Holden Skogar och Trädgårdar

Vilka unika situationer och initiativ har ni tagit eller planerar ni att ta för att hantera klimatförändringarna som inte fångades upp i vår första enkät?

Holden Forests and Gardens består av två campus, det urbana Cleveland Botanical Garden och det exurbana Holden Arboretum. Holden Arboretum har 3.000 hektar naturområden inklusive 2.000 hektar skog. Vårt Working Woods-projekt syftar till att demonstrera hållbar skogsförvaltning där markägare kan få inkomster samtidigt som de förvaltar sin mark för att öka den biologiska mångfalden och mildra klimatförändringarna (t.ex. genom att öka trädens tillväxttakt och hålla kvar vedartat skräp i skogen). Detta projekt kombinerar forskning med utbildning samtidigt som vi kan öka våra egna skogars förmåga att binda kol.

Vilka är de mest akuta problemen eller möjligheterna i ditt samhälle som kan utnyttjas för att hantera klimatförändringarna?

Ett akut problem är den potentiella ökningen av temperaturen i stadsområden och förstärkningen av "värmeöeffekten" i samband med klimatförändringarna. Som förespråkare för trädplantering i urbana och byggda miljöer kan vårt arbete öka motståndskraften mot klimatförändringar i våra samhällen.

Vilka unika egenskaper i din trädgård kan utnyttjas för att hantera klimatförändringarna?

Som nämnts ovan fungerar Holdens omfattande naturområden både som ett laboratorium och som en metod genom vilken Holden kan lära sig, utbilda och mildra effekterna av klimatförändringarna.

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.