Faculty of Environmental Studies Archives - News@91��ɫ

91��ɫ creates new hive of interdisciplinary bee research

roshanp — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 13:03:22 +0000

TORONTO, June 30, 2020 – Researchers from disciplines across 91��ɫ, including biologists, social scientists and mathematicians, will develop a hive of research when �۴ǰ��’s new (BEEc) becomes an Organized Research Unit (ORU) starting July 1.

The Senate of 91��ɫ approved the move earlier this year to make BEEc the University’s 26th ORU, enabling it to dive deeper into the crisis affecting the health and decline of bees globally.

“91��ɫ’s ORUs have a strong history of highly innovative and collaborative research,” said Vice-President Research & Innovation Amir Asif. “Steeped in �۴ǰ��’s tradition of collegial interdisciplinarity, ORUs serve as synergistic hubs for participatory research programs that bring together expertise from across disciplines.”

The new ORU will provide a place where experts can collaborate on innovative, cutting-edge research on bees to help further knowledge, train future leaders in the field, educate the public and affect policy that will make a difference for pollinators locally, as well as globally.

“We are thrilled that our proposal was approved by Senate. The bee crisis is multidimensional and there is no simple solution. BEEc will allow us to bring talented biologists and mathematicians, but also engineers, social scientists and economists to help us answer the big questions in the field,” says Amro Zayed, research chair in Genomics and BEEc director.

BEEc researchers will study the health, behaviour, biodiversity, genomics and conservation of bees, with the goal of enhancing their long-term sustainability, and that of the important crops and plants that rely on bees for pollination.

Meet some of the core researchers:

Associate of the Faculty of Science uses genomics to understand why native bees and honey bees are declining, and develops tools to circumvent these declines.

Assistant Professor of the Faculty of Environmental Studies researches native bees to find out why they’re in decline and develops conservation efforts with a special focus on at-risk bumblebees.

Professor , a Distinguished Research Professor, studies native bees and is constantly contributing new species records to the global list of over 20,300 species. He has built and continues to maintain the largest Canadian collection of bees, currently estimated at over 500,000 specimens from all over the globe.

Professor of the Faculty of Science is an expert on social insect genomics and pollinator health combining molecular evolution, behavioural ecology, population genetics, and phylogenetics to understand the sociobiology, biogeography, nutritional requirements, and sustainability of bees.

Professor of the Faculty of Science and director of �۴ǰ��’s Centre for Disease Modelling is applying her modelling skills to help understand how pathogens and pests affect colony health.

-30-

91��ɫ champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni. 91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca

The post 91��ɫ creates new hive of interdisciplinary bee research appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

Community scientists identify bumble bees correctly 50 per cent of the time

roshanp — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 13:07:13 +0000

Bee photos by community scientists contribute to much needed data for conservation efforts

TORONTO, June 29, 2020 – Think you can identify that bumble bee you just took a photo of in your backyard? 91��ɫ researchers have found that a little more than 50 per cent of community science participants, who submitted photos to the North American program, were able to properly identify the bee species.

Community science is a popular tool used by conservation biologists to engage the public in scientific data collection to inform conservation policy and management decisions.

Bombus terricola. Photo credit: PhD candidate Victoria MacPhail, Faculty of Environmental Studies, 91��ɫ

In the case of Bumble Bee Watch, the collected data is from all over North America and can feed into conservation plans to better protect the bees and their habitats, and even to know what habitats they need, knowledge on how different species are doing, and even legal protections for endangered bee species. Tens of thousands of bees have been recorded, including those at-risk.

“That data is incredibly important. It’s data that would otherwise may not be captured,” says PhD student Victoria MacPhail of the Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES) and lead author of the published today in the journal .

But if the bee identifications made by the public are inaccurate close to 50 per cent of the time, that puts a lot of strain on the enlisted experts to verify or correct the identifications.

“Accurate species level identification is an important first step for effective conservation management decisions,” says MacPhail. “Those community science programs that have experts review submitted photos to determine if the identification is correct have a higher scientific value.”

