Liesl Clark

Yambaru is Japan's only "Blue Zone," check out the latest story by Akiko Terai in Traveler about how the moai lifestyle contributes to health, happiness and in turn longevity in Okinawa.

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*Review of "Wild Hope" by HHMI for PBS on YouTube* By Paula Kahumbu "Wild Hope," presented by HHMI and PBS on YouTube, is a must-watch for all aspiring wildlife and nature storytellers and filmmakers. This documentary series beautifully portrays the efforts of conservation and the persistent hope that drives these initiatives. It focuses on the essential relationships between humans and nature, emphasizing the urgent need for conservation with clarity and passion. The visuals in episodes “Wild Hope" that I watched are truly captivating, showcasing the stunning beauty of wildlife and natural landscapes. For those eager to learn the craft of wildlife cinematography, this series is a rich resource, employing a variety of techniques such as aerial views, close-ups, and nighttime photography to enhance the storytelling. Each frame is not only a visual treat but also a lesson in filmmaking. But it’s the storytelling style that really impresses me, it’s inspiring and educational a powerful combination of messaging about dealing with environmental challenges. The pacing is excellent, expert are authentic, field actions, and moments of reflection to paint a comprehensive picture of conservation challenges and efforts. For our community of African filmmakers, "Wild Hope" could serve as a guide on how to approach our documentaries. It highlights the importance of clear storytelling and connecting emotionally with the audience, prompting us to consider carefully the stories we want to tell and the people we hope to reach. Importantly, the film speaks to a worldwide audience while maintaining a strong connection to local contexts—vitally important for filmmakers who want to create content that resonates both at home and abroad. It demonstrates how to mix universal themes with specific environmental concerns, paving the way for African filmmakers to tell stories that are deeply rooted in their local environments yet have global appeal. Watch the entire series on YouTube here For Free!!! https://lnkd.in/dp3xFb6G

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🛰️ Passing on an update from NASA’s Applied Remote Sensing Training Program (ARSET): Join their new webinar series: Earth Observations for Humanitarian Applications, aim to equip participants with the skills to map and understand climate impacts on some of the world's most vulnerable populations. 🔍 It is a three-part, intermediate training that focuses on: flood risk assessments, heat stress management, and drought monitoring.  🌐 Who should join? This series is ideal for professionals involved in humanitarian aid, disaster management, environmental science, and anyone passionate about using technology to mitigate climate-related challenges faced by refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs). Register here: https://t.co/bTXG1uzBuN #NASA #ARSET #RemoteSensing #HumanitarianAid #ClimateChange #Webinar 

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I found Ezra Klein's interview with Hannah Ritchie really thought provoking. Both are self-proclaimed "techno-optimists" who think that meaningful action to mitigate climate change will depend on having viable, agreeable substitutions for the things people want and are accustomed to having--energy, vehicles, meat, etc.--no real behavior change--or god forbid, sacrifice--required. For this reason they are more optimistic about the rapid uptake of renewable energy and less so about en masse shifts in diet (more plants; fewer cows) that could help address the biodiversity crisis. All the more reason to push for policy that well help advance these substitutions. Which depends on electing the right policymakers with the mandate to do so. So...back to the battle for hearts and minds, right? What do you think? #climatechange #climateaction #biodiversity #renewableenergy https://lnkd.in/gmPqR8Zj

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Together, we are upholding our rights by developing a new way of living—one that heals our fragmented forests and oceans. 🌲🌊To learn how,visit kwiakahconservation.com #KwiakahFirstNation #IndigenousConservation #IndigenousGovernance

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Compelling climate narratives in television shows and movies can help shift attitudes on climate change, a new study finds! The study recruited over a thousand participants and divided them into two groups. Half watched a climate-focused episode of Madam Secretary about a super typhoon menacing the Pacific Island nation of Nauru. The other half watched another episode of the same show about U.S. involvement in the Middle East. People who watched the climate episode experienced “a substantial increase” in their level of concern about climate change and their support for government action. Researchers found this change persisted even two weeks after people watched the episode. https://lnkd.in/gkDApyHw Good Energy (started by Anna Jane Joyner) has a simple test for movies and TV shows to see if they’re talking about climate change. First, does climate change exist in the story world? And second, is a character aware of it? Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe said, "For a long time, the answer was usually “no” – but that’s changing now. The fifth-annual Hollywood Climate Summit wrapped up this week, where creators of all stripes came together to talk about how to best include climate in their plot lines. Just like climate change touches everything in our world, I’m convinced every story can have a climate element to it – and it’s good news to see that this is becoming more common and that it can make difference."

