The Cherry Tree Dilemma: Mindfulness, Complexity and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)

  In attachment blossoms fall, in aversion weeds spread. Dogen, Genjo Koan (1233 CE) Smack in the middle of the back yard is a non-native, very short tree that, when I moved in, looked like a dwarf, would-be weeping willow. Scraggly, neglected, it stood just over five feet high, and its branches hung down to the ground all around. It took up a fair amount of space; of course nothing grew in its shade. I did recognize it: a weeping cherry—not a naturally grown specimen of one of the beautiful Japanese varieties, but a “frankentree,” which, as Brian Funk of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden has written, “are the flowering cherries on sale at home improvement stores” that “look like mops, or umbrellas, or octopus trees.” They are created when “weeping cherry branches… are grafted onto a straight trunk that was cut off at five feet tall.”  Well yes, exactly. Not only was it ungainly, but: what was the point of its existence, and what good would it do?  I mentally tagged it for rem...

Podcast: "Saving the Ecosystem with Wild Backyards (and other awesome endeavors!)"


Rivera Sun and Sherri Mitchell
Rivera Sun and Sherri Mitchell of Love (and revolution) Radio contacted me for an interview about native plant gardening and reconciliation ecology. They are warm and encouraging radio hosts. We had a wonderful talk. Here is the link to the podcast

From the Love (and revolution) Radio website: 

"Rivera Sun is a novelist and non-violent mischief maker. She is the author of The Dandelion InsurrectionBillionaire Buddha and Steam Drills, Treadmills, and Shooting Stars. She is also the social media coordinator and nonviolence trainer for Campaign Nonviolence and Pace e Bene. Her essays on social justice movements are syndicated on by PeaceVoice, and appear in Truthout and Popular Resistance.www.riverasun.com.


Sherri Mitchell (Penobscot) is an Indigenous rights attorney, writer and activist who melds traditional life-way teachings into spirit-based movements. Follow her at Sherri Mitchell – Wena’gamu’gwasit." 

Rivera and Sherri interview all kinds of folks about sustainable living, so readers might want to subscribe to their email newsletter here.

Related Posts:
Ethics and Ecosystem Interactions: Why Reconciliation Ecology Matters
Urban Neighborhoods Can Be Good for Native Bees

Comments

Fernglade Farm said…
Hi Adrian,

Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the podcast and that I agree with you and respect your choice to provide food and housing for the local (and international) birds and insects.

Your observation about the application of the permaculture principles rather than the replication of an equivalent model was very astute.

Books are everything too! I've never taken a course, but rather pick, test and chose what works here and most of that information comes by way of the art of reading.

Plus, I appreciated hearing of your spiritual beliefs and how they apply to your work in the ecosystem. I respect the Quakers.

Thanks

Chris
Hi Chris, I really appreciate your comments, especially since I'm interested in what you are doing so far away in Australia. I think that books are one of the greatest of human technologies. The poet Gary Snyder wrote that for many of us, "books are our ancestors." Quakerism is my path, but it's just one of many spiritual paths that can lead a person or a whole society to care for their environment in beneficial ways. We must all be allies, I think.
Fernglade Farm said…
Hi Adrian,

Thank you for saying that and also for the excellent quote. Allies is a great way to put it.

Cheers

Chris