Miscellaneous

18 04, 2025

https://atmos.earth/democratizing-access-to-nature/

Democratizing Access to Nature

Aparna Packer2025-04-18T11:35:33-04:00Tags: United Kingdom|

Nature is a Human Right, a non-profit organization founded by Ellen Miles in 2020, strives to make access to nature a fundamental human right recognized by the United Nations. In the wake of a pandemic that underscored existing social and environmental inequalities, including nature deprivation among marginalized communities, the organization's mission gains paramount importance. With ambassadors like Poppy Okotcha and Kalpana Arias, Nature is a Human Right advocates for inclusivity in enjoying nature, acknowledging that diverse knowledge enriches us all. Through initiatives like inclusive gardening and eco-somatics education, they aim to break the hierarchy that disproportionately denies people of color access to green spaces. Ellen, Poppy, and Kalpana emphasize the mental and physical health benefits of connecting with nature, highlighting its role in healing, grounding, and fostering empathy. As they work towards systemic change, their vision extends beyond environmental advocacy to a profound understanding of our interconnectedness with the Earth, offering hope for a healthier, happier, and more equitable world.

6 03, 2023

https://mg.co.za/africa/2023-03-06-women-help-to-save-kenyas-last-rainforest/

Women help to save Kenya’s last rainforest

Aparna Packer2025-02-14T13:13:09-05:00Tags: Kenya|

Women living adjacent to the Kakamega Forest are spearheading initiatives to promote the reforestation and preservation of the rainforest. Maridah Khalawa, founder of the Muliru Farmers’ Conservation Group, uses ethical tree and honey harvesting methods to support their economic needs without harming the forest’s biodiversity. The Shamiloli Forest Conservation Green Growers, led by Agnes Mulimi, is another women’s group protecting the ecosystem. Mulimi’s group trains people how to earn money from the forest’s resources sustainably and regrow trees using seedlings. The Valonji Women Group is reducing the need for wood in local communities by exchanging open fires for clay ovens. These women-led initiatives are enabling communities near the Kakamega Forest to reduce their environmental impacts while developing safe and locally-based economies, contributing to their long-term financial upliftment.

6 07, 2021

https://www.yesmagazine.org/environment/2018/01/08/the-irma-diaries-hurricane-irma-survivor-stories-should-be-a-climate-change-wake-up-call

The Irma Diaries: Hurricane Irma Survivor Stories Should Be a Climate Change Wake-Up Call

Katherine2021-07-06T17:27:45-04:00Tags: Virgin Islands|

In September of 2017, the Caribbean was hit by a series of deadly hurricanes, including the most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane recorded in history. The storms had devastating impacts on human lives, infrastructure and the environment and might cause a serious setback to Caribbean economies in the future, many of which are based on tourism and agriculture. In her book “The Irma diaries: Compelling Survivor Stories from the Virgin Islands”, author Angela Burnett tells the story of 25 hurricane survivors. She warns that unless ambitious climate action is implemented, the series of hurricanes might offer only a first glimpse of what is to come in the future. Photo Credit: MARTIN BUREAU/AFP/Getty Images.

29 03, 2021

https://atmos.earth/indigenous-peoples-biodiversisty-united-nations-report/

Finally, UN Recognizes We Need Indigenous Peoples to Save Forests

Aparna Packer2025-03-24T18:55:36-04:00Tags: Latin America, The Caribbean|

The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations released a report stating that Indigenous and tribal communities in Latin America and the Caribbean, the primary protectors of the forests and biodiversity in the region, need more protections and resources that have consistently been denied or taken from them. Ginny Alba and Robinson López Descanse are a married Colombian couple who have dedicated their lives to climate activism. After López Descanse died of COVID-19, leaders became more aware of the need for better health, education, and financial resources for Indigenous and tribal groups. Providing Afro-Latin and Indigenous peoples in Latin America and the Caribbean with land rights and economic support protects communities, cultures, livelihoods, while protecting biodiversity, reducing carbon emissions, and creating a more liveable environment Earth. Indigenous sovereignty is a climate solution.

