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Presented by the University of Toronto’s Hart House OrchestraSaturday, February 15, 2025First Church of Cambridge Support environmental action, youth empowerment, and sustainable local food systems by purchasing a ticket or making a donation. Eastie Farm plays a crucial role in strengthening food security and advancing climate solutions in Boston. This benefit concert will help fund…

How does life shape our planet? Join Jim Laurie, Restoration Biologist & Futurist, for Biodiversity 12: Earth Alive – Exploring Our Home, a 12-week course running from February 26 – May 14, 2025. Explore how ecosystems—from wetlands to grasslands—create the conditions for life, and learn how biodiversity plays a crucial role in regulating climate, soil,…

How your food is grown and raised can determine the quality of your water, the health of your forests, the stability of your climate, and the nutrients you rely on for optimal health. Farming impacts everything—and you have the power to change it. Join us for this Free Introductory Class to uncover 10 Powerful Ways You Can Change Our…

Are you ready to make a difference in the future of food, our ecosystems and our health? Most farming practices today are driving up carbon emissions, worsening flooding and droughts, and harming water, wildlife, and our economy. These challenges affect you, your family and community—but your actions can spark change. What if you could help…

Take a fun journey through the systems that create life and climate with engineer and graduate of Bio4Climate’s “Systems Thinking and Scenario Building” course in 2022, Erling Jorgensen.  Erling was inspired to share his learnings in a fun way that people with little training in biology and science could connect with. The result is “Journey of…

In early 2024, I offered an online 12-week course called “An Economics of Love” under the auspices of Biodiversity for a Livable Climate. Initially, I feared that people would encounter “An Economics of Love” as some sort of ‘hipster-flipster’ indulgence of flaky ideas, although those who enrolled showed no signs of any such dismissal, which was a relief for me.

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,…

About 15 years ago my friend Dr. Kyoko Nakayama taught me the Japanese word “mottainai.” Since then, I’ve been trying to wrap my small brain around what mottainai truly means. Every time I think I understand mottainai, the concept grows, and my brain stretches.  

WATCH THE RECORDING A rapidly changing Arctic is reshaping everything. Polar bears navigate shrinking expanses of sea ice, thawing permafrost threatens coastal villages, destabilizes infrastructure, and exhales methane, and warming temperatures push more species northward into a greener arctic. These transformations are profound, and their impacts can extend far beyond the region’s ecologies that depend…

Regenerating Life is a groundbreaking film that reframes the climate crisis by focusing on nature’s power to heal our planet. It reveals how the biosphere egulates Earth’s climate and how its destruction has driven global warming. The film highlights regenerating ecosystems like forests, fields, and wetlands, restoring the water cycle, and embracing sustainable practices like…

WATCH THE RECORDING Diverse ecosystems represent the greatest climate action technology at our disposal. But what recourse do we have when nature itself is under attack from the world’s biggest political and economic powers? The movement to codify ecocide, that is, the intentional (or negligent) mass destruction of an ecosystem, as an international crime is…

Please Join us for an insightful panel discussion and networking session on September 27th, from 4:00-8:00 PM at Nigeria House, NYC, where we will explore the critical role of nature-based solutions and ecological restoration in enhancing climate resilience and restoring livable climates. Experts from Africa and Latin America will present innovative projects that harness natural ecosystems to combat climate change, restore degraded landscapes, increase water…

What can be done to break the ocean’s fever and cool the planet?  With the oceans warming rapidly causing larger storms and hurricanes, forecasts for sea level rise ranging from 2 feet to 20 feet by 2100, and polar regions warming three times faster than the rest of the world, humanity may be facing the…

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. WATCH THE RECORDING Full Agenda:  This summit is organized by Midwest Beaver Advocacy…

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…

This newly published book by Peter Bunyard and Rob de Laet approaches the climate crisis and its solutions from a completely different angle.  “To address the climate crisis, now demonstrably causing havoc with life-killing extreme events,” the authors write, “we must not only transform our economic and societal models towards sustainability and resilience, we must…

