Achieving 30x30: Percentages Matter, We’re All in This Together, and What You Do to Help Counts Big-time

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Green space in the Chicago region (credit:  Chicago Wilderness Alliance ) Did you know that back in December, one of the most important planetary environmental agreements in history got approved in Montreal? This would be the “Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework” (GBF), approved by the 15th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, which clearly states the goal of protecting, conserving, and restoring 30% of Earth’s lands and waters by 2030. Not only was another opening created for the concept that non-human species have the right to exist and live their lives according to their kind in appropriate habitats, but indigenous peoples were included and given their due as primary keepers of land. If countries actually follow through on commitments (one of the biggest ifs) there might be a chance that biodiversity could start recovering, and we might have a chance of getting to half-earth by 2050. By providing enough habitat for 80% of species on eart...
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Spring Firsts

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I love the first occurrences that welcome in a new season. Here are some for this spring:
Saturday I saw my first bumblebee emerge from under some fallen leaves, totter about, and then fly off at speed. Bumblebee (Bombus ssp.) queens over winter in underground burrows and emerge at this time to search for a good place to lay eggs and rear young. Maybe it was a spring first for her too.

Yesterday, I planted some leaf lettuce in a big pot and then put wire mesh weighed down with half a brick on top to keep the hungry birdies out. It was one of those days on which you could look at a tree in the morning and when you looked again an hour later the leaves were visibly larger. In the afternoon several family members and I sat out on the front porch for the first time and watched the first real thunderstorm of the season blow in from the south. Good cracking thunder and netted lightning, and later on, steady rain, to which comfortable drumming I fell asleep.

Related Posts:
Sandhill Cranes and Spring Resolutions
Happy Spring!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Dear Adrian, I feel quite inspired with the idea of growing lettuce in a container and intend to discuss the matter with J, my gardener/handyman, at the first possible opportunity. A brilliant idea, and a space saving one too.

I love the sound of heavy rain falling, always believing that it is doing good.
April 6, 2010 at 12:10 AM
Adrian Ayres Fisher said…
Hi Edith, I find that the bunnies then don't eat my lettuce--and it looks pretty, too. (After it germinates I take the wire mesh off.)
April 6, 2010 at 1:22 PM
RURAL said…
Adrian, I must remember to get out there and plant my lettuce. I plant in containers also, and they definitely save space.

It's a magical day when the bumble bees first come out, and the leaves almost visibly change in front of us. Those are some of the great reasons we garden.

Jen
April 7, 2010 at 10:03 AM
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