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EPN Breakfast: Yellowstone to Yukon: Enhancing Rocky Mountain animal migration through remote sensing and international collaboration
"Caribou, grizzly bears, bison, and many more megafauna and countless bird species rely upon a major migration corridor of western North America spanning the Yellowstone-to-Yukon (Y2Y) region. Y2Y extends more than 3,400 kilometers from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in the western United States to the Arctic Circle in the Yukon Territory of Canada. These species are impacted by roads and other human infrastructure developed throughout the corridor.
Enter the Room to Roam: Y2Y Wildlife Movements (Room2Roam) project. Room2Roam is funded through the NASA Ecological Forecasting Program and is accelerating data analysis and coordination to improve wildlife management efforts across borders. With coordination from Ohio State’s Dr. Gil Bohrer and representatives of seven agencies and conservation groups from First Nations, Canadian provinces and territories, and American states, launched this project from Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, in 2022...
With support from Ohio State's Translational Data Analytics Institute (TDAI), join this EPN event to learn more about this incredible research and partnership endeavor, and its implications for land and resource managers in Ohio and beyond."
The event will take place on 2/13/2024 from 7:15 a.m. to noon at Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4H Center.
The cost is $25 for non-students, $5 for students, and free for virtual participants. -
From the Ground Up: An Adult Outdoor Education Program
AKA Our Deen is Green! for Adults"We are happy to announce that applications are now being accepted for From the Ground Up: An Adult Outdoor Education Program (aka Our Deen is Green! for adults). This special program, funded by a grant from the National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways Office, will begin after Ramadan, in late April 2024, and continue into spring of 2025. It is a unique opportunity to become immersed in the various facets of ecology, environmental science, sustainability and stewardship. It will include monthly classes, mostly in-person and outdoors in parks and wildlife sanctuaries in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia, focused on specific aspects of and issues pertaining to our local region, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Classes will be led by local subject matter experts and include a variety of topics, including local plants and animals, the interconnectedness of our watershed, the challenges it’s facing, and what we can do to help. Specific classes will include:
· An introduction to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
· Local herps: reptiles and amphibians
· Monitoring stream health with benthic macroinvertebrates
· Stream restoration and invasive plant removal
· The importance of native plants and pollinator gardens
· Watershed education through an interfaith lens
· Native trees
· Soil health
· Environmental justice
· Local birds and “bugs”
· Solar power and clean energy
· Sustainable living
· Water-quality monitoring
· And more!
We are looking for 10-15 strongly committed local residents who are interested in learning about our local watershed, its needs, and what they can do to help it. Participants will be encouraged to create a long-term project or plan of action describing something they will do to support the watershed and/or encourage their families or communities to pay more attention to environmental issues.
Program participants must be able to commit to the majority of the monthly classes. All in-person classes will take place on weekends and last 2 to 4 hours. (We will do our best to help provide transportation if necessary.)
This entire program is being offered free of charge thanks to a National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways grant. The National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways Office (NPS Chesapeake Gateways) offers competitive grant opportunities to advance the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 within the full 41-million-acre Chesapeake Bay watershed. Chesapeake Gateways grants bring out familiar, untold, under-appreciated, or yet to be uncovered narratives and promote resilient communities & landscapes through tourism, sustainability, conservation & local economies throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
The program begins after Ramadan, with the introductory class set for April 21st! Applications are due by March 8th. Access the application form below. Please reach out to us at contact@greenmuslims.org with any questions." -
Old Growth
"This photograph shows my view of old growth redwood trees located in the Redwoods National Park. Enjoying nature is an important aspect of sustainability in that it reminds us of our inherent connection to nature, its beauty, and importance." Taken by Kelsey Wolf. Submitted to the Sustainability Photo Contest. -
A Walk with Sustainability…and the Bolivian Llamas
"In this picture, I am working alongside two rural Bolivian community members (and a llama), collaborating on the design of a water system. The community had no running water, phone service only on hills, cut plastic liter bottles in half for gutters, and still gave me soups and meals as a welcoming and thankfulness. Their kindness, harmony with the land around them, and joy radiated, deeply resonating with my idea of how to live a sustainable, happy life. Sustainability is not buying a reusable water bottle…every 3 months because a new, better, more cool version is here. It is living in gratitude and simplicity with the people and nature around you." Taken by Megan Oleksik. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Contest. -
Bristlecone Pines
Third Place Winner of the Sustainability Photo Contest.
"Bristlecone pines live hundreds if not 1000 years. They live in one of the most unforgiving landscapes on Earth and yet survive."
