YourForest (Matthew Kristoff)

Forest resources must be protected and managed using the best available science of the time. In order to hold forest practitioners to that commitment, and accountable to the public, a regulatory body was formed. The Association of Alberta Forest Management Professionals is a newly formed regulatory body made of two previously independent ones. Ryan and I discussed the importance of accountable forest management and how that accountability is upheld.

Discussion around how we know human activity has played a huge role in climate change. Details regarding increasing CO2 measurements in the atmosphere and its affect on temperature, precipitation, droughts, wildfire, natural subregions, seedzones, tree species migration, forest pests any much more.

A few notes that Chris wished me to add post recording regarding some facts that we straightened out.

CPAWS was founded in 1963

Forest Management Unit R11 is managed by the Province not Clearwater County

The North Saskatchewan Glacier is in Banff Natioanl Park

The Ram River Coal Mine is a surface mine

The Regional Advisory Council has 27 members

And the RAC was released for comment on March 7th.

Also, he gave more detail regarding the specific breakdown of how the PLUZ’s where created because we didn’t give full detail while recording. Just know that it was more complicated then we discussed.

Carp fact Sheet : http://aep.alberta.ca/fish-wildlife/invasive-species/aquatic-invasive-species/documents/AIS-Quickfacts-PrussianCarp-May2015.pdf

Some interesting facts around fishing in Alberta relative to other provinces for some perspective on why fish capture limits are so low.

Ontario has 250,000 fish-bearing
lakes, with 585,000 licensed anglers, 
or 2.3 anglers per lake. 

Saskatchewan has 94,000 fish-bearing lakes, 
with about 184,000 licensed anglers, 
or 1.9 anglers per lake.

Alberta has only 800 lakes with fish, 
but 250,000 licenced anglers, or 
312 anglers per lake. 

Links for the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System (CWFIS) and on it you can find the National Burned Area Composite dataset (NBAC) for downloading end-of-season fire perimeters.

Topics discussed: Definition of remote sensing, Earth Observation Satellites, Mapping wilderness fires, LiDAR, Measuring trees, Better Data=Better Management, Photogrammetry, Drone technology and its application, Artificial intelligence, Future of natural resource data.

When it comes to a career path, a lot of people, including myself, spend their lives following societal norms. We want more money, more prestige, more whatever. Michelle is in love with wildfire fighting, and she knows it. After a full career in wildfire management, she recognized that she was happier and more fulfilled when she was back on the front lines, where she had started her career. Now, she leads a 20 person unit crew stomping out flames all season long. The grit and adrenaline of the line just kept on calling her home. We discussed her career path, resistance, leadership techniques, building a cohesive team you can trust, and much more. This episode is not strictly based on environmental sciences, but it is relevant nonetheless.

Imagine traveling from Canada to Argentina every year, and back again. Sounds kinda nice actually, only you need to travel using only the tools nature gave you. Even with wings this is a tremendous task. Wildlife biologist, Richard Krikun and the Executive Director of the Boreal Center for Bird Conservation (BCBC), Patti Campsall joined me to discuss the creatures that make that journey. We discussed the tool kit used to capture population numbers and the science behind it. How far do they travel, how long do they live, where do they live, how do we measure them, how do we catch them, how can we better manage the forest to maximize bird habitat, and much more.

http://www.lslbo.org/

We have all seen the news footage of wildfires raging through our wild places, threatening homes and lives. Many of us have even been impacted by the threat of these fires or lost our homes to them. Others will have experienced the mid-afternoon blanket of smoke that blots out the sun and turns on the streetlamps. As a society, we are becoming more and more aware of wildfire as a threat. But how did we get here? Why are fires so rampant today? And how do we learn to live in this new reality? How can we learn to live with fire?

Resources

Mike Flannigan

World on Fire

Mapping Canadian wildland fire interface areas

Canada Wildfire

Sponsors

West Fraser

GreenLink Forestry Inc.

Damaged Timber

Giveaway

Enter YourForest10 at checkout at the Damaged Timber store for a 10% discount!

Quotes

57.37 - 57.41: “Fire is a multifaceted problem, it needs a multi-pronged solution.”

Takeaways

Fire people (05.33)

Mike has been interested in fire since childhood, as well as the weather. At the University of Alberta, he has been researching fire, weather and climate change.

Fuel, ignition, weather (09.18)

Mike lists the three ingredients of a fire - fuel, ignition and weather. Global warming dries the grass (fuel), and increases lightning (ignition), so fires increase.

Fuel build-up (19.27)

Mike explains what fuel build-up can mean in different situations and landscapes and how often prescribed burning can be done.

How we manage the landscape is important (25.43)

Mike blames climate change and humans in equal part for the increase in wildfires. Different ecosystems recover differently from fires.

Fire preparedness (29.52)

Being one of the two main ignition agents, humans can prevent fires by decreasing activities that can ignite them. Mike suggests increasing fire bans, forest closures and education.