10 10, 2018

https://mountainx.com/living/womens-work/

Are Females The Future Of Western North Carolina Farming?

Katherine2021-01-27T20:44:10-05:00Tags: United States|

Women have historically played important roles in the Western North Carolina (WNC) farming industry. In more modern times, many WNC women are pursuing careers in agriculture and continuing the legacy of female farming in North Carolina. Prominent women in the WNC farming agriculture community include Susan English of English Dairy and English Farmstead Cheese, and Annie Louise Perkinson of Flying Cloud Farm. Both of these women manage farms that have been in their families for multiple generations. On the other hand, Gabi White of Patchwork Urban Farm and Lauren Rayburn of Rayburn Farm found careers in farming after studying agriculture-related subjects in college. Although many female WNC farmers hesitate to label themselves as farmers or as primary operators of the farm, together they are reshaping the traditionally masculine “farmer” stereotype. Photo Credit: Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP)

31 05, 2018

https://intercontinentalcry.org/colonialism-and-the-lost-indigenous-housing-designs/

Colonialism And The Lost Indigenous Housing Designs

Katherine2023-04-16T16:20:54-04:00Tags: United States|

Kayla DeVault, an Anishinaabe/Shawnee woman and Master’s candidate in American Indian studies at Arizona State University, discusses the relationship between colonialism and architecture. DeVault describes Sky City, a village in the Pueblo of Acoma that has existed in (what is now known as) Arizona for about 2,000 years. Presently, the federal government controls a large portion of the Pueblo’s tribal housing program, with most of the funding coming from a grant program embedded in Western design principles that do not account for traditional cultural needs. DeVault highlights Wanda Dalla Costa, a Saddle Creek Cree woman and visiting professor at Arizona State University, whose work engages with the Gila River Indian Community to learn about traditional Indigenous building techniques/architecture, and the importance of these practices to cultural continuity. DeVault elaborates on the importance of traditional architecture, as it not only provides social and cultural benefits, but is also important for climate resiliency. Traditional construction methods have been developed over thousands of years and are well-adapted for local climates. Through her work, Dalla Costa hopes to integrate the teaching of these important traditional values into Western architectural programs, while also reviving traditional architecture throughout Arizona. Photo Credit: Illustrations by Julie Notarriani

17 10, 2016

https://www.grain.org/article/entries/5569-land-for-the-women-who-work-it-struggles-in-latin-america

Land For The Women Who Work It: Struggles In Latin America

Katherine2021-01-27T20:41:31-05:00Tags: International|

In Latin American, women own less land and less productive land, even though they make up an integral part of the agricultural workforce and collective agricultural knowledge. The disregard for the work of peasant women stems from a gendered division of labor that creates a stark inequality between male and female land rights. Across Latin America, indigenous women and peasants have risen up against these disparities: in Brazil, the women of the Landless Workers’ Movement (MST) and The Peasant Women’s Movement of Brazil (MMC) have both carried out campaigns; and La Vìa Campesina’s Jakarta Declaration highlights the need for female land rights and integral agrarian reform. Additionally, Bolivia’s government recognizes the harmful effects of patriarchal, capitalist structures in regards to female labour, and Zapatista communities include subsistence agriculture in their political beliefs. The nurturing relationship between women and land is essential to food sovereignty and integral agrarian reform. Photo Credit: grain.org

1 09, 2016

https://e360.yale.edu/features/exploring_how_and_why_trees_talk_to_each_other

Exploring How And Why Trees ‘Talk’ To Each Other

Katherine2018-07-13T17:03:50-04:00Tags: Canada|

Ecologist Suzanne Simard brings a feminine lens to her research on forest communication networks, recognizing the limits of traditional scientific frameworks and emphasizing holistic ecosystems thinking. Using phrases like “forest wisdom” and “mother trees,” she elucidates how trees communicate with each other by sending nutrients via below-ground fungal networks. She is also exploring how these cooperative systems respond to environmental threats, such as climate change, pine beetle attacks, and clear-cutting. Her research will inform Canadian forest renewal practices with a focus resilience and regeneration. Photo credit: Yale Environment 360

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