Nikki Mattei

#conservation #encroachment #meddling #half-earth #deforestation #habitatloss #anthropocentrism #life #love #reverenceforlife #loveofJesus THE INDISPUTABLE ASSERTION: "other species of large frugivorous birds — ... — contribute to regenerating tropical forests by dispersing seeds on the ground. In doing so, they help increase a forest’s carbon storage by 38%." THE PROBLEM: "...the Amazon region has faced a process of severe deforestation in recent years, leaving highly fragmented landscapes where the movement of birds is also affected." "With birds flying less and dispersing fewer seeds, we risk having fewer trees on the ground and more carbon in the atmosphere." THE USUAL SOLUTION: "The study underlines the importance of the balance between fauna and flora for the preservation and restoration of tropical forests. In order for them to remain diverse and efficient, with their ecosystem services functioning, the role of animals in this process must be taken into account." THE LONE WORKABLE ANSWER: A reverence for life is an ethos of life affirmation, averring that mankind is duty bound to serve as stewards of all of God's creation. This obligation of stewardship is often best discharged by setting aside large swaths of acreage wherein all nature can thrive according to its own proclivities and predilections, free from our meddling, however well-intentioned. This is the theory of the late professor E.O. Wilson; namely, half-earth. Let us admit that our managerial capabilities as regards life are woefully inadequate and insufficient. Let us instead allow life to manage itself. Our role is to provide life with that opportunity. That is bestowing the love of Jesus on all God's creation. That is a reverence for life.

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For those of you so inclined to offer comments on the draft of the U.S.'s first National Nature Assessment, please do so. Honored to be part of the team conducting this assessment. #businessandnature #sustainability #naturalcapital

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When we step into a regenerative approach, we move our focus away from 'fixing' problems directly, to creating conditions for healthy cultures and actions. In our Think like a Forest programmes we like to call that 'feeding the soil' or 'spreading compost'. So your Nature-inspired Nudge this week is to grab a pen and paper and spend a few minutes over a cup of coffee, reflecting on the question: "If I could 'spread compost' on one team habit this week it would be....." Here are some prompts: - meeting culture - working hours - work/life balance - screen time vs non-screen time - nature connection - listening - personal development and training - valuing diversity of ideas and people - nurturing someone who is a good connector in your team ..... I'd love to know what you think would make the most impact. #teamculture #teamwellbeing #workplacewellbeing #regenerativeleadership #habits

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You can't have greens everywhere. It might seem boring to look at it... ...But with changes in intensity, plus, having in different shapes, you can have a small beautiful garden. It's been more than an year, since having an interest in indoor gardening... ...Actually, I had that interest, since when I was a child. It does remind me you can't have employees with same skills sets for same position, to achieve company's goals. Yes, team need coordination to work on different goals. Marketing team doesn't have to be all creative. You can have someone with analytical skills. So yeah, there's nothing to worry about being different, unless you help company achieve its goals. If you have an idea to help a company progress further, pitch them with some of your ideas. 𝘗.𝘚. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘺? 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸! #plants #gardening #company #candidates #skillsets #ideas #goals

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An idea 💡 whilst waiting for a sustainability coffee catchup 🌎🌿☕️ About researching every industry (ongoing) to identify the greatest.. chronological opportunities to apply circular design thinking to... And to work collaboratively.. and perhaps via #PlanetHack in the future.. to much more quickly, accelerate our impact on waste , pollution, deforestation, reforestation, etc.. via accelerating the creation of circular economies, focussing heavily on the potential at the source.. Though I guess the same could be done, for any and all stages of the circle too 🌎🔴🟢🟠🟡♻️🤸‍♂️ (difficult to hear 🙃) #Naturefest #circulareconomy #circulardesign #idea #researchers #industry #data #solutions #hackathons #PlanetHack #problemsolving #movement