Pros and cons of fire (35.10)

Parks Canada views fires as an educational opportunity. Mike reiterates that fire is natural and at times, healthy and beneficial. However, wildfire smoke is toxic and fatal.

Good fire (38.30)

Communicating the message that fire is beneficial can pale compared to the powerful visuals people see of fire destruction but Mike believes public education will dispel the myths and provide context.

Bringing fire back (46.15)

Mike explains that Indigenous peoples have been using fire for thousands of years and see it as natural and beneficial. We need to do more research on how to get more fire on landscapes.

Once burned, twice shy (53.33)

The prescribed burning window is quite short and is getting shorter due to climate change. Smoke and loss of life present huge challenges to prescribed burning.

Let it burn (59.28)

Mike lists the appropriate responses to a fire - allowing patchwork mosaic prescribed burning in the appropriate burning window, timely fire response, and reporting a fire when seen.

The circle of wildfire (1.09.30)

Mike notes some examples where Indigenous peoples are in charge of burning programs and believes it is up to the landowners to promote, encourage, foster and listen to good fire.

Human contribution (1.17.34)

Mike highlights how peats are huge carbon banks, and peat fires can have massive fossil fuel emissions. Permafrost thawing will be 20 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

Plastics in the ocean, plastics in the soil, non-renewable petrochemical products are found littered across the globe. These products are toxic to the environment and add to the already problematic human carbon footprint. What if we can make plastics from a sustainable and renewable resource? What if it could be cost-effective? What if those products could be carbon neutral, or even carbon negative? What is this miracle product? WOOD baby!! Wood PLASTICS and wood CARBON FIBER exist and are knocking on the door of opportunity.

Resources

Advanced BioCarbon 3D

Sponsors

West Fraser

GreenLink Forestry Inc.

Damaged Timber

Quotes

31.18 - 31.21: “Don’t make it, keep it native.”

Takeaways

Bioplastics (05.16)

Darrel’s work involves utilizing hybrid poplar trees to produce plastic, a tool for addressing environmental issues. The trees filter landfill leaching, remediating pollution and protecting the soil, while biomass is used for advanced materials such as plastic.

Sourcing feedstock (10.20)

Darrel explains that bioplastics have sugar as the base, which is quickly biodegradable, so is good for use in plastic bags. A high-performing plastic needs other plant materials as well added to it to mimic the rigidity or heat/moisture resistance seen in plants.

Tree talk (12.49)

Lignin and cellulose are important plant components which determine the quality of plastics produced from them. Wood makes a great source since it contains both and comes from a renewable resource.

Materials and nature (19.48)

Darrel‘s company makes many different products from wood - plastics and carbon fibre - replacing petrochemical legacy material with biomass material, so the applications are broad.

A bioplastic world (24.11)

Darrel highlights the difficulty of extracting plant materials and deconstructing biomass to utilize it to its full potential. His company’s vision is to create high-performing, high-value bioplastics to be used at an industrial level as well.

Biodegradable = in harmony with life (28.32)

Darrel reveals that the key to making something biodegradable is to ensure that earth microbes can recognize it and access it so they can break them down into compounds that enrich the soil.

Carbon footprints (34.45)

Darrel calls his products carbon-negative since they pre-break down the tree components for the microbes to later break down further in the soil. He sees many applications to bioplastics which will collectively help in lowering carbon emissions.

Local economies (37.33)

Darrel feels excited about the ability of technology to generate advanced materials in a local area using local resources. Localizing manufacturing and sequestering carbon is how he believes we can address climate change.

The future of plastic (41.51)

Darrel believes bioplastics have the potential to be much better performing than regular plastics, alongside being more sustainable. He looks at blockchain technologies as a way to create transparency in manufacturing, to check if a product is sustainably made.

A sustainable economy (47.40)

Darrel addresses the complexity of single-use products. Plastics either end up in a landfill or get burned. However, government policies, politicians and technology are all supporting the growth of the bioplastics industry, and every manufacturer can switch to bioplastics.

Creating the future (53.56)

Darrel sees bioplastics starting to become mainstream and public appetite for it increasing. He believes his company is at a point where they can demonstrate that at a level that the industry will respect.

We all want healthy forest ecosystems, clean water, and vibrant communities. We can achieve these goals through sustainable forest management (SFM). However, we need to continue to push the boundaries of what SFM is in order to ensure we don’t miss something. This means constant research, consultation and not being afraid to change how we do things in order to protect all values for all people, forever. SFM means managing all values equally. It means thoughtful and comprehensive decision making, asking “what is the best use of this land”. Unfortunately, some values have been missed. Indigenous values have not been truly accounted for, until they have, we are not truly sustainable. We need to find a way to help indigenous communities feel heard and respected, so they can feel safe to share and help us all move towards a better system of forest management. Decades of poor communication and distrust have made seeing eye to eye difficult. It is time we fixed this relationship.

Resources

Indigenous consultation in Alberta

Sponsors

West Fraser

GreenLink Forestry Inc.