Grist: "As the climate changes, cities scramble to find trees that will survive." Turning orthodoxy on its head, the 'magic trees' we are looking for to adapt to climate change may often be non-natives. Drought-tolerate manzanita, with its peeling red bark and delicate pitcher-shaped blossoms, thrives on the dry, rocky ridges of Northern California, some varieties capable of enduring more than 200 days between waterings. But botanist Howard McMinn suggest trying manzanita in the "damp soil of Tacoma, a city in Washington known for its towering Douglas firs, bigleaf maples, and an average of 152 rainy days per year." After all, some studies suggest that Seattle area’s climate will more closely resemble Northern California’s by 2050. 'Victims of these shifts include treasured species from around the globe, including certain varietials of the Texas pecan, the towering baobabs found in Senegal, and the expansive fig trees native to Sydney.' The world is warming too quickly for natural arboreal adaptation + migration. Yet urban arborists believe planting in cities is crucial for shade, cooling + calming of the populace. "A study published in 2022 found that a roughly 30 percent increase in the metropolitan canopy could prevent nearly 40 percent of heat-related deaths in Europe." Scientists and urban foresters are thinking strategically about where to source new trees and using experiments to predict the hardiness of new species. As an example, Texas is slated to experience a triple climate whammy of hotter summers, colder winters, and changing humidity, with some places becoming intolerably dry and others getting more muggy. In the photo as another example, notice how in marginalized communities everyone seeks out shade + carries water.

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Just published: The new edition of my newsletter for journalists (and anyone else) interested in biodiversity, the ecological crisis and nature-based solutions to climate change. It has news, resources, jobs, great stories, and more. https://lnkd.in/edTdeQDy

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On the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion this week, it’s good to remember what life was really like for the GIs on the front lines advancing into occupied France and beyond — and the psychological toll it took. For more, see my last two newsletter posts at https://lnkd.in/gKbdD-rN #writing #research #historicalfictionresearch #ww2 #wwII #dday #dday80 #johnhuston #ptsd #documentary #substack #newsletter

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***NEW PAPER ALERT*** This paper offers a pathway toward Indigenous-led conservation, heals contemporary intra-Pasifika harm, and concludes with the goal of decolonizing conservation in the Pacific Remote Islands. Political and community leaders in the U.S. Pacific territories have proclaimed near universal opposition to the proposed PRI sanctuary. The campaign to expand and designate the sanctuary in the Pacific Remote Islands has failed to meaningfully include the Indigenous people who live closest to the region and who have the strongest historical and cultural ties to the islands—Micronesians and Samoans. We proposed a pathway towards getting to a designation in support of #30x30 and #AmericatheBeautiful: 1. engage in meaningful dialog 2. respect the rights and interests of Indigenous people 3. Ensure Indigenous input and consultation in decision-making processes and management Colonialism has historically pitted Indigenous people against one another.  When we explore our shared Pasifiku histories, cultures, and identities, we must do so in a respectful and intentional manner to ensure pluralistic advocacy encompassing multiple perspectives. As a pair of authors, one Chamorro and the other Kanaka Maoli, we invite both our communities to gather under a tree to discuss these very important and sensitive topics in a constructive manner. https://lnkd.in/eqFKKR7U

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#conservation #encroachment #meddling #half-earth #deforestation #habitatloss #anthropocentrism #life #love #reverenceforlife #loveofJesus THE INDISPUTABLE ASSERTION: "other species of large frugivorous birds — ... — contribute to regenerating tropical forests by dispersing seeds on the ground. In doing so, they help increase a forest’s carbon storage by 38%." THE PROBLEM: "...the Amazon region has faced a process of severe deforestation in recent years, leaving highly fragmented landscapes where the movement of birds is also affected." "With birds flying less and dispersing fewer seeds, we risk having fewer trees on the ground and more carbon in the atmosphere." THE USUAL SOLUTION: "The study underlines the importance of the balance between fauna and flora for the preservation and restoration of tropical forests. In order for them to remain diverse and efficient, with their ecosystem services functioning, the role of animals in this process must be taken into account." THE LONE WORKABLE ANSWER: A reverence for life is an ethos of life affirmation, averring that mankind is duty bound to serve as stewards of all of God's creation. This obligation of stewardship is often best discharged by setting aside large swaths of acreage wherein all nature can thrive according to its own proclivities and predilections, free from our meddling, however well-intentioned. This is the theory of the late professor E.O. Wilson; namely, half-earth. Let us admit that our managerial capabilities as regards life are woefully inadequate and insufficient. Let us instead allow life to manage itself. Our role is to provide life with that opportunity. That is bestowing the love of Jesus on all God's creation. That is a reverence for life.

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