[Pollinator] Integrating Pollinator and Human Landscapes

[Droege, Sam]

All

This week I spoke to a group of Landscape Architects.  Good discussions and
I pointed out that I thought one of our biggest societal problems was the
perceived conflict between creating landscapes friendly to pollinators
(and, btw, to all of nature) and the traditionally acceptable tended
landscapes that are mowed regularly.

It turns out that this has been thought of before and likely quite deeply
by landscape architects.  Here is a fabulous article from the 90's:

 http://www.ncrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/jrnl/1995/nc_1995_nassauer_001.pdf
<http://www.ncrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/jrnl/1995/nc_1995_nassauer_001.pdf>

The key point here is that people really don't necessarily NOT want natural
landscapes what they want is a landscape that is clearly cared for.  A
naturalized landscape is often preferred, but it must be neat and fit into
the norms of the culture.  Of great importance is the presences of human
structures (sidewalks, fences, houses, buildings etc.) that are clearly
demarcated by neatly mown areas, are in good shape and show that the owner
of the property takes care of their property and has done all these things
on purpose.

I think it would be very useful to build into the advice we provide about
plantings some elements that present shows of care and intention of those
environments, else we risk alienating the very audiences we want to
convert.

I also think it might be useful to have more landscape architects on board
with what we do.

sam

  From a Country Overlooked


There are no creatures you cannot love.

A frog calling at God
>From the moon-filled ditch
As you stand on the country road in the June night.
The sound is enough to make the stars weep
With happiness.
In the morning the landscape green
Is lifted off the ground by the scent of grass.
The day is carried across its hours
Without any effort by the shining insects
That are living their secret lives.
The space between the prairie horizons
Makes us ache with its beauty.
Cottonwood leaves click in an ancient tongue
To the farthest cold dark in the universe.
The cottonwood also talks to you
Of breeze and speckled sunlight.
You are at home in these
great empty places
along with red-wing blackbirds and sloughs.
You are comfortable in this spot
so full of grace and being
that it sparkles like jewels
spilled on water.


           - Tom Hennen

-- 
*Bees are Not Optional*

*Apes sunt et non liberum*
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