Stephanie Wolfe

ENSTU 369
May 15, 2018
10 Principles of Civic Ecology
Through this course I have gone on a journey of self discovery, environmental wonder, and
social understanding. The course challenged me to connect social injustices with environmental
practices that foster well being in real-life scenarios. I was introduced to the practice of civic
ecology, or environmental stewardship and its ability to foster healing in broken places. I was
encouraged to explore my childhood connections with the environment to figure out a way I can
enhance the green spaces myself and others experience. With consideration of all marginalized
groups of different cultures, civic ecology calls for community engagement to fight against social
injustices.

Emergence: why do civic ecology practices happen?

Globally, individuals are practicing civic ecology to bring themselves out of a broken place. Titans of
the Coral Sea highlights ecology practices around the world in communities that are underprivileged
or marginalized in one way or another (Plotsky, 2006). Stories focus on individuals facing a higher
power source such as political figures or large corporations. In Titans of the Coral Sea, an
underdeveloped village is the target of corporate greed. In the New Environmentalists, residents of
Mesopotamian wetlands are subjected to government exploitation and Disposables in Bolivia were
experiencing unfair working conditions. Each of these stories share the comment thread of civic
action through assembly of grassroots movements led by community members on the pursuit of
justice. A neighborhood of residents in Chicago, Illinois came together because of their shared
concern of pollution from coal plants. They were worried about the quality of life for themselves and
their families, motivating them to take action. It is common environmental injustices involve
concerned parents that are just wanting to protect their children's health. In responses, they put
together petitions, protests, billboards, and push for ordinances that ensure the well being of their
families. By being civically engaged and vocally active, government can hear their outcries and
provide assistance. Individual members of a community all came together for the common good
fighting for environmental and social justice (Plotsky, 2006).

The field trip to green spaces in Salinas was the perfect introduction to community based
watershed restoration. Currently, Salinas faces a number of social and environmental issues that
civic ecology stewards have tackled through habitat restoration and promotion of open space. During
class we discussed issues brought on by the densely populated city and the housing complications
people are up against. Many agricultural workers do not have a steady income making it difficult to
find a decent home for their families. The high demand also spikes up rental prices. As a result
families must cramp into small apartments with no outdoor space. I think it is important individuals
in these situations have open green space as a tool to positively influence their mental and
physical health. They are able to escape from limiting four walls and connect with their family or
themselves in a more holistic way. With the help of stakeholders, civic ecology practices began
to pick up momentum. Natividad Creek Park was restored by community members eager to
have green space to find peace and escape to.
Civic ecology practices emerge because of the love for life and for the places people have lost. Civic
ecology stewards defy, reclaim, and recreate these broken places. When thinking of providing
service in these types of places, I reflect on Remen “Helping, Fixing, or Serving?” To serve in broken
conditions it is really important to remember to serve with your wholeness and to work with others on
balanced and even terms (Remen, 1999). It registered with me when Remen explains serving must
include your own experiences to tap into your limitations, darkness, and even weakness to make
your service one of compassion and mutual understanding. Your strengths, smarts, and successes
may not be what somebody needs. If you don’t try to connect with those you are serving on a deeper
level, your service is merely work of the ego. By using every aspect of who you are in your service,
your work will be much more rewarding.

During the Spirituality, Beliefs, Personal Values, and Religion of Social and Environmental Justice
Presentation, I was enlightened by the work of Wangari Maathai, a grassroots activist. After political
unrest caused violence throughout Kenya, native tribes endured hardships due to the destruction of
their land. In response, Wangari reached out to local women and listen to their struggles in order to
find a solution (GBM, 2018). The presentation focused on the Christianity aspect that Wangari
brought to the movement as well. This was a common ground she could share with people she
interacted with, to better find an effective way to inspire conservation of the land. When she spoke
with the women they complained about lack of firewood to cook nutritious, cultural food. The soil was
poor and crops failed to thrive and the river had run dry so water was scarce. Each struggle was due
to limited resources. She concluded the women’s answers could be solved by planting trees. She
held workshops where you educated the women on all the essential information they would need to
plant trees on their own. This became known as the Green Belt Women, which to this day has
planted over 45 million trees in Kenya. Wangari is an admirable steward for the work she did to
recreate broken places people had lost (GBM, 2018).