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Decolonising and re-seeding the discourse of poly-crisis A number of conversations recently have been very synergistic around the need to explore regenerative practice through the lens of decoloniality, and more than that, I think - the power to address not only historical patterns but also the neo-colonialism that is driving current crisis discourse as well. Whilst for many the idea that decolonisation as an embedded dimension of regeneration is a given, the language of crisis, of 'fighting climate change' or 'fighting cov1d' still has the power to draw us into the logics and excesses of Enlightenment thought forms and patterns such as its deification of Western abstract modelling, rationalism/pragmatism a cover for thinly veiled self-interest. Attributed to Winston Churchill, the quote 'Never waste a good crisis' carries troubling undertones - history shows us that exploiting (and perpetuating?) crises is the preferred approach of so-called 'elites'. Addressing the embeddedness of these logics which superficially drive solutions on one hand whilst still applying linear machine/algorithmic processing that exaggerate increased inequity with the other - is the lens that we are using to explore our practice in the current season of Regenerative Confluence dialogues. And importantly, how are we reseeding differently? Meeting fortnightly, we alternate between more knowledge/content based sessions and ones exploring practice. Dates for the current cycle are: May 6th and 23rd June 3rd and 20th July 1st and 18th July 29th and August 15th with two sessions each day, either 8.00 - 9.30 UK or 17.00 - 18.30 UK. Membership to Regenerative confluence is just £22.00/month - see details here or DM me for more information: https://lnkd.in/etGgDdZh #regeneration #decolonisation #reflectivepractice #climatecrisis #polycrisis #metacrisis

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"You have to find your own recipe": so begins an article on a Dutch suburb where residents must grow food on at least half of their property In the suburb of Oosterwold, a living experiment in urban agriculture, the 5,000 inhabitants find different creative ways to fulfil the unique stipulation... In an astonishing article, in this evening's Guardian, we learn about Oosterwold, an area, which has about 5,000 residents and a growing waiting list, that is completely self-sufficient. Residents can build houses however they like, and must collaborate with others to figure out things such as street names, waste management, roads, and even schools. But the local government has included one "extremely unusual" requirement: about half of each plot must be devoted to urban agriculture. +++ I will leave you to read the article – but writing from the UK, where it still feels all but impossible to live in a tiny home and develop a low-impact lifestyle – this feels truly inspiring. One reason for why I live on a boat is that five years ago, I could not fulfil my dream of a tiny home on half an acre. Housing in Britain is dominated by land banking and investment opportunities. So many would be living in tiny homes on a half acre if it were but legal. The system has been carefully designed to discourage such outcomes. Another reason why this amazing project in the Netherlands is astonishing. +++ If you want to live in Oosterwold – the rule that you have to produce food on at least 50% of your property – is very unique thinking in the world, and makes it also an outstanding area in many ways,” says Jan Eelco Jansma, a researcher at Wageningen University & Research, who has studied Almere for years and inspired the city to include urban agriculture in the planning of Oosterwold. A new centre called the Food Hub has now opened, devoted to collecting and processing food as well as knowledge sharing. The centre is run by the Almere local authority as well as the Oosterwold food cooperative. So much potential for exploration here... +++ Happily there are finally tiny home sites emerging, with growing spaces, communal spaces and communities favouring local over distant. So things are changing in the UK, which is wonderful news. I hope that this example from the Netherlands will encourage, and add some inspiration to the plot! +++ https://lnkd.in/eR5iQhFq

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Do you like spending time in nature? Then you may like to try the Japanese practice of #ShinrinYoku or #ForestBathing where you will learn some #mindfulness in nature techniques to help you relax and unwind. Join our experienced Guides to find out more 🍀 https://zurl.co/XHI8

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SEVENTH PLANETARY BOUNDARY – ON THE EDGE I shared a post a couple of days ago, about a conversation between Johan Rockström and Nate Hagens. This evening I read in the Guardian that the latest report from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), has just been published. This builds on years of research showing there are nine systems and processes – the planetary boundaries – that contribute to the stability of our planet’s life-support functions. Link to Guardian Article: https://lnkd.in/e4SQPcjz Industrial civilisation is now close to breaching a seventh planetary boundary, and may already have crossed it, according to scientists who have compiled the latest report on the state of the world’s life-support systems. +++ Howard Dryden and others have been warning us through their posts that this is taking place. +++ At a briefing outlining the findings, Levke Caesar, a climate physicist at Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and co-author of the report, said there were two reasons the levels of ocean acidification were concerning. One is [that] the indicator for ocean acidification, which is the current aragonite separation state, while still being in the safe operating space, is approaching the threshold of transgressing the safe boundary,” Caesar said. “The second is that there are actually several new studies that were published over the last years that indicate that even these current conditions may already be problematic for a variety of marine organisms, suggesting a need [to] re-evaluate which levels can actually be called safe.” Ocean acidification is getting worse globally, with the effects most pronounced in the Southern Ocean and the Arctic Ocean, she added. +++ planetary health check The report can be consulted here: https://lnkd.in/e-Gdc6_q As it states (see pdf report, page 7) : Ocean acidification is approaching a critical threshold, with significant declines in surface aragonite saturation, particularly in high-latitude regions like the Arctic and Southern Ocean. These areas are vital for the marine carbon pump and global nutrient cycles, which support marine productivity, biodiversity, and global fisheries. The growing acidification poses an increasing threat to marine ecosystems, especially those reliant on calcium carbonate for shell formation. +++ We are getting closer. #TippingPoints #OceanAcidification https://lnkd.in/e-Gdc6_q