Damaged Timber

Quotes

40.29 - 40.36: “We value the land… [The] western way of thinking values what’s on the land.”

Takeaways

Growing up in the bush (05.53)

Fabian realized there was a big gap in western science and cultural, traditional ideas, which aren’t recognized in forest management.

Community resource (10.05)

Fabian took an environmental monitoring course and began doing assessments for First Nations. He even took training in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Healthy forests, healthy people (15.03)

Fabian recalls that he would drink water straight from the river but can’t anymore. The health of the people is determined by the health of the forests, which have been ill for a while now.

Spiritual land connections (20.05)

When Indigenous peoples know an area is not healthy, they won’t do any activities there and wait for nature to heal itself.

Everything has its place (24.46)

Fabian believes Indigenous knowledge needs to be shared to improve forest health so future generations can enjoy the environment.

Indigenous consultation (32.09)

Trust can be built by implementing a few ideas of the community into the forest management agreements and leaving some areas protected. Present consultation is about simply informing the community, but Fabian believes the community has so much more to offer. 

Protecting the land (37.04)

Fabian provides assessments of Indigenous lands to determine if they used to be traditional grave sites. He registers any gravesites he comes across with Alberta Heritage so that they can be protected. He believes that since all humans use the forest, we need to find a way that values the health of the forest alongside the products we value. Indigenous sustainability lies in the forest, and it needs to be healthy for the people.

Environmental monitoring (45.53)

Fabian describes the tools and processes he uses in his work in environmental monitoring. He speaks about how Indigenous peoples hunt, trap and pick medicines to ensure an area is not overused and the populations are restored.

“Reconciliation is an overused word” (56.00)

Regional forest plans need to be assessed to ensure the health of the forest and incorporate all the values of the community that it sustains. Fabian uses his monitoring data to inform other parties of the ways to achieve better results for the land and community.

Valuing the land (1.04.35)

Fabian speaks about how Indigenous peoples value medicines and how that knowledge is guarded. He shares the medicinal properties of some plants on his land, and how to truly get their benefits, in a physical and spiritual sense. He believes communication, inclusion and consultation are the paths to the future.

What is the story of Canada? Discovery? Conquest? What about Treaty? Most of us think of Treaty as a different set of laws and rights pertaining only to Indigenous people. Turns out, it affects and includes all of us. Treaties are the story of how this country came to be. Treaties stand as a symbol of how sovereign nations can form bonds of mutual agreement to live and prosper together. At least that is what they are supposed to be. How did it get so messed up? And how can we make it about cooperation and prosperity again? First, we have to understand the history of how treaties came to be and what they really are. Only then can we move into the future and grow together as partners in this experiment we call Canada.

Resources

Matthew Wildcat

Sponsors

West Fraser

GreenLink Forestry Inc.

Damaged Timber

Quotes

1.29.25 - 1.29.37: “In the Canadian situation, what decolonization means is that you have to shift from becoming somebody who is a colonizer to somebody who is a treaty partner.”

Takeaways

Governance (5.14)

Matthew is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and Native Studies at the University of Alberta, interested in how Indigenous peoples govern today.

Laws (10.01)

First nations politics cannot be spoken about without addressing its relationship with Canadian society.

Two-way (17.13)

Treaties are the nuances of the relationship Indigenous peoples share with settlers.

Foundation (21.22)

Understand treaties as the reason for Canada’s creation, to prevent it from devolving into a story of conquest.

Symbiosis (29.09)

Hudson’s Bay Company relied on Indigenous peoples to perform their fur trade and sell them food.

Bison (32.57)

Bison herds were collapsing, which were the pillars of Indigenous economies and food.

Signing (35.36)

Not many Indigenous peoples spoke English, but many non-native people spoke Cree. Indigenous peoples used interpreters during negotiations, but a lot was lost in translation.

Understanding (38.32)

Indigenous peoples did not look to draw boundaries but expected that their permission be sought before sharing land.

The Indian Act (43.24)

The Indian Act was meant to enfranchise native people to become “full Canadian citizens” so there would no longer be “an Indian problem”.

Dishonouring (48.10)

The Riel Resistance of 1885 was bubbling with the general discontent with treaty terms not being honoured.

Barriers (54.30)

Many policies implemented by the Department of Indian Affairs undercut Indigenous farming efforts.

Trauma (1.00.43)

The ever-present trauma that residential school survivors suffer from makes life difficult.

Reserves (1.04.02)

Reserves isolate people and prevent communities from linking. Many Indian agents disallowed people to leave the reserve without a pass.

Difficulty (1.09.33)

Residential schools not only affected the students, but also the parents who had to live without children on their reserves. he can see how addictions could arise in such situations.

Relationships (1.15.05)

The most important aspect of this era is a willingness to have a relationship with Indigenous peoples, with their variety of life experiences and views.

Allyship (1.21.13)

As treaty partners, we all have to believe that Indigenous peoples have political rights, which will form the basis of the political relationships between us.

