What is NetworkNature Reads?
#NetworkNatureReads is inspired by #ReadingRainbow and the #NewYorkTimes #ByTheBook series, both of which spread a love of reading by highlighting stand out books and the people who love them. Our goal is to do the same, but with a #naturebasedsolutions flavor. Every month, we will feature one book selected by a NetworkNature member.
We believe that literature widens perspectives and can foster connection with human and environmental communities. Read Wild Geese by Mary Oliver if you aren’t sure what we mean.
This month’s interviewee is Erica Locatelli, an Expert at ICLEI on the Circular Economy Team.
Want to get involved? Contact hello@networknature.eu to suggest a book!
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Tell us about yourself! What role do nature and reading play in your life?
Both nature and reading help regenerate my sense of self. I love immersing myself in nature, with its softer and more irregular textures under my feet, and its smells, light, colors, and landscapes. Reading is also a good way to switch the brain to a different channel from daily life, and it provides new ideas and stimulation.
Which book did you pick and why?
I chose The Golden Spruce because it is a passionate story about nature and the darker side of human nature. It takes place in a special place that I was lucky enough to experience: Haida Gwaii Island in British Columbia, Canada.
Can you share a specific moment from the book that resonates with you personally? How does it connect to your work with Nature-based Solutions projects?
The Golden Spruce was a special and sacred tree for the Indigenous tribes on the island. Their care for natural resources is inspiring, also for work related to Nature-Based Solutions projects.
In what ways do you see the themes or lessons from the book aligning with the goals of conservation and the challenges we face in combating biodiversity loss today?
The story is about a disturbed man who cuts down this sacred tree. The man is summoned to be tried, but the community begins chasing him, wanting to kill him even before he can appear at the hearing. He then starts living in the wilderness of northern Canada or Alaska.
While staying in Canada, especially on small islands, I was deeply impressed by the beauty, abundance, and majesty of nature and wildlife, as well as by the much more balanced and respectful relationship that local people have with the environment.
I now live near the border of the Black Forest, which is lovely, but it was completely cut down for trade a couple of hundred years ago and all the large predators were eliminated.
That makes me realize how important it is to conserve the natural resources we still have.
If you were recommending this book to a colleague or a friend within the conservation community, what key takeaway or message would you highlight?
The inspiration that comes from an intense, yet respectful relationship with nature is fortunately still present in some areas of our planet.