Washington Post interviews Leahy about shifting baselines
The Washington Post spoke to Jessica Leahy, professor of human dimensions of natural resources at the University of Maine, about “shifting baselines,” the new normal of ecosystems as the environment is degraded over generations. Speaking of the 600 acres of forest Leahy manages, she said, “The ground isn’t freezing in the winter, the mud season is extending, and our roads are washing out. Everything I do now is not called a climate change project, but it is driven by it.” Leahy is creating a new baseline for Maine by ordering new tree saplings from nurseries in warmer climates such as New Hampshire and diversifying the species of trees. The Washington Post also spoke to Chuck Loring Jr., the Penobscot Nation’s director of natural resources and a UMaine School of Forest Resources alum. “We have a seven-generation approach. … The tribe has made ensuring a viable forest in the future the priority, even if we’re not generating income from the forest,” Loring said.