Social Forestry: Tending the Land as People of Place

Social Forestry: Tending the Land as People of Place is a primer on philosophies and practices of holistic, place-based living.

Author Tomi Hazel Vaarde, collaborator of Siskiyou Permaculture, uses essays, poetry, posters, photographs and drawings to outline philosophies and concepts of Social Forestry. By weaving time-honored stories, myths, and lessons from a range of customs and traditions including North American Indigenous communities and Vaarde's own Quaker upbringing, Vaarde explores how holistic land and community management approaches can facilitate resolution of some of our most dire local and global crises.

Many indigenous peoples have learned holistic thinking by living for generations in and with a sense of place, but few examples of whole-system planning and participation are evident in modern society. Climate adaptation, social justice, human survival, and a matrix of biodiversity that supports life on Earth require radical, back-to-the-roots grounding and intentional dedication. Most modern industrial consumerism is unsustainable, and relocalization, an essential piece of a holistic future, is not yet the priority it needs to be to prevent a worldwide collapse of livable habitats.

Social Forestry helps readers remember the ways of the wild while advocating for evidence-based solutions including local food production, support for and collaboration with drainage basin councils, forest management, and stabilization of headwaters to build resilience for the long term. Vaarde maintains that if we can support and celebrate Social Forestry as a way of reciprocation and healing, down river settlements will have a chance of thriving. To live in harmony with our surroundings, we need to re-skill, always remembering those who came before us and acting in ways that honor traditional wisdom so that we can keep our discussions wide and deep.