Bridging past and future: rethinking our relationship with the land
A delicate mix of heritage and innovation, and learning from what did not work.
When the first colonizers started exploring the Americas, they thought they had found an endless land covered in wilderness and an unextinguishable amount of game and wildlife. As author M. Kat Anderson explains in her book “Tending the Wild”, this could not have been further from the truth. American ecosystems were far from the untamed wilderness and closer to well-curated gardens. Native Americans had spent centuries over centuries perfecting harvesting and cultivation techniques that would promote the presence of diverse ecosystems and transitional zones rich in biodiversity. They purposefully spread seeds and removed weeds to encourage the growth of desired species and hinder the growth of invasive ones. They masterfully utilized small and controlled fires to reduce biomass and undergrowth in forests, effectfully mitigating the dangers of destructive and uncontrollable wildfires. They observed regional movements of wildlife and deduced appropriate timings for hunting and fishing without damaging population numbers. They knew how to prepare for each season, how to preserve foods and dry meats, how much to harvest, and how much to leave behind. Their nomadic life ensured that no place would fall prey to intense human presence, and instead, the footprint of each tribe was evenly distributed across the landscape.
European settlers did not understand the deep relationship that connected Native Americans to their landscapes and proceeded with their extermination and cultural annihilation. Nonetheless, in different forms, Europeans had also established a deep relationship with the landscape once, and in Europe as well, it had been slowly demonized and destroyed.
The conquering mentality that took over land management, imposing agriculture and forestry on the landscape with the power of science and sheer will, disassembling and simplifying complex ecosystems in their components, brought great benefits for developing scientific thinking but also robbed local communities of many holistic approaches that were not explainable by existing scientific paradigms.
Today, in both worlds, little remains of what once were traditional mosaic landscapes characterized by extensive land management practices, essential for sustainable farming. In fact, about a third of European agricultural lands are affected by soil erosion due to changes in climatic conditions, intensive and inadequate land use patterns, farmer’s land management choices, and socio-economic development. This results in the homogenization of vast areas of the landscape, reducing even more above and below-ground biodiversity and soil carbon content.
Along with the loss of ecosystems, we are also experiencing an incredible loss of traditional ecological knowledge that used to be at the base of sustainable land use practices and local seasonal rhythms. This phenomenon has important repercussions on rural areas, where a lack of connection with the landscape leads to lowered perceived agency (power to take action), a lowered sense of community, and heightened negative feelings towards oneself and the surroundings.
While degenerative processes are all around us, resulting in increased land abandonment, dangerous and uncontrollable wildfires, loss of biodiversity and natural habitats, drought, pollution and soil erosion, small seeds of positive change point to say that not all is lost.
“Restoring land without restoring relationship is an empty exercise. It is relationship that will endure & relationship that will sustain the restored land”
–Robin Wall Kimmerer
The rise of regenerative thinking, the valorization of traditional ecological knowledge and many community-led initiatives are slowly moving the needle towards a more sustainable future. Many of these initiatives take a place-based approach, encouraging a bottom-up reinvention of our relationship with the landscape through community building, strengthening personal agency, and sharing knowledge networks. In agriculture, practices such as regenerative land management, invite farmers to weave together people and nature, and stimulate a reconciliation of human life with natural systems.
For example, the bioregional weaving labs have been collecting and sharing experiences of worldwide initiatives that, through the implementation of regenerative agriculture principles, have re-established a constructive relationship with the landscape and with their community, by fostering a culture of sharing of knowledge, material resources and labour, for the benefit of all.
Whether or not we work the land, we all have a role in the preservation of our connections with the landscape. For example, our traditions dictate many formal and informal rules regarding the food we eat, how we eat it, and with whom; they also dictate seasonal gatherings and celebrations, that often allude to an agricultural past.
Our language is also entrenched with the landscape and its rhythms through stories and fairy tales, sayings, songs, and poetry. Many elders know and transmit these knowings to the younger generations, and lots of this heritage is constantly lost and re-created over time when the right conditions are fostered.
It is important not to be nostalgic about the past or stubbornly cling to traditions that no longer serve us. After all, we cannot turn our minds and landscapes into museums. Nonetheless, there is much traditional knowledge that still contains powerful and applicable wisdom and that is in danger of being lost.
The challenge before us is not just to preserve landscapes and traditions but to adapt them in a way that honors the past while meeting the needs of the present. By fostering knowledge-sharing, deepening our connection to place, and reimagining our role in the landscape, we can create a future where nature and culture thrive together.
What can we do?
Learn from local and Indigenous knowledge – Seek out stories, practices, and ecological wisdom from those who have long cared for the land. Books, community elders, and traditional festivals are great starting points.
Support regenerative and place-based initiatives – Whether through sustainable farming, community-led conservation, or ethical food choices, we can back efforts that restore ecosystems and livelihoods.
Rekindle personal connections with the land – This can be as simple as observing seasonal changes, growing a small garden, or engaging with traditional crafts and practices tied to the landscape.
Share and reimagine cultural traditions – Languages, recipes, songs, and local customs all hold traces of past relationships with the land. Keeping them alive, while adapting them to modern realities, ensures they remain meaningful.
By taking small but intentional steps, we can move beyond nostalgia and cultivate a living relationship with the landscapes that sustain us.
I attended a lecture led by an NRCS agent here in Texas, and he shared his insight into why “regenerative” has gained so much traction as a term. Each five year grant cycle they update their vernacular, five years prior it was all about “soil health”. I found that interesting because it provided a focal point.
How do we obtain soil health? Native plants, permaculture, prescribed burns. Same results, similar practices. Thank you for sharing your perspective on this topic, it’s important as many people as possible are thinking and sharing about it.