Tiny Ecology Writing

You will choose a place near your home or campus for intense and sustained ecological attention. There are no special requirements for the place you choose: a built environment, a natural space, a humanly curated expanse (park, garden), an abandoned corner or lot, a creek, or a fountain. 

Best is an area close to where you live or work that you have passed by or near for some time without paying much attention to what unfolds within its little biome. The area can be as small as a concrete planter by a train station or as large as a tree and its surroundings.

Over the final assignment’s working weeks, you will make frequent visits to this place and take detailed notes. Pay attention to human influence and neglect, nonhuman forces (weather, sunlight, microclimates, pollution, decay), and the histories surfacing in that space—including the species of animals and plants you encounter. You may have to learn the difference between kudzu and dandelion, a starling and a wren. Take notes that include questions your observations raise, and make sketches if possible.

Based on your observations and notes, you will produce one written piece of 600 words or more in one of the following forms:

• A personal essay: reflect on what you observed, and what sustained attention to this place revealed to you 

• A short story: create a fictional narrative in which a character’s identity or choices are deeply tied to the landscape you studied 

• A hybrid piece: blend field observation with personal reflection or lyrical elements

Your piece should engage meaningfully with at least two of the course themes below:

• The emotional or psychological effect of a natural environment on a person: What is lost or gained when a landscape changes 

• The relationship between social or political power and the environment: A sense of belonging to, or alienation from, a place

• You are also encouraged to draw inspiration from the readings—the moods, techniques, or ideas in “Mood Disorders,” “A Blizzard Under Blue Sky,” or “The Secret Lion”—without retelling or imitating them directly.

Course materials: 

• Houston, Pam. “A Blizzard Under Blue Sky,” in Literature and the Environment: A Reader on Nature and Culture (second edition), edited by Lorraine Anderson, Scott Slovic, and John P. O’Grady. Pearson, 2013, pp.155-159.

• Lasn, Kalle. “Mood Disorder,” in Literature and the Environment: A Reader on Nature and Culture (second edition), edited by Lorraine Anderson, Scott Slovic, and John P. O’Grady. Pearson, 2013, pp. 169-170.

• Ríos, Alberto. “The Secret Lion,” in Literature and the Environment: A Reader on Nature and Culture (second edition), edited by Lorraine Anderson, Scott Slovic, and John P. O’Grady. Pearson, 2013, pp.175-179.

• Tuan, Yi-fu. “The Pleasures of Touch,” in The Book of Touch, edited by Constance Classen. Berg, 2005, pp. 74-79.

Belonging and Loss in the Bamboo Forest

The Tiny Ecology project that has been meaningful and valuable in my life is the bamboo forest near my home. The forest is abundant with remarkably tall and thick bamboo and provides a habitat for various creatures. I was 16 years old when I first met this natural place and still remember that the shade and cool breeze flowing from the forest made me feel relaxed and smile for a moment. Even today, the bamboo forest remains a special place for me which brought numerous senses of peace and belonging.

To begin with, one of the most significant features of the bamboo forest is the variety of natural sounds produced such as the singing of insects, chirping of birds, and the rustling of the bamboo. Interestingly, compared to complete silence, these natural sounds help me enhance my concentration when studying and working on my assignments. The song of cicadas (セミ) is my favorite sound heard in summer. This sound is called “夏の風物詩” in Japanese which is a words that represents symbols of a season. The sounds of cicadas remind me of my grandparent’s home in Yamaguchi Prefecture and when I close my eyes, I feel as though I am surrounded by the peaceful countryside and immersed in nature. In autumn, the chirping of crickets creates an especially tranquil atmosphere. I often open the window to enjoy nature's sounds as music and to sleep soundly with peace and relief. Furthermore, in “A Blizzard Under Blue Sky”, through experiencing a harsh night and enduring fears to death, the narrator learns the gracefulness and happiness to live. The sentence “For the first time in many months I was happy to see a day beginning” (Houston 159) represents that the narrative has recovered from depression and achieved motivation to keep moving forward. Therefore, I believe that immersing ourselves in nature and focusing on natural elements such as its beautiful sounds, allows us to overcome stress and anxiety, and leads to refreshment and renewal.

While the bamboo forest is a crucial place where I feel a strong sense of belonging, a certain area has recently been cut down for construction. As a result, the ecosystem and habitat of wildlife has been damaged and the peaceful sounds of nature are now replaced with stressful noise of human activities. Every time when I look at the cleared area, I feel a deep sense of emptiness, sadness and meaninglessness. I realized that although the bamboo forest has given me a deep connection with nature, I am powerless to protect it by myself. Similarly, in “The Secret Lion”, the boy’s private and innocent places are repeatedly intruded. For instance, the loss of the clearing, which they regarded as heaven, illustrates the unfair and unreasonable rules of the adult world. After discovering that the clearing was actually a golf course, the boys state that “Something got taken away from us that moment” (Rios 179) and consistently argues that “Nature seemed to keep pushing us around one way or another, teaching us the same thing every place we ended up” (177). This highlights the difficulty of protecting nature and claims that innocent and pure emotions alone cannot prevent the beauty of nature from being destroyed by human activities. Rather than passively enjoying nature, I believe that it is vital to take proactive actions to build connection with nature and understand the positive effects that nature provides to us such as peace, happiness and a sense of belonging.

In conclusion, the bamboo forest has been an indispensable part of my life which helps me stay connected with nature and experience its beautiful sounds throughout the changing seasons. For each season I am excited to listen to the singing of cicadas and crickets, and comfort myself at night with the chirping of birds, and the rustling of the bamboo. On the other hand, the destruction of the forest gave me the opportunity to learn the fragileness of nature and my limited power to preserve important things. Since the bamboo forest has brought me invaluable peace, belonging and learning, I believe that I should motivate myself to discover the power and crucialness of nature.

Works Cited:

Houston, Pam. “A Blizzard Under Blue Sky,” in Literature and the Environment: A Reader on Nature and Culture (second edition), edited by Lorraine Anderson, Scott Slovic, and John P. O’Grady. Pearson, 2013, pp.155-159.

Ríos, Alberto. “The Secret Lion,” in Literature and the Environment: A Reader on Nature and Culture (second edition), edited by Lorraine Anderson, Scott Slovic, and John P. O’Grady. Pearson, 2013, pp.175-179.

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