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Mark Henderson 🌻 is one of the NatureProcess Coaches who went through the beta version of the programme that led to the ICF accreditation. And he's right, the programme has become even better than when he did it. Thanks to his passion for food forests, Earthself Community Interest Company is now creating a food forest on the shores of Loch Rannoch. A percentage of the investment for the NatureProcess coach training programme now goes to create community benefit and ecosystem restoration through the food forest. But most importantly it makes the link between a deeper connection with nature and taking care of Earth tangible. When you train to become a NatureProcess coach, not only do you develop essential skills that will support humanity in its transition to a sustainable future but you give back to Earth for the learning you receive. This is how I started developing the NatureProcess back in 2014 by giving 100% of the revenue to the non-profit TreeSisters to support feminine empowerment and reforestation of the tropics. It's easier to design a business model that's regenerative in practice than try to retrofit regeneration into an existing one. That's why I'm even more excited about the latest evolution with the NatureProcess Coach Training where we are now integrating more nature-based business development into the programme to support the coaches in setting up their own business. We start a new cohort each season and the next one starts September 4th. Enrolment is open for this one (and if you like to plan further in advance), it's also open for the last cohort of 2024 starting December 2nd. Get in touch to find out if the programme is right for you. #natureconnection #coachtraining #professionaldevelopment Image: a screenshot from LI with Mark saying he recommends the coach training and how it has become better since he did it with a response from Tabi saying that it was Mark's influence that created the food forest project

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We love ‘unregenerative’ questions on our Think like a Forest Programme! I recently posted about the potential gender imbalance in the regenerative space and a reply came that the question itself was unregenerative. That got me thinking – is there such thing as an unregenerative question? My answer is it’s complicated (complex), but essentially, I don’t want to live in a world where questions are labelled and judged as unregenerative. Here’s a type of question that might be fundamentally unregenerative – when it’s asked with the sole end of persuasion of one point of view, or to cause harm, rather than genuine enquiry. But in my mind that’s not really what I would call a question… If a question is genuinely observed and asked with the intention of exploring a subject, then I say ask away! Shutting down genuine enquiry is harmful, because that’s the way that humans learn best. In fact all living beings learn by a process of sense and respond, of which questioning is a part. Of course, for questioning to be useful, we need to have open and welcoming cultures around asking and responding to questions. To create safe and brave spaces for all. And to have peers and guides who can gently and compassionately question our questions, so that we can deepen our enquiry, whilst minimising the blame and shame that can trigger fight or flight and cause shifts in our brain and body that are less conducive to learning. That’s why we put a lot of effort into small group sizes and group cultures in our Think like a Forest Regenerative Organisation Fundamentals Programme. To create that safe and brave space for you to answer whatever questions are right for you in your regenerative journey, free from judgement and blame. There are NO SILLY QUESTION and NO ‘UNREGENERATIVE’ QUESTIONS when you journey with us. Whether you’re just starting our on your regenerative business/ leadership journey, or wanting to deepen your journey in a small group setting, then we’d love to hear from you. When you book by 16 September we are offering a bonus 1 to 1 orientation session when you can ask any questions that you like. Plus £100 off. https://lnkd.in/eaQ59m-q John Fullerton Nicki Davey tagging thanks to comments on original post, thought you may have views on this. #regenerativeleadership #regenerativebusiness #learning #nosillyquestions

