Caring for the Land

By Safina Center Fellow Jacqueline L. Scott

©Jacqueline L. Scott

On a warm Saturday afternoon, I strolled over to the woodland to bathe my eyes in nature. Autumn is shoving summer off the stage as the golden-rods are in full bloom, their canary-yellow flowers soaking up the weakening sun.

The shrubs towered over me in a fenced area of the woodland and wetland. Many were planted just five years ago. Then they were knee-high. The undergrowth is now as thick and tangled as a wild man’s beard. I volunteer as a land steward, spending an evening each week in spring and summer, weeding out invasive species and replanting with native ones in the woodland.

Environmental stewardship programs, like the one where I volunteer, are great at connecting people to nature in the city. Restoring the woodland fills me with hope and energy. It’s doing something when it’s so easy to give up while feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of the climate crisis.

The woodland flows down the side of a small ravine. It’s surrounded by houses, a highway and playing fields. The grove is part of my regular birding patch; I have seen hawks, warblers, and woodpeckers there. The restored area has more biodiversity than the grassy fields.

©Jacqueline L. Scott

The inequalities in the city are reflected in nature restoration, too. In Toronto, for instance, there are eight municipal environmental stewardship programs. Seven of these are in areas with high socio-economic status and a fairly homogenous demographic. In other words, in areas where rich White people live.

There are many ravines and woodlands in areas with low socio-economic status and a diverse demographic. In other words, in poor areas of the city where Black, Indigenous, and people of colour live. Nature needs help in these areas too, but only one has an environmental stewardship program.

Environmental stewardship programs are not neutral. Whether operated by tiny local non-profits, municipal agencies, or huge national conservation agencies, they show a similar link between race and nature. Their lack of diversity is a salient characteristic.

Black people are interested in environmental stewardship – it’s a misrepresentation that we don’t care about nature. Black people are more likely to volunteer if the programs are in their areas and if the outreach is targeted to the community. The programs are more likely to be successful when the staff reflect the community. It’s about building trust and relationships. The benefits of restoring nature must also benefit the community, connecting conservation to social justice.

The woodland where I volunteer is close to home – it’s up the road, across the bridge on the river, and I am there in fifteen minutes. The ease of getting there made the grove attractive. So too are the diverse groups using the areas around the woodland. They picnic on the slopes, play cricket or baseball in the field, or have a go on the running tracks and outdoor gym. Being in nature is my way to chill; caring for nature nurtures my spirit.

©Jacqueline L. Scott