Dr Lorna Harris
@lornaharris.bsky.social
Ecosystem Scientist | Artist | Forests, Wetlands, Peatlands, & Climate Change | Carbon, Moss, Lichens, Permafrost, Fire, Tea | Science-Policy | she/her
Tiny but mighty mosses are so often overlooked but they are the reason northern #peatlands store so much carbon and persist as long-term carbon sinks.
Peatlands are resilient, but if we don't reduce industrial emissions, they may struggle.
Find out more:
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
#COP30
Peatlands are resilient, but if we don't reduce industrial emissions, they may struggle.
Find out more:
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
#COP30
November 14, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Tiny but mighty mosses are so often overlooked but they are the reason northern #peatlands store so much carbon and persist as long-term carbon sinks.
Peatlands are resilient, but if we don't reduce industrial emissions, they may struggle.
Find out more:
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
#COP30
Peatlands are resilient, but if we don't reduce industrial emissions, they may struggle.
Find out more:
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
#COP30
Reposted by Dr Lorna Harris
Getting started with Rushes, with Lynda Weekes
Identifying rushes, grasses, and sedges
The @bsbibotany.bsky.social's Botanical Skills Webinar takes place on Tuesday 11 November from 7pm. @daera-ni.gov.uk has provided funding for the series of free talks.
www.tickettailor.com/events/botan...
Identifying rushes, grasses, and sedges
The @bsbibotany.bsky.social's Botanical Skills Webinar takes place on Tuesday 11 November from 7pm. @daera-ni.gov.uk has provided funding for the series of free talks.
www.tickettailor.com/events/botan...
November 6, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Getting started with Rushes, with Lynda Weekes
Identifying rushes, grasses, and sedges
The @bsbibotany.bsky.social's Botanical Skills Webinar takes place on Tuesday 11 November from 7pm. @daera-ni.gov.uk has provided funding for the series of free talks.
www.tickettailor.com/events/botan...
Identifying rushes, grasses, and sedges
The @bsbibotany.bsky.social's Botanical Skills Webinar takes place on Tuesday 11 November from 7pm. @daera-ni.gov.uk has provided funding for the series of free talks.
www.tickettailor.com/events/botan...
The dark nights are closing in, thick mists linger, and ghastly ghouls may be hiding in the shadows... or in the swamps.
Because in The Witcher and other fantasy books, TV, and film, the monsters are always lurking in the swamps and other #peatlands.
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
Because in The Witcher and other fantasy books, TV, and film, the monsters are always lurking in the swamps and other #peatlands.
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
Mysteries of the Mires
Will-o’-the-Wisps and the world of The Witcher
open.substack.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:55 AM
The dark nights are closing in, thick mists linger, and ghastly ghouls may be hiding in the shadows... or in the swamps.
Because in The Witcher and other fantasy books, TV, and film, the monsters are always lurking in the swamps and other #peatlands.
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
Because in The Witcher and other fantasy books, TV, and film, the monsters are always lurking in the swamps and other #peatlands.
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
"There's a polar bear swimming towards us." 🐻❄️
Did you know you can find polar bears in the far north of Ontario? Living on the edge of one of the world's largest peatland complexes?
More to come in a short series of new Peatpedia posts on Muskeg and Mines.
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
Did you know you can find polar bears in the far north of Ontario? Living on the edge of one of the world's largest peatland complexes?
More to come in a short series of new Peatpedia posts on Muskeg and Mines.
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
October 25, 2025 at 1:33 PM
"There's a polar bear swimming towards us." 🐻❄️
Did you know you can find polar bears in the far north of Ontario? Living on the edge of one of the world's largest peatland complexes?
More to come in a short series of new Peatpedia posts on Muskeg and Mines.
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
Did you know you can find polar bears in the far north of Ontario? Living on the edge of one of the world's largest peatland complexes?
More to come in a short series of new Peatpedia posts on Muskeg and Mines.
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
New on Peatpedia - an attempt to demystify #peatland carbon stores, sinks, and other gassy issues!
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
Peatland carbon – the facts
Demystifying peatland carbon stores, carbon sinks, and other gassy issues
open.substack.com
October 15, 2025 at 10:10 PM
New on Peatpedia - an attempt to demystify #peatland carbon stores, sinks, and other gassy issues!
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
Wondering what to do this weekend? Why not get outside and explore a bog! I highlight a few 'boardwalk bogs' in Canada, the USA, and the UK in a new post on Peatpedia.
