Cork, Cats and a Panda

As many of you know, I am a big fan of the multiple uses of sustainable cork. Beautiful, versitile, and sustainably grown and harvested, cork really is a super material. I recently was contacted by some great folks at the World Wildlife Fund charity regarding a crowdfunding project on Earth Hour. Put on by WWF Portugal the project aims to …

UNEPs World Environment Day – June 5

The United Nations Environment Programme is holding the World Environment Day on June 5th with the theme: Forests: Nature at Your Service. What began in 1972 has spread worldwide into an international day of action for the environment. It has also been declared the International Year of Forests to highlight the importance of this natural resource. In decline worldwide, we …

Trees, Habitat Restoration and Arbor Day

Arbor day brings mixed feelings for me, which may sound strange because who doesn’t like trees? Having worked some time as a restoration ecologist, I may be privy to the dark secrets of habitat restoration or ‘enhancement’, that many well-meaning charities and non-profits may be unaware of: Nature heals itself! Be sure you look into where your trees are being …

Seeing the Forest for the Trees (Part II)

Continued from Part I of Seeing the Forest for the Trees. Last week I attended Dr. Peterson’s lecture, “Climate, Forests and Future: A View from Treeline” at the University of Washington as a part of the School of Forest Resources and the College of the Environment lecture series, Sustaining our Northwest World. There were two subjects within the lecture that …

Seeing the Forest for the Trees (Part I)

Last Thursday evening I attended the public lecture “Climate, Forests and Future: A View from Treeline” by Dr. Dave Peterson – forest service scientist, professor and co-nobel prize winner.  He spoke at the University of Washington as a part of the School of Forest Resources and the College of the Environment lecture series, Sustaining our Northwest World. Initially his talk …