A weed is defined as a plant considered undesirable in a particular place... a human way of seeing plants growing where they are not wanted. The human way of seeing natural plants invading cultivated land set aside for a selected plant with a specific use.
Invasive species are, more often than not, accidentally, and intentionally introduced from one are to another area and compete with the indigenous vegetation and animals.
So what if humans are the weeds?
In the forest humans are considered to be where they are not wanted by the wildlife there? Undesirable in that particular place!
if it is just our opinion that defines whether something is a weed or not then surely we can shift that thinking.
I think of the dandelion.
Mostly because it is THE flower that all children I have ever worked with connect with. Many consider it a weed. Historically it has been food and medicine... and I see a trend moving in that direction again.
The status of the dandelion is often low... because it is considered a weed. Having a low status makes it easy for people to ignore it, forget its importance and fail to value and respect it.
Yet the dandelion is connected to the ecosystem by being IMPORTANT first food for bees and other nectar eating creatures.
The dandelion is also a master of adaptation... it can grow just about everywhere, all over the world... and will have sort stalks when that is best, and long stalks when it can grow freely in long grass...
The dandelion has been able to respond quickly to all the changes that humans have created...
Others, like trees, can adapt, but need more time. And sadly in the era of the anthropocene change has been accelerated to such an extent that much in nature is not going to be able to adapt in time... ourselves included.
Humans have become the invasive species, the upright mammalian weed, outcompeting everything else without thinking about the consequences.
In the in-between I am so aware of my impact on my surroundings, and the ripple effect of that.
(17th April 2020. c. 18:00. No photo alterations)
The roe deer were a little undecided as to whether to stay or to go back into the forest. But they decided I was not to be trusted and bounced back into the forest and kept a watchful eye on me.
My very presence in the forest changes what happens, even when I am trying the whole time not to disturb, I know that I am upsetting whatever the animals are up to... I can hear the bird song change, or that they move from the tree they are feeding in, or singing from or their nest location... or the disgruntled blackbird making its mood known loudly... Sometimes, if I am still long enough, things resume. But I have become so aware that just by being there I bring change...
It’s like that with play too... Adult presence changes the play... not always for the worse.. and not always stopping the flow... but it always changes it. And we need to acknowledge that power we have over the children and play. It does not have to be a bd thing, we simply need to be aware of it.
New children joining other playing children shifts the play... so forcing children to accept others in the middle of an ongoing play will disturb it, even end it, breaking the play magic that was happening.
Supporting inclusive play is a subtle and complex art, based on helping the children to learn to listen and value each other, to know how to invite others in, and also when to wait to ask to be invited, by listening to each other’s play flow.
As an adult we keep a watchful eye to make sure children don’t ignore, purposely exclude and also know how to invite themselves in when the timing is right.
When it comes to the forest humans can certainly interact with it with equality. There we can learn from Indigenous peoples and also a more holistic traditional farming.
We don't have to be weeds. We can live in symbiosis. I will go more into this in future posts.
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