While gardens may seem to have a marginal impact as a site for responding to climate change, they in fact hold great potential as spaces where ecoliteracy can be cultivated. Gardens serve as microcosms of the natural world, offering tangible experiences of ecological processes and relationships. In these green spaces, individuals can observe first-hand the interconnectedness of species, the importance of biodiversity and the delicate balance of ecosystems. Moreover, gardens hold significant cultural and social value, shaping identities, fostering community bonds and providing spaces for recreation and reflection. By engaging with gardens in regenerative ways, individuals can develop a deeper appreciation for the intricate web of life and their role within it.
There are signs that many people today – as a response to the environmental crisis – are turning to their gardens for ways of living more sustainably, for instance, setting up insect hotels, not only for the benefit of humans, but also to benefit life and ecology, biodiversity and a vibrant living planet. Emic practices such as permaculture gardening, regenerative agriculture and ‘wild’ gardening have gained popularity in recent years and have been adopted by both individual and organisational actors in society. These practices include a diversity of climate-friendly agricultural techniques broadly focusing on the regeneration of biodiversity, the protection and rebuilding of carbon stores in soil and on the reduction of greenhouse gases emitted during food production. In addition, these practices generally foster alternative views on our place as human beings in the living world, as opposed to perceiving ‘nature’ as something to be exploited as potential abstract substances and resources.
‘Digging for the Climate’ is a project aimed at reshaping human interactions with the environment, particularly in the context of gardening practices. We aim to explore how engagement in regenerative gardening activities can enhance participants’ ecoliteracy and create new ways for human and non-human actors to be with each other. This includes understanding and appreciating the intrinsic value of animals, plants and soil in supporting planetary health. The project seeks to foster ecoliteracy in children and young adults by implementing regenerative gardening practices into the formal schooling system in cooperation with educators within and outside of the formal schooling system in Denmark. We expect that deep involvement in regenerative gardening practices can lead to transformative learning for and a shift in attitudes of participants towards nature, thereby impacting everyday behaviours.
Our research encompasses diverse disciplinary perspectives, including environmental humanities, philosophy and ecofeminism. By adopting participatory research methods and collaborating with stakeholders from both formal and non-formal education sectors, we aim to cultivate ecoliteracy on a broad societal level.
The project is structured in three parts:
1. Investigating regenerative gardening in non-formal educational contexts and collaborating with various organisations to study the impact of gardening projects on community engagement and transformative learning.
2. Exploring ecoliteracy and regenerative gardening in schools, from primary to higher education levels, through activities such as school gardens and outdoor education.
3. Assessing the potential societal impact of scaling up regenerative gardening practices with high ecoliteracy potentials, both within and outside educational settings.
Overall, Digging for the Climate represents a cross-disciplinary approach to addressing environmental challenges by promoting sustainable gardening practices and nurturing a deeper connection between human and non-human actors.
Project participants:
Julie Emontspool, PI, Department of Business & Management
Michael Paulsen, Co-PI, Department of Design, Media and Educational Science
Ane Qvortrup, Department of Design, Media and Educational Science
Peter Wolsing, Department of Design, Media and Educational Science
Jane Ebsen Morthorst, Department of Biology
Mikkel Ørholm Nøjgaard, Department of Business & Management
Dikte Reeh Andersen, Department of Business & Management
If you are interested in learning more about the project, please contact Research Assistant
Dikte Reeh Andersen by email: diktand@sam.sdu.dk