Excerpt from the introduction to The End of Eden: Wild Nature in the Age of Climate Breakdown by Adam Welz. Welz is an environmental writer, photographer and conservation consultant who…
Climate Change
Tips, Tricks, and Techniques
Written by Zach McElgunn, ELA Staff This month’s tips, tricks, and techniques draw on the work and advice of Rosmarie Lohnes (Designer President, Helping Nature Heal). Rosmarie joined ELA members…
What is ‘Deep Ecology’?
By: Mads McElgunn, ELA Director One of my favorite newsletters, The Overview from Atmos Magazine, recently published an article on Deep Ecology that piqued my interest. As ELA continues to…
The Beauty of Blue Carbon
By Hilary Stevens
Coastal wetlands are a valuable component of our landscape for many reasons. They provide habitat to many species that are important for fisheries and recreation. They reduce wave energy and help mitigate coastal flooding. It turns out that they also help control the rise of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by trapping carbon dioxide in plants and in soils.
Climate Change and Invasive Species
By Carrie Brown-Lima
Invasive species are on the rise as trade and travel accelerate the introduction and spread of new species in a way never seen before. Simultaneously, our climate is changing at an unprecedented rate resulting in climate extremes. While these two phenomena are each daunting challenge to biodiversity, their impacts can act synergistically and present additional hurdles for conservation and sustainability.
The Four Laws of Ecology
By Barry Draycott
Last year I found a copy of The Closing Circle, Nature, Man & Technology by ecologist Barry Commoner. I started rereading it and was stunned to find in the first chapter, even before he states the Four Laws of Ecology, Commoner discusses the fundamental interaction of nutrients, humus, soil microbes, plant health, and climate! What is amazing is the book was published in 1971!!
Carbon Gardening
by Adrian Ayres Fisher
Gardeners new to the concept of carbon gardening often ask these two questions: What good soil management strategies will help maximize carbon sequestration? And, what would be a good plant palette to help accomplish this? Good questions. Read the article.
Tools to Help Landscape Professionals Tackle Climate Change: An Ongoing Challenge
by Amanda Sloan
Many landscape professionals realize they are in a unique position both to notice changes to the local environment resulting from greenhouse gas emissions and to propose and enact creative solutions to counteract those changes. In 2018, ELA began discussion at the board level about what kinds of practical tools could be developed and promulgated to help landscape professionals transition to methods that do not cause greenhouse gas emissions. Subsequently, the ELA’s Carbon Working Group was formed and is looking for input.
Climate News Round-Up: The Power of Trees!
by Angela Laws
Why is photosynthesis relevant to climate change? Because it is the process by which plants remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it – a process known as carbon sequestration – and they’re very good at it, especially trees.
Proactive Weeding of Our Gardens of the Future
by Bethany Bradley
Humans are very good at introducing new invasive plants and spreading them far beyond their native ranges. Given the expected pressures of climate change on native species, what role might humans play in assisting native species that will need to migrate further and faster than natural dispersal will allow?
Managing Forests as a Natural Climate Solution: Understanding the Contributions of Heterogeneous Landscapes
by Ian A. Smith and Lucy R. Hutyra Constraining the global average temperature rise to below the targeted 2°C (3.6°F) will require both a reduction in greenhouse gas emission rates…
Keep Carbon in the Ground
A Scientific Exploration of Climate Change and Soil Health by Dr. Kristen DeAngelis Soils rich in carbon are healthy soils, but climate change and poor management practices threaten to degrade…