We protect what we love

FRIDAY . 18 . 02 . 22 .

Good morning wonderful humans of For Wild Places.

Here at FWP (virtual) headquarters, we believe that intersectionality is power. In fact, it's one of our core values. We recognise that without social justice, we cannot achieve environmental justice (and vice versa).

This week's newsletter seeks to shine a light on this intersectionality. We first zoom in on the work that Belinda Baggs (and the amazing team at Surfers for Climate) are doing in the surfing industry. We then take a closer look at at the devastating and catastrophic impact that climate change is having on some of the poorest nations of the world, and link you with some great articles, resources and reports so you can continue your education journey.

Happy reading, and have a wonderful weekend folks!

DON'T KOOK IT ON CLIMATE

Don't kook it on climate is a political campaign that the not-for-profit group, Surfers for Climate, will be running ahead of this year's federal election. The campaign seeks to "push the message of voting for climate and educating surfers on which candidates are doing what".

The NFP was co-founded by Belinda Baggs in October 2019, and has three key goals:

1. Ensuring politicians representing surf communities act on climate;
2. Transitioning the surf industry to do better;
3. Stopping all new offshore fossil fuel projects in Australian waters.

A @jacquimcgrath photo of Belinda Baggs getting some good waves.

Whilst the group is ambitious in wanting to drive change, SFC recognises that an interdisciplinary approach is required. Individuals need to be empowered to make small, incremental changes that don't significant disrupt their lives, and industries and governments need to transition and support individuals who currently work in extractive industries.

You can read more about the political campaign and the goals of SFC in a recent Patagonia Roaring Journal article.

CLIMATE CHANGE, NATURAL DISASTERS AND PEOPLE MOVEMENT

I’ve always had a passion for social change and the environment. For many years I thought that I could only really tackle one or the other separately. However, I really explored the impact of climate change on marginalised communities when participating in a summer school program. The goal of the program was to apply principles of design thinking to tackle global challenges, outlined by the UN, as the primary issues facing the world. Being an environmentally conscious human, I inevitably tackled climate change.

The intersectionality of social justice and climate change was really impressed on me when conducting research into climate change and natural disasters. I stumbled across a number of articles that made me realise that climate change and social justice are not two dichotomies - they’re very much intertwined.

CEO of Humanitarian Organisation Care International UK, Laurie Lee, not only points out that climate crisis is fuelling many of the world’s natural disasters (and emergency response), but also highlights that the world's poorest are the ones most affected by climate change, despite having done the least to cause it.

There is no shortage of examples - people in Malawi are experiencing delayed, unpredictable, heavy and destructive rainfall patterns that often destroy harvests and impact on soil fertility. People in Niger experience persistent droughts and recurring floods that result in 3 million people being dependent on humanitarian aid. Extreme climate conditions in Zimbabwe creates acute food insecurity; drought, hurricanes and foods have impacted farming in Honduras, and it’s predicted that by 2050, one in seven people in Bangladesh will be displaced by climate change. The people in these countries are not only bearing the brunt of climate change, but also lack the resources to adapt to an increasingly hostile environment.

Bricks are salvaged from a home damaged by erosion in Bangladesh. Original image available here.

Whilst there is no simple solution, we at FWP merely seek to highlight the intersectionality of climate change and people. If you’d like to further educate yourself on the topic, we encourage you to read this page by UNHCR, this article by the Guardian, this report by the Environmental Justice Foundation and this research article.

45 NATIONAL PARKS IN 52 WEEKS

In a recent We Are Explorers article, For Wild Places CEO Hilary McAllister, reflects on five lessons learned when completing her 2020 goal of visiting all of Victoria's National Parks.

According to Hilary, 'obscure is good' - don't always visit the most popular NP's, as these are often booked-out, busy and very touristy. Instead, visit an over-grown muddy trail that is tucked away in an obscure place (such as Tarra-Bulga NP, located in an area renowned for open cut coal mines).

Second, you shouldn't underestimate Victoria's diversity - whilst the 12 Apostles are a safe 'sure to please' option, there are other incredible sights to see and history to learn. Did you know that Australia's tallest tree was once found in the Yarra Ranges (until a storm knocked off the top branches). Despite being a few meters shorter, you can still appreciate its presence.

Big trees are everywhere - including the giant Errinundra Shining Gums in Errinundra NP, Gippsland.

Photo: Majell Backhausen

Third, wing it (to an extent). Sure, use Park Notes to determine where to go and identify safety warnings, but then use other applications such as Capra and All Trails to explore the nuances of the area.

Fourth, don't be alarmed by how quite a lot of the NPs are. This provides optimal conditions to listen to the native birdlife and your opportunity to snap up that prime campsite position.

Finally, goals that span an entire year tend to focus on the journey. They provide a continual source of motivation and a renewed sense of excitement each time you plan a weekend escape.

Room with a view 🙌🏾

You can read more about Hilary's journey, where she goes into much greater detail in her reflections, here.

CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA DAY: MARCH 6

Clean Up Australia Day is a perfect example of the power of individual actions. The movement was started by an 'average Australian bloke' who wanted to make a difference in his own backward, and has grown to become Australia's largest community-based environmental event.

An @cleanupaustralia IG post.

Whilst we recognise that plastic pollution and waste challenges cannot be solved in a single day, the movement does inspire and empower individuals and communities to do their part to clean up and conserve our environment. In addition, with Schools Clean Up Day (Friday 4 March) and Business Clean Up Day (Tuesday 1 March), this movement has expanded beyond 'clean up' and into education initiatives.

Has anyone else made the pledge to only buy a coffee if they have a keep cup? Check out @cleanupaustralia on IG for more educational posts.

As a group of trail runners who are passionate about environmental conservation, some of our team members will be hosting a clean up in their local communities, including Sydney, Illawarra and the Surf Coast. We will advise the specific locations, meet-points and time closer to the date. If a FWP clean up location isn't convenient for you, you can search for a clean up closer to you.

And as always, thank you for taking the time for wild places.

Elanor & the For Wild Places team.

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We acknowledge the the First Nations people who have been custodians of land, waters and culture for tens of thousands of years. We pay respects to First Nations Elders past, present and emerging.

This newsletter was written on Gadigal lands of the Eora nation. To these people, we pay our respects.

Always was, always will be.

By For Wild Places

We're a group of adventurers who love to

protect wild places we run on