Relationships can be sources of resilience
An advice column, although it is something most of us could avail ourselves of occasionally, is not where you might expect to read about climate matters. Yet one made their paper’s top-10 most read articles. An executive, too well versed in climate data, wrote about feeling overwhelmed by thoughts of our fraught future. The columnist suggested “The despair you feel because of the dying of the ash trees and the lessening of birdsong, the dwindling number of insects, these are the signs of your capacity to love the world. Do not deny that love. Let it be the fire that drives you to act, not the burden that crushes you. Yes, we face a calamitous future, but does that not make our efforts, however small, even more necessary?… When you meet others who share your values and concerns, those relationships can become sources of resilience. In this world, we must cultivate our garden. And if we all do that, the gardens might add up to make a difference.” (“Ask Phillipa”, The Guardian, Nov. 24, 2024)
Gardens can provide a refuge – and not only for us. Helen Blackburn’s Nov. 22 letter to the editor highlighted a great strategy that allows you to do less and help more, by ‘leaving the leaves’. She noted, “The leaves on the lawn are a wonderful gift… [with] many little creatures there hiding out… essential for our lives.” Several species of butterflies and moths overwinter as pupae in leaf detritus, and many species of queen bumble bees and even overwintering amphibians (salamanders, toads and frogs) also rely on leaf insulation to help get them through to spring. (“Leave the leaves,” Ontario Farmland Trust, 2023) There are little miracles amongst those leaves!
To those looking beyond their own gardens, and interested in gardening, nature and biodiversity, consider the Clearview Sustainability Network (CSN)’s Nature and Biodiversity committee, which is lucky to count Helen as a member. A feisty group that meets every other month, they will be hosting a panel on pollinator gardens and relevant bylaws in early 2025.
The document that informs these bylaws is Clearview’s Official Plan, which guides growth, land use and development for the next 20 years. Clearview Sustainability Network was very pleased to see that the new Official Plan, which offers a vision of a sustainable Clearview that prioritizes its agricultural identity and sense of community, recently won a Vision award of merit. Congratulations to Director of Planning and Building Amy Cann and staff, planners Patrick Casey and Steve Wever from GSP Group, Clearview council and CAO John Ferguson.
CSN members, particularly from Building and Development, attended public participation events and provided feedback during the OP review process. The committee is currently researching examples of Green Development Standards which have been successfully incorporated into other communities. These standards can help reduce servicing loads on the municipality and offer financial, environmental and health benefits for their residents.
To join the mailing list, contact clearviewsustainabilitynetwork@ gmail.com.
The Clearview Sustainability Network is an inclusive and optimistic citizen-led group bringing together diverse members of our community to help our local government and community adapt and evolve in the face of a changing climate. Together we can build a more resilient and vibrant future for Clearview. Everyone is welcome.
