Ilana Herold
Great Falls in Autumn
This picture was taken on November 3rd at Great Falls, viewed from the Maryland side of the Potomac River. It was taken while on a hike with UMD environmental student groups Restore and Sustainable Ocean Alliance- University of Maryland chapter. Great Falls is a National Park located in Virginia, with hiking trails on the Maryland side of the Potomac River as well(1).
This photo relates to UN Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land. This goal aims to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss(2). One of the main ways of managing forests and combating land degradation in the United States is through the protection and maintenance of our nation’s public lands, such as Great Falls park. Hiking through the well-maintained trails of a national forest or national park is a privilege enjoyed in many developing nations, but throughout the world across the globe forest lands are being destroyed largely due to agricultural practices, as well as urban sprawl(3). Around 1.6 billion people around the world depend on forests for their livelihood, and forests are home to over 80% of our planet’s terrestrial species(1). Therefore, SDG is incredibly important and supporting and helping to maintain public lands is one way to participate in this goal.
The ecological concept shown in this photo is the process of deciduous trees changing colors in the autumn. Lining the river, many of the trees’ leaves are orange, red or brown, and some have already lost their leaves entirely. Deciduous trees do not have the same chemicals that are present in evergreen species, so their fluids are susceptible to freezing. Therefore, these trees ultimately save energy by getting rid of their leaves for the winter months. As daylight declines in the winter, deciduous trees slow the production of chlorophyll, the pigment which usually allows plants to store food and gives them their green color. As chlorophyll production lessens, other pigments such as carotenoids and anthocyanins give leaves their orange and red hues(4).
Sources
Great Falls Park (U.S. National Park Service). (n.d.). Retrieved from www.nps.gov/grfa/index.htm
SDGs .:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. (n.d.). Retrieved from sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs
Deforestation and Its Effect on the Planet. (2017, July 25). Retrieved from www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/def...
Why Leaves Fall from Trees in Autumn. (2016, January 05). Retrieved from blog.nwf.org/2014/09/why-leaves-fall-from-trees-in-autumn/
Great Falls in Autumn
This picture was taken on November 3rd at Great Falls, viewed from the Maryland side of the Potomac River. It was taken while on a hike with UMD environmental student groups Restore and Sustainable Ocean Alliance- University of Maryland chapter. Great Falls is a National Park located in Virginia, with hiking trails on the Maryland side of the Potomac River as well(1).
This photo relates to UN Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land. This goal aims to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss(2). One of the main ways of managing forests and combating land degradation in the United States is through the protection and maintenance of our nation’s public lands, such as Great Falls park. Hiking through the well-maintained trails of a national forest or national park is a privilege enjoyed in many developing nations, but throughout the world across the globe forest lands are being destroyed largely due to agricultural practices, as well as urban sprawl(3). Around 1.6 billion people around the world depend on forests for their livelihood, and forests are home to over 80% of our planet’s terrestrial species(1). Therefore, SDG is incredibly important and supporting and helping to maintain public lands is one way to participate in this goal.
The ecological concept shown in this photo is the process of deciduous trees changing colors in the autumn. Lining the river, many of the trees’ leaves are orange, red or brown, and some have already lost their leaves entirely. Deciduous trees do not have the same chemicals that are present in evergreen species, so their fluids are susceptible to freezing. Therefore, these trees ultimately save energy by getting rid of their leaves for the winter months. As daylight declines in the winter, deciduous trees slow the production of chlorophyll, the pigment which usually allows plants to store food and gives them their green color. As chlorophyll production lessens, other pigments such as carotenoids and anthocyanins give leaves their orange and red hues(4).
Sources
Great Falls Park (U.S. National Park Service). (n.d.). Retrieved from www.nps.gov/grfa/index.htm
SDGs .:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. (n.d.). Retrieved from sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs
Deforestation and Its Effect on the Planet. (2017, July 25). Retrieved from www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/def...
Why Leaves Fall from Trees in Autumn. (2016, January 05). Retrieved from blog.nwf.org/2014/09/why-leaves-fall-from-trees-in-autumn/