Bombus rufocinctus. Photo credit: PhD candidate Victoria MacPhail, Faculty of Environmental Studies, 91��ɫ

There are 46 species of bumble bees in North America. Community scientists collected or identified about 39 species, although not always correctly. Some of the species the participants were most likely to get wrong were the Rusty-Patched Bumble Bee and the American Bumble Bee. Both are declining and listed as critical or of special concern. MacPhail thinks much of that has to do with wishful thinking.

“Everyone wants to find an endangered bumble bee in their backyard,” she says. “But the accuracy of initial identification is important for determining the utility and quality of community science-collected data.”

The researchers, including Assistant Professor of FES and PhD student Shelby Gibson of the Faculty of Science, analyzed more than 22,000 expert-reviewed submissions to Bumble Bee Watch. Some 52 per cent were correctly identified by species, 38 per cent were incorrectly identified, while another nine per cent were invalid (not a bumble bee).

Some species are easier to identify than others, which is why the researchers are looking into the possibility of using artificial intelligence to verify submissions of those easier-to-identify bees. They will also look at providing more tools and resources to help participants properly identify the bee in their photos, including pop-up windows to offer tips on what to look for to identify that particular species before the final submission is made.

Better accuracy of identification means the data can be put to use faster and it will save valuable expert time, allowing them to give more timely feedback, engage participants, enhance educational value and aid in retention of the valuable resource of community scientists.

PHOTOS:

Volunteers taking photos of bees – Credit: PhD candidate Victoria MacPhail, Faculty of Environmental Studies, 91��ɫ

Credit: PhD candidate Victoria MacPhail, Faculty of Environmental Studies, 91��ɫ

Bees on flowers –

Bombus rufocinctus. Credit: PhD candidate Victoria MacPhail, Faculty of Environmental Studies, 91��ɫ

Bombus bohemicus. Credit: Assistant Professor Sheila Colla, Faculty of Environmental Studies, 91��ɫ

Bombus terricola. Credit: PhD candidate Victoria MacPhail, Faculty of Environmental Studies, 91��ɫ

-30-

Media Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca

The post Community scientists identify bumble bees correctly 50 per cent of the time appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

Making gardens buzz with bee-friendly plants

sandramc — Tue, 19 May 2020 13:24:12 +0000

TORONTO, May 19, 2020 – As people flock to garden stores to start freshening up their winter tired yards and gardens, it’s a good time to think of bee-friendly plants, especially as May 20 is World Bee Day, says Assistant Professor , an expert in native bees and conservation.

Flowers, such as black-eyed Susans, serviceberry, purple coneflowers, as well as milkweeds and various kinds of legumes are all good choices for attracting pollinators. But the ground is also important to many native bees who like to nest and overwinter in the soil or old plant stalks.

“Providing native flowering plants in your garden can help native wild pollinators, but also helps the sustainability of our natural ecosystems and urban food security,” says Colla, who leads the Conservation Science Lab in the Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES). “We rely on pollinators to pollinate our crops as well as our vegetable, flower and community gardens, but many of our bumble bees are in decline.”

With the current pandemic, many city dwellers may be considering planting vegetables for the first time. Whether it is in their yard, a community garden or in pots on their balconies, these gardens can help support pollinators by providing biodiversity, as well as food.

And as the coronavirus continues to limit social interactions, Colla suggests people consider planting resilience gardens to increase mental wellness, while providing nutrition and plants for pollinators.

To learn more about bees and other pollinators, the Faculty of Science and FES are hosting a free Q&A, on World Bee Day, from noon to 1:30 pm. It will feature some of �۴ǰ��’s top bee experts, Professors , , and Colla from the Bee Ecology, Evolution and Conservation group, and is moderated by 91��ɫ alumna World Wildlife Fund-Canada President Megan Leslie.

Colla can discuss the following:

What are some of the best plants to attract pollinators?
How is the ground just as important to native bees?
How pollinators contribute to food security and biodiversity
Current threats to bees, including Asian giant hornets, known as the “murder hornet”
How pollinators contribute to sustainable development

-30-

Media Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca

The post Making gardens buzz with bee-friendly plants appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

91��ɫ measures humanity’s consumption since 1970 – it’s up 70 per cent

roshanp — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 12:08:22 +0000

Expert available to comment on the ecological footprint of Canadians

TORONTO, Thursday, April 23, 2020 – It’s Earth Week. Here is a look at how we’re doing. The ecological footprint of Canadians is about 2.8 times higher than the global average and overall, the ecological footprint of human consumption has grown by 70 per cent since 1970, say 91��ɫ researchers.