Partnership (1.26.07)

We have to put more effort into thinking about how Indigenous peoples will prosper and become true treaty partners in recognizing the political relationship.

Change (1.36.12)

The concepts of truth and reconciliation have allowed non-Indigenous peoples to tie the current situation of Indigenous peoples with its historical reasons.

What is a forest? How do we define it? Is it the trees? The wildlife? The soil or the water? What about a place to find food or a spiritual connection? Forests are all of these things. So when we talk about sustainable forest management shouldn’t we be talking about all of these factors? Today’s conversation was about how to move forest management into the future. It was about how we can ensure that our forests are sustainable for everyone forever.

Resources

Robert Wagner

Daniel Harrison

Sustainable development in Canadian forestry in the face of changing paradigms

Sponsors

West Fraser

GreenLink Forestry Inc.

Quotes

11.26 - 11.36: “For me, sustainability is as much about the message as about the… ecosystem out there in the forest.”

Takeaways

Wildlife biodiversity (19.55)

Meeting the public’s expectations of species numbers is difficult because many species need viable forest landscapes which rely on interactions among forest stands.

Forest and political sustainability (25.11)

Forest and political sustainability are not the same; some ways to achieve forest sustainability may not gain a social license from the public.

Clear communication (27.28)

Milo adds that they struggle with the public equating mining or oil-gas operations with forest harvesting when they are quite different disturbances in terms of impact on habitat.

Managing expectations (30.59)

Daniel talks about how the public has pushed for certain forestry acts to be put into force, but those have not met their objectives.

Political management practices (35.10)

Narrowly focusing on one issue creates an unsustainable landscape over a period of time, but forest managers have the tools and training to deliver a sustainable forest landscape.

The forests the public wants (38.43)

Milo talks about how he worked on forest regeneration by using a whole array of ecological measures to be able to talk about reforestation in terms of sustainability.

Creating habitat (44.12)

Daniel laments that conservationists and the general public confuse sustainable forests with pristine conditions.

Custodians of the forest (49.17)

Milo highlights that most forestry practices appear unnatural to the public, even though they are being done to fulfil their wishes.

Promise and passion (56.37)

Milo believes that foresters need to return to their original motivation of entering the profession.

Look to the landscape (1.00.49)

Daniel says, “When we manage at the stand level and focus at the stand level, those outcomes are easy to quantify but don't really get us to the issue of sustainability”.

Future engagement (1.07.04)

Milo suggests using tools to provide data to stakeholders and engage them in planning processes for future impact.

Digital forestry (1.17.25)

Robert believes we are at the cusp of a revolution in forest management with artificial intelligence and big data.

Managing for all values (1.26.35)

Wood is easily monetized, but not wildlife habitat, clean air, clean water, and aesthetic vistas, so wood has become the dominant value.

Adaptive management (1.39.12)

The excitement and desire to do better will help foresters learn emergent skills to operate effectively.

Strategic objectives (1.43.37)

Daniel believes foresters need to communicate better with the public so the green line isn’t a moving target.

Wildlife is probably the most relatable aspect of nature. We all want to see squirrels, deer, bears, and lynx. But do we know how best to manage a working landscape to ensure those species continue to thrive? That is the question we talked about today. How do we begin to look at forest management from the perspective of the critters? How do we incorporate wildlife values into forest management so we always have plenty of cool creatures to see when we are out with our family in the great wide open.

Resources

Daniel Harrison

Sponsors

West Fraser

GreenLink Forestry Inc.

Quotes

6.46 - 6.56: “Animals don’t make judgements based on forest treatments, they make judgements based on forest structure.”

Takeaways

Outcome-based forestry approaches (04.29)

Daniel says that one of the disconnects for foresters trying to work with wildlife biologists is the ambiguity and vastness of the concept of maintaining biodiversity in forests. The solution is to simplify what we ask for and avoid being too prescriptive.

Coarse-filter approaches 11.11

Daniel outlines how dynamics in land ownership patterns affect the health of the forest. Biodiversity can be achieved through coarse-filter approaches.

Species biodiversity (19.09)

Daniel narrates how it created problems in Maine, when, due to forest regulation, forests were managed in ways that weren’t conducive to early successional or late successional biodiversity.

Partial harvesting (22.15)

Daniel talks about partial harvesting as appeasing the public because even though it doesn’t manage for species diversity, it looks less devastating than clear-cutting. Foresters are frustrated because competing goals can’t be achieved on the same piece of land.

Everybody wants a healthy forest (28.37)

Daniel believes that group objective setting among foresters and wildlife ecologists is a solution to managing different priorities. However, wildlife ecologists and foresters can become frustrated with policy shifts as administrations change.

Mitigating the decline in species (34.38)

The approach they take in Daniel’s lab is to derive products from forests while looking to maintain components of the landscape.

Trees take time, markets change quickly (43.10)

Daniel points out that historically, they have not planted much since natural regeneration was dense enough to warrant thinning to promote growth. The complex composition of the forest there and how they fare along the lifespan of the tree species there.

