(Text) Robin Wall Kimmerer. This text is also found in the Foundation section of the Education Cycle, but is included here as a helpful introduction to concept of the honorable harvest as well.

(Community) A welcome model of conservation through relationship (think harvest, not war). A quote from their site…“We see kudzu culture (aka ‘pueraculture’) as the human half of the equation that keeps this plant in dynamic equilibrium in our southern ecosystems. In working with and learning from the great gifts kudzu has to offer, we hope to weave a way of being with this – and all the creatures with which we cohabitate – that places us not in opposition to our living landscapes, but at home.”

(Resources) The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. As a science-based organization, they both conduct their own research and rely upon the most up-to-date information to guide our conservation work. Their key program areas are: pollinator conservation, endangered species conservation, and reducing pesticide use and impacts.

(Text) Gerald G. Marten. This section on feedback loops in human ecology is from the text also found in the Relation section of the Education Cycle. In the case of Conservation we draw particular attention to the section in this link, entitled “The Practical Significance of Positive and Negative Feedback”

(Text) Washtenaw County. Rain gardens help protect our nearby water bodies by filtering and soaking water back into the ground. A modest 1,500 square foot home produces 1,000 gallons of water from a one inch rainstorm. The water runs off from roofs, driveways, patios, and even lawn.

A simple, low-maintenance rain garden can catch much of that runoff, similar to how the natural environment would function. Learn how you can mimic nature's effects by following this guide to rain gardens.