How can we find cool insights as we dive into a summer of heatwaves and weather extremes? It hasn’t always been this way. Many of us remember carefree summers with morning dew on the grass or a breeze by the beach or river. Everyone knows it’s cooler by the water! Nations and communities have favorite…

July 23, 2024, 10am to noon. Join local students of Jim Laurie’s Symbiosis Team to get an up front and personal view of the floating wetlands designed for Boston Harbor. This is the innovative project of modular floatingwetlands in East Boston that was shown in the documentary, Inundation District, on sea level rise in Boston.…

A transformation is underway in Worcester, MA. In this mid-sized city in Central Massachusetts long known for its industrial activity, city leadership has undertaken ambitious initiatives to address some of their climate resilience goals using the Miyawaki method. Together, Bio4Climate, BSC Group, and the City of Worcester planned and created two Miyawaki Forests in the…

How can one furry critter can help us restore wetlands, protect biodiversity and mitigate both floods and fires. Brock Dolman and Kate Lundquist will shared their insights on beavers’ beneficial role as ecosystem engineers, and lessons from their successful support of a recent state-led Beaver Restoration Program in California. Watch the recorded event. As WATER…

On Tuesday, June 18 at 7pm ET, we participated in a comprehensive forum on Miyawaki Forest adoption across the US. Watch the recording here! In this online event, Bio4Climate’s Director of Regenerative Projects, Maya Dutta, joined keynote speaker Douglas Tallamy and three other national leaders to explore how mini-forests of native trees and shrubs can…

Introduction by Jim Laurie Erling Jorgensen was a student in my “Systems Thinking and Scenario Building” course (Biodiversity 6) in the summer of 2022.  He is determined to learn how life processes work and develop a scenario of restoring these processes.  His goal is also to create a story that young people and adults with…

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…

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 Miyawaki method.

This Spring, we are planting the first two Miyawaki Forests in Worcester, MA. These dense, biodiverse, native pocket forests will bring cooling, beauty, and resilience to the urban landscape. Join us for one additional planting day at Plumley Village Apartments on Wednesday, June 12 at 3pm. Come ready to get your hands in the soil…

On Saturday, May 4th from 11 am to 3 pm ET, join us for Biodiversity Day as we honor the importance and power of biodiversity through birding tours, pollinator searches, interactive games and art-making for kids, and native plant workshops. Experience sounds of nature and sensory spaces, live music performances, and free resources on native plants…

On Saturday, April 20th from 11 am to 3 pm ET, join us for an Earth Day celebration at our Danehy Park Miyawaki Forest. We will gather at the picnic area of the park right next to the Miyawaki Forest, where we will share information and give tours of the site at 11am and 1pm. Come…

On Thursday, April 25 at 6pm ET, Beck Mordini and Jenny Pell held a lively conversation about facing our pretty scary future with integrity, hope, plenty of know-how, and a great sense of humor.  We dove into climate reality, appropriate technologies, skill-building, local food, and neighborhood solutions that will inspire you to jump into your own…

On Thursday, April 25 at 12:00 noon ET on Zoom, Mat dos Santos and Laura Gehrke of Our Children’s Trust will explain how 16 youth plaintiffs successfully sued the State of Montana to protect their right to a clean and healthful environment, and how youth in six other cases in the U.S. and Canada are…

Our economic system’s focus on competition has led to significant destruction. We have an opportunity to create economic systems built on collaboration and love. We can embed incentives of support, health and abundance in our communities and restore ecosystems of natural resources that we need to survive and thrive. Join us for An Economics of…

On Thursday, March 28 at 6pm ET, we dived into how agroforestry and eco-restoration initiatives advance environmental justice in frontline communities around the world. Our latest Life Saves the Planet lecture featured John Leary and Pam Agullo of Mother Trees, an organization working on agri-business in Senegal, and Mariama Fatajo of Teja Development, supporting eco-restoration…

