Nice! What you seem to be describing, perhaps without knowing it, is the revival of Indigenous ways of viewing the world, ways we ALL shared, until the scourge of 'civilization' erased countless pieces of wisdom from our collective memories. In fact, if you haven't read it, you might be interested in 'Restoring the Kinship Worldview' by Wahinkpe Topa (Four Arrows, Don Jacobs) and Darcia Narvaez.
I am sorry John, but I feel Indigenous Knowledge has been over-hyped in the last few years. I don't believe ANY culture has the answers to our future in a Climate Changing and Resource Constrained World. Our only hope is to CHANGE and to base those changes on very careful Science. In Southern Africa, the worst examples of degraded landscapes are in those areas under traditional ownership and management. I am still waiting for the traditional knowledge of our region to make a contribution (however small) on how we can move forward from the present in order to ensure a better future for everyone. Bruce Danckwerts CHOMA Zambia
We are talking apples and oranges, a conversation that needs to be held in person. When I speak of Indigenous knowledge, I am not talking about the efforts of today, except among the 'uncontacted.' I am speaking of our ancient ways of living within our means, which we did for countless millennia and just as all of our fellow life forms, flora and fauna, do. I suspect that, if any of us manage to survive the collapse of industrial civilization, it will be those who are most able to adapt to the violent chaos that will follow. That probably won't include people who intellectualize about it.
In other words, we were ALL Indigenous peoples at one time, and we already knew everything we needed to know to succeed as a species. No, not to have computers or any of the rest of it, but 'enough.'
It's the one John Stuckey mentioned- 'Restoring the Kinship Worldview' by Wahinkpe Topa (Four Arrows, Don Jacobs) and Darcia Narvaez. I especially loved their discussion of how villages raise kids and The Evolved Nest....
LOL Well, add one more. Michael Pollan's 'How to Change Your Mind.' It's a history of the use of psychedelics, especially 'shrooms' in the treatment of emotional issues, addiction, etc. Very different angle, but equally fascinating and leads to where I want to be - 'letting go' and 'trusting the universe.'
Dear Rob, another inspiring article. Thank you. For about 3 months I have been trying to contact Dr Gavin Schmidt at the University of Columbia University who runs the NASA Climate model (according to an interview he did with Neil deGrasse Tyson). I asked him if his model could predict the rainfall of Southern Africa under the current level of tree cover, worsening tree-cover which is likely to be the case if nothing happens (60% of households use firewood for cooking and heating) or better, if we manage to persuade Southern Africa to restore their trees. To add to the mix, combine those 3 with current levels of Soil Health, worse and Better, plus current levels of Water Table depth, worse and Better (higher). So far I have failed to provoke a response from Dr. Schmidt. Just before Christmas I contacted the UK's Hadley Center to ask them to do the same. I at least got an acknowledgment and a promise that someone would get back to me early in the New Year - so I hope to hear back any day now. For other readers who may not yet appreciate the connection between soils health the water table and rainfall I beg them to read the various articles on the radio4pasa.com/bring-back-the-rains page of my website (which was originally set up to share knowledge of Profitable and Sustainable Agriculture (the PASA in the web's name) with smallscale traditional farmers. If there are any readers of this substack who could link me with any of the other Climate Models I would appreciate their help - I have contact details on that website. Bruce Danckwerts CHOMA Zambia
Thanks for pushing for answers. I am more and more convinced that the degradation of the biosphere is the primary and immediate concern in terms of climate. The effects are direct, immediate and everywhere. How has this stayed under the radar for so long?
I wonder if the new field of new materialism might have some answers? This is a pivot away from the Cartesian view of the world divided into objects and subjects and into a systems view, with emergent properties. For example energy is not a 'thing' which can be abstracted from the processes which produce it, it is instead an integral property of a system. I have recently written a piece on what that means for the drive to Net Zero, but it would be interesting to link this up with climate science as well...
Interesting. My sense of material began to change many years ago when I was working with artists on the packing and shipping of artworks. Various types of foam were used, which the artists shaped with electric carving knives to fit around the sturdiest parts of the objects. With the leftover pieces they would make incredibly inventive artworks. I realized that these artists were materialists in the best sense of the word. They understood and valued the material as it was. We denigrate "materialism" as a distasteful desire for material things, but actually it's the opposite of materialism, because people who accumulate "stuff," tend to have no appreciation for the material itself. I began to think that we needed a new materialism, or perhaps a true materialism, where all material is recognized and valued as holding some common property of miracle that can only be ascertained through careful appreciation.
I don't know if that fits with what you are talking about. Can you send a link to your article?
Thanks for mentioning Bio4Climate. We started this conversation in 2013 with our interest in the effect of holistic livestock management on reviving brittle landscapes and have featured thought leaders on the soil carbon sponge, the biotic pump, water management, and ecorestoration around the world. Today biodiversity and climate change are seen as related crisis, though not many understand the full way they interact. Rob's writings on Milan Milan tell that story beautifully.
