Trees Really Are as Close to a Panacea as it gets

Forests offer a wide range of benefits. It is hard to overestimate the power of trees to improve our world.  They are an important part of the solution to the climate crisis and they are one of the most powerful tools we have to combat air pollution.

The 3 trillion trees in the world today combat climate change by sequestering 400 gigatons or about a quarter of the carbon humans produce each year. A single tree can reduce particulate matter air pollution by 24 percent. They not only clean the air they also clean both water and soil. They protect fresh water and they enrich the earth.

Trump's First 100 Days are a Climate and Environmental Nightmare

Trump's first 100 days have been a dismal failure. Trump failed to deliver on almost every single one of his promises leading many to conclude that the self-proclaimed deal-maker can't seem to close. True to his word he is making progress on one front, depriving Americans of clean air and clean water.

Trumps Muslim ban failed, his attempt to pass health-care legislation also failed. Congress will not finance his wall and nor will Mexico.  Rather than drain the swamp he has made the swamp bigger. The president has rewarded the wealthy on the backs of the poor and the middle class. His one-page reward-the-rich tax plan does not have a snowball's chance in hell of passing and if it were ever enacted by Congress it would trigger economic ruin.

Republicans Trying to Kill the EPA Quickly

Trump drew first blood with an Executive Order that enfeebled some of the EPA's activities, now Republicans are going in for the kill. They recently proposed a bill that seeks to abolish the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Known as H.R.861, the bill has the following self-explanatory title: "To terminate the Environmental Protection Agency."

While this bill is unbelievably destructive for the American people it should come as no surprise when you consider Republican obstructionism for the last eight years and the man who is now President of the United States. Within his first two weeks in office, Trump signed an Executive Order that targeted the EPA.

Peru's Massive Illegal Logging Industry

The murder of indigenous activists is drawing attention to the massive trade in illegal forest products from Peru. The vast majority of logging activities in the country are illegal. Although Peru has a large rainforest current rates of illegal logging are unsustainable.

According to a 2012 World Bank report, as much as 80 percent of Peru’s logging exports are harvested illegally. Sophisticated wood laundering schemes help to bring this wood to international markets. This involves doctored papers that make the wood appear legal.

The US is among the nations that buy this illegal timber. According to a 2012 report by the Environmental Investigation Agency, at least 40 percent of cedar exports to the US include illegally logged timber. The wood from a single old-growth mahogany tree can earn more than $11,000 on the US lumber market.

Arbor Day: A Time to Acknowledge the Vital Importance of Trees

As a celebration of trees Arbor Day is an important event, particularly in the context of ongoing forest degradation. The loss of forests are even more alarming in light of our growing awareness of the importance of trees to planetary health. Trees provide oxygen for us to breathe and they sequester carbon thereby combating climate change. We are also coming to a better understanding of the ways in which trees regulate our climate and combat drought.

Arbor Day was founded by J. Sterling Morton in 1872. As secretary of agriculture in Grover Cleveland’s second administration, Morton was a stalwart tree advocate for trees, as he explained “Other holidays repose upon the past; Arbor Day proposes for the future.”

The Anti-Environment Influence of 3 out of 4 Koch Brothers

There are three Koch brothers who have amassed a long track record of environmental malfeasance and political interference. Well known oil billionaires Charles and David Koch use their fortunes to misinform, manipulate and protect their corporate interests. They are estimated to be worth about 25 billion each. This diabolical duo own Koch Industries, the second largest privately owned corporation in the US. They also have a lesser known brother named William (Bill), he is worth a mere 4 billion but his business interests include petcoke which is some of the dirtiest petrochemical byproducts.

Bill Koch owns the Florida based Oxbow corporation, the world's largest petcoke trader. They donated $4.25 million to GOP Super PACs in 2012, making it the one of the largest corporate donors to super PACs. Oxbow also spent over $1.3 million on lobbyists in 2012.

Webinar - The Current & Future State of EH&S Regulatory Compliance

The Current & Future State of EH&S Regulatory Compliance: How to Implement Compliance Programs that Reduce Risks & Increase Performance will take place on Tuesday, April 22, 2014 - 11am CT/12pm ET. This one hour webinar will be presented by Enablon, RegScan, and Environmental Leader.

Most companies today manage operations globally, across national borders. Regulatory requirements are constantly evolving and it’s becoming more & more challenging to understand which regulatory changes may impact your company.

This webinar will be hosted by experts from RegScan and Enablon.

Video - Sustainable Forest: How Grey County Forests Try to Manage Conservation and Economic Activity

Grey County forests help us conserve important natural habitats while also providing significant economic impact and serving as hubs for recreational activity. Working with OSC Media House, Grey County is creating a series of videos to share the magic of "Our Forest." The "Our Forest" videos will tell the story of our forests by sharing the history of our landscape, demonstrating how we manage our forests and sharing the knowledge of the people who act as stewards of our remarkable natural assets.

Video - Forests = Life

Forests are essential for the survival of people everywhere. They nurture us, inspire us and shelter us. They are also at the heart of sustainable development. In 2012, the United Nations General Assembly declared 21 March as the International Day of Forests to "celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests and of trees outside forests".

A Visual Representation of Global Forest Change

The University of Maryland has assembled a global forest map from a time series analysis of 654,178 Landsat images. These images span the years 2000 to 2012.

This map offers a convincing visual representation of recent deforestation.
 
