paris climate agreement targets by 2030, then hopefully hit net zero by 2050 – but details are fuzzy. Let me explain. 

The Impact Assessment Act was passed before the last election to overhaul how federal environment assessment are conducted. A long list of projects like mines, power lines, wind farms, airports, pipelines etc. automatically require those assessments. In addition to the existing requirements, the Impact Assessment Act will, for the first time ever, include a project’s effect on climate change as one of the considerations for project approval. The report released Thursday outlines the ‘how will this happen?’ questions. The new consultations process will require project proposals to include the greenhouse gas emissions to be produced from construction and operations and clearly outline what efforts are being made to minimize these emissions. Essentially, a net zero plan will be one of the enforceable conditions put on a project if it is approved – that’s good news, right? The answer is a hesitant yes because there are no such details about how a plan would be measured or enforced. 

Julia Levin, the climate and energy program manager at Environmental Defence said she’s disappointed with the new rules. You can read more about Wilkinson’s defence for the new rules here. 

Source: Ottawa Matters

The Great Green Wall of Africa

Expected Pathway of the Great Green Wall in Africa// Source: Standard Bank

The “Great Green Wall” of approximately 7,644 km of trees is being planted by 21 African countries. This chain of trees across the continent aims to create a physical barrier to reduce the movement of the Sahara which has been disrupting livelihoods in the least developed Sahel region for millennia. The UN Environment Programme considers this the world’s largest ecosystem restoration project that runs in the Sahel region in an east-west stretch across the breadth of Africa and is just south of the Sahara Desert. 

This project ensures that the land is being used in a sustainable manner by restoring degraded land and it helps create jobs (planting and maintenance). It is currently 15% underway with an expected completion by 2030. According to the United Nations (UN) Food and Agricultural Organization the area to be planted covers approximately 2 times the size of India with 780 million hectares and 21% consisting of agro-sylvo-pastoral lands that are restorable. This degraded land would be planted with over 110 diverse native species that can easily adapt to the environment. 

The existence of this green wall will fulfill 10 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. These trees will help capture 250 million metric tonnes for carbon yearly which is equivalent to removing cars for more than three years in California. An added benefit is that the presence of trees would encourage rainfall which will help the soil and provide water for communities. 

Carbon may be peaking – But methane’s on the rise

Photo by Leon Ephraïm on Unsplash

It has been found that in 2017 methane levels peaked and reached an all-time high – even more worryingly is that this is the most recent year that all levels are available, meaning they’re probably even higher now. We may have been having some success with decreasing carbon dioxide emissions, however it seems as though we’ve forgotten about a gas that traps 86 times as much as the same mass of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, and isn’t even near its peak. 

Where is all this methane coming from you might ask? COWS! Seriously! Agriculture is a high emitter of methane (two-thirds of emissions!) because as cows, as well as other livestock belch, they release methane. Due to our high demand for meat, there are a lot of cows on the planet and as a result, a whole lot of methane. Of course, cows aren’t the only way methane is produced, as methane emissions released when coal mining, and are also released via leaks along pipelines and gas wells constituting the other third of emissions.

While we have made pretty good strides in decreasing our carbon dioxide emissions it appears as though we have ignored an even more important greenhouse gas in methane. If we are to keep the earth from warming by the two-degree Celsius goal, it is apparent that there must be strict agricultural reform as well as gas leaks that need to be plugged.

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