Ecosystem Events as Indicators – Learning from the orchestra

Observing these patterns is something that I am deeply interested in. I love to collect indicators and distill what they mean in terms of design. Every ecosystem has them, and every ecosystem therefore needs a book written on them. These patterns are events in space and time that happen to or with specific elements. They require us to uber conscious as they are subtle and easily missed in our hyper techno lives. Below are some examples of temporal patterns and how they can guide design.

The Black Poplar

One of my favourite indicators is the Black Poplar. In Calgary we have very erratic weather due to our proximity to the mountains. For this reason, it can be hard to know when to plant your garden to avoid the last frost. To get a sense of when to plant, you can look at long range forecasts, which are always wrong, or you can go to the elder in the ecosystem, our native black poplar. This tree observes the weather far better than I do and can see, smell or sense the climatic patterns that I can’t. Because it is native, it knows when the last frost will come and can make a really good guess about when it should put out its leaves. This gives me a clue as to when I should put out my garden.

More Abstract

Most of us are bound to working 9 to 5 for most of the year. In addition most of us vacation at the same time, in the same places. This creates chaos through the entire system. I would argue one of the most important ways that you can regain control and sanity of your life is by designing the time element.

Some examples of chaos due to poor time planning:

Rush hour

High season and low season for vacation rentals

Market gardening (everyone is producing at the same time reduces the price)

50% off end of season sales

If you can find a way to own your time, or at least more of it, you can find niches in space and time to take advantage of low traffic periods, cheap shorts at the end of the season, growing food that has a counter schedule to mainstream growers or adding value to your products so that they are available at different times and vacationing in the off season. In life, this means either less money to generate or more money generated in less time which equals more free time and a higher quality of life. One of the ways that we have been able to live on so little is this exact principle. After my epiphany, what I realized was that for us to reach the next stage in our life, we have to get the timing right in our design.

To summarize, we have to get all three of the design legs on the stool right to make great regenerative design. If we get it wrong, the system will wind down. If we get it close, the system will function, but if we get it right, it will soar! In terms of ecological design, we look for metrics that indicate whether we are dealing with an upward spiral, a static system or a downward spiral.

Metrics for upward spirals:

Ecological systems

more soil

more bugs

more diversity

fewer pioneer species (weeds)

fungi

faster growth than a similar species in close proximity

less predation

fewer plant pathogens

more output for the same or less work

In our lives and businesses

more money for less time (not following the trends of others in your industry)

less money to do the same things (doing things off season, taking advantage of the chaos)

less energy to get the same distance (wheel barrows, total immersion swimming, bicycles)

In the end we have to be conscious of the feedback that we receive. In integrated design, our landscapes will tell us what they need if we are tuned in and conscious to what is happening. Using herbicides is an example of not being conscious. In our businesses, our cash flow, level of energy, enthusiasm and passion will indicate if we are doing the right things. In our lives, meditation and self awareness, both mental and physical, provide us with the same clues as weeds in the garden. Ultimately, we are all connected elementally in space and time as an ecosystem. Our job is to learn how to dance again with everyone we are connected to. So, go out and make some music, I’m looking forward to seeing and hearing it!