Greening in the Red Zone:Human-Nature Interactions as a Part

of Sustainable Reconstruction in Japan

Keith G. Tidball, Cornell University

Global Environmental Action International Conference 2011

Building Sustainable Societies through Reconstruction: Working with the International Community for Regenerating Japan

Tokyo, Japan

What is a red zone?

“Red Zones” refer to multiple settings (spatial and temporal) that may be characterized as intense, potentially or recently hostile or dangerous, including those in post-disaster situations caused by natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes, as well as those associated with terrorist attacks and war.

The view of Middleburgh Valley from Vromans nose in Schoharie County, New York                                   Daily Gazette, August 29, 2011

What is greening?

“Greening” is an active and integrated approach to the appreciation, stewardship and management of living elements of social-ecological systems.

Greening takes place in cities, towns, townships and informal settlements in urban and peri-urban areas, and in the battlefields of war and of disaster.

Greening sites vary -- from small woodlands, public and private urban parks and gardens, urban natural areas, street tree and city square plantings, botanical gardens and cemeteries, to watersheds, whole forests and national or international parks.

Greening involves active participation with nature and in human or civil society (Tidball and Krasny 2007)—and thus can be distinguished from notions of ‘nature contact’ (Ulrich 1993) that imply spending time in or viewing nature, but not necessarily active stewardship.

Why should we do it?

Affluence

Disaster prevention

Reconstruction and restoration of “sense of place”

Social healing

Environmental sustainability

History of nature appreciation

Greening can enable or enhance recovery from disaster or conflict in situations where community members actively participate in greening, which in turn results in measurable benefits for themselves, their community, and the environment.

How does it work?

Are there examples of greening in the red zone?

Our lab has collected examples from:

• Johannesburg, South Africa (post-apartheid)• Afghanistan (current war)• Korea (after typhoon)• Charleston, SC (after hurricane)• New Orleans, LA (after hurricane)• Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovine• New York City (post-9/11)• Guatemala• Cyprus• Berlin• Tokyo & Hiroshima (post- WWII)

These examples and others can be found in a forthcoming book edited by myself and my colleague, published by Springer.

How to begin?

Remember that the relationships people have with nature are important

Recognize that people want to be a part of restoring their home, their town, and their country

Decide that the relationships people have with nature are important to recovery and rebuilding

Learn by reaching out to communities that have benefited from greening in the red zone

Invest in community processes where reconstruction of nature is part or recovery efforts

Document and celebrate greening activities

Capitalize on feedbacks and expansive virtuous cycles

Remember Recognize Decide Learn Invest Document Capitalize

Caveats Scale issues

Greening at a neighborhood scale post-disaster may be repeated in multiple communities and have implications for resilience at the local as well as national scale.

Greening also may be one of the first practices emerging almost immediately after a disaster.

Greening in turn may lay the groundwork for –or tip the balance in favor of -- other resilience processes, such as rebuilding the built infrastructure.

Although transformation may be framed as incremental versus whole system, greening may obfuscate such distinctions. Related to both scale and pace, greening may be unusual in its ability to treat individuals, communities and nations simultaneously, as it can bring immediate salve to individuals and communities while slowly establishing the foundation for a deeper resilience that may be drawn on in future crises.

Only a piece of the puzzle, not “the ultimate answer”

An invitation The Civic Ecology Lab at Cornell University would

welcome an opportunity to work with you and your international partners as you recover and rebuild to develop “Greening in the Red Zone” approaches that are appropriate.

Thank you.

He who plants a tree plants hope.

Quote from Lucy Larcom