The Futile War between Conservationists and Farmers
Fungi and other soil microbes are critical to the health of soil and our food systems yet ‘conservation biodiversity’ often overlooks them for more charismatic wildlife.
biodiversity
Vanishing Act: Why Insects Are Declining and Why It Matters
Insect populations are declining dramatically in many parts of the world, recent studies show. Researchers say various factors, from monoculture farming to habitat loss, are to blame for the plight of insects, which are essential to agriculture and ecosystems.
From Wasteland to Rainforest
In Kodagu, India, a couple has created a biodiversity haven. Over two decades, the Malhotras bought abandoned farmland and planted a rainforest to invite all kinds of animals into their sanctuary.
Ethics and Ecosystem Interactions: Why Reconciliation Ecology Matters
Here’s a phrase that’s lately been haunting me: “the extinction of ecosystem interactions.”
Seeds of Change
Gary Nabhan has taken the fight to the corporate seed merchants through the local food movement and seed saving community.
What is Closed Loop Agriculture?
Closed loop agriculture is farming practice that recycles all nutrients and organic matter material back to the soil that it grew in. This forms part of an agricultural practice that preserves the nutrient and carbon levels within the soil and allows farming to be carried out on a sustainable basis.
As Climate Warms, How Can We Decide if a Plant is Native?
The fate of a tree planted at poet Emily Dickinson’s home raises questions about whether gardeners can — or should — play a role in helping plant species migrate in the face of rising temperatures and swiftly changing botanical zones.
Why Prairies?
Noted Wisconsin prairie restoration expert, Neil Diboll, discusses the benefits and beauty of landscaping with Wisconsin native plants during a Spring, Sustain Jefferson workshop.
Conserving Resilient and Multifunctional Sustainable Landscapes
“Conservation means harmony between men and land,” said renowned American environmentalist Aldo Leopold, summarising his view of how nature and humans can co-exist in harmony if the delicate balance of land use and conservation is achieved.
Beyond Honeybees: Pollinator-Friendly Farming for the Future
Imagine a world without strawberries, apples, chocolate, coffee, squash, or almonds.
Two Important New Books
The Carbon Farming Solution: A Global Toolkit of Perennial Crops and Regenerative Agriculture Practices for Climate Mitigation and Food Security and Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life.
The Newest Strategy for Saving the Bees is Really, Really Old
For centuries beehives have been part of the architecture of mountain homes here, built into the thick outside walls.
