Since the industrial revolution, and throughout the modern era, our connection to the ecosystems in which we live has dwindled, resulting in a lack of awareness and understanding about the relationships that determine our health and future. Tao Orion, author, and holistic ecologist has dedicated her time and energy to bringing this back to the forefront, and today on the podcast we have an amazing conversation with her about farming, forestation, and restoration.
Tao holds a degree in Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture from University of California Santa Cruz, as well as a degree in Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security, from the National University of Ireland. We are lucky enough to share in some of Tao's wisdom and learnings in this illuminating chat, covering her personal background, important experiences, and the specific approach that she has adopted to help shift the conversation towards a more regenerative and holistic space.
We talk about stewardship, care, and the power of older, indigenous knowledge, with Tao clarifying the roots of some commonly-held ideas and their colonial origins. She talks about concepts of purity and pristine nature, and what history actually teaches us about the so-called invasive species, exchange and travel, and how we can shift the way we look at land and life.
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Key Points From This Episode:
Tao's vision for a world where all human needs are met through a better relationship with our ecosystems.
Looking at Tao's background and the foundations of her desire to write Beyond the War on Invasive Species.
The roots of the war on invasive species, and tracing the introduction of herbicides.
How the war on invasive species has impacted and disenfranchised different communities.
Understanding the realities of cultivation and better stewardship of plants species.
Tao's experiences of reducing usage of herbicides in different projects.
Redirecting eradication processes; Tao's thoughts on the timber industry and beyond.
Tracing the history of our ecosystems and pre-colonial human exchange of plants and animal.
The dialogue around native ecosystems, repopulation, and the examination of food production.
A little bit about Restorative Design, its initiatives, and how Tao approaches her work with clients.
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Tweetables:
“We are ecological actors, and the modern, conventional worldview or paradigm can make it seem like we are somewhat disconnected but I think more and more, it is becoming evident that that has never been the case.” — @Tao_Orion
“I think it's important to understand that there are potentially other ways to address some of the concerns that are going with some of these concerns with plants and animals.” — @Tao_Orion
“Bringing indigenous knowledge and practice back to the forefront of ecological engagement is critical to this work.” — @Tao_Orion
“When you look a little bit deeper at that narrative, it becomes clear that people were engaging in long-distance exchanges of plants and animals long before Columbus came from Spain and arrived in Cuba.” — @Tao_Orion
“It is not all about us, these design systems are not just human-based, we should really be thinking about how we are providing for all of the other species that inhabit this place.” — @Tao_Orion
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Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Resilience Permaculture Design: http://www.resiliencepermaculture.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tao_orion?lang=en
Beyond the War on Invasive Species: https://www.powells.com/book/beyond-the-war-on-invasive-species-a-permaculture-approach-to-ecosystem-restoration-9781603585637
People as purposeful and conscientious resource stewards: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344716844_People_as_purposeful_and_conscientious_resource_stewards
Regenerative Ecology Alliance: http://www.resiliencepermaculture.com/regenerative-ecology-alliance-is-now-live/
Sogorea Te' Land Trust: https://sogoreate-landtrust.org/
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