Taken by Harrison Frenken. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Photo Contest. -
Eagles Feasting at the Landfill
"Eagles feasting at the landfill: This doesn't have to be our future!" Taken by Diego Norena. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Photo Contest. -
Ice and Teeming Wildlife
"May the future have ice and teeming wildlife". Taken by Diego Norena. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Photo Contest. -
Dried Flowers
"Dried flowers from a local organic farm for a sustainability event in February". Taken by Ellie McLane. Submitted to the RESTORExchange Sustainability Photo Contest. -
God’s Creation Waits
This document is a children's activity book. It discusses topics of different species and environments, showing the importance of each part of our world and connecting it to Christian teachings and values. This includes activities such as crosswords, coloring pages, and much more. -
Buffalo in the Badlands National Park
"I went on a trip to see Mt. Rushmore, however my favorite part was stopping at the Badlands. The badlands is a national park and it is full of wildlife and nature. The best part was seeing the live buffalo out in the wild." Photo taken by Jacob Nichols. -
Profile: Paula Penn-Nabrit (Founder of The Charles Madison Nabrit Memorial Garden)
Paula Penn-Nabrit's autobiography (from her website):
"Spiritually, I’ve been blessed as a practicing Christian, a 4th generation member of The Church of Christ of the Apostolic Faith, the same apostolic/pentecostal church my great-grandparents joined 100+ years ago.
Physically, I’m blessed as an 8th generation, native-born American of the African diaspora. I’m blessed to be a widow who was happily married for 36 years, 8 months and 22 days to an incredible man, Charles “CMadison” Nabrit. And CMadison and I were incredibly blessed by the opportunity to parent and then homeschool three fabulous sons, twins Charles and Damon who arrived in 1980, and Evan who arrived in 1982.
Academically, I’ve been blessed by my parents’ willingness to help pay for my education first at Columbus School for Girls and then Wellesley College. And I was further blessed by their willingness to help CMadison fund my quest for that terminal degree at the Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University.
Professionally, I continue to be blessed by decades of successful operation with my consulting firm, PN&A, Inc. www.nabrit.com/pna. I started PN&A, Inc. in 1986. Next in 1990 I convinced CMadison we could stay married and work together, then in 2007 we welcomed first Damon our tech guru and later Charles as researcher and presenter into the business and finally in 2009 Evan, our youngest and a freakishly brilliant artist, agreed to manage our freelance graphics and client videos. I’m blessed to see PN&A, Inc., a black, women-owned, family-run, information-based business moving into the 2nd generation.
Intellectually, I’ve been blessed to write several books, including Morning by Morning: How We Home-Schooled Our African-American Sons to the Ivy League @2003, Random House and most recently The Power of a Virtuous Woman @2012.
Personally, I’m blessed by my extended family. In 1980 with the birth of their first grandchildren my parents began a tradition of gathering their children, their children’s spouses and their grandchildren for dinner each Sunday after church. Attendance at Grandmother and GrandDad’s Sunday dinners has grown to include nine grandchildren. We miss CMadison and Daddy, but we continue to be blessed by their memory and their legacy." -
Engaged Organizations: A Rocha International
A Rocha International discuss their mission on their website:
"At A Rocha USA, our mission is to restore both people and places through collaborative, community-based conservation.
We resource Christians to care for creation where they live by building a network of hands-on conservation projects in communities across the nation. Through partnerships with individuals, churches, and community groups, we provide content, curriculum, and a network of support for improving local habitats and increasing biodiversity." -
Engaged Organizations: Buddhist Peace Fellowship
The Buddhist Peace Fellowship discuss their purpose and mission on their website:
"Shapes movements for ecological and social justice by sharing spiritual-political practices and resources. We come together from multiple lineages, Buddhist and otherwise, to support bold, creative, loving actions to block systemic harm, while building collaborative tools and gatherings that give us the strength to be with our suffering, in order to transform towards liberation." -
Engaged Organizations: Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas has both sponsored and co-sponsored faith based organizations that focus on ecological issues. One of the organizations is Mercy Ecospirituality Center. -
Engaged Organizations: Mercy Ecospirituality Center
Mercy Ecospirituality Center discuss their various environmental/spiritual offerings of their retreat center on their website:
"Mercy Ecospirituality Center of Mercy Ecology, Inc. is a sponsored work of the Sisters of Mercy. We are committed to reflection, education and living gently in mutual relationship with the Earth. We offer hospitality for those seeking solace and to refresh their spirit in the beauty of creation, as well as programs in ecospirituality.
