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NATURE CONNECTION
The gift of nature connection
PAY it forward bursary fund is created for Call of the Wild 2021 programme
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WILDWISE’s Call meaningful connection to of the Wild nature”, says Chris. “I’d year-programme gathered so many skills is an extraordinary call and experiences from here, to adventure and deep there and everywhere and connection with the natural curating a programme that world that has been running could introduce these in a at Schumacher College since structured learning journey 2013. The programme is made a lot of sense.” a rich mix of activities and enquiries into mentoring nature connection for others. The community of students experience an immersive experience of learning bushcraft skills, creative interpretation and narrative skills, Fieldcraft and outdoor leadership and facilitation skills. The programme is the brainchild of WildWise Director Chris Salisbury, and has been phenomenally successful with waiting lists for places a tribute to the depth and meaning experienced in the journey. “I’d spent my whole career in outdoor education and training, and I wanted to offer a programme to introduce all the processes and practices that are required to broker a Perhaps the most eloquent statement about the value of the programme is a new bursary fund that has been raised by past alumni of Call of the Wild to support applicants with less Finance at their disposal to be able to apply for the programme. “In a post-Covid economy, it felt very important to open the door wider to those who are more financially challenged, and the generosity of our community is inspiring. They believe so much in what this programme can achieve, they have dug into their own pockets to raise £5000 to offer a number of subsidised places. It speaks volumes about the quality of this experience if past students are willing to do that, and I am very
moved and humbled by this.” Another new and exciting development is that after a frustrating Covid-induced year out, this nationally acclaimed programme is shifting its centre of gravity to Embercombe, near Exeter along with various locations on Dartmoor and will begin again in March 2021. “Apart from partnering with an amazing team of people at Embercombe, what has been particularly pleasing in this shift, is a reduction of the course fees by nearly a third, even though we’ve added more content, making the course even more substantial.” Call of the Wild graduates range in age from 21 to 61, and come from all walks of life. Some have professional interests, to develop a whole new skill-set to integrate into their working life. Some arrive in a deep enquiry about a career change, others simply because they aspire to deepen their personal connection to the natural world. Most have gone on to engage more purposefully in all sorts of ways, in all aspects of their lives. There’s no doubt that the programme prompts and provokes deep questions in a time of change, and we are proud of our alumni for meeting the challenges of
HOW often do you consider the dynamics and physical history of the county we live in? To tie-in with Sidmouth Science Festival GRANT SHERMAN founder of Hartstongue, the Green directory for
Devon, creates a ‘Dao of Geology’ perspective of
Reconnectland.
She breathes out and in, climates change, climates return.
Lands and oceans move, joining and separating.
The red soils around Exeter are a testament to these cycles of change. These soils are formed from desert sandstones dating from the Permian and Triassic periods.
Devon was close to the equator during the Permian (300- 250 million years ago). All of the continents had collided to form the supercontinent Pangaea. One part of this collision had raised mountains in Devon and Cornwall. The granite of
Dartmoor and Cornwall solidified under the mountains and
today with many inspiring initiatives, projects and lifestyle changes. The door is now open at Embercombe for 2021 applications, and a warm and wild welcome awaits you and your journey back to the natural world. l For more information see wildwise.co.uk and embercombe.org/call-of-thewild.
A postcard from Andalucia
SINCE writing for Reconnect last I feel like the whole world has changed. And my own world has changed because I view it from the perspective of a little Andalucian village in Spain’s Malaga province where I now live. This summer, after spending several years in the pleasant tourist town of Nerja, I decided to move onto the land beside the next village, Maro, and went off-grid. I had a finca (country property) to look after, as well as a wonderful dog, Mia. Water comes from the spring, power from the sun, and food - tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, figs, lemons, papaya and bananas - from the garden. But paradise comes at a cost. Ants, mosquitoes, lizards, spiders, rats, and even a wild boar late one night have been amongst my visitors, whilst temperatures in the high 30’s (without the benefit of a fridge, air-con, or even a fan) has meant adjusting my lifestyle, slowing down, finding shade, and taking long siestas. Of course, life here is not just about relaxing. Spain has been hit hard by Covid19 and whilst most rural regions and the south in general have been spared the worst of the pandemic, many people are facing hardship and uncertainty and asking serious questions about the way we live. Here on the Costa del Sol, that means questioning the sustainability of the tourist model which is such an important part of Spain’s economy. The issue is particularly relevant for Nerja and Maro as the first lives from seasonal tourism, the second from agriculture. When it became apparent during our lockdown that demand on the local food bank was massively outstripping supply, a few of us decided to take matters into our own hands. I rounded up some local
THE Earth lives as a statue, poised mid-step, hand upraised. The whole course of human history - vast empires, slow in their growth and demise - are but a blink to her.
farmers while a friend launched a successful volcanoes erupted around Exeter. Around this single continent was one great ocean “Panthalassa” the universal sea. The interior of Pangaea experienced extreme variations of heat and cold. There were monsoon conditions and flash-floods. The vast tree-fern rainforests of the preceding Carboniferous period were dead leaving behind vast regions of desert. Such dry conditions favoured conifers, ginkgoes and cycads, over ferns. Reptiles, which could better cope with these drier conditions, rose to dominance in place of their amphibian ancestors. Rocks weathered, rusted and reddened. Mountains broke into angular fragments that were carried by floods to create the ‘breccia’ cliffs Teignmouth. Smaller fragments formed vast drifts of windblown sand which are now the red cliffs of Dawlish. The Earth’s most severe extinction event, sometimes known as the Great Dying, formed the boundary between the Permian and the Triassic. Up to 96% of all marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate species became extinct. What caused this extinction? We have many theories, and many factors may have played their parts.
