Sharing my finds, with the hope that you will share yours as well.
This month's online reads began on a light note with a piece reflecting on the cultural history of the plastic pink flamingo.An article in the Atlantic, "The Benefits of Getting Comfortable With Uncertainty," reminded me of a conversation I had with a student about our tendency to want to ground design ideas in science. But, given the complexity of ecological systems, how can we possibly understand existing conditions completely? Will we ever be able to predict how processes will unfold? The article also made me think about situations in which I've worked with clients that have different goals for the same site. Can our comfort level with uncertainly and multiple outcomes help us negotiate these situations?
A piece in the New York Times, "The ‘Rewilding’ of a Century-Old Cranberry Bog," raises questions about restoration. What are we restoring a landscape to? When there are so many questions left unanswered, how do we make decisions about how to move forward?
Another Times article, "In Poland: A Battle for the Fate of Europe’s Last Ancient Forest," highlights how people on opposite sides of an argument might share similar goals. Conservationists may have wildly different opinions on how to manage the same landscape. While some might argue for a hands-off approach, others might argue for intervention in order support specific animal and plant species. Looking at National Geographic's "Beautiful Photos of All 59 U.S. National Parks," I wondered how the Park Service negotiates different proposals for maintaining "natural" landscapes. If we knew how these landscapes were managed, would that affect our experience?
What happens when our desire to know all the answers, to reach consensus, or to have enough evidence, prevents us from taking action? The National Audubon Society talks about the dwindling populations of many bird species in "As Grasslands Disappear, so Goes the Melodious Meadowlark." NPR travels to the midwest in "U.S. Pays Farmers Billions To Save The Soil. But It's Blowing Away" to explore how land use practices are destroying the soil in the dust bowl...again. A piece in the Boston Globe explores the difficulty of convincing developers to make room for public space on private property.
Ecological processes will affect us regardless of how much time we spend analyzing them. Climate change is happening. Fast Company shared a fascinating animation of Refugee movements since 2000, and I couldn't help but think how climate change will continue to increase the number of climate refugees. How do we plan for this? A segment on NPR explored the connection between global warming and family planning. The New Yorker reminded us of a piece on sea-level rise in Miami. How we can respond to these immense challenges in light of uncertainty?
