A Golden Opportunity

For almost 12,000 years, the world has been a pretty stable place, at least in terms of geology.  But scientists submit that with the intense acceleration of human activity over the last century, we’ve entered a new epoch: the proposed Anthropocene. 

Dr. Francine McCarthy is an Earth Sciences professor and micropalaeontologist at Brock University. In 2019, she was approached to lead a team of researchers seeking to determine whether human impact has gone so far as to change the very Earth beneath our feet.  

The team’s research was responsible for the selection of Crawford Lake (near Milton, Ontario) as the ‘golden spike’ candidate to mark the dawn of this proposed new epoch. The lake’s annually layered sediments (much like tree rings) record a rapid increase in markers of the dramatic increase in fossil fuel combustion in the mid-20th century that caused a permanent change in the Earth system.  

The culmination of Francine’s work with Crawford Lake happened to coincide with the rewriting of her will, and the rapidly changing planet was naturally at the top of her mind. “I found myself spending more time thinking about the state of our planet and its projected future than I ever had before,” says Francine. “I knew that through my legacy, I wanted to help communicate the urgency of climate action. 

Her long association with ROM, where most of the early research on Crawford Lake was performed, led her to contact the Museum’s Assistant Curator of Plants Deborah Metsger. 

“It struck me that ROM’s Climate Change Initiative could have the biggest impact. Through its wide-ranging collections and programming that span art, culture and nature, ROM is uniquely positioned to show how climate change affects all aspects of our lives, and to reach the largest possible audience—people of all ages, backgrounds and interests.” 

The appointment of Dr. Soren Brothers as ROM's inaugural Allan and Helaine Shiff Curator of Climate Change is what eventually sealed the deal, adds Francine. The position is the first of its kind at a major museum.  

“With such focus being given to its climate initiative, the Museum is developing meaningful ways to reach people and hopefully create a positive effect on our planet’s future.” 

Through her bequest, Francine joined the Currelly Legacy Society, an inspirational group of donors looking to ensure the future of the Museum—and the planet. They also enjoy special benefits, including exclusive events. If you would like to learn more about including ROM in your estate plans, please email janicec@rom.on.ca. 

Learn more about Crawford Lake and its significance here and here. 
Learn more about ROM’s Climate Change Initiative here.