Erna Buffie: Out on a Limb

About this episode

Stuart Murray interviews Erna Buffie about her book 'Out on a Limb' and the crisis facing Winnipeg's urban forest.

Stuart Murray sits down with Winnipeg writer, filmmaker, and environmental advocate Erna Buffie. After more than two decades producing science documentaries for CBC's The Nature of Things, Erna has turned her attention closer to home — documenting why Winnipeg's urban forest is in crisis, and what it will take to save it. Her book Out on a Limb makes the case that trees aren't a civic amenity. They're essential infrastructure. We're talking: Why Winnipeg — despite its iconic canopy of elms — scores among the lowest of major Canadian cities for greenness, and what's driving that decline The health benefits of urban trees and the argument for treating trees as infrastructure: for every $1 invested in a tree, the city sees $6 in benefits Why "we'll just plant more" isn't the answer — and why it takes a minimum of 10 years for a sapling to deliver even a fraction of what a mature tree provides The case for a private tree bylaw — why more than 700 cities have passed them, and why Winnipeg has been reluctant to follow As Erna puts it, trees aren't just a pretty way to beautify a city. They cool the air, capture pollutants, absorb rainwater, support biodiversity, and help us build the…

People in this episode

Host: Stuart Murray

Guest: Erna Buffie

Topics covered

• urban forestry
• environmental advocacy
• climate resilience
• health benefits of trees
• Winnipeg's urban forest crisis

Keywords

• urban trees
• Winnipeg
• environment
• infrastructure
• climate change
• biodiversity
• tree bylaw

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: CBC

Books & works: Out on a Limb

Places: Winnipeg, McNally Robinson

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