Observation as a Multisolving Tool: We are becoming more and more convinced that observing—in its many forms—has enormous benefits in the work we do at the intersection of food and the climate and biodiversity crises. From unstructured curiosity-fed observation in a school garden, to local food supporters regularly monitoring a foodshed, to a community engaging in Citizen Science, observation can be a soul-healing therapy, a rich learning experience, a community service, and a contribution to scientific solutions to perplexing problems we face today.
Experts counsel us that careful observation is the key to good management, especially in biologically based gardening, farming, and ranching. Gardening with the Wild expert, Tammi Hartung sees it as her primary tool. Learning from nature, or biomimicry, as Gary Nabhan promotes, has careful observation at its roots. Observation is the core of our HCFS Wild School Gardens project. Benches in the garden are one of my favorite garden improvements and one of the most peaceful and reflective spots I can find during my day.
Monitoring the Local Foodshed: We consider the local foodshed to be the area we should look first for our food, and that area we should feel most responsible for. Repeated observations of what we call “indicators of foodshed health” takes us into the realm of monitoring. For us the local foodshed includes food producing ecosystems as well as the surrounding natural ecosystems which profoundly affect, and are affected by, our food production. Monitoring over time the air, water, wildlife and biodiversity, and ecosystem processes—in other words the foodshed’s health—is critical to our stewardship of these landscapes.
Seeing is Believing—for climate change in particular: Social science research indicates that education and simply relaying facts will not necessarily, by themselves, convince someone that climate change is a real problem that we must address. Rather, our experiences help shape how we interpret what we hear and “learn.” Along with gardening, observing over time the natural processes in and around our gardens, farms, and ranches holds great promise in helping the unconvinced that we all must act to address climate change—and why not start with local food.
B-6—Our Prescription for DNS (Disturbing News Syndrome): I must admit to being afflicted with DNS over the past few months as the political will on the federal level to protect and restore our environment is at a low point—for now. The therapeutic value of observation of nature in our managed and surrounding wild ecosystems can counteract this unsettling news, while keeping us engaged rather than “checking out.” A daily dose of B-6 can be just the answer—watching birds, bees, bats, bugs, beavers, and biota (soil biota that is). Foolishness aside, these are actually a few of the most important things we can be monitoring (and protecting) as human-caused climate change and other environmental disruptions affect our foodsheds and our ability to grow food.
Doubling the Dosage with Citizen Science: One big step beyond being watchful over time is to start sharing your observations with others. This can be done rather informally on a local community basis, or it can actually be reported through a large number Citizen Science programs to help scientists better understand the changes occurring and to develop science-based solutions to many of the problems we see. Lost Ladybug, Bumblebee Watch, Monarch Butterfly Project, eBird, Nature’s Notebook, Journey North, Project Budburst, PikaNet, Vegetable Varieties, and the CoCoRaHS weather network are examples of the large number of national projects set up by universities and scientific organizations that are quite easy to start contributing to. The value of observing thus becomes multiplied as we contribute to solutions.
Engaging Local Food Lovers as Environmental Activists: As Mary Ellen Hannibal documents in her new book, Citizen Scientist, many communities partner with scientists to set up their own citizen science programs to address specific local issues. Monitoring the local food system as a first step to protecting and restoring it can help engage those who love local food—and want to see more of it—become local environmental activists and stewards. Some who are convinced of climate change, but not active in fighting it, can find a way to become engaged. Others who do not yet see the climate crisis will become acutely aware of it if they watch the local foodshed and the impacts of climate and extreme weather on local farmers, ranchers, and gardeners.
Our Map, Monitor, and Adapt guides and our Observing guide and are designed specifically to help people and their communities start thinking of healthy foodsheds, monitor their health over time, and start planning to adapt local food production to a changing climate and in ways that achieve other biodiversity and conservation goals. It is our hope that you will check them out and adapt them to the needs of your community and local food system. Observation is the keystone of this whole process, and the most fun and rewarding. Don’t forget your B-6 every day!
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