“The right to land and to self-government. The right to self-determination. Those causes are right in any society.” 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 […]
Parks
Forging a Career Path in the Forest Sector
As a high school student, I was told I would graduate, earn a university degree, find a career path and then retire… hopefully young. 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 […]
#ForestFridays
About the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) 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 […]
A Story of a Local Eco-Hero – Covid Cleanup Project
When we think of Eco-Heroes, we often have David Suzuki, Greta Thunberg, or Jane Goodall in mind. Not often does it come to mind to think an eco-hero would be someone you went to school with, or the guy that lives a few doors down who just so happens to […]
Ours to Save: The Case for the Algonquin Wolf
In early June, NatureServe and the Nature Conservancy of Canada released a report identifying 308 species that are endemic to Canada, the first of its kind. Included in the list of 21 mammals is the eastern wolf (Canis lycaon), and as this wolf is only found within Ontario and Quebec, […]
‘Accidental Gravity: Residents, Travelers, and the Landscape of Memory’
There’s an ethereal quality to much nature writing that can feel oppressively twee, miscalibrated to life in the Anthropocene. Annie Dillard may have had a year to wander the Blue Ridge Mountains playing King of the Meadow with grasshoppers, but that was 1974. Haven’t you heard? A Delaware-sized iceberg is […]
The GO Train to Farm Country?
Imagine catching a GO train to see, taste, and pick the best the world grows and prepares all in one place. Imagine picking your own berries and then drinking squeezed juice while watching some frisky goats. Then imagine sitting down to enjoy what can be done with the cheese they […]
The Greenbelt is Growing
Alternatives Journal and the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation are hosting a celebration of the possible expansion of the Greenbelt into Waterloo Region and Wellington County. There’s just one problem: earlier this month, Waterloo Regional council voted for revisions to the greenbelt expansion before agreeing to join. In fact, if […]
Our Greenbelt – Celebrating Wellington County and Waterloo Region
We have experienced two incredible CELEBRATE OUR GREENBELT events. Read more and enjoy: March 29, 2018 – A recap of our Guelph event is now online. March 23, 2018 – snap’d Kitchener-Waterloo has event photos on their Facebook page
The Tree Whisperer
Diana Beresford-Kroeger is a world-renowned scientific and cultural expert on trees. She has spent her career amassing knowledge of the world’s forests and their benefits for humankind, and sharing this knowledge through books and publications. In 2011 she was named an Utne Reader visionary for her mission to heal the […]