It feels good vs. it is good (48.07)

Daniel believes that the order of priorities in a forest should be biodiversity, sustainability, human demands then regulations, ownership patterns and market. Research helps in differentiating forest management practices that seem to be good from the ones that are truly good for the forest.

Commonalities among species at risk (57.41)

Daniel highlights that species at risk face some of the same bottlenecks like decreased composition and increased fragmentation of forests.

The way of the future (1.00.05)

Many forest management practices create wildlife habitats, which he says need to be combined with the demand for forest products to create a shared will between foresters and wildlife ecologists to work together. He looks at landscape management planning as the way of the future to achieve biodiversity and sustainability.

How do we ensure sustainable forests forever? Not just the trees, but the wildlife, water, soil, recreation opportunities, etc. Forests are moving targets, and we can’t possibly expect to control every aspect. So we try to control the ones that are easier to measure. One such control is the trees. We know all there is to know about the trees. How many, what species, their age, their height, and their location. We even understand the balance of how many of each species should exist across a broad landscape to maintain ecological function. Now, all we need to do is make sure that balance is maintained through good forest regeneration practices that consider all of the values we want in the forest. This episode is about the tools, tactics, and concepts that are allowing us to grow forests as sustainably as possible. Spoiler alert, herbicide might be one of them.

Resources

Woodland Operations Learning Foundation

Non-target Impacts of the Herbicide Glyphosate-A Compendium of References and Abstracts

Sponsors

West Fraser

GreenLink Forestry Inc.

Damaged Timber

Giveaway

Enter YourForest10 at checkout at the Damaged Timber store for a 10% discount!

Quotes

05.48 - 5.58: “I guess the biggest thing about forestry is that we straddle a boundary between agriculture and ecology.”

Takeaways

Forestry values (05.48)

Foresters focus on ecosystem services as wildlife ecologists do, but also focus on harvesting the forests.

Forestry economy (07.36)

Milo says that silviculturists need to strike a careful balance to ensure the supply of both ecosystem services and wood fibre on public lands.

A co-management system (11.08)

Foresters have a huge array of sophisticated forest management planning tools that help protect the production of fibre alongside other values.

Forest restoration (17.39)

Milo believes that if a forest type is harvested, the goal should be to restore it. However, environmental factors impact forest growth so foresters need sequenced activities to nudge an ecosystem in the desired direction.

Forest nudging (22.03)

Milo shares that specific treatments are implemented only when they are needed. An incremental approach to renewing forests helps to recognize values as co-management factors instead of constraints.

Replanting issues (32.12)

Replanting nudges don’t address the issue of competition. Harvesting mixed forests causes trees to survive as subordinates and are still taken out by competition or damage.

Working with nature (35.30)

Milo says Indigenous peoples used to manage the forests well for a wide array of values.

Benefits of herbicides (44.00)

Milo believes that herbicides are as good as planting for successful reforestation. They are low-profile on first use and almost replicate the old forest.

Herbicide concerns (52.12)

Milo claims that extensive tests take place to examine toxicology and long-term effects of herbicides on an array of indicator animal species, beyond just human health.

Protecting people’s land (59.49)

Milo finds understanding people’s concerns and framing the discussion around their value premises important.

Scalpel approach (1.09.15)

Milo likes to use herbicides more like a scalpel than a machete so it has less frequent dramatic effects.

Empower, not placate (1.12.54)

Milo shares how open houses with the community help address concerns and honour commitments made to them, to build a trusting relationship with them while focusing on their values.

Seek to understand (1.21.02)

Milo believes that foresters need to understand others in order to establish themselves in the profession and help people.

“Diversity is the very best way to ensure maintenance of the array of values” (1.28.56)

Milo says that if they perfectly restore broad-covered groups, a more diverse landscape will be created. He suggests bringing the suite of values into the conversation and quantification of decisions.

Your Forest Podcast by Matthew Kristoff

Project Forest With Mike Toffan

Episode highlight

Mike Toffan is part of the team at Project Forest that is rewilding Canada one forest at a time by planting forests on non-productive agricultural land. By doing so, they allow their investors to stay true to their values of environmental and social responsibility by sequestering carbon, building habitat, and creating a sustainable forest legacy.

Resources

Project Forest:

Website: https://projectforest.ca/  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/projectforestca/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProjectForestCA/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/project-forest/?originalSubdomain=ca

Tree Time Services: https://treetimeservices.ca/ 

Habit Marketing: https://habithq.ca/ 

Tentree: https://www.tentree.ca/

Pachama: https://pachama.com/

JSK Consulting: http://www.jskconsulting.ca/

Eco Impact Awards: https://ecoimpact.ca/

Sponsors

West Fraser: https://www.westfraser.com/

GreenLink Forestry Inc.: http://greenlinkforestry.com/

Damaged Timber: https://www.damagedtimber.com/

Giveaway

Enter YourForest10 at checkout at the Damaged Timber store for a 10% discount!