For me a big highlight of 2024 was the European Union passing the Nature Restoration Law which clearly acknowledges the role of biodiversity in climate change. Bio4Climate also attended and spoke at New York Climate Week last year- where the number of exhibits for Nature Based Solutions was double that of 2023. While our message of #naturecools got a lot of blank looks- we see a growing interest in the role of nature and climate.
There is plenty more work to do, especially as the world moves into mitigating climate change on a hot, dry planet. Nature is still our best hope and Bio4Climate continues to offer courses, webinars and community.
Thanks, Beck. Yes. This is the sort of thing where the more you look into it, the more you see. It also overlaps with indigenous thinking and perhaps our deepest desire, which is to be at peace with and at home on this Earth. It's only a matter of time before the mechanistic, carbon only, computer-model vision of climate gives way to this more alive perspective. Bio4climate has been so key to my own journey. I hope more people make it your way.
Thanks for mentioning Bio4Climate. We started this conversation in 2013 with our interest in the effect of holistic livestock management on reviving brittle landscapes and have featured thought leaders on the soil carbon sponge, the biotic pump, water management, reforestation etc. Today biodiversity and climate change are seen as related crisis, though not many understand the full way they interact. Rob's writings on Milan Milan tell that story beautifully.
For me a big highlight of 2024 was the European Union passing the Nature Restoration Law which clearly acknowledges the role of biodiversity in climate change. Bio4Climate also attended and spoke at New York Climate Week last year- where the number of exhibits for Nature Based Solutions was double that of 2023. While our message of #naturecools got a lot of blank looks- we see a growing interest in the role of nature.
There is plenty more work to do, especially as the world moves into mitigating climate change on a hot dry planet. Nature is still our best hope and Bio4Climate continues to offer courses, webinars and community.
Thanks for highlighting the role of fresh water. Time to move the discussion inland and recognize there's more to climate impact than rising sea levels
Exciting post!
Nice! What you seem to be describing, perhaps without knowing it, is the revival of Indigenous ways of viewing the world, ways we ALL shared, until the scourge of 'civilization' erased countless pieces of wisdom from our collective memories. In fact, if you haven't read it, you might be interested in 'Restoring the Kinship Worldview' by Wahinkpe Topa (Four Arrows, Don Jacobs) and Darcia Narvaez.
I am sorry John, but I feel Indigenous Knowledge has been over-hyped in the last few years. I don't believe ANY culture has the answers to our future in a Climate Changing and Resource Constrained World. Our only hope is to CHANGE and to base those changes on very careful Science. In Southern Africa, the worst examples of degraded landscapes are in those areas under traditional ownership and management. I am still waiting for the traditional knowledge of our region to make a contribution (however small) on how we can move forward from the present in order to ensure a better future for everyone. Bruce Danckwerts CHOMA Zambia
We are talking apples and oranges, a conversation that needs to be held in person. When I speak of Indigenous knowledge, I am not talking about the efforts of today, except among the 'uncontacted.' I am speaking of our ancient ways of living within our means, which we did for countless millennia and just as all of our fellow life forms, flora and fauna, do. I suspect that, if any of us manage to survive the collapse of industrial civilization, it will be those who are most able to adapt to the violent chaos that will follow. That probably won't include people who intellectualize about it.
In other words, we were ALL Indigenous peoples at one time, and we already knew everything we needed to know to succeed as a species. No, not to have computers or any of the rest of it, but 'enough.'
Also loved that Kinship book....
Thanks, Dale. Can you share the title?
It's the one John Stuckey mentioned- 'Restoring the Kinship Worldview' by Wahinkpe Topa (Four Arrows, Don Jacobs) and Darcia Narvaez. I especially loved their discussion of how villages raise kids and The Evolved Nest....
You might also enjoy Jean Liedloff's 'The Continuum Concept.'
Thanks, John. My stack is rising!
LOL Well, add one more. Michael Pollan's 'How to Change Your Mind.' It's a history of the use of psychedelics, especially 'shrooms' in the treatment of emotional issues, addiction, etc. Very different angle, but equally fascinating and leads to where I want to be - 'letting go' and 'trusting the universe.'
Thanks, Dale. I will look for it.
Rob, thank you! You might be interested in this interview with Lyle Lewis about rivers, land, hydrology, and beavers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0KSPnGQbew
Thanks, Elisabeth. I'll check it out.
Excellent post and greatly needed.
Rob, you have been more than kind mentioning me. Thank you, means a lot.
Thank you for your great work.