Bricolage: Piecing the practice together

Once civic ecology stewards have recreated their space, they also recreate community. Consider
the hardships endured by Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor. Months following the attack,
there was a serious paranoia towards the minority. This led to the detainment of 120,000 Japanese
Americans at internment camps in poor conditions. Until the early 50s, laws made it very difficult for
Japanese Americans to be naturalized. To address the injustices Japanese Americans suffered at
the hands of the American government, Ronald Reagan issued the Civil Liberties Act in 1988. This
was a “serious” attempt by the US government to try and amend for the wrongdoings they were
responsible for. Returning to society would prove to be difficult for Japanese Americans. Larry
talked about the importance of emerging yourself in a community despite your differences. He
believed it was important to participate with your local region to feel a sense of belonging. To
recreate community, they incorporated their own Japanese culture into their new American
home. A community center was built that hosted numerous gatherings, both traditional and
casual. An “assembly” garden was also created to provide a place to retreat in peace. To
assimilate with American culture, the Japaneses creased their own baseball league. They also
participated in an annual parade put on by the city and were able to donate a mural highlighting
their culture and ties to the community. Larry Oda was an insightful speaker who passionately
spoke of the stewardship efforts of Japanese Americans to recreate community.
Another group of civic ecology stewards working to promote the environmental and social well
being of their community are the coordinators, staff, and volunteers of Return of the Natives.
Listening to my peer’s experiences on field trips and weekend activities with RON embodies
how members of a community can come together and restore a green spaces in their city. I was
fortunate enough to volunteer with local high schools that were participating in service
engagement through the T.R.O Program and plant trees during class time. Being exposed to
their energy was a positive reminder to myself because I was able to see a younger generation
of stewards engaged in a project that was important to them. It was also extremely rewarding for
myself to be their amongst my classmates because the green space was located right outside
the library. Personally for myself and many other the library is symbolic for the amount of time
and effort we dedicated to our college education. I was so happy to be able to plant trees
outside a place that is important to me. In the future,I look forward to returning and seeing the
trees grow and thrive to become a beautiful oak woodland. Through my service I experienced
first hand many individuals of different backgrounds coming together to recreate space.

To recreate places and community, civic ecology stewards draw on social-ecological memories.
During the semester I was fortunate to hear presentations about my classmates identities. My
classmates and I differ in ethnicity, culture, hometowns, majors, religion, and more yet we all are
working for the common good through civic ecology practices. It was interesting to hear about my
classmate’s stories involving nature and how they first found a connection with the natural world.
Although we each have our own unique background, we all ended up in the same class in efforts to
go against environmental and social injustices

Reading stories in “The Earth Knows My Name” was really insightful (Klindienst, 2006).The stories
were beautiful and touching, providing perspective on hardships faced by immigrants coming to
America after leaving their homes behind. The stories discussed immigrants seeking solace through
planting flora from their homeland. By doing this they were able to keep their cultural roots close
while integrating with American culture (Klindienst, 2006). My short chapter was about an Afghani
woman who had fled to America after escaping political violence. Her perspective broadened my
social awareness after she explained under her cultural expectations, her passion for gardening is
frowned upon. She recalled originally arriving in the United States and struggling to grow plants in
the degraded soil. She blamed the American desire for perfectly green lawns that require a lot of
fertilizer. After some time she was able to restore the soil to begin collecting and cultivating plants
from her native lands. Her words were heavy with passion as she recollected memories from her
homeland, referring to gardening as work for the soul. The time she spent tending to her flowers,
fruits, and vegetables brought her a lot of joy. Each plant had a story to it, a connection she has with
the flora from something that happened in her childhood (Klindienst, 2006).

Civic ecology practices are essential to a healthy environment because of the various ecosystem
services that are provided by green spaces. Visiting MEarth was rewarding because I was able to
witness first hand how individuals that are not disadvantaged have more opportunities for success.
For students at Carmel Middle School, their privileges allow them to take advantage of learning
experiences at MEarth. The plot of land is home to many species, including migrating butterflies and
an abundance of lizards. Their sustainability center was built with low impact in mind. The roof is
covered with plants and grasses that take in rainwater, The angles of the windows were placed to
take full advantage of the sun to generate heat and provide sufficient lighting. Additionally, their
garden is filled with a variety of fruits and vegetables that are used to educate children in a cooking
class. During class discussion it was mentioned how Carmel school district has more funding than
schools in the county because citizens argued they contribute a lot to taxes generated. Therefore
Carmel citizens felt they deserve more funding than the neighboring schools. Funding from the
government provides $19000 per student in school resources like programs, clubs, and advanced
courses. This makes me consider the very rich and very poor are looking at sustainable living when
visiting MEarth. Developed areas have much more financial stability to afford technology and
education to transition to sustainable living.