Feel free to add your favourite boggy boardwalks in the comments on Substack or below!
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
Feel free to add your favourite boggy boardwalks in the comments on Substack or below!
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
Boardwalk Bogs
Take a wander through the world’s wonderful wetlands
open.substack.com
October 11, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Wondering what to do this weekend? Why not get outside and explore a bog! I highlight a few 'boardwalk bogs' in Canada, the USA, and the UK in a new post on Peatpedia.
Feel free to add your favourite boggy boardwalks in the comments on Substack or below!
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
Feel free to add your favourite boggy boardwalks in the comments on Substack or below!
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
📢 New paper on burned and thawing permafrost #peatlands in northern Alberta! Large Carbon Losses From Burned Permafrost Peatlands During Post‐Fire Succession - led by Chris Schulze - 2025 agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
Really great research involving some difficult field work!
Really great research involving some difficult field work!
Large Carbon Losses From Burned Permafrost Peatlands During Post‐Fire Succession
Burned permafrost peatlands lost ∼130 g C m−2 yr−1 during the first four years post-fire
Burned landscapes returned to a net carbon dioxide sink ∼15 years post-fire
Net ecosystem exchange carbon...
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 10, 2025 at 1:05 AM
📢 New paper on burned and thawing permafrost #peatlands in northern Alberta! Large Carbon Losses From Burned Permafrost Peatlands During Post‐Fire Succession - led by Chris Schulze - 2025 agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...
Really great research involving some difficult field work!
Really great research involving some difficult field work!
Peatlands in Canada - 5 key facts.
These bogs, fens, permafrost peatlands & peat swamps are some of the most extensive boggy landscapes in the world.
More to come! I've been working on peatlands in Canada for over 10 yrs - so many more facts & stories to share!
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
These bogs, fens, permafrost peatlands & peat swamps are some of the most extensive boggy landscapes in the world.
More to come! I've been working on peatlands in Canada for over 10 yrs - so many more facts & stories to share!
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
Peatlands in Canada – 5 key facts
A brief introduction to the vast and beautiful bogs, fens, and swamps of Canada
open.substack.com
October 3, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Peatlands in Canada - 5 key facts.
These bogs, fens, permafrost peatlands & peat swamps are some of the most extensive boggy landscapes in the world.
More to come! I've been working on peatlands in Canada for over 10 yrs - so many more facts & stories to share!
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
These bogs, fens, permafrost peatlands & peat swamps are some of the most extensive boggy landscapes in the world.
More to come! I've been working on peatlands in Canada for over 10 yrs - so many more facts & stories to share!
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
📢 New Peatpedia post! A brief intro to #peatland soils, peat fossils, and moss piglets. Moss piglets! Microscopic creatures wriggling in the moss. I got very distracted doing background research on them, so a future post will be dedicated entirely to moss piglets!
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
September 24, 2025 at 12:18 AM
📢 New Peatpedia post! A brief intro to #peatland soils, peat fossils, and moss piglets. Moss piglets! Microscopic creatures wriggling in the moss. I got very distracted doing background research on them, so a future post will be dedicated entirely to moss piglets!
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
#ClimateWeekNYC is coming up! Then #COP30. We will hear more about the need for low-carbon technologies to reduce emissions and reach net-zero. But these technologies cannot come at the expense of carbon-rich #peatlands. I explain why in my new blog- Peatpedia!
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
The plan to reach net-zero: Why peatlands need to be on the agenda
As the buzz for New York Climate Week continues to build, we will hear more about innovative plans and new technologies developed by business and industry to help us reach net-zero emissions. But thes...
open.substack.com
September 19, 2025 at 12:34 AM
#ClimateWeekNYC is coming up! Then #COP30. We will hear more about the need for low-carbon technologies to reduce emissions and reach net-zero. But these technologies cannot come at the expense of carbon-rich #peatlands. I explain why in my new blog- Peatpedia!
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
open.substack.com/pub/peatpedi...
QGIS or ArcGIS Pro? After using all ArcGIS forms for 20+ yrs, I recently had to switch to #QGIS for a few new #peatland projects and it works great! Its quick to produce maps (examples below) and more complex spatial analyses are all possible and some even seem to run a bit faster.
