Cemetery becomes city's latest nature reserve
A "well-loved" cemetery has been named as a city's latest local nature reserve.
Part of Southern Cemetery in Chorlton-cum-Hardy has been designated as Manchester's 11th nature reserve to go with its green flag status.
Manchester City Council's executive backed the accolade for a 28-hectare section of the old part of the cemetery, which opened in 1879.
It features tree-lined avenues of mature beech and plane trees and has many specimen trees of significant age and ecological value.
It is the largest municipal cemetery in the UK and the second largest in Europe.
Local nature reserves are sites that contain wildlife and/or geological features that are of specific local interest.
The section of the old part of the cemetery designated a local nature reserve excludes areas which are in current use for burials or storage.
It follows Broadhurst Clough in Moston which was made the 10th nature reserve in the city in March 2023.
Councillor Tracey Rawlins said: "Green spaces across our city have a vital role to play in our wellbeing and we are determined to support and celebrate biodiversity in these special places.
"Local Nature Reserves are selected because of their rich flora and fauna but also their strong friends group which show how much they mean to the community."
Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon added: "Southern Cemetery is a flourishing and well-loved green space that rightly deserves its Local Nature Reserve status to go alongside the Green Flag it already has in recognition of how well-managed it is."
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
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Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Miami Herald
We've come far since the first Juneteenth. But we still have a long way to go
Back in the early 1970s, when I was a rookie reporter at the Herald, I believed it was my duty as a journalist to tell the story of my people. I wanted white Americans to see the truth about us — what we had endured and what it took to get us to where we are. One of the stories I wanted to tell was that of Juneteenth. It was on June 19, 1865, two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, that Union soldiers rode through Galveston, Texas, with the message that the Civil War had ended and that all enslaved people were free. The fact that the slaves in Texas did not know they were free for two and a half years was a horribly cruel joke, played on a people that had been enslaved in this country for more than 300 years. When I tried to sell my Juneteenth story to the city editor, hardly anyone, outside of the African-American community, even knew what Juneteenth was. I felt it was my duty to let others know the significance of the day and what it meant to African Americans. So confident the city editor would think Juneteenth was a great story idea, I presented my story to him. To my disappointment, he barely looked at what I had written and rejected it with the wave of his hand and the words, 'Nobody would be interested in that,' he said. He handed my story back to me without even looking at me. I was crushed. 'They don't want to know us,' I thought as I walked back to my desk near the back of the newsroom. Still, we Blacks knew the significance of the day and Juneteenth celebrations started popping up in many states, including in South Florida. I kept the story in a file in my desk drawer for years, until I retired. Over the years, unbeknownst to me, a woman named Opal Lee had decided that it was high time for Juneteenth to be recognized and even to become a national holiday. Lee, often referred to as the 'Grandmother of Juneteenth,' was 89 in 2016 when she walked from Fort Worth to Washington for the cause of making Juneteenth a federal holiday. Although she didn't walk the entire 1,400 miles, Lee walked a significant portion of the journey and gathered over 1.5 million signatures along the way. This grand gesture brought national attention to Lee's fight to bring recognition to Juneteenth. On June 17, 2021, her hard work paid off, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, making June 19 a federal holiday. In the aftermath of celebrating one of our nation's newest federal holidays, my mind wanders back to the days when the slaves in Galveston first learned they were free. As the great-great-granddaughter of slaves, I can only imagine the looks of disbelief and shock that must have registered on the faces of the slaves who first heard the news from the Union soldiers. Not only was the Civil War over, but they were free. In my mind, I can see the jubilation, the dancing, and the joyful singing that must have taken place. In their jubilation, the newly freed slaves dubbed the day, 'Juneteenth.' When the news of their freedom had really sunk in, the reality must have hit them real hard: 'So, we are free. Now what?' What came after that first Juneteenth was often just as bad, or worse, for the freed slaves than when they were enslaved. It seemed that for many slaves, especially those in the Deep South, freedom was something written on paper that many of them couldn't even read. Even after they learned they were free, the former slaves were not prepared for what was to happen next. Although with God-given skills, many of the former slaves were uneducated and stayed with their former owners. Others had the audacity to leave the plantations that had been home to them for generations. They left the plantations where the beatings, the rapes of their young daughters and even their wives had taken place, where lynching was often the price they paid for trying to run away. And, so, many freed Blacks headed north, where they had heard things were better for freed men and women. While getting adjusted to their freedom was not easy, the freed men and women persevered. They started schools in makeshift wooden shacks. They started businesses — women took in laundry and hired other women to work for them. Others used their skills in the kitchen to start tiny restaurants. Some women became known for their skill at designing and