by: Iain Crowell CMM’s DENR Climate Monitoring Officer
It’s safe to say that COVID-19 has dramatically changed everyone’s lives. The significant measures taken to control the spread of the virus, from stay-at-home orders to wearing masks in public, have caused a huge shift in how we go about our daily routine. In addition to our personal lives, the pandemic has also caused global changes to the environment, allowing nature some space to heal and recuperate. During the pandemic there have been positive changes such as improved health of natural areas, along with negative changes like increased use of plastic. In response to these abrupt changes, we set out to gather input from local community members to hear how some people are coping. CMM sat down with Knowledge Holder Gail Marshall from Paqtnkek to hear about the changes she has seen in her community. Her message was clear – get back out on the land and connect back to the environment around us!
When asked about the changes she saw in her community, Gail commented on the lack of community clean-ups due to the pandemic. Additionally, Gail noted a significant decrease in noise pollution in her community since fewer people were travelling and there were fewer flights overhead. With this, she has noticed that “the birds are celebrating” and that it was a much-needed break for nature. She also noticed that her community’s connection to the outdoors and nature was strained as people have been hesitant to leave their homes due to public health guidelines. When ask ...
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