Often dismissed as dismal wet bogs and rampantly cleared since European arrival in the US, the underappreciated importance of wetlands has been placed into sharp relief by a supreme court ruling that has plunged many of these ecosystems into new peril.
Despite its connection to the outdoors, gardening contributes significantly to climate change because most store-bought soils contain peat. When extracted from boggy peatlands, the anaerobic substance emits high levels of carbon dioxide.
Ontario’s vast peatlands serve as home to dozens of First Nations, store immense amounts of carbon and sit on top of the controversial Ring of Fire mining region. Whose vision for the bogs and fens will win out?
