NBNC Naturalist Journey's Series
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NBNC Naturalist Journeys 2024

Under the Smoke: Boreal Forest Wildfire, Ecology, and Culture in Northern Quebec with Naomi Heindel

Remember this summer when all the headlines were of pictures of New York City (and Vermont!) looking smoky? That smoke came from unprecedented wildfires in Canada, and specifically from an area of northern Quebec known as James Bay. The vast boreal forest there is an ecosystem that depends on and is adapted to wildfire, so in many ways the fires this summer were important, natural ways that the boreal forest remains diverse, nutrient-rich, and healthy. But there was a lot more going on under all the smoke this summer, including climate change, the impacts of decades of intensive logging practices, and the intertwined lands and livelihoods of the James Bay Cree, the First Nations people who call this region home. In this Naturalist Journey, we’ll pay a visit to the boreal forest, learn some fire ecology, take a look at the wildfires’ impacts on the James Bay Cree, and explore the complicated mix of climate change and logging at play in these forests.

Hunger Mountain Co-op is a proud sponsor of the North Branch Nature Center Naturalist Journeys Series. Learn more and register here.

AUTHOR: Co-op Staff
DATE: Jan 9, 2024
TIME: 6:30PM - 8:00PM

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