12 Podcast Interview Questions about Nature’s Ecological Succession by a Birch Tree

12 Podcast Interview Questions about Nature’s Ecological Succession by a Birch Tree  

“And when you don’t understand how webs connect; or how roots make leaves; or how the food web is many links that can’t be broken;  when you lack empathy for the most ordinary creature, the worm or the bee, you become disconnected and pay the price one way of another, too often with disorder and disease.” 

Excerpt from The Ecological Succession of Birchum Birch

I started writing about Birchum Birch 50 years ago and left the manuscript to vegetate in a dusty drawer. With all the problems on the Earth today, I thought it might be timely to bring it into the modern world. At first, it was a simple story about a tree and its caricature encounters. But now the story has evolved far deeper with fearsome feelings and holistic  hopes about a changing earth and society, about industry, commerce and virtual reality where nature’s co-operation must not be relegated to playing a distant secondary role.

I believe the time has never been more important to stop and admire a beautiful birch tree singing in the breeze because you have looked under his scarred bark to understand his personality from his roots’ tips to his leaves’ tips and the special relationship he shares with his world. 

You act kindly to friends, right? 

In fact, with greater study, the natural life force of a tree can relate to human conditions like responsibility to look after families, to support your community and protect your environment.  In fact, a talking tree can even teach lessons about the diversity of lifeforms from the smallest to the largest to each their unique purpose; how self-ego is only one strand that can negate the other affinities; how generosity and caring are the fabric of any community; how changes in the environment need transition times with tolerance; how weather is not just temperatures but the life channel to a healthy ecosystem; how consuming food webs are the right to life itself - contaminated or not;  how balance, recycling and connections are the global laws in Nature to be applied to every living plant, animal and human.

I look forward to any podcast interviews to discuss these important questions and other concerns about how we can give Nature a voice:  

1. What values do trees or forest offer other than lumber? Is deforestation necessary?
2. What is the value of Nature’s bio-systems from the value of a worm and a bee?
3. How would you summarize 3 main Nature’s Laws IF Nature wrote them down?
4. Why Nature doesn't produce garbage. 7 Ways to limit our own garbage with new reality.

5. Why are the top 3 inches in topsoil the most important gift for life on Earth?

6. What are the 4 levels of ecology to change people’s attitudes about sustainability?
7. Why can learning be described as 'making the invisible visible?' (lack of attention to details can create misunderstanding or opinion)
8. How does a forest fire show the basics of ecological succession?
9. How can ecological succession be applied to people’s “social succession?”
10. Why is a natural seed so precious versus a GMO (genetically modified organism)?
11. What is the symbolism of a cocoon in the story as the metamorphosis process?
12. Why is a spider web the best way to explain morality in Nature?

Please request my One Page Expert Sheet and a Media Sheet.

Check out e-book Ecological Succession of Birchum Birch

Kindle edition 

Note: 50% from the sale of this e-book will be added to a scholarship fund for young people who wish to pursue higher education on Earth’s behalf. . request details for application.

A Special Bonding for Children from Researching and Writing this Story About the Water Sprite with Roots

A Special Bonding for Children from Researching and Writing this Story About the Water Sprite with Roots

The truth is: the natural world is changing. And we are totally dependent on that world. It provides our food, water and air. It is the most precious thing we have, and we need to defend it.” ― David Attenborough

So what did I learn from researching ecosystems and the special bonding I hope to pass on to children as they also learn about healthy ecosystems for a healthy Earth for a healthy people.

Actually, I learned several factors that only grew in significance the more the natural environment opened up.This is not the simple water cycle as first envisioned from the ocean’s transpiration where it starts  to the ocean’s runoff  where it ends. In the middle, there are adventures drawn from co-inhabitants in an ecological balance with a different connection around every bend. What I learned will only help to increase my admiration of a walk in the woods by a pond; or larger yet, the way I view our beautiful blue and finite planet.  It is this journey I wish to share with young people of all ages to create a special bonding and vision for a sustainable community for all species.