Dear Rob, another inspiring article. Thank you. For about 3 months I have been trying to contact Dr Gavin Schmidt at the University of Columbia University who runs the NASA Climate model (according to an interview he did with Neil deGrasse Tyson). I asked him if his model could predict the rainfall of Southern Africa under the current level of tree cover, worsening tree-cover which is likely to be the case if nothing happens (60% of households use firewood for cooking and heating) or better, if we manage to persuade Southern Africa to restore their trees. To add to the mix, combine those 3 with current levels of Soil Health, worse and Better, plus current levels of Water Table depth, worse and Better (higher). So far I have failed to provoke a response from Dr. Schmidt. Just before Christmas I contacted the UK's Hadley Center to ask them to do the same. I at least got an acknowledgment and a promise that someone would get back to me early in the New Year - so I hope to hear back any day now. For other readers who may not yet appreciate the connection between soils health the water table and rainfall I beg them to read the various articles on the radio4pasa.com/bring-back-the-rains page of my website (which was originally set up to share knowledge of Profitable and Sustainable Agriculture (the PASA in the web's name) with smallscale traditional farmers. If there are any readers of this substack who could link me with any of the other Climate Models I would appreciate their help - I have contact details on that website. Bruce Danckwerts CHOMA Zambia
Thanks for pushing for answers. I am more and more convinced that the degradation of the biosphere is the primary and immediate concern in terms of climate. The effects are direct, immediate and everywhere. How has this stayed under the radar for so long?
Have you heard from the Hadley Center?
I wonder if the new field of new materialism might have some answers? This is a pivot away from the Cartesian view of the world divided into objects and subjects and into a systems view, with emergent properties. For example energy is not a 'thing' which can be abstracted from the processes which produce it, it is instead an integral property of a system. I have recently written a piece on what that means for the drive to Net Zero, but it would be interesting to link this up with climate science as well...
Interesting. My sense of material began to change many years ago when I was working with artists on the packing and shipping of artworks. Various types of foam were used, which the artists shaped with electric carving knives to fit around the sturdiest parts of the objects. With the leftover pieces they would make incredibly inventive artworks. I realized that these artists were materialists in the best sense of the word. They understood and valued the material as it was. We denigrate "materialism" as a distasteful desire for material things, but actually it's the opposite of materialism, because people who accumulate "stuff," tend to have no appreciation for the material itself. I began to think that we needed a new materialism, or perhaps a true materialism, where all material is recognized and valued as holding some common property of miracle that can only be ascertained through careful appreciation.
I don't know if that fits with what you are talking about. Can you send a link to your article?
Thanks for mentioning Bio4Climate. We started this conversation in 2013 with our interest in the effect of holistic livestock management on reviving brittle landscapes and have featured thought leaders on the soil carbon sponge, the biotic pump, water management, and ecorestoration around the world. Today biodiversity and climate change are seen as related crisis, though not many understand the full way they interact. Rob's writings on Milan Milan tell that story beautifully.
For me a big highlight of 2024 was the European Union passing the Nature Restoration Law which clearly acknowledges the role of biodiversity in climate change. Bio4Climate also attended and spoke at New York Climate Week last year- where the number of exhibits for Nature Based Solutions was double that of 2023. While our message of #naturecools got a lot of blank looks- we see a growing interest in the role of nature and climate.
There is plenty more work to do, especially as the world moves into mitigating climate change on a hot, dry planet. Nature is still our best hope and Bio4Climate continues to offer courses, webinars and community.
Thanks, Beck. Yes. This is the sort of thing where the more you look into it, the more you see. It also overlaps with indigenous thinking and perhaps our deepest desire, which is to be at peace with and at home on this Earth. It's only a matter of time before the mechanistic, carbon only, computer-model vision of climate gives way to this more alive perspective. Bio4climate has been so key to my own journey. I hope more people make it your way.
Thanks for mentioning Bio4Climate. We started this conversation in 2013 with our interest in the effect of holistic livestock management on reviving brittle landscapes and have featured thought leaders on the soil carbon sponge, the biotic pump, water management, reforestation etc. Today biodiversity and climate change are seen as related crisis, though not many understand the full way they interact. Rob's writings on Milan Milan tell that story beautifully.
For me a big highlight of 2024 was the European Union passing the Nature Restoration Law which clearly acknowledges the role of biodiversity in climate change. Bio4Climate also attended and spoke at New York Climate Week last year- where the number of exhibits for Nature Based Solutions was double that of 2023. While our message of #naturecools got a lot of blank looks- we see a growing interest in the role of nature.
There is plenty more work to do, especially as the world moves into mitigating climate change on a hot dry planet. Nature is still our best hope and Bio4Climate continues to offer courses, webinars and community.
Thanks for highlighting the role of fresh water. Time to move the discussion inland and recognize there's more to climate impact than rising sea levels
You're probably already on to this, Rob, but I found this article on the properties of tree bark as medicine and removers of methane to be new information to me. https://medium.com/the-quantastic-journal/tree-bark-the-beauty-and-importance-of-natures-skin-5ac33992bd32