The Clear Cut

Rouge National Urban Park is Canada’s first national urban park—but its story is far from over.In this episode, Jan and Dave take listeners behind the scenes of the decades-long effort to protect one of Canada’s most important natural landscapes. From paddling the Rouge to working alongside farmers, local advocates, and governments of every political stripe, they share the surprising story of how conservation became a shared vision.They also explain why the proposed expansion of Rouge National Urban Park matters, how the Pickering Lands fit into the bigger picture, and why protecting nature close to where millions of Canadians live benefits wildlife, farming, climate resilience, and future generations.Whether you’re passionate about conservation or simply curious about the green spaces in your own backyard, this conversation offers a fascinating look at how lasting environmental change actually happens.__________________________________KEY TAKEAWAYSHow Rouge became Canada’s first National Urban ParkWhy protecting nature near cities is more important than everThe surprising partnership between farmers and conservationistsThe history of the Pickering Lands and why they matter todayHow healthy ecosystems help reduce flooding and improve climate resilienceWhy ecological connectivity is essential for wildlifeHow everyday Canadians helped shape the future of Rouge__________________________________Be sure to subscribe to The Clearcut so you don’t miss the rest of the Playing with Fire mini series. If you’re watching on YouTube, like this video, leave a comment below, and share your thoughts on the future of mining, critical minerals, and environmental protection in Ontario.Help us continue sharing independent conversations about forests, wetlands, mining, and the future of Ontario’s wild spaces by supporting the show here → https://www.buzzsprout.com/2249817/support __________________________________EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Rouge National Urban Park, Pickering Lands, Wildlands League, conservation Ontario, Ontario parks, urban parks, protected areas, Rouge Park, ecological integrity, wildlife conservation, nature connectivity, farmland conservation, biodiversity, species at risk, Pickering airport lands, Parks Canada, environmental protection, Greenbelt Ontario, Duffins Creek, Canadian conservation__________________________________CHAPTERS00:00 — Meet Dave Pearce & A Classic Dad Joke01:49 — Paddling the Eramosa & Conservation in the Field05:05 — Why National Urban Parks Matter10:11 — The Story of Rouge National Urban Park13:49 — Putting Nature First in the Rouge18:29 — Building Public Support for the Rouge25:07 — Expanding Rouge National Urban Park28:58 — The 50-Year History of the Pickering Lands33:42 — Why Farmland and Nature Can Work Together38:29 — From a Proposed Airport to Protected Land40:19 — A Historic Promise for the Pickering Lands43:05 — Why the Pickering Lands Are Still at Risk45:43 — Why Rouge Needs the Pickering Lands48:23 — Road Ecology & Reconnecting Wildlife Habitat55:26 — Connecting People With Nature Through Parkbus58:40 — Making More Room for NatureSupport the showhttps://wildlandsleague.org/theclearcut/