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 Bio4Climate community members for the Cambridge screening of a groundbreaking new film, BLACKWATERS – Brotherhood In The Wild. We are proud to co-sponsor this free screening along with other organizations and the hosts at the Greater Boston Chapter of Trout Unlimited. To join our meetup, RSVP here and make sure you register with Trout…

As Valentine’s Day approaches, we invite you to experience a romantic journey in a winter wonderland. As the temperatures rise in February or earlier in our warming world, the snow melts, and we realize that the water cycle is a precious gift from the sun to all living creatures on Earth. Without the sun’s energy,…

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…

Starting Wednesday, February 21, Jim Laurie begins his 12 week Biodiversity Deep Dive course. Join us for an exploration of wetlands, shorelines, the water cycle, and the solutions powered by a systems approach to climate. This course meets every Wednesday, starting February 21 and running through May 8, 2024. Sessions will be held from 12…

On Monday, January 29, Vincent Stanley of Patagonia joined our Life Saves the Planet lecture series to discuss the role of business in pivoting to regenerative systems. It is easy to vilify globalization and corporate America, but what would happen if the vast resources of the world economy turned towards eco-restoration, fair trade and uplifting…

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?

The more we disturb intact ecosystems, the less stable the climate that we have. Do we have systematic evidence-based resources to prove how natural ecosystems stabilize climate? Yes, we do! It would be helpful for science communicators and policymakers to have a resource with systematized evidence. For example:Primary forests have higher resilience against droughts than…

Most of what you hear climate activists talk about when it comes to beef or cows is methane. Methane is a greenhouse gas and cows emit methane as part of their digestion process. What you don't hear is that this is primarily a problem of the commercial cattle industry and that nature has an ingenious way of balancing this methane production. Learn about this natural system and how cattle can be managed as part of eco-restoration and climate mitigation.

While most people are focused on the irony of COP28 being hosted by the fossil fuel industry, we will be focusing on the work being done on biodiversity, eco-restoration and water cycles.

We are excited to share with you the panel discussion from the Boston Premiere of the film Regenerating Life!  It was such a full day with three parts to the film, interesting exhibitors, and reconnecting with friends, that it was difficult to take it all in at once.   You can share some of that excitement from…

On Saturday, November 18 we were joined by Author Richard Heinberg, Permaculture Instructor Andrew Millison, and other national and Oregon leaders for Redesigning Our Communities for Life After Fossil Fuels. They explored our predicament of declining energy resources, the urgent need to grow our food locally, the power that restoring ecosystems has to reduce wildfires and…

On Thursday, November 9 at 6 pm ET, we welcomed Michelle Manion of Mass Audubon to our Life Saves the Planet lecture series to discuss the negative impacts of solar installations on forest land and the viability of alternatives. Check out the recording now.

On Monday, November 13 Christopher Haines will begin his course A New Climate Story. Imagine a world where innovative thinking and peer-reviewed science offers hope and empowerment, with a path to reverse climate change in months, years or decades, not centuries. Imagine principles you could apply to improve your own circumstances, even if the rest…

As renewable energy projects are implemented to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels, regulations suspended to help fast-track beneficial projects and combat climate change have allowed the deforestation of intact woodlands. This decreases our resilience, and makes very little sense in the long term. Simply put, we don’t need to cut down trees to put…

Dr. Makarieva explains why protecting existing forests is one of the most important things we can do to stabilize the climate. Pending legislation in MA (USA) serves as a model for policy protections needed around the world. Learn more about taking action here, and find out more at Save Mass Forests. Our climate system is incredibly…

Our Boston Premiere of Regenerating Life at Tufts University was a tremendous success! It was exciting to see about 100 people come together to experience how John Feldman wove the many threads of the importance of nature to climate stability together in film. Conversation was lively during the lunch break, as people talked with exhibitors…