YREA autumn 2022 news & views

Our Breathing Lands are at risk

Canada’s northern peatlands & forest soils store approximately 150 billion tonnes of carbon, about 5 times the amount per sq. metre of the Amazon rainforest. Known as the breathing lands by the Indigenous people of northern Ontario, the muskeg is also a source of critical minerals especially in the Ring of Fire in the Hudson Bay lowlands in Ontario. Permafrost thaw & drying out of the peatlands due to rising temperatures & mining disturbances will contribute to huge carbon & methane emissions. This area is rich in the minerals needed for electric vehicles. But we can’t just obsess  about switching to EVs without taking a serious look at the cradle to grave consequences. And the consequences will be grave – reducing the ability to store carbon; drastically accelerating climate change; trampling Indigenous rights;  destroying biodiversity & other unforeseen outcomes. Friends of the Attawapiskat River believe that Indigenous communities’ rights to basic infrastructure like clean water, housing & health services must be completely independent from their decisions regarding mineral exploration or potential developments. Shouldn't those rights take precedence? Instead of irreversible damage leading to regrets, we need to explore less intrusive alternatives to developing EVs such as battery & vehicle recycling.The circular economy must also include solar panel & wind turbine recycling so we are not responsible for the unnecessary destruction of our essential ecosystems. Not hard to imagine how this land might change.


 Ring of Fire image: ©Garth Lenz                                                   

In defence of the Manitoba Maple

Acer negundo has spread well beyond its prairie range & now grows in the most degraded of places. This unjustly maligned tree is heat, drought & road salt tolerant & can be found in floodplains. It is a food source for many small mammals & birds. Manitoba Maple sounds like an ideal species for our changing climate. Though there are a handful of horrid invasives that do need to be controlled, it might be said that humans are the most invasive species as we plunder, poison & destroy our natural world. Let's learn to accept & appreciate the resilient plants which will be able to adapt to harsher environments in the future. 


Beyond the War on Invasive Species is a book that shows us ways of understanding their presence and ecosystem effects in order to make more ecologically responsible decisions in land restoration and biodiversity conservation. The funding of pesticide companies & product donations to organizations supposedly working in conservation will be an eye opener. 

Gene edited foods & seeds need to be regulated

Many gene edited foods can now distressingly enter the market without any safety checks. We need government oversight on the introduction of all genetically engineered (GE) foods & seeds, including those produced through the new techniques of gene editing to ensure Canada’s food supply is safe. Instead, safety assessments for some gene-edited foods have been handed to the product developers. All GE foods, gene-edited foods & seeds need to be assessed for safety by the government, including environmental risks WITHOUT exemptions. Learn more at cban.

Don't compromise your health. Choose ORGANIC and organic community supported agriculture

Recent calls to action 

At the Federal & Provincial levels, an urgent call to ban pesticide spraying in a joint submission which includes Indigenous and advocacy groups

Federal/Provincial - Stop the Spray of our forests in Canada 

Federal - PMRA, YREA's revealing comments on the need for major pesticide management regulatory changes.

Provincial - MZO request to stop wetland development

At the municipal level, a call for bylaw changes -

Municipal - Bylaw changes & pollinator garden destruction

Public awarenes - Is a perfect lawn all it's cut out to be?

YREA's solar covered parking lot advocacy continues

  Fall colours anyone?

If you haven't had a vacation yet, consider a Canadian fall foliage tour. Don't want to drive? Then what about a  scenic rail trip as an alternative? If you prefer day outings, TRCA has an impressive fall event schedule with something for everyone. Want some alone time? Walk York Region trails  & leave those earbuds behind. Nature's playlist is all around you, just listen.

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