After a season break, The Clearcut is back with a new mini series: Playing with Fire. Hosted by Jan Sumner, this series takes a closer look at Ontario’s Ring of Fire and the growing questions surrounding mining, critical minerals, Indigenous rights, and environmental protection.In this episode, Jan is joined by Anna Baggio, Conservation Director at Wildlands League, to kick off the conversation. Together, they unpack what the Ring of Fire actually is, why this region matters, and what’s at stake when development is pushed forward in one of the world’s most carbon-rich peatland ecosystems. From the remoteness of the region to the political hype around critical minerals, this episode lays the foundation for the bigger questions this series will explore.__________________________________KEY TAKEAWAYSThe Ring of Fire is an extremely remote region in Northern Ontario with no road accessThe region sits within globally significant peatlands that store massive amounts of carbonThe Ontario government has heavily promoted the Ring of Fire as a major critical minerals opportunityThe area currently has exploration activity but no proven mine developmentJan and Anna explore whether Ontario could pursue critical minerals in ways that better align with climate, communities, and ecosystems__________________________________Be sure to subscribe to The Clearcut so you don’t miss the rest of the Playing with Fire mini series. If you’re watching on YouTube, like this video, leave a comment below, and share your thoughts on the future of mining, critical minerals, and environmental protection in Ontario.Help us continue sharing independent conversations about forests, wetlands, mining, and the future of Ontario’s wild spaces by supporting the show here → https://www.buzzsprout.com/2249817/support __________________________________CHAPTERS00:00 The Clearcut Returns00:30 Introducing the Series00:55 Journey to the Ring of Fire06:31 How Remote It Really Is09:19 Why This Region Matters12:22 Mining vs Climate13:35 The Government Push17:19 Big Questions About the Project19:32 Peatlands and Carbon22:29 Other Mining Options25:17 The Numbers Debate31:07 What’s Actually There32:58 Environmental Oversight35:36 Indigenous Communities38:23 A Project They Support41:29 What’s at Stake__________________________________STAY CONNECTEDFollow Jan →LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-l-sumner Follow Anna Baggio →LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-baggio Follow Wildlands League →Website | https://wildlandsleague.org/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wildlandsleague Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/WildlandsLeague X | https://x.com/wildlandsleague YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR9Y4r80RLu55md3JJwYokQ __________________________________EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: The Clearcut podcast, Playing with Fire podcast, Jan Wildlands League, Anna Baggio, Wildlands League, Ring of Fire Ontario, Ontario mining, critical minerals Canada, Northern Ontario mining, peatlands Ontario, Hudson Bay Lowlands, climate change and mining, Indigenous rights mining CanaSupport the showhttps://wildlandsleague.org/theclearcut/

Join Jan Sumner and Kaya Adleman for this special episode as they look back on all they've unpacked on the Clear Cut.  It's a bittersweet one as this is Kaya's last time as co-host before the show goes on hiatus. Topics include: misguided industry responses to fire suppression, deceptive practices, greenwashing and pathways to a reimagined future for forestry management in Canada.We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Kaya for taking us on an exploratory journey of Canada's forests and forestry practices.Thank you for listening!Support the showhttps://wildlandsleague.org/theclearcut/

We return this week to our conversation with Executive Director Katie Morrison and Conservation Science & Programs Manager Josh Killeen of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society’s (CPAWS) Southern Alberta Chapter. Last week they painted the landscape of Alberta’s headwaters for us. We learned about the incredible value of this region to the wildlife, species, and many communities (across the continent!) who depend on them. This week we explore some of the challenges these lands are facing in greater depth. How does the underlying approach to forest management make it difficult for protection? What is the government’s role? And what are the opportunities, particularly unique to this landscape, that could result in better outcomes for all?Learn more about Josh and Katie's work on the CPAWS Southern Alberta Chapter's website and support a future for the Highwood here.Make sure to check out the show notes on the podcast webpage for more links and helpful resources.You can help this community grow by sharing the podcast with your friends.Support the showhttps://wildlandsleague.org/theclearcut/

Did you know that the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta are home to incredibly valuable ecological landscapes? Sometimes called the current of the continent, three major river basins extend from this area, with some of the water going to Hudson Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific Coast. This week we head back to western Canada to talk with Executive Director Katie Morrison and Conservation Science & Programs Manager Josh Killeen of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society’s (CPAWS) Southern Alberta Chapter.With the confluence of the mountains in the west, the grasslands to the east, and boreal forests in the north, there is a wide range of diversity in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains, including a 50 kilometer strip of forest that holds an incredible amount of biodiversity. In addition to the amazing nature in Alberta, the province also has a long history of natural resource extraction — especially as it hosts the fourth largest forestry industry in Canada. Josh and Katie take us on a tour of the region they work in, and set the stage to understand challenges facing these areas. What does forest management look like, and what are its impacts?Learn more about Josh and Katie's work on the CPAWS Southern Alberta Chapter's website and support a future for the Highwood here.Make sure to check out the show notes on the podcast webpage for more links and helpful resources.You can help this community grow by sharing the podcast with your friends.Support the showhttps://wildlandsleague.org/theclearcut/

