Sacred-Earth Land-Nurturing – An Introduction

Sacred-Earth Land-Nurturing, a book by Steven D Redman, has been compiled for farmers, homesteaders, land-carers, environmental educators, conservationists and more. It amalgamates the theories and ethics of Permaculture, Land Stewardship and Biodiversity Conservation practices, plus it provides useful templates to help assist with nurturing of the planet.

Each week on Permaculture News we will share with you a snippet from various chapters of the book which is available on Blurb

Where there is no vision, there is no hope.

George Washington Carver

Introduction

Just like interpretation and teaching, land nurturing is all about service to the community.  Careful land-nurturing gives a living legacy to the future. We receive great joy and enchantment by practicing this art. The agrarian-conservationist calling is an honourable one. Since ecology is all about the interrelatedness of everything, and it concerns us all, the book is for everyone. Farmers, ranchers, teachers, scientists, gardeners, permaculturalists, ecological-foresters, landscape planners, designers, regenerationists, stewards and philosophers may find it especially useful.

It is best applied to private land ownership exceeding a half-acre, but its nurturing techniques can be used virtually anywhere, except within a designated native ecosystem wilderness area (where the appropriate goal is to fully preserve that unique area). It can be used with all manner of land “ownership” regimes: tribal, cooperative, educational, spiritual, trust, private, even public or military lands. It is not an exclusive, all-or-nothing program. Parts of it might be employed by you or stimulate your own ideas, and other parts might not. Or, it could be employed fully on one site and not as much on another, depending on the choices of the land owner or steward. This is about exciting everybody to join in this celebration and responsibility. It is not about being absolute purists or anti-social citizens, although folks are free to be like that if they wish. I just think that inclusion is a much more kind, healthy and useful approach. Better to diplomatically inspire than to be condescending and exclusive or fanatical. I have a broad vision, which sees a huge diversity of ecologically-sensitive land-nurturing styles very commonly practiced throughout the world and over most all domesticated acreage, so as to sustain the planet’s ecological and human health indefinitely!

Finally, in developing this theme, I came to wonder; is the practice of land-nurturing like a watershed? How is it? Could the flow of such a story be related to a watershed? They can be related to each other because they are both cyclic. The watershed is renewed by rains from the ocean, while the ecologically-sensitive care for the water-land communities is self-renewing because it recognises the irreplaceable miracle of Life on Earth, it recognises the human right to happy and healthy community, it preserves forests, wilderness, soil, wetlands and waterbodies, water and air quality, and it strives to sustains these in perpetuity.

The story (in writing) of caring for the land is like being in the land and watershed, because it is in the land. That is, the people of the land live within it, as do their stories and values. So, the two are one. Their stories and culture are contiguous with their place. That place is the miracle of Life on Earth. The chapters involved in caring for the water-land can be understood as the river’s progress toward the sea. The stream is driven by slope, gravity and the Sun-driven-water cycle. The practices of caring for this world are inspired by the honouring of the gift of Earth-Life. The stream’s goal is the ocean. The goal of caring for the water-land is to perpetuate its vitality, beauty and gifts. As the stream reaches the ocean, it has returned to its source. As caring comes to fruition in loving-kind relationships with magic places within Earth’s biosphere, it has arrived at its source of purpose, and is renewed by the high mountain rains of faith in a Living future.

There are parallels in my telling of the story with versions spoke of in Thoreau’s pond or in his faith in a seed, with Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha, and with Aldo Leopold’s Round River, to name a few. There are parallels in a philosopher’s (such as John Muir) visions in the wilderness which then flow into the larger community.

Imagine the story of our watershed of caring beginning in a heavy mist high in the mountains, in a sublime flower meadow nestled below prominent crags. In a wilderness-shelter there appear nine mythic elders from out of the glowing, dusky mist. They build a small fire at the heart of the circle. One begins to tell a story concerning the human purpose in the world. The eight others speak in turn, and together they weave a radiant vision to honour the mysterious Creation. It clearly sees a holy and mesmerising Life-covenant with the Creation. They are warm and made happy in the glow of this Life-circle. The nine elders talk late into the mysterious night, and fall asleep around the glowing fire.

They awake to a sunny morning; the whole scene gilded in a shimmering dew. Descending slowly from the lofty mountain flower meadow, each in a near trance of astonishment. Each one’s eyes are wide open, each one’s heart feels so peaceful. They are speechless and feel so alive. Their minds have merged with the sentience of the water-land. They hear it speaking. They feel such peace in the harmonies of its melodic oration. They are lulled by the whispers from the gently waving mists, so content by the rhythms of its drips from every object, their minds laugh with sparkling joy, and a magic thrill tickles their bellies. Reaching the lower watershed, they diffuse into their respective communities to share the truth of the wise covenant with all Life on Earth.

I wonder upon how long they have done this, and at how long they may continue to honour Life. Was it Thoreau who said, “In Life is the purpose of the world.”, or was that another old friend of mine?

Steven D. Redman, January 16^th, 2017.