sewing beautiful garments for the white women in their communities. One woman, Sarah Goode, became the first Black woman to receive a U.S. patent for her invention of the folding cabinet bed. Born in 1850, she moved to Chicago after the Civil War and opened a furniture store. Her invention served as a desk by day and a bed at night. Early freed Black men became blacksmiths and farmers and used their skills to invent such things as the corn planter, the cotton-cleaning machine, the broom-making machine, and in 1853, the potato chip. And for a period of about 12 years — from the end of the Civil War in 1865 until 1877— life for the newly freed Negro became bearable. It was called the Reconstruction Era and was a time when freed Blacks experienced a period of political and social advancement. It was a time when Hiram Revels, born free and a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, was elected to the U.S. Senate from Mississippi, the first Black U.S. senator. At that time, state legislatures elected U.S. senators. In 1870, Mississippi legislators voted 81 to 15 to elect Revels to the Senate to finish the term of one of the state's two U.S Senate seats, which had been left vacant since the Civil War. A few years later, in 1874, Mississippi legislators elected Blanche K. Bruce, born into slavery, to the U.S. Senate. He was the first African American to serve a full term in the Senate and the first to preside over the Senate in 1879. The 13th, 14th and 15th amendments to the U.S. Constitution — ratified between 1865 and 1870 — were also critical in moving the country forward after the Civil War. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery. The 14th Amendment granted citizenship to all persons 'born or naturalized in the United States,' including former slaves and provided equal protection under the law. The 15th Amendment granted voting rights regardless of race. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was also a landmark law, determining that all persons born in the United States were citizens, regardless of race, and were entitled to the same fundamental rights as white citizens. Because of these laws, Black men participated in government and held elected positions at the local, state and national levels. Then, all too soon, it was over. White supremacy groups like the Ku Klux Klan were organized, using violence and intimidation to keep Blacks from voting or holding elected office. Jim Crow laws were enacted to disfranchise Blacks and limit their opportunities. But the freed men and women has tasted just enough freedom to carry on their fight for justice and equality. That's because during the Reconstruction Era, the groundwork for the civil rights movement was laid. And the fight continued. So, as I think about Juneteenth and its meaning to Blacks, and indeed all Americans. I think of how far we as a nation have come. I think, too, of how far back some people want to send us. To me, Juneteenth should remind us of the reasons why we as a nation cannot put our efforts into making America 'great again.' Making America 'greater again' doesn't look to promising to people who look like me. Better still, it is up to us all to make our country GREATER — for all its citizens.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education offers Hong Kong's Only Government-Recognized Special Child Care Work Registration within its PGDE(ECE) Programme
HONG KONG, June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education (YCCECE) proudly announces that its Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Early Childhood Education)(PGDE(ECE)) Programme has received formal recognition from the Social Welfare Department as equivalent to One-Year In-service Course in Special Child Care Work (SCCW). Professor Kerry Lee, President & Chair Professor of Child Development at YCCECE, stated, "We are proud to be the only institution in Hong Kong to offer a government-recognized Special Child Care Work Registration within our PGDE(ECE) Programme. This recognition underscores our commitment to providing exceptional training for future educators in early childhood development." Graduates of YCCECE's PGDE(ECE) programme will now: Be eligible to registration as: Qualified Kindergarten Teachers (Education Bureau) Child Care Workers (Social Welfare Department) Child Care Supervisors (Social Welfare Department) Special Child Care Workers (Social Welfare Department) Graduates can pursue further study at Master's and/or Doctoral Degree programmes in ECE and related disciplines as the most direct extension and upgrading in their own area of specialism. With 3 years teaching experience in kindergarten, graduates are also qualified to enrol in the Certification Course for Kindergarten Principals approved by the EDB. YCCECE's distinguished local and international teaching team brings a wealth of expertise and diverse perspectives to the classroom. The programme emphasizes hands-on learning through our extensive Professional Integrated Learning and Practicum placements, bridging theory and practice to ensure that participants are fully prepared for their future careers. "Our extensive network within the Yew Chung Yew Wah Education Network allows participants to access a wide array of international and local kindergarten internship opportunities, including the Yew Chung Yew Wah Teachers of Tomorrow Scheme." Professor Lee added. "This experience enables them to apply their knowledge in real-world settings, developing essential skills for a successful career in early childhood education." About Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education ("YCCECE") The Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education ("YCCECE"), a member of Yew Chung Education Foundation (YCEF), is an accredited degree-awarding institution registered in Hong Kong under the Post-Secondary Colleges Ordinance (Cap. 320), with charitable status under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. It is the first and only higher education institution in Asia specialising in Early Childhood Education (ECE), invested wholly in this exciting