“Most of this growth has been in the carbon footprint component,” says Eric Miller of the Faculty of Environmental Studies and director of the team producing the .

91��ɫ is working with global partners at the to produce which detail ecological footprint and biocapacity for all countries from 1961 to the present. Details include the components of cropland, grazing land, built-up land, forest land, fishing grounds, and the carbon footprint.

Although the current COVID-19 pandemic may have a short-lived positive ecological impact, it is too early to know.

Past economic crises, such as the great global recession of 2008 or the savings and loans crisis in the United States in the 1980s, affected the ecological footprint but only temporarily.

“These past economic crises did produce dips in the trends, but after they were over, we recovered back onto the same path of a growing footprint,” says Miller. “The quickest rebound in footprint growth was after the 2008 recession when governments around the world responded by throwing a lot of money at ‘shovel-ready’ concrete-based infrastructure projects.”

Since the first Earth Day in 1970, humanity’s ecological footprint has been greater than the planet’s capacity to sustain it. The result has been an in the atmosphere, and dramatic changes in lands and waters.

The team’s work, including 91��ɫ graduate students as part of their experiential learning in sustainability informatics, is empowering the to inform individuals, communities and government leaders to better manage limited resources, reduce economic risk, and improve well-being.

“The Earth provides us with materials and energy, ecosystems that metabolize wastes, and places to live and build infrastructure. However, this dependence can be sustained only if we use renewable natural resources at a rate that can be regenerated and emit pollution at a rate that can be metabolized by nature,” says Miller.

Data on a national and global basis, by year, and by component, are available at .

-30-

Media Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca

Find out more about how 91��ɫ is creating positive change in the COVID-19 pandemic .

The post 91��ɫ measures humanity’s consumption since 1970 – it’s up 70 per cent appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

Will Canadian insurers be on the hook for major climate polluters?

roshanp — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 15:34:16 +0000

The appetite for suing the biggest climate polluters is growing and, as a result, so too is the risk to Canadian insurers. At a 91��ɫ, Faculty of Environmental Studies, lecture Monday, respected environmental lawyer, , will discuss how the rising concern over climate is changing the game.

Saxe will discuss how the evolving climate crisis is creating new opportunities for judges to hold major climate polluters accountable and how that will affect Canadian insurers going forward. Despite Canada’s small population, the risk is large as this country is one of the top 10 most climate-polluting on the planet.

In February, Canada’s (OSFI) warned Canadian insurers that climate liability must be “top of mind.” Not long after, a little-known Quebec Court of Appeal decision against Canada’s tobacco companies provided a powerful precedent for holding climate polluters liable.

This is at a time when climate leaders are calling for a wave of lawsuits against the biggest carbon emitters. Even unsuccessful cases could increase the legal and financial risk of continuing business as usual. Saxe explores what we can learn from the tobacco cases, and

WHAT: Lecture –

WHO: , one of Canada’s most respected environmental lawyers

WHEN: Monday, Nov. 25, at 6:30 pm

WHERE: Osgoode Professional Development Centre, 1 Dundas Street West, 26th Floor, Toronto. See .

91��ɫ champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni. 91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact: Sandra McLean,

91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-736-2100 ext. 22097, sandramc@yorku.ca

The post Will Canadian insurers be on the hook for major climate polluters? appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

Hundreds of high school students to learn how to change their world

roshanp — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 15:13:01 +0000

91��ɫ to host one of Canada’s largest youth environmental conferences

TORONTO, October 15, 2019 – A love affair with big, gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs has meant Canadians drive the worst climate polluting vehicles in the world. In Ontario, transportation is the number one source of climate pollution, says .

One of Canada’s most respected environmental lawyers Dianne Saxe will be a keynote speaker, along with Larissa Crawford and Sam Demma, at , a full-day conference on Thursday, October 17 meant to inspire youth to become environmentally active citizens.

Hosted by the Faculty of Environmental Studies, the conference will be attended by about 875 youths from 45 high schools across the province, including Toronto, 91��ɫ Region, Peel Region and Halton Region.

