Mississippi Valley Conservancy: Climate Action Plan
What is it about the Driftless area you love? Is it the foggy mornings overlooking the valley? Or going fishing with your family in the spring? Perhaps it’s the sounds of migrating sandhill cranes and the call of the spring peepers.
Too often we think of climate change as occurring on a global scale or something that will happen in the future. Yet climate change already is causing profound changes with damaging effects to the land and water you love: wildlife habitat, lakes and streams, and farmland, right here in the Driftless Area, are at risk as never before.
Solar energy and its place on the land
In a world beset with climate change and its attendant fires and floods, the need for solar energy is immense — vital if the world is to quit burning fossil fuels, the primary cause of the climate crisis…
The trick, for those of us in the business of land conservation, is to make a contribution to that effort without compromising our missions of protecting biodiversity and working lands that produce the food we need. There’s a growing body of research and practical application that offers hope that this can happen using agrivoltaics, the practice of combining agriculture and solar energy collection — a dual use of the land…
Protect your woodlands
“Over 75% of Vermont’s land is forested, and much of that land is privately owned, often by families and individuals. Conserving these forests matters a great deal for our climate, our economy, and our communities. If you own woodland and want it to remain forested, conservation is one option you could consider. We can help you explore your options and guide you through the process…”
River conservation corridor
The East Branch of the Little Calumet River Conservation Corridor Project has helped to accelerate the preservation, restoration, and water quality improvement efforts within an ecologically significant riparian area. Project goals have included land acquisition, prioritization of acquisitions, collaborative land management planning, ecological restoration, identification of green infrastructure opportunities, and evaluation of policy mechanisms and barriers…
$500 grant: From classrooms to communities
The Climate Initiative is offering $500 to the first 10 land trusts interested in holding community climate change conversations.
They believe youth can — and do — lead, and have developed and tested the curriculum. Check out the videos, articles, and resources — and email Leia if you’d like to learn more or host a program. This could be a great way to partner with area schools, teachers, and your community.
You can find out the details on the website and email Leia Lowery.
Climate Change Pilot Project
South Kingstown Land Trust was invited by the University of Rhode Island’s Coastal Resource Center (CRC) to participate in a pilot project to investigate how climate change could impact land trusts — whether impacts to our land holdings themselves or to our priorities for preservation.
For Rhode Island, the likely effects of climate change will include sea-level rise and increases in air and water temperature, precipitation, and storminess. The study was funded by the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council…
Local action, national purpose
The 11th annual American Climate Leadership Summit 2022 (ACLS 2022) brings together world-class speakers and diverse national and local leaders for four days of sharing and collaboration. It is the only national convening exclusively dedicated to building broad public support and political resolve for climate action. ACLS 2022 welcomes climate leaders of all levels — particularly those who are new and active at the local level.
Join thousands of leaders like you who seek new connections and practical and immediately actionable guidance for engaging everyone, every day for just and equitable climate solutions. A special thanks to the Land Trust Alliance for helping to spread the word. If you are a member of the Alliance, this conference is free (use the code ACLS22LTA).
Climate change conversation: Global issues, community response
Climate change is a multi-faceted issue that requires a diversity of approaches to address. It impacts our natural environment, our relationships with the land, and our relationships with each other.
The speakers will present different perspectives on how climate change is impacting our region, some of the challenges it presents, what to expect, and what we can do on a community level to mitigate and adapt to the changing environment… We expect them to talk about solar and farm viability, climate justice, and climate impacts on plants in northern Vermont.
Wednesday, March 30, 2022; 6 p.m. EST
Addressing climate change through land conservation and land stewardship
Kestrel Land Trust is hosting a speakers series designed to empower local action around habitat conservation and climate change.
On Thursday, March 31st at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, there will be a 60-minute online presentation followed by a 30-minute Q&A. Bring your curiosity and questions!
This program is the second of Kestrel’s 2022 Ecological Solutions for Climate Change Speaker Series.
Climate change and community conservation
Oftentimes, land trusts find it challenging to lead from behind and connect the work of conservation and climate change to the communities they serve. This video does a very good job of showing the impact of listening, responding, and leading from behind.