Climate Justice: Municipal, Tribal, and Legal Action

Climate change is a matter of environmental justice and human rights: those groups least responsible for greenhouse gas emissions are not only the most significantly impacted, but those who have the fewest resources to adapt. As temperatures and seas rise, communities here in the United States are faced with health, financial, and environmental burdens as well as social and cultural disruptions—particularly people of color, low-income, and Indigenous communities. From cities to tribes to NGOs, local actors are stepping up to ensure resiliency plans include the needs and participation of those most vulnerable to the devastating impacts of climate change.

Register here.

Moderator:
Jeremy Orr, Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice, Environmental Justice Committee, Detroit, MI

Speakers:
Matt Gray, Chief of Sustainability, City of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH
Philip Gregory, Gregory Law Group, Redwood City, CA 
Kathy Lynn, Tribal Climate Change Project Coordinator, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

Sponsored by:
Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, and the Section's Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and Ecosystems Committee and Native American Resources Committee, the Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice and the Section’s Environmental Justice and Native American Concerns Committees.

A Film Screening

This film, by filmmaker Brad Masi, provides an in-depth “natural history” of transit in Cleveland, linking the past with challenges facing the city today as it moves to a more multi-modal, sustainable transit system. 

Find more information and a teaser here.

Film Screening: Moving Places: Streetcar City

Cleveland once boasted one of the largest electric street rail networks in the country. But the streetcars that once graced Public Square largely disappeared from the city by the 1950s. What happened? Follow a violent uprising in the Streetcar Strikes of 1899, the transformation of Tom Johnson from streetcar magnate to progressive mayor, and see the relics of the city’s streetcar system still around us. The free screening will be followed by a discussion with the film’s director, Brad Masi.

More information and a teaser here.

When Mayor Bill de Blasio named Mitchell Silver as New York City's Parks Commissioner, he called him “a visionary.” The Mayor went on to say: “He has a passion for fairness and equality, and he brings it to the work of government, and understands that we have to ensure that parks and open spaces are available in every community, and are well-maintained in every community in this city.”

One of the nation’s most celebrated urban thinkers, Commissioner Silver oversees management, planning, and operations of New York City’s nearly 30,000 acres of parkland, which includes parks, playgrounds, beaches, marinas, recreation centers, wilderness areas, and other assets. He also has helped guide a strategy that redefines the role of New York public spaces in the 21st century, emphasizing "environment, economy, and equity."

Access to the outdoors and greenspaces is vital to the social fabric of a community, to democracy and free expression, and to individual's health and well-being. As interest in the development of and maintenance to vibrant parks and public spaces grows in Cleveland and across the country, how do we design them for the 21st century, ensuring accessibility for all?

Join us for a conversation on the future of parks and public spaces.

Register for the Forum here.

Changing Tides: Global Action on Climate Change

In late 2018, both the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) and a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were released, detailing the short- and long-term effects of global warming on public health, infrastructure, and natural resources. Internationally, damages from climate change - including increases in severe weather events, wildfires, drought, and food shortages - is estimated to cost $54 trillion. Here in the U.S., damages from a continued warming planet could reduce the economy by as much as 10 percent by the end of the 21st century.

Despite these reports, President Trump remains skeptical and is committed to withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, even as 200 countries recently agreed on a set of rules to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

What's next in our attempt to curb the effects of global warming? Who is leading innovative action? What current international environmental policies are being considered? And what happens if this U.S. does nothing?

Register for the Forum here.

The workshop would include multiple facets communicating a range of established Ohio Specific BMP’s in regard to:

• Site selection
• Design of habitat
• Species/ seed mix selection
• Site prep
• Instillation techniques and timing
• Partnership Establishment
• Short and long-term maintenance goals

We will provide attendees various scenarios that would best fit the multitude of objectives one can be faced when dealing with these specific kinds of projects/habitats. We will then discuss and provide examples of how to select sites that lend themselves to these various objectives and what species to utilize that best fit the project/habitat objectives. We find that a large limiting factor can be understanding and utilizing proper species lists and seed mixes that meet the needs of target species and potential umbrella species. In addition, we will utilize state specific case studies to engage attendees on how to implement proper techniques for addressing the most common success/failure scenarios they would experience in this process and how to address those issues to have the best success based on the habitat that they are trying to install. Lastly, we will discuss the importance of partnership formation. Partnering across agency lines builds a strong foundation of conservation meeting multiple conservation/preservation missions through; education, target species management planning, park/preservation habitat planning, infrastructure planning, etc.

Intended Audience: We invite professionals and enthusiasts to gain or enhance their current knowledge/skill set regarding proper site-based methodology that will enable groups or individuals to create, restore, enhance and/or manage upland projects/habitats.

Presenters: Michael Retterer, Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever; John Kiser, Ohio Division of Wildlife; Marci Lininiger, Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative; Donald Knight, US Fish and Wildlife.

Fee: $30

More details on the conference website here.

The theme of the meeting is "Communicating Science to Fan the Flames of Conservation."

This annual event will attract nearly 800 biologists, students, and scientists from local, state and provincial, federal, and tribal natural resources agencies, universities, and private companies across the 12 Midwestern states and provinces. Highlights include: nearly 400 technical presentations, poster displays, plenary sessions, networking opportunities and social events.

Details about the conference may be found here.

The theme of the meeting is "Communicating Science to Fan the Flames of Conservation."

This annual event will attract nearly 800 biologists, students, and scientists from local, state and provincial, federal, and tribal natural resources agencies, universities, and private companies across the 12 Midwestern states and provinces. Highlights include: nearly 400 technical presentations, poster displays, plenary sessions, networking opportunities and social events.

Details about the conference may be found here.

The theme of the meeting is "Communicating Science to Fan the Flames of Conservation."

This annual event will attract nearly 800 biologists, students, and scientists from local, state and provincial, federal, and tribal natural resources agencies, universities, and private companies across the 12 Midwestern states and provinces. Highlights include: nearly 400 technical presentations, poster displays, plenary sessions, networking opportunities and social events.

Details about the conference may be found here.

Hear about natural resource job positions from a panel of local organizations, including Cleveland Metroparks and Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. Have your resume reviewed and learn how to make yourself more competitive.

For job and volunteer opportunities with Cleveland Metroparks visit here.