Forests are more important than most of us realize. Forests make rain, cool the temperature, and send moisture to regions around the world. In many cases, forests have become monoculture “tree plantations” for the timber industry, lacking biodiversity and moisture. In a biodiverse forest, the soil soaks up water like a sponge, preventing wildfires, drought,…

Trees & Forests December 5, 2024 – January 30, 2025 Thursdays: 12 noon -or- 7 pm ET Course Description Trees & Forests is an eight week online course (Dec 5 – Jan 30) that explores the many benefits and wonders of our trees and forests, as well as the threats they face.  We will study…

Bio4Climate is excited to co-host the 2024 Midwest Beaver Summit alongside many outstanding environmental nonprofits, land trusts, restoration practitioners, and other organizations dedicated to conservation, implementing coexistence strategies, and cultivating awareness of the importance of beavers as keystone species in our ecosystems. Join us on Wednesday, August 28 from 11 am – 3 pm Central…

On July 24, Bio4Climate and other host organizations participated in the Cambridge Moth Ball at Kingsley Park, Fresh Pond Reservation, for National Moth Week. Around 200 attendees of all ages engaged in community science, moth collecting, data collection, photography, and children’s activities. Bio4Climate partnered with Julie Croston from Cambridge Wildlife Arts to run the art…

We, the undersigned organizations, are writing with the hopes of establishing a dialogue regarding the October 17, 2023 joint comment letter sent to Congress by the Outdoor Industry Association, Outdoor Alliance, and The Conservation Alliance concerning the Farm Bill.

By Paul Barringer and Jean Devine of Native Plant Community Gardeners Our first Biodiversity Day festival was a success! On Saturday, May 4th, over 120 visitors came to Danehy Park, Cambridge, to join birding tours, Miyawaki Forest tours, learn about pollinator gardens, native plants, and ecosystem restoration from ten local environmental organizations who joined us…

Healing Our Land & Our Climate! July 9 – September 24, 2024 Tuesdays: 12 noon -or- 7 pm ET What if we could deal with the causes of climate change and at the same time deal with its effects? What if we could prevent flooding, drought and wildfires and at the same time cool our…

We affirm the need to restore the five billion hectares of degraded land worldwide but we have also found a way to bring the power of eco restoration home. Home to our own communities; Home to those most in need of a healing shot of nature; By planting tiny forests in urban areas, using the…

I’ve loved Chicago from the first day I set foot there, and I’ve missed the Windy City since I left after college in 2018. When I had a chance to visit two weeks ago, I made it a point to try to understand Chicago’s ecosystems better, and check in on the many ways communities across…

Join soil scientist Didi Pershouse and Bio4Climate members Jim Laurie and Maya Dutta this February for a learning and discussion series on John Feldman’s Regenerating Life. The Center for an Ecology Based Economy (CEBE) is hosting a hybrid series to screen the documentary in three parts and discuss the science and solutions within. Register now…

As the year rounds out, it is time to reflect on the changes and growth we’ve seen in 2023. Nothing gives me quite as much pride, amazement, and faith in the power of change than our young Miyawaki forests. I was honored to share our work with the public in this short feature from the…

Halley’s Comet last hurtled around the Sun in 1986 and is expected to return in July of 2061. What will the Earth be like when the Comet returns?  What kind of world do we want to greet it?

What a thrilling week it has been! Since last Thursday’s New York Times article Tiny Forests with Big Benefits, my teammates and I at Bio4Climate have been buzzing with excitement at the recognition our forests and this type of restoration is getting. We are so thrilled by the enthusiasm of people’s responses, from interest in…

Our community grows alongside our first Miyawaki forest! In September of 2021, we planted our first Miyawaki forest – the first in the Northeastern U.S. – in Cambridge, Massachusetts. As the forest turns two, and demonstrates signs of resilient, abundant growth, the Bio4Climate team gathered with local forest enthusiasts to reflect and celebrate the ecosystem…

Bulu mini-forest in Cameroon after 19 months; Photo: Agborkang Godfred Hannah Lewis, Compendium Editor for Biodiversity for a Liveable Climate and freelance writer The Miyawaki Method The Miyawaki Method is a way to grow natural, mature forests in a couple of decades rather than a couple of centuries. You do this by observing what happens…

Cabezon Peak after rain, Photo by John Fowler (CC BY 2.0) Although climate change is a global issue, it can and must be addressed locally. Our overall climate is shifting drastically, but local climates are also changing, and they don’t always get the same amount of attention. Local climates change when the environment is drastically…