Courtney White

Tackling nutrition injustice with microfarming: For decades, the local food movement in the U.S. has been led by white activists, farmers and entrepreneurs who catered to an affluent consumer base at the expense of social and food justice. Today, a microfarm movement is underway that aims to redefine local food, as this article in The Guardian explains. People of color are leading the way to increase food security and health in their own communities with farms that transform urban green spaces such as backyards or medians. In Los Angeles, Crop Swap LA has opened a number of microfarms with the goal of providing affordable, nutrient-dense food to nearby residents. Similar efforts are taking place in other cities, such as Cleveland. Want to microfarm? Here are six tips for success.

 Benjamin Felser

Belize’s Collaborative Conservation Framework: Belize has legally recognized a long-used collaborative approach to stewarding protected areas including nongovernmental organizations, community leaders, businesses, and the government. Belize currently protects 40% of its land, nearly half of which is co-managed. Since 1984, these partnerships have been collaborating under unofficial “co-management agreements” maximizing community involvement in protected area stewardship. Belize is often cited as an example of sustainable fisheries within marine protected areas on the coast and also safeguards one of the most critical terrestrial conservation corridors linking Mesoamerican jungle, both of which are successful largely due to community involvement. Belize’s protected areas make a significant contribution to the 45% of Belize’s gross domestic product which comes from tourism, supporting Belize’s Protected Areas Conservation Trust fund, which in turn funds protected area stewardship. The formal recognition of this co-management system is expected to facilitate similar collaborative land stewardship in Belize, Mesoamerica and beyond.

 Claire Krummenacher

Paris' vision for a bio-climatic city: The city of Paris has announced a new urbanism plan that breaks from its centuries-old tradition of prioritizing aesthetic trees in favor of species more resistant to heat. Part of a previously established goal of planting and sustaining 170,000 trees by 2026, the adaptation of drought-resistant trees includes introducing diverse species, such as Turkish hazel, Montpellier maple, European nettle tree and the holm oak, maintaining a biweekly watering schedule and providing additional support via stakes and metal girdles. The city is currently on track to meet its tree-planting goal, with over 50,000 trees expected to be in place by the end of this planting season. In addition, the plan, drafted by Mayor Anne Hidalgo, includes increasing plantings on roofs and in public squares, creating more public housing, opening private gardens to the public and establishing additional green space in lower-income neighborhoods.

 Juliana Birnbaum

Bronx River Dolphins Return to New York: As a native of Westchester County, where the Bronx River originates, I was thrilled to hear about this meaningful sign that decades of cleanup efforts have been successful in restoring some of the biodiversity of this unique freshwater river flowing into New York City. This year has brought multiple reports of dolphin sightings in this and nearby waterways, which were badly polluted starting in the 19th century when the state's rivers became industrial corridors and dumping grounds for sewage, oil, and fertilizer. Back in 1992 as a high school student, I became involved as an intern with Riverkeeper, one of the local environmental groups that has worked on monitoring, protecting, and improving this watercourse and is celebrating this major achievement. The restoration is being realized through vegetation planting along the riverbanks, the removal of toxic waste from the river, the reintroduction of native fish species, and the implementation of rain gardens and permeable pavement. All of these efforts have brought life back to these riverways, once a rich source of abundance that supported the indigenous First Nations of the region.

 Scott Hannan

Agrarian Trust helping transition agricultural land from private ownership to community commons: Launched in 2020, The Agrarian Trust, an organization focusing on securing agricultural land for the next generation of small farmers, has converted over 400 acres on eight farms in six states from private ownership to collectively owned stewardship. These cooperatively governed farms are dedicated to the three principles of securing local food access, ecological sustainability, and community benefit. The farms employ organic and regenerative principles and place an emphasis on supporting their communities, not just through food production, but education, tool sharing and community gatherings. New Roots Community Farm in Fayette County West Virginia, a member of the Agrarian Trust, is working specifically to bring food and resources to underserved rural communities, while the Petersburg Oasis CommUNITY Farm will provide a community gathering space in an urban food desert and provide organic food to a local elementary school. Their work to empower communities and advance the equitable distribution of land resources make The Agrarian Trust a model for the future of farming.

 Jonathan Hawken

Making beavers part of our national climate action plan: As highlighted in a recent piece by the Goodness Exchange, beavers are masterful natural engineers. Their dams slow down the flow rate of water, retaining heavy rain or snow melts in the area for longer periods while mitigating the risk of flash floods. By sequestering water within local wetlands, they enhance resilience against droughts. Moreover, these wetlands serve as refuges during and after forest fires, while also acting as filtration systems, preventing ash from entering streams and harming amphibians. The article includes a compelling video about beavers from PBS, featuring beautiful drone shots that highlight their significant contributions to the local environment. The ecological benefits of these industrious nocturnal rodents are extensive, so for more in-depth information, please visit our very own Beaver Nexus.

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