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'Your influence is your superpower' Anyone who has been on one of our The Carbon Literacy Project courses will know this is my favourite saying. I enjoyed this optimistic article on the success we've had in reducing our impact on the ozone layer. Collaborative, confident and intentional action has seen rapid change to safeguard society. Easy right? We're a clever species, we can make amazing things happen. We have the benefit of scientific consensus and we know the majority of society are concerned and want to see action on climate change. What holds us back then? Confidence is my second big message. We need to have more climate conversations but to do that, we need more confidence. This, not detail on the science or the tech perhaps, is what I try hard to impart. Its the biggest barrier I see. What should we do? We need to focus harder on the urgency and what we 'can do' rather than what we 'can't do right now' and that means having the confidence to challenge the excuses that are made to hinder progress. We should upskill our talented teams to give them a common language to speak, to light the spark and let them do the rest. You can book onto our upcoming course dates here: https://lnkd.in/eCfriHjJ Or drop me a line about creating a course to uniquely suit your business. Getting the tone and content is right and our experience means you won't miss the mark on this crucial topic. https://lnkd.in/eyHRZePj

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And following on from my last post, some ways we can start to learn, live and love regeneration at the scale of bioregions. #regeneration #practice #bioregions #collectiveintelligence #learningthroughdoing

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Excellent news from Frans Schepers... reporting on the EU Nature Restoration Law, which will restore degraded ecosystems in all member states, help achieve the EU’s climate and biodiversity objectives and enhance food security, was adopted this morning in the EU Council of Ministers 👏🏼 To reach the overall EU targets, member states must now restore at least 30% of habitats covered by the new law (from forests, grasslands and wetlands to rivers, lakes and coral beds) from a poor to a good condition by 2030, increasing to 60% by 2040, and 90% by 2050. This is a huge milestone for restoring and protecting European nature!

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#Naturefest’s new LinkedIn Page Summary 🌎🥳 (and logo) 🦋 Overview Naturefest is the solution, the world has been looking for. The tool, that enables humanity to transition to a sustainable world, within planetary boundaries, in the shortest possible time 🌎⏳ A simple, duplicatable nature festival, designed to help inspire, educate, mobilise and enable communities, towns, villages, cities and countries to take optimal, compounding, individual, collective and collaborative, ongoing actions to transition at speed, together 🌎❤️ With soon to be, rapidly growing numbers of Naturefests around the world 🌎🦋 and a goal of 500 locations launched, by May 30th 2025 🌎🥳 I invite and encourage you to reach out now... and become involved. Just say hi in the comments, message, or connect 🌎🥳 It's time to save humanity 🌎❤️ It's time to build a better world 🌎🦋 ______________________________ *currently, approximately 150 leaders / climate leaders and enthusiasts, from approx. 40 countries have reached out via LinkedIn, saying that they're keen to help grow Naturefests in their local region. Over the coming weeks, we will be holding a number of group Zooms (same Zoom on dates below), that will share the vision, values, model and operation, that enables humanity to create Naturefests around the world, simultaneously.. at speed 🌎⏳🥳 Vision Zooms 🦋 Thursdays (beginning the 13th June) at: - 4pm (Brisbane time) 🦋 - 10pm (Brisbane time) 🦋 If keen, just say hi in the comments, or connect! 🌎🦋🥳 #Naturefest #nature #festivals #education #collaboration #climateaction #sustainability #circulareconomies #transition #mobilisation #global #movement 

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BIODIVERSITY Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms, including plants, animals, and microorganisms, within a particular ecosystem or on the entire planet. Biodiversity consciousness entails recognizing and valuing the importance of every species and their role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems in our world. It involves understanding that each species has its own unique contribution to the web of life and each is important in being. Rather than seeking to dominate or exploit other species, conscious living involves expanding harmoniously alongside them, honoring their existence, and embracing the interconnectedness of all life forms both human and other living organisms in our world. Ultimately, living consciously on the planet means recognizing that our well-being is directly linked to the health and diversity of the ecosystems that sustain us, and taking actions to preserve and protect each part accordingly. #biodiversity #environmentallyconscious

