I like your observation about the aftercare of newly planted trees Rhyd. Something that doesn't get thought about or discussed often enough within most (all?) well-meaning conservation initiatives. Watering, feeding and weeding (i.e. protecting) hand-planted saplings for several years post-planting is much harder than the feel good hit of tree planting itself. But that is where real work potentially begins. A minor point perhaps, but it speaks volumes about our modern, 'grant-led' relationship to the (sacred?) task of restoring nature. 'We can fix this - no problem.' Rather 'we can fix this - but it will take a lot of engaged work'.
Yeah, I was struck by this, too - those dying trees feel like a metaphor for all kinds of beings caught on the receiving end of projects to "fix" things. I'd say it's the whole mindset of "fixing" that leads to this, where what's called for is rather to "get back involved" or "come back into relationship" with trees, places and beings (seen and unseen). Involvement or relationship suggest a paradigm of ongoingness, whereas fixing suggests a paradigm in which you get the job done and move on. (Though the latter is appropriate to some situations, as the example of the builders suggests!)
I deeply agree with this, except for one thing: Caring for a plant longterm is a very feel-good experience in its own right. I just really want to point that out, its really not just the planting that feels good :)
Yes, but "caring for a plant throughout its entire life" isn't an easy "virtue signal" to translate into social capital. Hard to create green-washing photo ops from the true work involved...
Wondering if you have come across the work of Mikki kastan and the concept of 'capacity gap'? When so many things need to be done and we also need to tend to our limits and boundaries then for sure some things aren't getting done... And dealing with the sadness of that, collectively. We will need a lot of that I guess.
This may be a long shot, but I wonder if Alan Watt's The Book holds any interest? After traveling the path the book takes you on, and trying to hold the resulting view of reality it arrives at, lots of things look and feel very different - other people, "purpose", what is "divine", the entire process of differentiating, naming, and separating pieces of reality, particularly myself/not-myself, with all that entails in accepting vs refusing to accept wholes either internally or externally. I'm not very good with words, but this was a profound book.
I like your observation about the aftercare of newly planted trees Rhyd. Something that doesn't get thought about or discussed often enough within most (all?) well-meaning conservation initiatives. Watering, feeding and weeding (i.e. protecting) hand-planted saplings for several years post-planting is much harder than the feel good hit of tree planting itself. But that is where real work potentially begins. A minor point perhaps, but it speaks volumes about our modern, 'grant-led' relationship to the (sacred?) task of restoring nature. 'We can fix this - no problem.' Rather 'we can fix this - but it will take a lot of engaged work'.
Yeah, I was struck by this, too - those dying trees feel like a metaphor for all kinds of beings caught on the receiving end of projects to "fix" things. I'd say it's the whole mindset of "fixing" that leads to this, where what's called for is rather to "get back involved" or "come back into relationship" with trees, places and beings (seen and unseen). Involvement or relationship suggest a paradigm of ongoingness, whereas fixing suggests a paradigm in which you get the job done and move on. (Though the latter is appropriate to some situations, as the example of the builders suggests!)
Absolutely Dougald. 'Lets get Brexit Done'; 'It's oven ready'; 'bish, bash, bosh' 'climatechangesolutions.com' etc.
I don't think the World quite works like that!
I deeply agree with this, except for one thing: Caring for a plant longterm is a very feel-good experience in its own right. I just really want to point that out, its really not just the planting that feels good :)
Yes, but "caring for a plant throughout its entire life" isn't an easy "virtue signal" to translate into social capital. Hard to create green-washing photo ops from the true work involved...
Oh true that, unfortunately
Wondering if you have come across the work of Mikki kastan and the concept of 'capacity gap'? When so many things need to be done and we also need to tend to our limits and boundaries then for sure some things aren't getting done... And dealing with the sadness of that, collectively. We will need a lot of that I guess.
I hadn't heard of Kastan though had heard the term. Definitely applicable not just for organizations but also individuals!
Perhaps this might be useful. (Perhaps you’re already aware of this.)
https://www.microsolidarity.cc/
This may be a long shot, but I wonder if Alan Watt's The Book holds any interest? After traveling the path the book takes you on, and trying to hold the resulting view of reality it arrives at, lots of things look and feel very different - other people, "purpose", what is "divine", the entire process of differentiating, naming, and separating pieces of reality, particularly myself/not-myself, with all that entails in accepting vs refusing to accept wholes either internally or externally. I'm not very good with words, but this was a profound book.