 Let's start with the A-List:

AMAZEMENT at the extraordinary biological diversity of life forms that create their own interdependent communities on land and in water.  We are surrounded by such specialized simple lifeforms called microorganisms that live in fresh water, which may be only a handful of living cells but with the ability to sense, feed, propagate and even adapt as required; but without defenses against pollution. 

Did you know that only 3% of our planet’s water is drinkable where half of fresh water is frozen in glaciers or underground? 97% of it is saltwater.

AWARENESS of the diversity of organic Life forms or compounds containing the carbon molecule, the most common life matter on Earth. The sun’s energy called photosynthesis can create a simple sugar molecule as food for any carbon-based plant and animal by combining with water (two hydrogen and one oxygen).  Even the hydrocarbon found in fossil fuels is filled with the sun’s energy which can be used as fuel or manufactured into inert plastics; forever non-biodegradable.  

Did you know that Americans throw away enough plastic bottles in a week to encircle the Earth 5 time and that only 5% of Earth’s population?

APPRECIATION of the numerous cycles required for ecology to be balanced, from sun and water, to nutrients for primary plants, to animals and even decomposing bacteria to recycle matter. For example, the nutrient cycle begins with minerals that include carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen and water among others as these elements recycle to produce food for the ecosystem. The water cycle is immemorial, continually recycling over time. We all live in one huge watershed from beyond dinosaur times. 

Did you know that the leading source of pollution in surface drinking water supplies is polluted rainwater runoff from household products (EPA)?

  

AFFINITY to the wonder of a healthy ecosystem based on four functioning levels which help to clean our water, recycle nutrients, maintain our soil, purify our air and provide us with food and shelter. Every chapter shows how anything that affects one part of our ecosystem will in turn affect others … from the very smallest to the largest. There is a strong link to an ECOLOGY ETHIC where exponential growth is not possible. Nature is not to be contradicted but integrated within our common humanity. 

Do we have a moral obligation to leave an environment worthwhile to live in for our children?

ACCOMPLISHMENT by introducing characters who can relate their experiences of integration and interdependence within their special systems.  Many interesting characters who are defined as micro-organisms really do exist in various water states; but for a change, they are given a voice to talk about their thoughts and fears. A few are imaginary creations in their particular system like glaciers, oil lakes, and plastic manufacturing factories; but all are connected to the water molecule. 

So, on one hand, we can research a factual description of Ecosystems as communities of organisms and non-living matter that interact together where a damaged balance can cause many problems. Or, on the other hand, we can tell a story of a sensitive water sprite with roots who lives through these encounters, imbalances, fears and hopes. He talks the walk through his mission of discovering cyclical truths from the sun to water to nutrients to plants to animals to decomposing bacteria to respecting the biodiversity.

  

The hope is that the reader will form a special bonding with this main water sprite character; thereby, making an emotional connection through his trials, tribulations and inclusions of all lives in a balanced natural environment. As the water sprite falls in love, so will the readers in kinship and motivational affinity to protect Nature at its best.

“No one will protect what they don't care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced..”   David Attenborough

You are invited to check the story here: 

The Incredible Journey of a Water Sprite with Roots

Comments and questions are welcome and appreciated,

Sincerely,

Annemarie

amarie10@gmail.com

Two excerpts: "The mystery of this cycle has slowly unfolded. It's about the power of the sun giving light energy to the chlorophyll in plant cells to split the water molecule, and combine it with carbon to produce a simple sugar compound as food for animals and humankinds. A cycle is what a cycle is; but miss out one tiny piece like a chloroplast found within the chlorophyll, nothing is completed, and life is not possible. So tiny, so simple, yet so complex."

"Also, maybe, there is some misunderstanding about what makes a life-form; especially lesser and smaller beings than themselves. Maybe, being so intelligent and progressive has made them short-sighted and narrow-minded about their own groups only, and prejudiced against other communities which may be different from them. Is this why pollution doesn’t matter to some? What if, I think, amusingly, they can be referred to as kind humans rather than humankinds."

Attack by Giant Amoeba and Saved by A Rotifer