Last year the European Union issued a new regulation (the EUDR) aimed at preventing the entry of products that originate from recently deforested land or have contributed to forest degradation into the EU marketplace. The EUDR is likely the most significant, but not the only, law or rule proposed by governments around the world to ‘clean up’ their supply chains when it comes to forest and agricultural products. Policymakers are increasingly working to do their part to meet global climate and biodiversity targets. Where does Canada, and its purported leadership in sustainable forest management, fit in?We sit down with Etelle Higonnet, who has been an advisor to the European Union on the EUDR. She explains the EU law and the other “family” of regulations on deforestation and forest degradation free products. We discuss the importance and implications of these rules, as well as the response from the Canadian government and forest industry groups. What are Canada’s arguments against these rules? Why are they making them? And what opportunities do these laws provide that we could be missing out on?Make sure to check out the show notes on the podcast webpage for more links and helpful resources.You can help this community grow by sharing the podcast with your friends.Support the showhttps://wildlandsleague.org/theclearcut/

This week we return to our conversation with the City of Toronto’s Director of Urban Forestry, Kim Statham. Last episode we talked about some of the challenges and opportunities facing Toronto’s urban forest, but this episode we take a step back, and contextualize these issues more broadly. Kim discusses Toronto’s participation in the United Nations Environment Program, where cities from around the world collaborate to promote ecological restoration and facilitate knowledge exchange.In addition to the role cities play on the international stage to reach our climate and biodiversity goals, Kim explains how subnational governments can contribute through building both physical ecological corridors and relational ones. We also learn about how Toronto’s approach to urban forestry has earned its status as a leader in this arena.Check out Toronto's Tree City of the World Award news release.Make sure to check out the show notes on the podcast webpage for more links and helpful resources.You can help this community grow by sharing the podcast with your friends.Support the showhttps://wildlandsleague.org/theclearcut/

When we think of forest management and forestry, we often conjure up images of large swaths of untouched land with trees that span for kilometres on end. But did you know that forest management can play an important role in cities too? The shade of a tree canopy provides cooling in the city and trees help manage drought and floods. This week we sit down with Kim Statham, the City of Toronto’s Director of Urban Forestry to learn more.Kim talks about what urban forestry is and her office’s role of managing, stewarding, and developing programming for Toronto’s urban forest. We discuss some of the challenges the city’s canopy is facing, what opportunities are available, and the programs the city is undertaking to meet its canopy cover goals and promote the urban landscape’s biodiversity and climate resilience.Check out Toronto's Tree City of the World Award news release.Make sure to check out the show notes on the podcast webpage for more links and helpful resources.You can help this community grow by sharing the podcast with your friends.Support the showhttps://wildlandsleague.org/theclearcut/

We return this week with journalist Joan Baxter, who dives deeper into her work for the Deforestation Inc. investigative series that showcases reporting from 300 journalists worldwide. Joan shares with us her findings on ecologically destructive practices hidden behind sustainability claims.We learn about how Joan's investigation into Canada’s logging industry helped uncover a web of corporate consolidation that has been aided by funding from taxpayers. We also discuss her book, The Mill: Fifty Years of Pulp and Protest, the story of taxpayer support for the Northern Pulp Mill in Nova Scotia and its history of “environmental racism” and public protests.Check out The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists' Deforestation Inc. series and read Joan's article in the Halifax Examiner.Make sure to check out the show notes on the podcast webpage for more links and helpful resources.You can help this community grow by sharing the podcast with your friends.Support the showhttps://wildlandsleague.org/theclearcut/

It’s been almost a year since Canada’s Online News Act was passed, and in response Meta blocked links to Canadian news on Facebook and Instagram. This has created a void of fact checked articles that meet journalistic standards and ethics on those platforms. As a result, information about wildfires, forestry and forests from respected media sources is not shareable via social media.We sit down with Joan Baxter from the Halifax Examiner about her recent article on the growing problem of greenwashing in an age of digital information sharing.  We discuss the Forest Products Association’s (FPAC) ‘Forestry for the Future’ advertising campaign that’s been proliferating across social media. Joan breaks down how this could be problematic in the absence of independent journalism on Canada’s forests available on those platforms. How can those concerned about Canada’s forests and climate become better at identifying industry public relations materials?Read Joan's article in the Halifax Examiner.Make sure to check out the show notes on the podcast webpage for more links and helpful resources.You can help this community grow by sharing the podcast with your friends.Support the showhttps://wildlandsleague.org/theclearcut/