#maps #gis
#maps #gis
September 15, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Reposted by Dr Lorna Harris
🚨📸 About 2 weeks left to send in your best #wildlife in a #peatland shot and publish in the 2026 edition of #PeatCalendar
Email to: [email protected]
Deadline: 30 September
Email to: [email protected]
Deadline: 30 September
September 12, 2025 at 4:32 PM
🚨📸 About 2 weeks left to send in your best #wildlife in a #peatland shot and publish in the 2026 edition of #PeatCalendar
Email to: [email protected]
Deadline: 30 September
Email to: [email protected]
Deadline: 30 September
Reposted by Dr Lorna Harris
I am beyond excited to announce that ggplot2 4.0.0 has just landed on CRAN.
It's not every day we have a new major #ggplot2 release but it is a fitting 18 year birthday present for the package.
Get an overview of the release in this blog post and be on the lookout for more in-depth posts #rstats
It's not every day we have a new major #ggplot2 release but it is a fitting 18 year birthday present for the package.
Get an overview of the release in this blog post and be on the lookout for more in-depth posts #rstats
ggplot2 4.0.0
A new major version of ggplot2 has been released on CRAN. Find out what is new here.
www.tidyverse.org
September 11, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Reposted by Dr Lorna Harris
New Study in ES&T! Permafrost peatlands accumulate mercury from distant sources, but thaw causes collapse into wetter bogs and fens. Lauren Thompson shows that these bogs, and especially fens, become hotspots for mercury methylation, and potential downstream transport.
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
September 4, 2025 at 2:26 PM
New Study in ES&T! Permafrost peatlands accumulate mercury from distant sources, but thaw causes collapse into wetter bogs and fens. Lauren Thompson shows that these bogs, and especially fens, become hotspots for mercury methylation, and potential downstream transport.
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
#WorldWaterWeek has been truly inspiring. We have taken water for granted for too long. The same applies to #peatlands - they are undervalued, despite their importance to us. Moving forward, we must be water-smart as well as climate-smart in our decision-making for peatlands in Canada and globally.
August 28, 2025 at 11:23 PM
#WorldWaterWeek has been truly inspiring. We have taken water for granted for too long. The same applies to #peatlands - they are undervalued, despite their importance to us. Moving forward, we must be water-smart as well as climate-smart in our decision-making for peatlands in Canada and globally.
Looking forward to learning from and participating in important conversations during #WorldWaterWeek - happening now in Stockholm and online. Registration for online attendance is free!
#peatlands #wetlands
worldwaterweek.org
#peatlands #wetlands
worldwaterweek.org
August 24, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Looking forward to learning from and participating in important conversations during #WorldWaterWeek - happening now in Stockholm and online. Registration for online attendance is free!
#peatlands #wetlands
worldwaterweek.org
#peatlands #wetlands
worldwaterweek.org
I've just declined attending an online peatlands workshop, hosted by a US institution, because they certainly don't need to know the details of my citizenship, my passport details, emergency contacts, work and CV details, just for me to join them via my laptop from my home in Canada. Ridiculous!
August 20, 2025 at 5:10 PM
I've just declined attending an online peatlands workshop, hosted by a US institution, because they certainly don't need to know the details of my citizenship, my passport details, emergency contacts, work and CV details, just for me to join them via my laptop from my home in Canada. Ridiculous!
Reposted by Dr Lorna Harris
Another #ConservationJobs roundup, mostly in Canada.
Please share — someone in your network will be job hunting.
All job ads #ShowTheSalary, which is rapidly becoming the norm (not just a best practice).
www.linkedin.com/posts/aerinj...
Please share — someone in your network will be job hunting.
All job ads #ShowTheSalary, which is rapidly becoming the norm (not just a best practice).
www.linkedin.com/posts/aerinj...
[1 August 2025] Another roundup of jobs related to conservation, nature, environment, etc. | Aerin Jacob
[1 August 2025] Another roundup of jobs related to conservation, nature, environment, etc. Please share to help others and add additional links in the comments. All postings include salary range. (I a...
www.linkedin.com
August 1, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Another #ConservationJobs roundup, mostly in Canada.
Please share — someone in your network will be job hunting.
All job ads #ShowTheSalary, which is rapidly becoming the norm (not just a best practice).
www.linkedin.com/posts/aerinj...
Please share — someone in your network will be job hunting.
All job ads #ShowTheSalary, which is rapidly becoming the norm (not just a best practice).
www.linkedin.com/posts/aerinj...
Happy #WorldBogDay!
To celebrate here is a coloured pencil drawing of #Cloudberry, a plant that can cover the surface of bogs across the boreal, creating a sea of beautiful golden berries above the soft Sphagnum moss.
