Help Wanted

People smarter than me say we have unleashed a mass extinction event, the sixth in roughly 540 million years, and that the opportunity given to us over the next three years is unique in history [1,2].

I’m listening.

And I see it. I’ve walked through forests full of songbirds that I recognize but can’t name, and I’ve returned the next day to find they’re all gone and everything else that gave the place life is gone too. Everything. All the architecture, all the dappled shade, all the carbon.

What a waste.

Even as I write this I can hear harvest machines working about 1km north of my home. They’re cutting 24/7 these days, over a 12,000 acre swath of forestland that surrounds our community. The land is a ‘freehold asset’ belonging to one of the richest families in the world. My own family woodlot borders it, and later today I’ll hike back to our north boundary and make sure they’re not cutting us down too, in neglect. It happened the last time. And our river died the last time — it still hasn’t recovered. Neglect is a terrible thing.

I’m actually not against cutting trees at all. I’ve done my fair share. Working with forests is one of the most challenging and most rewarding ways to earn a living. Forests and trees produce the most versatile products in the world. We’d be foolish not to work with our forests, they’re our greatest natural allies.

It’s also foolish to destroy entire forest ecologies for a quick profit. So reckless — at a time when the world needs healthy forests for their climate benefit more than ever before. Forests aren’t just assets, they’re allies.

Our climate has reached a major tipping point. The actions we take today matter more than any actions we take in the future. So act now — it’s time. Whatever you can do to move the needle, do it. It might make you uncomfortable for a while but you won’t regret it. Are you really going to look back and think ‘too bad I fought for a better world’?

Forests Intl. is acting now for a better future and we have some big plans for 2018. We’re excited to share those soon. In the meantime, if you or someone you know is a rising star who can help us build a new economy based on treating people and forests as allies instead of assets please reach out. You won’t see us advertised on billboards along New Brunswick highways, but we’re hiring too.

Learn more and apply here.

— Daimen

[1] World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice. 15,364 scientist signatories from 184 countries. December 2017.

[2] World has three years left to stop dangerous climate change, warn experts. The Guardian. June 2017.