Saxe – who served as a watchdog over Ontario’s environmental, energy and climate performance as Environmental Commissioner of Ontario until April – is now a McMurtry Fellow at �۴ǰ��’s Faculty of Environmental Studies and Osgoode Hall Law School.

“I’m really worried,” said Saxe. “Every fossil fuel in Ontario has gone up, except coal. We know what to do but we’re not doing it.”

Saxe is encouraging voters to choose a federal leader in next week’s election who understands the seriousness of the climate crisis and is committed to carbon pricing: “I have children and grandchildren. Everyone can do something, and voting is the most important. If we get the climate wrong, nothing else is going to matter.”

The Change Your World conference allows students to do interactive, hands-on workshops that expand their passion for the environment. Each student will choose one out of 20 workshops to attend, plus one mandatory one.

In one workshop on fighting plastic pollution and climate change, the students will see pieces of plastics found inside a real bird nest to help understand how plastics negatively impact wildlife and to empower them to take action to protect nature.

The youths will also have the chance to learn the true cost of fashion, from the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions to use of highly toxic chemicals, as well as strategies to stand up for climate change inspired by former Vice President Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project and Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Future campaign.

�۴ǰ��’s , led by Professor Deborah McGregor, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Justice, will explore stories on the land and teach the youths how Indigenous storytelling can illustrate justice and environmental issues. All students will participate in the workshop, which helps youth identify, analyze and develop solutions to the largest sustainability challenges in their own communities.

WHAT: Change Your World conference for high school students to learn how to create a more environmentally sustainable future

WHO: Dianne Saxe, environmental lawyer and 91��ɫ’s McMurtry Fellow

WHEN: Thursday, October 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with Dianne Saxe’s keynote address at 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: Vari Hall at �۴ǰ��’s Keele Campus (see #30 on this ).

RSVP: Please RSVP to the media contact below.

91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact: Vanessa Thompson, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 647-654-9452, vthomps@yorku.ca

The post Hundreds of high school students to learn how to change their world appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

Hundreds of high school students to learn how to change their world

roshanp — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 15:13:01 +0000

91��ɫ to host one of Canada’s largest youth environmental conferences

“I’m really worried,” said Saxe. “Every fossil fuel in Ontario has gone up, except coal. We know what to do but we’re not doing it.”

WHAT: Change Your World conference for high school students to learn how to create a more environmentally sustainable future

WHO: Dianne Saxe, environmental lawyer and 91��ɫ’s McMurtry Fellow

WHEN: Thursday, October 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with Dianne Saxe’s keynote address at 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: Vari Hall at �۴ǰ��’s Keele Campus (see #30 on this ).

RSVP: Please RSVP to the media contact below.

91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact: Vanessa Thompson, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 647-654-9452, vthomps@yorku.ca

The post Hundreds of high school students to learn how to change their world appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

National Indigenous History Month: Health and environment experts available

roshanp — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 13:40:23 +0000

TORONTO, June 11, 2019 – in June puts a spotlight on the heritage, cultures and achievements of Indigenous communities.

It also provides an opportunity to learn the history of Indigenous people and recognize efforts to improve the health and well-being of Indigenous people, as well as their environment.

91��ɫ Indigenous experts are available for interviews on their research and work in Indigenous communities to address the health and environmental inequities in urban settings, reserves and communities across Canada. They can also speak about the connections between issues of health and environmental justice, and the final report of the .

(Qalipu First Nation) is an assistant professor in the School of Health Policy and Management in the Faculty of Health. His research focuses on how policy shapes and impacts health care for Indigenous peoples in Canada. He conducts community-based and engaged research with a focus on Indigenous methodologies and ways of knowing and being. Currently, Hillier is researching the impact of policy on health-care delivery in First First Nations communities for people living with HIV-AIDS.

Sean Hillier

He can comment on:

Indigenous health and policy, and impact of colonization on health
Indigenous peoples living with HIV
Indigenous social determinants of health
LGBTQ2S (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and two-spirit) issues in health
The health and mental health issues in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

(Anishinaabe) is an associate professor in the Faculty of Environmental Studies and at Osgoode Hall Law School, who also serves as Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Justice. Her research focuses on applying Indigenous knowledge systems to diverse issues including water quality, environmental assessments, environmental planning, sustainable forest management and Indigenous governance and justice. McGregor also serves as the head of �۴ǰ��’s . Currently, she is conducting research on the practice and theory of Indigenous environmental justice and injustice, and Indigenizing the land management of First Nation lands.