Civic ecology stewards were in action during Marina’s Earth Day celebration. Volunteers met at the
Oak Woodland Area of Locke Paddon Park, a popular green space in Marina. Green space can
represent a number of things to the people who use it. The green space is accommodating
different needs of individuals based on their own struggles or desires. Individuals use green
space for a variety of reasons but serves as a universal way to engage individuals with the
outdoors and reignite their wonder with nature. The pond serves as habitat for many species,
promoting environmental health and is an enjoyable atmosphere for visitors. During my service I
helped tend to oak trees that had been planted by other locals. We mulched and weeded in the sun,
taking care of a green space that will bring great benefit to community and promote ecosystem
health. .

Through civic ecology practices, stewards foster their well being. Reflecting back on the first day of
class, we were asked to draw ourselves in nature. I chose to draw one of my favorite outdoor
activities, camping. I am so happy when I am camping because I am surrounded by nature with
people that I love. The outdoors cleanses my soul and makes me feel refreshed. Later in semester I
was also able to help build fog collectors that would be used as an irrigation system for the oak trees
we planted in class. I was so pleased to be apart of this because I wanted to learn about the process
of constructing fog collectors and how innovations like that can be beneficial to a community. Being
exposed and impersed outdoors is necessary for a healthy well being.

The power of civic ecology practices to foster well being was brought to light by Richard Louv in
“Last Child in the Woods”. The reading discussed the lack of environmental exposure in childhood
education. He states the positive social and mental aspects that occurs when children are immersed
in nature. The reading references nature or being outside as therapy for kids. This is particularly
essential for children tackling social disorders. His suggestion portrays a future where kids are able
to experience the natural world first hand during their primary and secondary education because of
the benefits it can bring to their well being (Louv, 2005).

Opportunities for learning are abundant through civic ecology practices. A class field trip to Centro
de la Naturaleza allowed such opportunities to take place. The Nature Center did an outstanding job
at constructing exhibits that would maximize learning opportunities for visitors. Each environmental
issue they wanted to focus on had its own interactive exhibit, intended to encourage visitors to
discover more. Their exhibits demonstrated ways individuals can change their lifestyle and live more
sustainability. Their compost exhibit was informative and detailed with pamphlets to take home. By
providing informative brochures, visitors are given information they can take home and implement on
their own. The center is a great tool to empower all who visit to make changes in their day to day
lives. Although there were a variety of exhibits, each contributed to the center’s big idea which is
protecting the area’s wetlands. Through their programs, displays, volunteer opportunities, and
guided walks the nature center is educating its visitors on ways they can ensure the environmental
health of the wetlands because of their importance to the ecosystem. Wetlands adjacent to the
center provide a great educational tool to highlight environmental and ecological issues that are
mentioned in their interactive displays. Watsonville’s Nature Center is providing opportunities to
educate their community about the importance of protecting the wetland for the overall health of the
environment.

As an environmental student, I am always eager to share what I have learned with individuals I
interact with at tabling events. To celebrate Earth Day on campus, I participated in Earth Fest with
my fellow classmates. On behalf of our service sites, we tabled to promote our organization’s
mission and ways they interact with the community. Going around to each table, I was informed
about efforts taking place in the county that are promoting environmental awareness. Not only was
Earth Fest itself an opportunity for learning, but the sites being represented are also opportunities for
learning. It made me feel very happy to see so many individuals apart of such phenomenal
organizations that are working to benefit the community. Each organization provided insight on
collaborative efforts with the community that facilitate opportunity learnings through civic ecology
practices.

Zooming Out: A systems perspective

The works of civic ecology stewards start small at the local level and expand to incorporate many
partnerships. Cesar Chavez is a memorable activist leader for his contributions to the farm workers
movements. Cesar Chavez was motivated to advocate for change because of the disadvantages he
personally faced as a Mexican-American farmworker. Eventually he partnered with another activist
and founded the National Farm Workers Association in efforts to gain nationwide support for the
cause. He always promoted nonviolence and often fasted as a means to protest. His values of
peace were evident by his dedication to the fasting since it took an extreme toll on his health. His
activism work was so influential that he has a holiday dedicated in his name. However, there a lot of
irony surrounding this since farmworks are still out in the fields working on his holiday. Cesar Chavez
spent immense amount of effort to raise labor conditions and labor standards of farmworkers
creating a movement that has encompassed many people across the country and is remembered by
a national holiday.