#peatlands #muskeg #botanicalart #art #natureart
To celebrate here is a coloured pencil drawing of #Cloudberry, a plant that can cover the surface of bogs across the boreal, creating a sea of beautiful golden berries above the soft Sphagnum moss.
#peatlands #muskeg #botanicalart #art #natureart
July 27, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Happy #WorldBogDay!
To celebrate here is a coloured pencil drawing of #Cloudberry, a plant that can cover the surface of bogs across the boreal, creating a sea of beautiful golden berries above the soft Sphagnum moss.
#peatlands #muskeg #botanicalart #art #natureart
To celebrate here is a coloured pencil drawing of #Cloudberry, a plant that can cover the surface of bogs across the boreal, creating a sea of beautiful golden berries above the soft Sphagnum moss.
#peatlands #muskeg #botanicalart #art #natureart
Wetlands across Canada are indeed great treasures for Canadians and globally. But the push to fast-track 'projects of national interest', incl. critical minerals, puts these important ecosystems at significant risk. A reminder to governments that protecting wetlands is also of national interest.
COP15 of the Ramsar Convention starts today. Here in Canada we have the privilege of being home to a quarter of the world's remaining wetlands. Let's not forget what a treasure they are.
theconversation.com/canadian-wet...
theconversation.com/canadian-wet...
Canadian wetlands are treasures that deserve protection
Canada is home to a quarter of the world’s remaining wetlands. Despite decades of efforts, wetlands continue to be under threat around the world.
theconversation.com
July 23, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Wetlands across Canada are indeed great treasures for Canadians and globally. But the push to fast-track 'projects of national interest', incl. critical minerals, puts these important ecosystems at significant risk. A reminder to governments that protecting wetlands is also of national interest.
Reposted by Dr Lorna Harris
COP15 of the Ramsar Convention starts today. Here in Canada we have the privilege of being home to a quarter of the world's remaining wetlands. Let's not forget what a treasure they are.
theconversation.com/canadian-wet...
theconversation.com/canadian-wet...
Canadian wetlands are treasures that deserve protection
Canada is home to a quarter of the world’s remaining wetlands. Despite decades of efforts, wetlands continue to be under threat around the world.
theconversation.com
July 23, 2025 at 7:20 PM
COP15 of the Ramsar Convention starts today. Here in Canada we have the privilege of being home to a quarter of the world's remaining wetlands. Let's not forget what a treasure they are.
theconversation.com/canadian-wet...
theconversation.com/canadian-wet...
Reposted by Dr Lorna Harris
Sphagnum mosses are fascinating from physiology, ecology, and climate perspectives. I'm especially proud of this @newphyt.bsky.social paper meant to inspire new research on ecoevolution and biodiversity. Check out the incredible cover art by Blanka Aguero! nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
July 19, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Sphagnum mosses are fascinating from physiology, ecology, and climate perspectives. I'm especially proud of this @newphyt.bsky.social paper meant to inspire new research on ecoevolution and biodiversity. Check out the incredible cover art by Blanka Aguero! nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Dr Lorna Harris
Another peaceful moment on the kayak. I decided to put in at the marina tonight instead of my usual spot. It allows me to go up along these limestone cliffs. You can hear a winter wren calling in the background.
July 9, 2025 at 3:21 AM
Another peaceful moment on the kayak. I decided to put in at the marina tonight instead of my usual spot. It allows me to go up along these limestone cliffs. You can hear a winter wren calling in the background.
Reposted by Dr Lorna Harris
This #FungiFriday we’re spotlighting Mycenaceae! 🍄 Our fungarium is curating a donation from late mycologist E.E. Emmett—tiny but mighty Mycena mushrooms.
Mycena, or bonnet mushrooms, are often small brown inconspicuous fungi, but with 600+ species, they play vital roles in ecosystems worldwide.
Mycena, or bonnet mushrooms, are often small brown inconspicuous fungi, but with 600+ species, they play vital roles in ecosystems worldwide.
June 27, 2025 at 7:50 PM
This #FungiFriday we’re spotlighting Mycenaceae! 🍄 Our fungarium is curating a donation from late mycologist E.E. Emmett—tiny but mighty Mycena mushrooms.
Mycena, or bonnet mushrooms, are often small brown inconspicuous fungi, but with 600+ species, they play vital roles in ecosystems worldwide.
Mycena, or bonnet mushrooms, are often small brown inconspicuous fungi, but with 600+ species, they play vital roles in ecosystems worldwide.