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'Recovering Scientist' Meets Ecosystem Repair in Forest Therapy I replied with on a colleague's post about "...landscape-scale plant intelligence and cooperation," with the following comment: "It's where science and magic have always intersected. It's magic and 'woo woo' until someone shows some part of it scientifically. Forest therapy is based on science and heavily laced with magic (different sides of same coin)." In forest therapy at GIFT (Global Institute of Forest Therapy & Nature Connection), we practice and teach 'Ecosystem Repair.' This is when a person makes concerted efforts to work on the relationship with oneself, others, and the more than human world. By doing so, one can move towards becoming a better conduit to lead others in deepening their relationships, including the attainment of a deeper nature connection. Not only does this lead to increased self discovery, it helps us understand and become clearer with each other. It allows for the possibility to cross the societal-imposed definitions of wishy-washy, non-scientific 'magic' into the realm of 'here and now.' It also affords the possibility to look beyond genders, to gather that we are spiritual beings having a human experience, with possible softness, collaboration, structure, and strong leadership, whether occurring male, female, or as someone within which the current range of gender currently exists, at this time and place. The preceding statement is not at all meant to soft-shoe several important issues and discussions about the patriarchy, misogyny, and sexism that still exist in big hurtful ways to all genders. It actually shines a bright light on these discussions. Now is a time that we need science AND magic more than ever. Strengthening relationships with ourselves and others identifies us as one, without need for war, with greater need for peace among ourselves (and of course between nations), between our species and others. If you are considering learning more about 'Ecosystem Repair' and forest therapy and becoming an improved conduit for peace, consider the training we offer to become a forest therapy guide (8 days at a retreat, plus 6 months at home in a mentored practicum). Or if you just want a 3-day course on Ecosystem Repair, have a look at our website: www.giftoftheforest.com (under construction, but 'open'!). Our next training is in Ontario, Canada, just north of Toronto (4 - 11 July, 2024). Email me if you would like an application form ([email protected]). We might not be able to play a flute and bring back museum-taxidermied birds, 'collected' in an era when this practice was the norm. And yet, beautiful artwork, such as the painting here, brings us to the spirit and pure possibility of what is needed now, as we move forward with greater consciousness, collaboration, and ecosystem repair. #foresttherapy #forestbathing #foresttherapytraing #ecosystemrepair #climatechange #massextinction Painting by Lizzie Riches.

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If you think climate change is just a trend and not a real threat to us all, or possibly you’re just fed up of hearing about it. Please just take some time to read and trust the scientists that live and breathe their research. I too once didn’t pay much attention, but since working in this area and learning from the experts I can now see it’s happening and will certainly affect our children in their lifetimes. It’s easy to ignore what is scary but it certainly doesn’t make it go away. Start with the small changes, which yes I still slip up on, even yesterday I forgot my Keep Cup and was dying for a Soy Chai. Recycle what you can, better still reuse, read about circular economies, avoid places like those big superstores filled with cheap homewares and clothing (you know the ones) like the plague. I know that’s hard and I’m still in there occasionally too. Get composting. If you live in an apartment look into community composting. Take the Keep Cup, refillable water bottle and avoid other single use plastics. Walk, take the train, cycle more than the car. Travel wisely, go in the Off Season and choose responsible tourism. Get involved- volunteer with environmental/wildlife/marine charities, we all have time if we make it. Reduce the amount of meat and fish in your diet. Choose other food wisely, try and avoid all the plastic packaging where you can. Be power smart. The list goes on and on, every little thing you do absolutely helps! Educate yourself and others. This article below does not just apply to the Great Barrier Reef, its others around the world too. When the reefs die, 25% of our marine life die completely changing the biodiversity of our oceans, which could be catastrophic to us. The ocean absorbs a huge amount of our emissions and this will change. So many medicines come from our oceans too and these will no longer be available. https://lnkd.in/ga9FxvCm Bit of a gloomy post I know, but we need to face that it’s happening now. #climatechange #coralbleaching #sustainabletourism

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🌸🐦 Thrilled to have been interviewed for Real Simple’s latest feature on the best hummingbird feeders! As someone passionate about gardening and birding, it’s always a joy to share tips on creating a bird-friendly space in your own backyard. 🏡 Check out the article for recommendations on feeders - and remember - don't add the red food dye to your nectar! #Hummingbirds #GardeningExpert #Birding #Pollinators #BackyardBirding

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