Other civic ecology practices that started out small scale were discussed during the History of the
Environmental Activism and Justice Movement. Starting in the 18th century John Muir founded the
Sierra Club to advocate for the preservation of natural areas in the United States. His efforts brought
him the chance to guide a camping trip with (then) President Theodore Roosevelt. Through Muir’s
facilitation, Roosevelt came to realize the benefits and importance of protecting natural areas and
the National Park Service was established (). The Sierra Club is still a very well known organization
that speaks against current environmental injustices. Because Muir was vocal about the need to
preserve land, we are able to enjoy many national parks today (WBGH, 2018). Rachel Carson was
another key catalyst to the environmental movement (WGBH, 2018). She was very concerned with
the heavy use of DDT and its impacts to ecosystems during post war America when pesticides were
a cultural norm. Although it was a controversial issue, Carson found the motivation to write Silent
Spring when a close friend’s bird sanctuary was sprayed without consent. Today her literary work is
remembered for having the ability to channel people’s emotions and connect them with their
environment (WGBH, 2018). The work of both Muir and Carson have left a heavy impact,
encompassing many stakeholders.
Cycles of chaos and renewal that are nested in social-ecological systems are embedded with civic
ecology stewards. Reflecting on the Climate Change Presentation, I was reminded the complex
ecological systems of Earth that influence social systems throughout the world (Morello, 2010).
Climate change has disrupted many of these systems, offsetting communities and resources they
rely on. Global climate change has been linked to changes in sea level, increase of diseases, loss of
biodiversity, air pollution, ocean acidification, ice sheet loss, and drought. The poorest, undeveloped
regions of the world are expected to feel the brunt of climate change impacts. These communities
will become climate refugees as changing global conditions make their homelands inhabitable
(Morello, 2010). Countries in Indonesia and the Caribbean will suffer loss of tourism revenue due to
chaotic weather patterns that destroy infrastructure and loss of coral reefs from ocean acidification.
Impacts of climate change are rooted in social in ecological systems causing cycles of turmoil and
renewal.

Participating in the Community Based Habitat Restoration Game was also a helpful tool to learn
about processes of civic ecology practices and the barriers and successes that come along with it.
The game was divided into different stages of development, with steps that had scenarios that can
happen during planning. Stages included planning the project, implementing the community based
restoration project, monitoring and maintaining the project, and then further engaging the
community. Some groups had difficulties getting plans approved by the community, finding
volunteers, or allocating funding. Lack of permits and chaotic weather can cause projects to move
backwards. Others were successful by holding public meetings, collaborating with education
institutions and being informed on local flora and fauna. Inspiring others, using social media
platforms, and partnering with businesses can help projects move forward. This activity taught me
the many steps it takes to create an effective restoration project at a suitable site. I was able to
better understand how civic ecology practices are embedded in cycles of chaos and renewal which
in turn are nested in social-ecological systems.

Policy Entrepreneurs: Understanding and enabling

Civic ecology practices require action by policy makers. After reading Restorative Commons, I
cannot help but imagine urban areas having green spaces and structures as a means to promote
ecological and social health. This is where I feel policy makers have a role to play by requiring future
developments have a green ambiance to it. “Green” buildings expose individuals to the
environmental aspects while being indoors (Campbell and Wiesman, 2009). This also means
switching to more eco-friendly infrastructures built with more sustainable materials that are
energy efficient. Through these structures architects hope to reintroduce people to the natural
world. I found it really interesting that modern structures can still incorporate environmental
concepts in their designs to ensure visitors can still be connected with the world outside of the
walls. These areas would serve as restorative commons, or areas that promote human, community,
or landscape health in some aspect. Common restorative areas provide individuals with a space to
connect with the environment and innate wonder of nature. These common green spaces
accommodate many people’s needs and desires by engaging them with the outdoors and fostering
an appreciation for what the environment can offer to their well being (Campbell and Wiesman,
2009). This reading contributed to my communication skills by conveying the importance of
common green space. Across the world, more populations are becoming urban making it
imperative to really promote the importance of restorative commons to continue to support the
relationship between people and their environment.
My classmate’s group presentation on Water and Marginalized Communities shed light on the
most widespread environmental issue that demands policy maker’s attention. They discussed
water quality issues that have been affecting residents of Flint Michigan for years. They shared
a video of community members expressing their fear and distrust in the government and their
water supply. The city must rely on bottles to satisfy their water needs. President Obama
insufficiently addressed the issue but did set aside funds to pay for the bottled water. In addition
there has been little to no efforts going towards cleaning up the tainted water. This water crisis
is unacceptable, and should have been properly addressed by policy makers when the trouble
began.

Conclusion
My social understanding was pushed to new limits after being exposed to the daunting reality of
how the poorest communities have suffered environmental catastrophes and disasters. Through
class discussions and readings it is evident frameworks in society have intentionally targeted
marginalized people in attempt to limit their capabilities. Environmental injustices are
exponentially more evident in disadvantaged communities. But even through their struggles
these communities defy their circumstances to create places of nourishment and enrichment.
Their stories share insight on the struggles of emerging from damaged places and the
dedication that needs to be invested to revitalize a community. By investigating different
government, business, and NGO systems that play a role in ecology practices, future policies
can begin to be developed.

References
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