Quotes

 10.27 - 10.39: “What we've been able to do is... create opportunity for any person or any company who wants to... give back, clean the air, create a forest... a venue and a model to execute that.”

 11.37 - 11.43: “ [At] Project Forest… we have a mission to rewild the landscape one forest at a time and we’re starting right here in Alberta.”

 32.41 - 32.52: “Every tree is an important tree and regardless of you planting it and walking... away or planting it and taking on that liability, both of those things bring value back to what I'll call the global ecosystem.”

 55.13 - 55.21: “Corporations aren't going to invest in projects like this just to save the world. They also want to... help grow their business, there has to be [an] additional benefit.”

 1.20.32 - 1.20.47: “It's really important to me and Project Forest... that any potential carbon credits that we create are 100% owned by the First Nations groups.”

Takeaways

 Positively trending (4.44)

 Mike’s first forestry experience was in the Boy Scouts and he has always loved being in the forest. He wanted a career that allowed him to be outside and active, and forestry provided him with that. He felt a connection with the people he went to university with since they were all aligned in values. He is motivated by the fact that his work allows him to make a difference, help people, learn from their experience and expertise and contribute to shaping the future.

 A community of like-minded environmentally responsible businesses (11.12)

 Project forest has begun an aggressive 10-year plan to plant 2 billion trees on non-productive agricultural land to restore it to its original state by 2030. Their first project, Golden Ranches, is in a UNESCO-recognized biosphere, and all trees planted there will mature into a forest. Project Forest was born from Tree Time Services’ desire to help people and corporations give back and create a forest for future generations to experience.

 Restoring the planet back to health (17.44)

 Project Forest expects to remove 1187 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare over the lifespan of the forest at Golden Ranches and create 313 metric tonnes of biomass per hectare. Mike works to bring partners together, secure funds and reach out to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) to execute the reforestation or afforestation programs efficiently. The hope is that the ecosystem will take over once the forest matures.

 Mix it up, but keep it consistent (22.53)

 On Golden Ranches, 10 different species of trees have been planted in consultation with an approved afforestation plan between Project Forest and NCC. This is because the land is not flat, and planting the right species is important to balance drainage across the sections. Project Forest has access to Tree Time’s large seed bank and they use the same metrics and decision-making process for all projects.

 Towards a carbon-neutral future (26.23)

 Mike explains that carbon offsetting or carbon credits don’t factor into the process of creating forests, though planting forests is a great way to become carbon neutral. In the future, it will be possible to measure online the actual volumes of carbon removed from the atmosphere as soon as the plants reach a 2” stem diameter. These calculations will help inform strategy and guide Project Forest towards building natural communities.

 Paris must be proud (30.46)

 Project Forest monitors and manages the land till it shows signs of growing into a mature forest. The first metric is when plants have grown knee-high, then waist-high, then when the tallest tree reaches 1.5 metres in height; that’s when the land is handed back to the landowners. This ensures every land chosen is successfully forested, the forest land base in the country increases, and Canada meets its Paris Agreement commitments. 

 Sustainability planning (35.43)

 Mike shares some considerations in ensuring the longevity of forests planted: a robust mix of species that will last long, species that will help the soil regenerate, and species that are natural habitats for animals. For the 2 billion tree plan to come to fruition, land and funds are needed for proper site preparation, reforestation and management. Mike is working with the Swan River First Nation to forest some Reserve Territories.

 Honouring the authentic history of the lands (41.12)

 Mike sees agricultural lands as opportunities to plant 2 billion trees and transition them back to their traditional use, including producing traditional foods and medicines for people and animals that traditionally occupy the lands. Project Forest is also working with the federal government on a potential afforestation carbon credit protocol to make economical opportunities available for First Nations Reserve Territories. A replicable process is needed to make it effectively scalable.

 Addressing corporate concerns (51.18)

 Mike has received questions from corporations about the risk in investing in Project Forest, the ethics of the process and the quantification of results. However, with Project Forest, contracts outlining the areas being worked on are created and marketing partnerships are offered to help corporations control Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) metrics, fulfill Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) goals and work towards becoming carbon neutral.

 Whatever it takes to make the world a better place (1.03.10)

 As a Not-For-Profit organization, Project Forest’s work is informed by the values of caring for and being stewards of landscapes, executing on all things sustainably and the motto: “do what you say, say what you do, and do it”. With access to grant funding, 100% of their partnership dollars go into rewilding and any dollars left over go back into the community to create a positive impact. Project Forest has created a model to help companies do good.

 The carbon credit conundrum (1.13.02)

 You have to be in a 3rd world country to be eligible for carbon credits on an afforestation protocol, says Mike. With First Nations communities, the intent is to give them 100% equity in the carbon credits to create real economic opportunities as the value of carbon credits rises. Using technology to measure carbon captured in forests allows Project Forest to be transparent and prove results.