Deborah McGregor

She can comment on:

Indigenous environmental justice and policy
Indigenous governance and law
Sustainability and water governance and security
Indigenous knowledge systems
The environmental justice connection to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact: Vanessa Thompson, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 647-654-9452, vthomps@yorku.ca

The post National Indigenous History Month: Health and environment experts available appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

National Indigenous History Month: Health and environment experts available

roshanp — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 13:40:23 +0000

TORONTO, June 11, 2019 – in June puts a spotlight on the heritage, cultures and achievements of Indigenous communities.

It also provides an opportunity to learn the history of Indigenous people and recognize efforts to improve the health and well-being of Indigenous people, as well as their environment.

Sean Hillier

He can comment on:

Indigenous health and policy, and impact of colonization on health
Indigenous peoples living with HIV
Indigenous social determinants of health
LGBTQ2S (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and two-spirit) issues in health
The health and mental health issues in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

Deborah McGregor

She can comment on:

Indigenous environmental justice and policy
Indigenous governance and law
Sustainability and water governance and security
Indigenous knowledge systems
The environmental justice connection to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact: Vanessa Thompson, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 647-654-9452, vthomps@yorku.ca

The post National Indigenous History Month: Health and environment experts available appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

How do Ontario’s teachers navigate sex education?

roshanp — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 14:10:13 +0000

91��ɫ professor to speak on sex-ed curriculum from teachers’ viewpoint

TORONTO, March 22, 2019 – While many parents support sexual health learning in Ontario schools, changes to the sex-ed curriculum have left health teachers balancing the need to be informative and inclusive with the need to be aware of students’ diverse experiences, backgrounds and perspectives.

, associate professor and associate dean for teaching and learning in the Faculty of Environmental Studies, will present “Teaching Sex Ed: A View from Ontario’s Teachers” on Tuesday, March 26 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Civic Centre Resource Library located at 2191 Major Mackenzie Dr. W., in Vaughan. The talk is part of a partnership between Vaughan Public Libraries and 91��ɫ’s Division of Advancement to bring some of �۴ǰ��’s top academics to Vaughan.

Flicker will share her research and possible implications for public policy and the community.

“Teenagers need to talk about sex. Discussions in the classroom about these topics can have real repercussions. They can mean the difference between an unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted infection, reporting a sexual assault and negotiating consent,” she said.

“Shifts in public policies and government priorities have very real implications to what actually happens in a classroom. These policies are not abstract. They actually shape and change what gets taught and how it gets taught in a classroom,” she said.

Flicker’s talk will focus on her ongoing research, Enacting Sex Education: A view from Ontario’s Teachers, which is examining teachers’ perspectives on implementation and enactment of the changing sex education curriculums. For the study, which began two years ago, Flicker and a team of researchers from five universities interviewed teachers who had at least five years of experience teaching health and physical education.

They asked teachers about their experiences teaching the sex-ed curriculum before 2015, compared with teaching the more expansive sex-ed curriculum after it was updated in 2015 and then reverted in 2018. They also asked teachers about their success stories, concerns, supports offered to them and how the policy and controversy were impacting their classrooms.

Preliminary results found that teachers strongly supported the updated 2015 curriculum, especially updates about consent, sexting, cyber safety, sexual and gender diversity, and naming body parts using anatomically-correct terms.

Flicker has written and co-written more than 75 published journal articles and book chapters, including , co-authored and published last year. Her research also includes , a national project working with Indigenous communities across Canada to determine how Indigenous youth understand HIV in relation to their communities, cultures and colonization, using arts-based methods.

Her talk is part of �۴ǰ��’s Scholars Hub Speaker Series which marks the 50th anniversary of the Faculty of Environmental Studies. More information about upcoming talks in the “Environmental Changes” series can be found .

NOTE: Space is limited for the event so members of the public are required to . Members of the media should contact Media Relations (see below).

91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact: Vanessa Thompson, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 647-654-9452, vthomps@yorku.ca

The post How do Ontario’s teachers navigate sex education? appeared first on News@91��ɫ.