foundational field. YCCECE, formerly known as the Yew Chung Community College ("YCCC"), was founded in 2008. In 2014, it was the first private higher education institution to provide formal teacher training in Hong Kong with the launch of its Higher Diploma in ECE (HDECE) programme. In 2018, YCCC was transformed into YCCECE with the launch of its flagship Bachelor of Education (Honours) in ECE (BEdECE) degree programme. This milestone represented a full-circle in YCEF's 90-year history, with the completion of a novel 'B to B' (Baby to Bachelor) education spectrum. In 2022 the College became the first self-financed tertiary institution in Hong Kong offering the Certification Course for Kindergarten Principal. In 2024, the College has successfully achieved institutional accreditation for operating postgraduate degrees, enabling it to launch the new Master of Education and Postgraduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education programmes in the 2025/26 Academic Year. The College's main campus is situated in Tin Wan, while its city campus is located in Kowloon Tong. YCCECE is deeply committed to nurturing new generations of passionate and inspired ECE professionals, who will have an enduring impact on the lives of numerous young children and their families, growing a better future together. Media Enquiries and Contact: Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education Marketing, Communications, and Development Office: comms@ View original content: SOURCE Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education


Scientific American
06-06-2025
- Scientific American
Tree Planting Efforts Could Actually Worsen Climate Change
CLIMATEWIRE | Carbon markets that fund forest preservation and tree-planting might actually be worsening climate change by increasing risks for wildfires that emit massive levels of greenhouse gases, a new United Nations-affiliated report says. Forests have been seen as one of the most effective places to counter climate change by absorbing carbon emissions. But that's changed, says a May paper from the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), an academic arm of the international U.N. In the past decade, wildfires of record-breaking size have erupted in places such as Canada, Australia, Siberia and the Amazon rainforest. This week, forest wildfires forced evacuations of thousands of Canadians in Manitoba and Alberta provinces. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. 'Forests and peatlands have increasingly transitioned into massive carbon emitters in many parts of the world due to increasing wildfires,' the report says. Climate policies and carbon-mitigation activities 'fail to account for these substantial emissions.' The report highlights weaknesses in a central global strategy for addressing climate change — planting and protecting trees — which has attracted billions of dollars from polluters that fund the projects to offset their own carbon emissions. A large share of the money is paid through the voluntary carbon market, a largely unregulated system that has come under increasing scrutiny over its integrity. Recent major wildfires have been particularly harmful. The 2023 forest wildfires in Canada emitted more greenhouse gases than the total industrial emissions of any country in the world except for China and India, Ju Hyoung Lee, a research fellow at UNU and lead author of the report, said in an interview from Seoul, South Korea. In California, wildfires in 2024 destroyed parts of forests that were supposed to be storing carbon through an offset program under the state's cap-and-trade carbon market. Without systematic monitoring of forest conditions, the paper says, the voluntary carbon market and other policies that promote forests 'may unintentionally exacerbate wildfire hazards.' Planting new trees to absorb carbon could have the opposite effect, the report says, as more heat and increased carbon dioxide emissions from climate change accelerate forest growth while also depleting soil moisture. 'Planting more and more trees in such an environment with the purpose of carbon mitigation will likely increase carbon emissions due to future fires,' the report warns. When the businesses certifying forest projects in the voluntary carbon market consider wildfire risk, they normally look at historical incidents of fires, Lee said. But, she added, 'Forests are changing, and our forests [won't] be like what it was like for the last 20 years." Historical data often leaves out the past five years, which includes some of the worst fires on record, Lee said. As a result, fire risk is typically underestimated by nonprofits such as Verra, which sets standards for and certifies climate projects to be listed on the voluntary market, Lee said. Representatives for Verra did not respond to a request for comment. Concerns about forests and their changing dynamics have existed for more than a decade, Kaveh Madani, director of the UNU-INWEH, said in an interview from Toronto. The report hopes to get the message out, Madani said, that existing forest programs and certification standards were developed using science that's now outdated — and the projects 'can increase the risk of increased emissions, in some cases.' Madani emphasized that not all forest programs in the voluntary carbon market and elsewhere create a wildfire threat. The paper advocates reforming the voluntary carbon market and similar systems to better account for forest conditions and to prevent unintended consequences, including more wildfires. Rainfall, soil health, and expected future droughts and heat waves should be considered before approving forest projects 'as a carbon emissions reduction solution,' the paper says. Satellite observations could identify areas where forests are growing and fuels are accumulating, leading them to be excluded from carbon markets 'due to the potential high emissions in case of future fires,' the paper says. The risk of wildfire and other environmental conditions that could damage forests 'must be included in our planning for the future and the schemes that we have in place,' Madani said.