 Partner with Project Forest (1.23.21)

 Check out Project Forest’s website and reach out to Mike at info@projectforest.ca for a discovery conversation about solving your corporation’s challenges, increasing the ESG rating, and meeting some CSR goals. Mike is grateful to JSK Consulting for nominating Project Forest for Eco Impact Awards. He promises to plant a tree (up to 2000 trees) for every company tagged on their social media posts! He is also working on giving individuals a way to be a part.

 If you liked this podcast, please rate and review it, share it on Instagram and Facebook and tag a friend, and send your feedback and comments to yourforestpodcast@gmail.com.

Finding solutions to our ever-lengthening list of environmental management problems can seem nearly impossible. We have a desire to solve an issue, create opportunity, make the world a better place, but we don’t know how, or where, to begin. Collaboration is the key. But how do we begin collaboration in a way that will create a meaningful and lasting relationship? A relationship that can withstand disagreement and different perspectives, but at the end of the day is there to make the right decisions to further sustainability and in turn humanity. Laura Calandrella has dedicated her life to building these relationships and she is here today to talk about her experience. Her book “Our Next Evolution” details how to create collaborative leadership that lasts.

our Forest Podcast by Matthew Kristoff

Our Next Evolution with Laura Calandrella

Episode highlight

Laura Calandrella, the author of ‘Our Next Evolution’, talks about collaborating in meaningful and impactful ways to further sustainability and, in turn, humanity.

Resources

Our Next Evolution: https://www.amazon.ca/Our-Next-Evolution-Transforming-Collaborative-ebook/dp/B08PZFJ27T

Keeping Forests: https://www.keepingforests.org/

Clearing by Martha Postlewaite: https://condofire.com/2020/01/04/poem-of-the-week-clearing-by-martha-postlewaite/

Sponsors

West Fraser: https://www.westfraser.com/

GreenLink Forestry Inc.: http://greenlinkforestry.com/

Damaged Timber: https://www.damagedtimber.com/

Giveaway

Enter YourForest10 at checkout at the Damaged Timber store for a 10% discount!

Quotes

14.03 - 14.16: “We sometimes emphasize the doing and forget the qualities of what it means to be human. We’re human beings first and from that sense of self and sense of others, arises our most powerful solutions.”

15.14 - 15.32: “To slow down a little bit and to tap into what matters most is extremely important. it is allowing you to open up your own field of possibility but then also be open to seeing others because, usually, there is a point of intersection around what it means to be human.”

35.32 - 35.52: “Our job as leaders is to generate something novel and new together. It’s not about whose idea is right. Collaborative leadership at its most powerful will take all the perspectives and create an idea or solution that's never been seen before instead of... coming to consensus on one that’s already there.”

55.28 - 55.43: “Science falls short before it even starts because we're not asking a range of questions and then, from there, the interpretation of science, again, is only driven through our lens.”

1.11.01 - 1.11.27: “In case of many forestry professionals in rural areas... there's not this giant economy to tap into, to be able to settle into the idea that... this is a journey of learning and exploration and breaking through the barriers that you're putting on yourself for what you can and can’t do, so really starting to think creatively.”

1.19.27 - 1.19.46: “There is a bias that every collaborative effort is going to be transformative, there is a bias that every collaborative effort is going to be successful and there is a bias that everyone is coming in seeing the issue the same way and... having a desire to solve it in the same way.”

Takeaways

A simple way to bring different perspectives together (6.43)

As a conservation biologist who worked in the environmental field for 20 years, Laura began honing her collaboration skills early on, learning that interactions are at the heart of even natural resource science issues. She left the field to become an executive coach. Her book talks about how dynamic collaboration can be harnessed to help groups create environmental solutions.

Presence is the first step (11.16)

The book highlights the importance of generational teaching through four practices, the first of which is cultivating presence. Laura notes that the natural resource space isn’t used to that, but it is the first step to creating change. Being present allows people to become aware of the beliefs and assumptions they are bringing into the conversation.

A practice to cultivate presence (16.50)

Laura explains presence as a pause, which is “important because we’re so used to just toppling from one moment into the next and into the next without really giving ourselves a chance to see what’s around us”. Noticing one’s breath is an easy way to become present. She guides the listeners through a mindfulness exercise to highlight what they value and care about.

As within, so without (27.09)

Laura teaches this exercise to groups of natural resource professionals, to help them access their inner peace quicker the next time they have disagreements in the group. When people are able to connect with what matters most to them and share that, the openness helps them get in touch with the interconnectedness of the group and the ecosystems they work to protect.

Leadership can be fellowship too (34.12)

Laura explains that based on the group dynamics, vision, action, caring relationships and insightful perspective all need to exist for collaborative leadership. She teaches creative or generative leadership, which is different from reactive leadership in that it combines relationships, values and personal mission to invent hitherto unknown answers and solutions.

