A flourishing life on land is the foundation for our life on this planet.
SDG 15 promotes the conservation and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems. This requires collaborative efforts to reduce deforestation, to promote biodiversity, and to prevent land and freshwater degradation. EUC researchers use interdisciplinary approaches to ensure diverse forms of life can flourish on land for generations to come.
Native Pollinator Conservation
Pollinators are integral to life on Earth, unfortunately they are at risk from habitat loss and the introduction of invasive species. Sheila R. Colla and the Native Pollinator Research Lab are educating the world on the importance and struggles of our native pollinators, such as bees and butterflies. Colla, in collaboration with Rachel Nalepa, is drafting Canada’s very first national pollinator strategy to create a healthier and more biodiverse ecosystem for all!
Las Nubes contributes to biodiversity and advocates for endangered species
Research at York’s Las Nubes EcoCampus, directed by Felipe Montoya-Greenheck, has made significant achievements in research and conservation programs in biodiversity protection and sustainable land management practices. The work at Las Nubes monitors mammal, bird and amphibian populations to promote biodiversity and advocate for endangered animals.
Long-term perspectives on lake ecosystem change with thawing permafrost
Freshwater is crucial for all life on land. By tracking permafrost changes, Jennifer Korosi is able to investigate how lake ecosystems in the Northwest Territories are impacted by climate change. She works in collaboration with the Indigenous-led Dehcho Collaborative on Permafrost to combine Indigenous and scientific knowledge to manage and adapt to permafrost thaw. Korosi is contributing to collaborative resiliency-building in understanding the climate risks on freshwater and the ecosystems and people that rely on them.
Developing a spatial database of fire, harvesting, and road disturbances in Ontario’s boreal forest
Sustainable forest management is critical to the wellbeing of woodland ecosystems. Tarmo Remmel and his collaborators combine remote sensing, GIS, and spatial analyses to understand the impacts of fire, roads, and timber harvesting on Ontario’s boreal forests. The findings from this research have been released in a spatial database, informing current provincial sustainable forest management practices.
Exploring the rights of animals
Alice Hovorka and her team of graduate students in The Lives of Animals Research Group untangle the larger social and environmental consequences of animal-human relationships. Their work is interdisciplinary and action-oriented, investigates both domestic and wild-animal conflicts and cohesions, and intends on improving animal outcomes globally. They advocate for more sustainable and just interspecies relationships to promote better life on land for all animals - humans included!
Click on the icons below to explore how EUC is contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
