In his second article on the importance of city parks and COVID-19, Robert Gibson dives into the stats that relate COVID-19 incidence to availability of city parks. While there isn’t a direct link between these two factors, Gibson argues that biodiversity is linked to the incidence of pandemic and that parks have many health benefits for urban populations.

Robert Gibson outlines the challenges faced by the public in recognizing issues of environmental concern in Ontario. Minister’s Zoning Orders (MZOs) in particular, he says, threaten the public’s ability to challenge new developments put forward by the province and municipalities. Additionally, Bill 245, he calls “a clear bombardment of environmental rights” as it weakens citizens’ right to appeal environmental decisions.

Francene Francis interviews local biologist and naturalist, Basil Conlin. Basil has spent countless hours on Trent land researching plants, mammals and bugs (moths especially). His discovery that there are about 800 moth species just on Trent lands, led him to wonder, if the Trent environment can provide for 800 species of moths, imagine what else it can provide for! After all, a moth isn’t just a bug, an Aspen isn’t just a tree, and a Bobolink isn’t just a bird. They’re stories. They’re life histories of different ecosystems and environments that had to come together just right for life to thrive. But with the Trent Lands and Nature Areas Plan unfolding, will this thriving be able to continue?