To view the interactive map click here.

The Business of Forests: Primer, Tool, Guide and Best Practices

Here are two resources for responsible forest management. The first is a primer, comprehensive guide and resource kit from the Rainforest Alliance on sustainable forest management. The second  focuses on best practices from the nonprofit group, the Center for Sustainable Development (CSD). This group specializes in providing sound, evidence-based information, tools and training for humanitarian development professionals worldwide.

The Business of Responsible Forest Stewardship

Businesses have an essential role to play in forest conservation. A number of companies are developing policies for sustainable forest management. For the last few years companies like Lego, Mattel and Hasbro have been engaged in responsible forest stewardship focusing on efforts to stop using unsustainable paper products from Indonesian rainforests.

A sustainable forest industry is in the collective best interest as wood and related industries are big business accounting for nearly 1 percent of global gross domestic product. The non-monetary benefits from forests, such as water, energy, shelter and medicine, are estimated to be two to three times as great.

As revealed in the 2013 fourth annual Forest Footprint Disclosure (FFD) Report, companies like Colgate-Palmolive, Groupe Danone, Gucci and Heinz are now disclosing their forest footprints.

The FFD report acknowledged improvements in reporting from a number of other companies including Boots UK, Next, Kingspan Group and Whitbread Group. According to the FFD there has been a 15 percent increase in the number of companies that voluntarily disclose their forest footprints between 2012 and 2013.

Woodland Crops: Sustainable Harvests from Forests

Forests are most commonly identified as a source of wood and associated products but very few realize that they are also home to a host of woodland crops. Aboriginal people have known about the vast array of uses for forests dating back to antiquity. The growing importance of sustainability may well prove to be a catalyst advancing the growth of woodland farming. Collecting the forest's bounty (wildcrafting) is different than woodland farming which involves larger production volumes.

The wonderful thing about woodland crops is that rather than cut down trees they need the dappled light provided by the forest canopy to grow. Getting involved with woodland farming generally involves thinning out the forests and opening up the understory. While almost any shade-tolerant plant or fungus will grow in a wooded setting, it is always best to work with species of flora that are indigenous to the area you are farming. 

Managing Deforestation Through Policy and Monitoring

When combined with the right policies, new monitoring capabilities may significantly enhance our capacity to manage forests. As an homage to the International Day of Forests on March 21, here is a review of forest management policy recommendations and new global monitoring solutions. 

After a United Nations General Assembly resolution in 2012, the International Day of Forests was observed for the first time in 2013. The day is meant to acknowledge forests, trees and climate change. On this day, people raise awareness about the value of arboreal ecosystems and they explore the different ways that we can protect them. The day is specifically designed to incorporate forests into future climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.

International Day of Forests 2014

"As we deliberate on the post-2015 development agenda, let us acknowledge the vital role of forests and pledge to work together to protect and sustainably manage these vital ecosystems."

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Message for the 2014 International Day of Forests

This global celebration of forests provides a platform to raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests and of trees outside forests.

Forests for Sustainable Development: UNHQ Special Event on the International Day of Forests

On March 21, from 10am to 1pm, The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Chamber will host an event that will be chaired by Mr Thomas Gass, Assistant Secretary-General, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. It will feature a keynote speech by Ms Susana Malcorra, Under-Secretary-General, Chef de Cabinet, Executive Office of the Secretary-General.

The theme of the event is Celebrating Forests for Sustainable Development, and will include a Panel discussion on “Women as agents of change for forests and sustainable development” with inspiring speakers from forest heroes to film makers, as well as award-winning short films. The event will conclude with a general discussion.

Global Deforestation/Reforestation and Climate Change

Forests provide priceless ecological, economic, social and health benefits yet they are currently being decimated at a rate of 13 million hectares annually. This is about more than habitat loss for animals, plants and insects or even the livelihoods of one quarter of the world's population. Deforestation is also a leading cause of climate change. Forests account for 12 to 20 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

Video - Deforestation: Through the Lens of Time Lapse Photography

It is sometimes hard to appreciate the scope of deforestation though the medium of mathematical summaries. This video captures just how quickly we are losing forests in the Amazon, often described as the Earth's lungs.

World Wetlands Day 2014 Highlights Agriculture

Yesterday, Sunday February 2nd was World Wetlands Day (WWD). As 2014 is the UN International Year of Family Farming, the theme for this year is 'Wetlands and Agriculture.' The slogal for the Day is 'Wetlands and Agriculture: Partners for Growth,' placing a focus on the need for the wetland, water and agricultural sectors to work together for the best shared outcomes.

Our wetlands are of great importance to the health of the planet and all its inhabitants. Our waters provide habitat for a myriad of species, recharge groundwater and provide opportunities for wildlife viewing and other outdoor recreation.

As is becoming increasingly obvious climate change is drastically altering the water cycle. We are now living with more intense storms, floods, droughts, in addition to rising sea-levels. Many species are suffering from the impacts of habitat loss and we continue to make ever-increasing demands on our waters. Now more than ever we need to protect and restore these precious resources and the beneficial functions they offer.

Event - Ontario Forestry Association's 65th annual conference

The Ontario Forestry Association's 65th annual conference will take place on Friday Feb 21, 2014, from 8:00am - 4:00pm at the Nottawasaga Inn, Alliston, Ontario. This conference will explore forest communities in Ontario - the communities of forests, animals and people, and how they are adapting to change and thriving.