A postcard from Andalucia
INCE writing for Reconnect last I feel like the whole world has changed.
And my own world has changed because I view it from the perspective of a little Andalucian village in Spain’s Malaga province where I now live. This summer, after spending several years in the pleasant tourist town of Nerja, I decided to move onto the land beside the next village, Maro, and went off-grid. I had a finca (country property) to look after, as well as a wonderful dog, Mia. Water comes from the spring, power from the sun, and food - tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, LONG time readers will remember, JON STEIN who used to regularly contribute to the magazine before he upped sticks for a Spanish adventure. With the pandemic being a global issue we caught up with him to see how life is in a country hit hard by the virus.
Jon (front row to left) alongside other students on the recent Solidaridad Internacional ecofacilitation course. Jon and doggy friend, Mia, living on the land in Maro (Basil the electric bike also making an appearance). Pictures taken by Karen Binopia.
Of course, life here is not just about relaxing. Spain has been hit hard by Covid19 and whilst most rural regions and the south in general have been spared the worst of the pandemic, many people are facing hardship and uncertainty and asking serious questions about the way we live. Here on the Costa del Sol, that means questioning the sustainability of the tourist model which is such an important part of Spain’s economy. The issue is particularly relevant for Nerja and Maro as the first lives from seasonal tourism, the second
When it became apparent during our lockdown that demand on the local food bank was massively outstripping supply, a few of us decided to take matters into our own hands. I rounded up some local farmers while a friend launched a successful crowdfunder and now each Monday we deliver quantities of fresh produce – some of it organic – to Nerja for distribution. The ‘Via Comida’ (food way) is not only meeting the immediate need of a population struggling to feed itself, but is showing the importance of local food sovereignty. This issue is under the spotlight as the land around Maro has been earmarked for a development scheme based around a 5-star hotel, 680 luxury homes and an 18-hole golf course. Unsurprisingly the so-called ‘Larios Plan’ (the Larios family – of gin fame - are the main landowners in the region) is arousing passion and polarising public opinion. I write a monthly bulletin for the campaign against the plan, and have had no shortage of juicy material, much of it related to that particularly Spanish (or is it everywhere?) cocktail of corrupt politicians and environmental abuse. I have also been studying group facilitation and was one of a handful of students from Malaga province to take part in an Andalucia-wide training for ‘ecosocial’ changemakers. Later in the year I’m hoping, alongside colleagues, to generate some local community-building activities to help coordinate efforts to preserve our beautiful, but threatened environment. To balance all this outward activity and activism, I’ve continued working on my own wellbeing and nurturing my personal vision of being part of a conscious living community in nature. I’m building my network of contacts and resources and although, sadly, the trip I’ve been planning to the national conference of Spanish ecovillages has been derailed by new measures against the virus, I’m still hoping to get on my electric bike, Basil, and see a bit more of this fascinating, beautiful and sometimes contradictory country. Until next time ¡hasta luego! l We may well return to find out how Jon is getting on in a future issue.
volcanoes erupted around Exeter. Around this single continent was one great ocean “Panthalassa” the universal sea. The interior of Pangaea experienced extreme variations of heat and cold. There were monsoon conditions and flash-floods. The vast tree-fern rainforests of the preceding Carboniferous period were dead leaving behind vast regions of desert. Such dry conditions favoured conifers, ginkgoes and cycads, over ferns. Reptiles, which could better cope with these drier conditions, rose to dominance in place of their amphibian ancestors. Rocks weathered, rusted and reddened. Mountains broke into angular fragments that were carried by floods to create the ‘breccia’ cliffs Teignmouth. Smaller fragments formed vast drifts of windblown sand which are now the red cliffs of
The Earth’s most severe extinction event, sometimes known as the Great Dying, formed the boundary between the Permian and the Triassic. Up to 96% of all marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate species became extinct. What caused this extinction? We have many theories, and many factors may have played their parts. Devon was close to the Tropic of Cancer during the Triassic (250-200 million years ago). The red cliffs of Sidmouth show that there were still great sand dunes. The Budleigh Salterton Pebble Beds show that there were seasonal rivers that could polish pebbles. Pangaea started to break up into two continents, Laurasia and Gondwana. With these smaller continents the climate was not as extreme. By the start the Jurassic period the mountains of Cornwall and Dartmoor had become the island of Cornubia. The shallow seas of Dorset teemed with life. The red soils of Devon remind me that desert can return to fertile earth again. Had we but world enough and time, our children would enjoy a fruitful planet. But in our current Yang we are taking more than the Earth can give. In our current Yang we might turn the Earth into desert again. The Earth will survive but will there be a place for us? For all our faults I still love humans. At our best we can be amazing. It is time for Yin to return and balance the Yang. Time to act and support our neighbours. Time to find common ground with our enemies. Time to accept and embrace our imperfections. Time to heal.
l The 2020 Science Festival takes place online from Friday October 9 to Sunday October 18 and aims to excite curiosity in people to explore Science in their lives. There will be family friendly events which are educational as well as fun about fossils, dinosaurs, stars, energy, light, weather, brains, rockets and much more. Race a rubber band car. Visit the gallery of schools’ art. Celebrate Ada Lovelace Day with female speakers. Something for all abilities and all ages. Something for everyone. And all free. http://sidmouthsciencefestival.org l Find out more about Hartstongue - the green business, group, and events directory for Devon at www.hartstongue.co.uk
