State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

eastern deciduous forest

  • Dipping your feet in the water (A first year’s experience with fieldwork)

    Dipping your feet in the water (A first year’s experience with fieldwork)

    My feet are soaking wet and I’m playing a game of Marco Polo, but I’m nowhere near a pool. It’s my second day on the job. It’s my second week of college. I have no idea what to expect.

  • Brief Broadleaf Forest Happenings: tulip goodness, delighted about Turkey, and drought

    Brief Broadleaf Forest Happenings: tulip goodness, delighted about Turkey, and drought

    I have to call myself out. Earlier I had professed to being a former coniferphile. That was, of course, silly. I like coniferous trees very much. Half of my business is made from this lovely branch of the tree family. This introduction is a lead in to say that this blog will be quieter while…

  • Around the Broadleaf World in 180 Days

    Around the Broadleaf World in 180 Days

    I have been very fortunate lately. In the last 6 months I visited forests I have longed dreamed about and visited forests I had never dreamed of before. I have been so fortunate that it is hard to believe. And, it is only going to get better in the next two weeks. Early in my…

  • Charismatic Megaflora: What do Old Trees Look Like?

    Charismatic Megaflora: What do Old Trees Look Like?

    Charismatic megaflora? What kind of a tree might that be? As with many things, one person’s charismatic megaflora is another person’s tree. For myself, a tree that would draw and hold my attention as a younger person/student is very different than my current definition of a charismatic tree.

  • Confessions from a Former Coniferphile

    Confessions from a Former Coniferphile

    The first time I felt truly fanatical about coniferous trees was while walking among the great eastern white pine trees in the Adirondack State Park as an undergraduate research assistant and student.

Collage of Turkiye beach scene and Columbia University Campus with text: UN Climate Change Conference COP31, Antalya, Turkiye, Nov 9-20, 2026

COP31, the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference, aims to advance dialogue, strengthen consensus, and accelerate climate action on a global scale. From November 9–20, 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye, heads of state, ministers, scientists, business leaders, and civil society will gather to advance efforts in emission targets, climate finance, and adaptation and resilience. Once again, our experts, students, and global thought leaders from Columbia Climate School and across Columbia University are contributing to key events, sharing insights, and helping shape the dialogue toward ambitious, science-based solutions. Learn More

  • Dipping your feet in the water (A first year’s experience with fieldwork)

    Dipping your feet in the water (A first year’s experience with fieldwork)

    My feet are soaking wet and I’m playing a game of Marco Polo, but I’m nowhere near a pool. It’s my second day on the job. It’s my second week of college. I have no idea what to expect.

  • Brief Broadleaf Forest Happenings: tulip goodness, delighted about Turkey, and drought

    Brief Broadleaf Forest Happenings: tulip goodness, delighted about Turkey, and drought

    I have to call myself out. Earlier I had professed to being a former coniferphile. That was, of course, silly. I like coniferous trees very much. Half of my business is made from this lovely branch of the tree family. This introduction is a lead in to say that this blog will be quieter while…

  • Around the Broadleaf World in 180 Days

    Around the Broadleaf World in 180 Days

    I have been very fortunate lately. In the last 6 months I visited forests I have longed dreamed about and visited forests I had never dreamed of before. I have been so fortunate that it is hard to believe. And, it is only going to get better in the next two weeks. Early in my…

  • Charismatic Megaflora: What do Old Trees Look Like?

    Charismatic Megaflora: What do Old Trees Look Like?

    Charismatic megaflora? What kind of a tree might that be? As with many things, one person’s charismatic megaflora is another person’s tree. For myself, a tree that would draw and hold my attention as a younger person/student is very different than my current definition of a charismatic tree.

  • Confessions from a Former Coniferphile

    Confessions from a Former Coniferphile

    The first time I felt truly fanatical about coniferous trees was while walking among the great eastern white pine trees in the Adirondack State Park as an undergraduate research assistant and student.