Professor Deborah Lawrence is a pioneer in tropical forest ecology, but also in integrating a broad variety of academics and real world experiences to better understand environmental problems and solutions. In this episode we talk from the theme of "de-fragmentation" as a fundamental solution for people, socially and environmentally. We divide the interview into three sections. In part 1 Dr. Lawrence shares an overview of her scientific work distinguishing tropical forests as having greater influence over global climate than other ecosystems. In part 2 she talks about her “awakening” to animals and rainforests and the Indigenous people in them, during college, which led to roughly six years of research in remote Borneo. That experience had a tragic end, but 15 years later a beautiful resolution. She shares about that journey and its value today. In the third segment, Dr. Lawrence talks about her vision for an optimal future for everyone.
About Deborah Lawrence
Deborah Lawrence, Ph.D., is Director of the Environmental Thought & Practice program and Professor of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. Her extensive research focuses on nutrient cycling, Indigenous peoples, the links between tropical deforestation and climate change, and the impacts of forest conversion on our climate around the globe. She is an adviser to the US Forest Service and US AID. She has spent more than twenty-five years doing field-based research in Indonesia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Cameroon. She and her students work with partners in hydrology, atmospheric science, economics, anthropology, ethics, engineering, law, and more, to understand the drivers and consequences of issues related to ecosystem destruction. Dr. Lawrence has earned numerous awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a National Academy of Sciences fellowship, and a Fulbright Scholarship. She earned her undergrad at Harvard, her Ph.D. at Duke, and was a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard. Learn more about Dr. Lawrence's work here and here.
Notes -- This episode explores its topics under the theme of De-Fragmentation.
Quotes
“Tree cover stabilizes climate.""The atmosphere is all connected. Forests move a lot of moisture through their leaves... That sets up a bunch of dynamics in the atmosphere that come out of the Tropics and ultimately have ripple effects across the globe... We need to protect large, large patches of forest."
"Know all you can about the products you consume. Address climate through the political system. We need to act."
"Work together. Try to be connected."
"The first thing that struck me from almost the get go, is that people are the same everywhere. They wanted to eat, a decent house, schooling for their kids, care for their family when they were sick, and enough money to throw a great wedding for th
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
Death, Sex & Money
Anna Sale explores the big questions and hard choices that are often left out of polite conversation.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.