Boston Flora

Tag: Biodiversity for a Livable Climate

  • Sunday, February 23, 2:00 pm – Instant Ecosystems: The Miyawaki Method for Rapid Forest Growth

    Trees are one of our greatest allies in combating the effects of climate change, but is reforestation achievable in time scales that will make a difference? Register to join the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University on Sunday, February 23 at 2 pm in the Hunnewell Building Lecture Hall to explore the Miyawaki Method for ecological restoration. This innovative approach accelerates the growth of new ecosystems, transforming disturbed land into mature, stable forests in a fraction of the time. Using high density planting, the Miyawaki Method rapidly restores biodiversity and fosters the development of tall, mature forests. Biodiversity for a Livable Climate (BLC), a local organization dedicated to mitigating climate change through ecological restoration, established the first Miyawaki forest in the Northeast in Cambridge in 2021. Join Alexandra Ionescu, Associate Director of Regenerative Projects at BLC, to gain insights into this pioneering technique and her organization’s ongoing efforts to establish Miyawaki forests in the Boston area. Register at www.arboretum.harvard.edu

  • Monday, October 7, 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm Eastern – Stopping Ecocide: Can International Law Prevent Mass Environmental Destruction, Online

    Diverse ecosystems represent the greatest climate action technology at our disposal. But what recourse do we have when nature itself is under attack from the world’s biggest political and economic powers?

    The movement to codify ecocide, that is, the intentional (or negligent) mass destruction of an ecosystem, as an international crime is gaining traction, particularly in Europe and in nations disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change. As a crime and an area of practice, ecocide law is reserved for the very worst of the worst. Think oil spills, deforestation, pollution, and war.

    But what are the promises and limits of international law in meting out justice on behalf of the environment?

    Join Biodiversity for a Livable Climate online on October 7 at noon Eastern as Jojo Mehta, co-founder and executive director of Stop Ecocide International, makes the case for global ecocide law in a conversation guided by environmental journalist Judith Schwartz. They’ll cover what exactly ecocide is, how enforcement and legal frameworks can act as deterrents, where they’re gaining traction, and how legal teeth can help bolster other conservation and regeneration efforts. Stop Ecocide International recently celebrated a number of milestones on the world stage; in September the island nations of Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa officially petitioned the International Criminal Court to establish ecosystem destruction as a crime, and in February of this year Belgium became the first country in Europe to codify ecocide as an international crime. Several other countries on the continent are considering similar laws.

    Free, but registration required at www.wgbh.org

  • Tuesday, January 31, 8:00 am – Landscape Heroes: Carbon, Water, and Biodiversity

    Join Biodiversity for a Livable Climate, the Ecological Landscape Alliance, the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA/Mass), and the Organic Land Care of NOFA/CT at UMass Amherst on Tuesday, January 31st for an in-depth, inspiring conversation on Carbon Sequestration and learn what practical steps you can take to ensure that your interactions with the landscape make positive impacts.

    At this day-long program you will learn from many land care practitioners including land managers, farmers, researchers, and conservationists about what is possible for soil carbon and landscape restoration. From yards to farms to greenways to commons to gardens, how we treat our soils impacts the climate. Click for conference agenda.

    We know soil is alive. In fact, in one tablespoon of healthy soil there are more microorganisms than there are people on this planet. A highly functional, thriving soil has the capacity to store carbon, absorb water like a sponge, and support a thriving landscape. For years we have viewed soil through its physical and chemical properties, and we are beginning to realize the crucial role of biology in soil function and health. Now we are finding that from back yards to farms to greenways to commons to gardens, how we treat our soils has implications for the global climate.

    This day-long program offers practical tips and applications for how you, too, can be part of the climate solution. Whether you are a gardening enthusiast, farmer, conservation/restoration specialist, or landscape professional, there are positive changes that you can make. Whether you work to reduce compaction using biology, actively build soil carbon, increase soil biodiversity and resilience above and below ground, or heal degraded landscapes, you will walk away with practical tips to apply to your own setting. The synergy of many individuals taking small steps can result in big impacts!

    Come learn from experts in the field such as carbon expert and author, rancher and activist Courtney White with his new book Two Percent Solutions for the Planet and Eric Toensmeier with his new book The Carbon Farming Solution. Additional carbon experts include Eric Fleisher, Chip Osborne, Paul Wagner, Bruce Fulford, and Bryan O’Hara. See below for speaker bios and conference schedule.

    Keynote Presentation: “Two Percent Solutions for the Planet”

    The potential for large-scale removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere through plant photosynthesis and related land-based carbon sequestration activities is both large and largely overlooked. Strategies and co-benefits include: enriching soil carbon, no-till farming with perennials, employing climate-friendly livestock practices, conserving natural habitat, restoring degraded watersheds and range lands, increasing biodiversity, and producing local food. In Two Percent Solutions for the Planet, Courtney White profiles fifty different strategies that work together economically and ecologically with the aim of reducing the atmospheric content of CO2 while producing substantial co-benefits for all living things.  $79 registration. See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/carbon-conference/#sthash.959oO5Th.dpuf