The Benedictine monks of Elmira, NY gave the 39-acre property located in the rural beauty of Vermont to the Vermont Sisters of Mercy. Sisters Judy Fortune and Elaine Deasy directed it as Lumen Christi Retreat House for many years, but after Lumen Christi closed, a group of Sisters established it as an Ecospirituality Center, originally named Mercy Farm in 2010." -
Engaged Organizations: New Dawn Earth Center
New Dawn Earth Center offers sustainability educational programs and activities for both children and adults. As indicated on their Facebook website:
"The New Dawn Earth Center invites everyone to learn from, honor and celebrate the interconnectedness of all life. We aim to create a space where humans can be in relationship with Earth and thereby nurture their own spirit." -
Shinto Faith Statement on the Environment
Shintoism belief system maintains that all earthly entities have their own spirituality and that the natural environment and people are of blood kin. The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development posted a Shinto faith statement on the environment, prepared by the Jinja Honcho (the representative body of all Shinto Shrines in Japan) on their website. -
Daoist Faith Statement on the Environment
The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development posted a Daoist faith statement from The China Daoist Association on the environment on their website. The following statement excerpt is shown below:
"With the deepening world environmental crisis, more and more people have come to realize that the problem of the environment not only is brought about by modern industry and technology, but also has a deep connection with people’s world outlook, with their sense of value, and with the way they structure knowledge. Some people’s ways of thinking have, in certain ways, unbalanced the harmonious relationship between human beings and nature, and overstressed the power and influence of the human will. People think that nature can be rapaciously exploited.
This philosophy is the ideological root of the current serious environmental and ecological crisis. On the one hand, it brings about high productivity; on the other hand, it brings about an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance. Confronted with the destruction of the Earth, we have to conduct a thorough self-examination on this way of thinking." -
Confucian Statement on the Environment
This Confucian statement on the environment discusses the importance of appreciating the beauty of nature. Human exploitation has disrupted this beauty, causing an imbalance in harmony among all forms of life. Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development has posted the following statement on its website: -
Zoroastrian Ecology
The Interfaith Center for Sustainability posted a Zoroastrian statement on ecology on their website. The following is an excerpt discussing the seven bounteous creations:
"The role of mankind in the world is to serve and honor not just the Wise Lord but the Seven Bounteous Creations of the sky, water, earth, plants, animals, man, and fire—gifts of God on High to mankind on earth.
The great strength of the Zoroastrian faith is that it enjoins the caring of the physical world not merely to seek spiritual salvation, but because human beings, as the purposeful creation of God, are seen as the natural motivators or overseers of the Seven Creations. As the only conscious creation, mankind has the ultimate task of caring for the universe." -
Druze Theology of the Forests
A Druze theology of the forests statement emphasizes human responsibility to care for the Earth to maintain life harmony. There is a specific emphasis on forests and similar nature areas as these are conducive to worship and meditation. Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development posted the following statement excerpt on their website:
"Forests and natural reserves are sites conducive to worship, meditation and going beyond yourself and the purely material. But does this happen through misuse, avarice and destruction of the forests? Of course not. It happens because of an appreciation – through the forests – of the divine grace and wisdom in ordering the universe and placing the mind as an arbitrator that decides what could be beneficial and what is an impermissible violation. This is exactly as in our daily lives both for ourselves and our society where it is possible for us to transform suffering into joy, emotion into blessing and nature into a source of bliss and worship." -
Sufism Ecology
This Sufism ecology statement posits that nature takes a central position in life - a place where one can find truth. Conservation and protection of the natural environment is a spiritual priority with the Sufism faith. The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development posted this Sufism ecology statement on their website: -
Baha'i Faith Statement on the Environment
The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development posted a Baha'i faith statement, from the Baha'i Office of the Environment, on their website. Below is the introduction within the statement:
"In this age of transition toward a world society, protection of the environment and conservation of the earth’s resources represent an enormously complex challenge. The rapid progress in science and technology that has united the world physically has also greatly accelerated destruction of the biological diversity and rich natural heritage with which the planet has been endowed. Material civilization, driven by the dogmas of consumerism and aggressive individualism and disoriented by the weakening of moral standards and spiritual values, has been carried to excess.
Only a comprehensive vision of a global society, supported by universal values and principles, can inspire individuals to take responsibility for the long-term care and protection of the natural environment. Baha’is find such a world-embracing vision and system of values in the teachings of Baha’u’llah, which herald an era of planetary justice, prosperity, and unity. " -
Hindu Ecology
Among other philosophical beliefs of Hinduism, adherents advocate for the sacredness of all life forms, simple living, and inner peace. This Hindu statement on ecology, compiled and edited by Ranchor Prime and published by the World Bank in 2003, is posted on the website for Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development: -
Sikh Faith Statement on the Environment
This Sikh faith statement on the environment, based on the 1995 Windsor Statements, is posted on the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development. Below is the introduction to the statement:
"The Sikh scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, declares that the purpose of human beings is to achieve a blissful state and to be in harmony with the earth and all creation. It seems, however, that humans have drifted away from that ideal. For the earth is today saturated with problems. It is agonizing over the fate of its inhabitants and their future! It is in peril as never before. Its lakes and rivers are being choked, killing its marine life. Its forests are being denuded. A smoky haze envelops the cities of the world. Human beings are exploiting human beings."