The site is attractive to Pipistrelle and Noctule bats, Kingfishers and breeding birds. Whilst the wetland and dry grassland also is important for invertebrates during particularly months. The maintenance of the pump system is essential to retain the wildlife interest of the beds.
Jody Boehnert - Ecological Literacy: A Foundation For Sustainability
Jody Boehnert (Ecolabs) was the main organiser of the Teach – in. She did one of the opening speeches on Ecological literacy highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary thinking within design education and the importance for designers to understand ecology and its relation to their work. She also underlined the lack of balance between the social, ecological & economic context within design.
Dr Emma Dewbery, Senior Lecturer in Design for Sustainability at the Open University, talked further about the challenges of putting design into an ecological context. Focusing not only on the designer but also also on the consumer and the need of a cultural shift. This is perhaps the largest challenge since design is a discipline much driven by the market. She presented a few projects that aims to highlight awareness with the consumer. One example was Christien meindertsma’s ‘One sheep cardigan’
The cardigan comes with a sheep passport to encourage a more intimate relationship between the sheep and the buyer.
This is another example she used the Tumbelweed houses small houses that encourages compact living. Perhaps not too different from container houses that can be seen in Holland and the UK.
The most important part of her talk in my opinion was the points she made about getting away from a reductionist way of thinking. To focus less on Analysis and Problem solving and instead encourage Reframing, Synthesis and Holism.
