ホールデンの森と庭園

気候変動に対処するためにどのようなユニークな状況や取り組みを行ったか、または行う予定があるか。

ホールデン・フォレスト＆ガーデンズは、都市部にあるクリーブランド植物園と郊外にあるホールデン樹木園の2つのキャンパスから構成されている。ホールデン樹木園には、2000エーカーの森林を含む3000エーカーの自然地域がある。私たちのワーキング・ウッズ・プロジェクトは、持続可能な森林管理を実証することで、土地の所有者が収入を得ながら、生物多様性の増加や気候変動の緩和（樹木の成長率を高め、木質残屑を森林内にとどめるなど）のために土地を管理できることを目指している。このプロジェクトは研究と教育的アウトリーチを結びつけると同時に、私たち自身の森林の炭素吸収能力を高めることを可能にしています。

あなたの地域社会で、気候変動に対処するために活用できる最も差し迫った問題や機会は何ですか？

喫緊の問題のひとつは、都市部における潜在的な気温の上昇と、気候変動に伴う「ヒートアイランド現象」の拡大である。都市や建築環境における植樹の提唱者として、私たちの活動は地域社会における気候変動への回復力を高めることができる。

気候変動に対処するために、あなたの庭のどのような特徴を活用できますか？

前述したように、ホールデンの広大な自然地域は、ホールデンが気候変動の影響を学び、教育し、緩和するための実験室であると同時に、その方法としても機能している。

Teach facts and best practices to mitigate and reduce global climate change.

In FY23, our primary focus was on establishing recycling programs at both campuses. These campuses are now equipped to recycle everyday items, including glass. Composting initiatives have also seen significant growth with the introduction of the new composting area at ARB. We are actively exploring the potential for implementing food composting at ARB in collaboration with Rust Belt Riders.

In FY23, we identified Green Corps Interns as a key audience for climate education, equipping them with factual knowledge and practical strategies to reduce environmental impact. Interns applied this learning through hands-on sustainability actions, including ink-recycling initiatives that modeled waste-reduction best practices. Building on this approach in FY24, we hired a dedicated Green Corps intern to lead a food waste reduction initiative, focused on educating school groups about the climate impacts of food waste and implementing best practices to reduce lunch waste sent to landfills. Together, these efforts positioned interns as informed climate stewards who actively apply and share solutions that mitigate global climate change.

Additionally, to achieve this goal, we initially attempted to arrange a multi-day workshop for educators focused on climate change. Regrettably, the workshop was canceled due to low registration. Nevertheless, we adopted a new approach. In collaboration, our Education and Research departments hired a Teacher-in-Residence in the summer of FY24. This Teacher in Residence developed teacher-led lessons and educational materials on climate change and its mitigation. Lessons and other resources are available on our website for educators to download.

Eliminate all single-use plastic in food service, horticulture, gift shops, and all other facilities and operations.

We devoted significant efforts to pursue this objective, recognizing that eliminating single-use plastics may not always be feasible without viable alternatives. We have successfully addressed single-use options in both campuses’ food services by transitioning vending machines and water offerings to cans or self-serve stations. Our Horticulture department is actively experimenting with non-plastic alternatives for pots and other single-use plastic products. Moreover, our gift shops are switching suppliers to favor non-plastic packaging materials. In all other facets of our departments and operations, we diligently seek alternatives to single-use plastics wherever practical.

In addition, in FY24, the Sustainability Committee launched the Employee Single-Use Plastic Challenge to engage staff in reducing or eliminating single-use plastics across departments, events, projects, and programs at Holden Forests & Gardens. Through team-based planning and implementation, the challenge increased organizational awareness of the impacts of single-use plastic and prompted departments to more intentionally evaluate and adjust everyday practices. Results emphasized reduced reliance on disposable plastics, cross-team learning, and increased adoption of alternative practices, reinforcing a culture of mindful consumption and collective climate action.