Change is hard (39.07)

Laura recognizes that change, both personal and collective, can be difficult, so she tries to simplify the leadership practices she teaches and encourages getting to know other people and cultures and learning from shared experiences. By coming together to develop a 360° view on an issue, leaders can arrive at productive and efficient solutions.

Laura’s 4 leadership practices for collaboration (43.53)

Cultivating presence: Think about the purposes to be involved in the conversation

Creating space: Find the best space to draw people into this conversation

Leveraging diversity: Bring diverse perspectives to enhance the ability to find solutions

Sustaining dialogue: Stay enough in dialogue to understand the issue completely

Beyond science (48.12)

Laura laments that scientists like herself aren’t willing to dive into action without knowing everything in its entirety, but we need to do that so we can understand the impact science has on others. She also challenges the kinds of questions science asks and if it considers the lived experiences of those who will be affected by the results of experiments.

Holistic education (58.08)

Although technical forestry is an essential subject, Laura believes it can be more impactful if integrated with public policy and community. Schools can create a space where people feel curious and welcome to explore environmental issues not just through the scientific lens, and understand how they interact with society.

“Relationship is the catalyst for change” (1.02.34)

Laura finds relief that exploration in growth needn’t be a solo enterprise, and it needn’t aim to solve all the problems in the world. She suggests starting small, moving towards one’s purpose, and channeling the energy of new experiences into solution-seeking. However, don’t let the fear of making mistakes paralyze you; just keep going.

“Science is a story” (1.07.32)

As a child, Laura spent a lot of time observing the natural world, which led her to her path today. “There’s a lot of wisdom that can be gained from something you already enjoy”, she observes and urges listeners to observe what they feel curious about and what they value, and to create a meaningful story they would want to be involved in to create change.

“Biases are completely normal” (1.15.16)

Laura reassures that biases help people by providing heuristics from which to view the world. However, we need to recognize and accept biases in ourselves and others so we can question them. She warns against using why questions since they make people defensive. Positive bias can also be self-defeating, so being honest is important for collaborative leadership.

Send your feedback and comments to yourforestpodcast@gmail.com.

Your Forest Podcast by Matthew Kristoff

Recycling Is Dead with Raz Razgaitis

Episode highlight

Raz Razgaitis, CEO of FloWater, talks about water security, the failure of the plastics recycling system, and how his company is making clean drinking water democratized and pure while eliminating plastic waste.

Resources

FloWater: https://www.drinkflowater.com/ 

Social Media: @drinkflowater

Plastic Pollution Coalition: https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/

Sponsors

West Fraser: https://www.westfraser.com/

GreenLink Forestry Inc.: http://greenlinkforestry.com/

Damaged Timber: https://www.damagedtimber.com/

Giveaway

Enter YourForest10 at checkout at the Damaged Timber store for a 10% discount!

Quotes

 15.40 - 15.47: “I think, in many ways, big bottled water is very much… the big tobacco of 2020 and 2021”.

 16.39 - 16.44: “Let’s keep these plastics from even being created in the first place so then we don’t have to recycle them.”

 31.40 - 31.48: “We’re facing a situation today where there are going to be more plastics in the ocean by the year 2050 than there are fish.”

 34.35 - 34.38: “We do believe everyone deserves access to clean drinking water that they can trust.”

 43.03 - 43.11: “There’s a lot of data that even the stuff that makes it into your recycle bin, there’s a pretty low chance that it actually makes it all the way through the recycling system.”

Takeaways

What makes Raz get out of bed each morning (5.01)

Raz is motivated to end the use of single-use plastic water bottles by democratizing and decentralizing water. He also feels a sense of “responsibility and obligation” towards making these happen for the planet and its people.

A big opportunity to do good while doing well (10.57)

Raz took a natural wellness approach to break free from medications and to make water the healthy drink of choice for everyone. He also wanted to move from a greenwashed idea of recycling to ‘uncycling’ - removing plastics from the ecosystem.

Whether you’re drinking bottled water or not, you’re now drinking bottled water (20.40)

Raz cites a SUNY study stating 90% of bottled and tap water contains 300 microplastic particles per litre. While cigarettes contain 6000 known chemicals, plastic bottles contain 10,000 which permeate our organs. Though tap water is cheap and easily available, people can’t trust it.

A regression back to a positive natural state (29.24)

Raz explains that microplastics contribute to oxidative stress and inflammation in human and non-human animals, and cause the destruction of marine life. Aquatic animals ingest them and lead them into our food system. FloWater makes tap water plastic-free, safe and re-mineralized.

Recycling is broken (41.41)

Raz laments that instead of being recycled, 8 million tonnes of plastic bottles get dumped into waterways every year. Human behaviour is difficult to change, especially moving people away from the convenience of single-use plastic water bottles when they don’t like or trust tap water.

Make the switch from trash to treasure (49.19)

Focussed on ending single-use plastic water bottle use, FloWater is offering touchless refill stations to purify water fountains at schools and other public places, and water packed in aluminum bottles to transition people from single-use to reusables through infinite recyclables.