hat is  Community-Based Nature Center?

          In the Japanese national park and forest park, these places often have a visitor center, and there is some naturalists teaching about nature in those area for visitors, such as the name of flowers and birds. Certainly, I just agree that it is very important. But, for ordinary people, who are not naturalists, who just wants to enjoy nature easily in holidays and weekends, there is high hurdles for them and they may feel awkward to go there, I guess. It feels like separated from their lifestyles and their community.

Instead, the nature center has a potential as community center in nature. Community people can gather togather easily in there, to have a break and talk, to have a meeting about some groups or circles, to play music and hold mini concert, to plant vegetables and farming, in comfortable environment whether they like nature or not. 

 

We discussed about the Nature Center as the context of community hub.

The place for this workshop is historical temple in Kyoto, and there is beautiful Japanese traditional garden. At that time while the workshop, a pleasant sound of "Shishiodoshi" (traditional wooden thing to make a sound by the power of flowing water, for frighten deer) was echoing around.

 

 

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The Nature Center as "Community-Based Place"

 

Yamaguchi  Before this workshop started, I gave an instant camera to everyone to take a picture of your favorite landscape in this temple. Because I want you spend this time noticing the usual and unusual in daily life. This enable us to feel again what we usually feel unconsciously, and feel the "Sense of Wonder". If two people take the same picture, they will have different stories to tell each other.

The Nature Center Book tells us about the concept of the Nature Center not as facility or building, but as the place of a story. We won't dwell on the project in Texas - far away from here, but I hope you will realize something that can improve your daily life or daily work through this workshop.

Well, let's start.

 

Brent  25 years ago, Carolyn and I took a walk at the city park. The park was neglected and not cared for. We followed a swallow through down to the creek and there is the giant beautiful trees, we were amazed. That was the birth of the Nature Center.

At first we started making the nature trails and learning about Nature Centers around the country. America has hundreds of the Nature Centers, they are all different. But we realized they do two things. They give people a peaceful place to go. And they also teach about nature.

I learned that I could help patients with mental health problems by taking them into nature. Anxious people stop worrying so much. Depressed people got enegy. I saw that somehow nature creates positive moods. We invited more people that come with us and see this place. No building was permitted in this area so it was perfect for a Nature Center.

25 years later, we are a large organization and more people have joined us. Our funds come from individuals and companies not government money. Our experience is that Nature Centers could have empathy. Empathy for the nature, empathy for the future.

 

Carolyn  The Hounen-in Temple reminds us to be quiet. This is the most inspiring place to discuss about the Nature Center. This is the greatest.

I will speak about actions needed to start the Nature Center. At first you get some friends together with ideas and hope. And you have fun together. You talk, have a coffee break, have fun. Fun is very important. Then you invite teachers, biologists, volunteers, students, community, friends and business leaders. You do a project together. The most effective projects revitalizes nature, like cleaning up the river. 

Next, how to get organized? You find a leader. The leader must inspire and organize. Finally it’s a time to make a plan. You can invite a community designer, volunteers, a landscape architect and a teacher. The secret is that if you don’t know how to do it, there is someone who can help you. People want to help for a good project. After the work, you have more fun. Make music, picnic…

When I think back on the impact of our Nature Center, it helped to create a community with a environmental consciousness. It help us in our community to have hope for the environment. And it created community of peace because everybody loves nature and everybody loves children. It does not matter what politician you like, what religion you are.

Now we’re starting the new project. We bought some land to create a sustainable farm to teach gardening and sustainable practices. So we begin it all again.

 

Do not divide human from the nature

 

Yamazaki  I just heard very interesting presentations. I guess there is some differences between us, my position is to organize the community. Mr. and Mrs. Evans are helping community to understand about nature. We are in different position each other, but I think both we have same visions.

My background as my carrer is the work of a Landscape Architect, that is to design and plan parks or gardens. However, oneday I realized that only "designing" as hardware is not enough to be used well and to be loved by a community, without participation by the citizens. So I became interested in community organizing from park design.

In America, various practices of park management are advanced very well now. It means management for be loved by the community is very active at the term after opening, in contrast to Japanese cases which is all the process of the project is just ended when the park is build and opened. 

They think about a manager or director is needed even in the park, like museum or gallery has. I'd like to suggest Japanese parks should do like that. And I think these community management and organizing will be able to do anywhere, not only at the park also in department store, shopping street and the college.

Therefore, there is a same concept as the Nature Center in the roots of the branch what I have been done in my career. So I guess a place like the Nature Center, which citizens gather together and learn by themselves in nature, is the best place to organize community.

Recent Japanese situations shows that whole population is going down, and a lot of empty spaces are appearing in many towns and cities. I think it might be possible that using these spaces as open space and community space like a nature center, which is the place for connect between people and nature, between people and people.

 

Kajita  Thank you for coming today. At first this building, Abbot's Chamber in the Hounen-in Temple, was a residence in which emperor's daughter lived 400 years ago. Then 300 years ago, it moved here and became a part of this temple. For a long time, have been maintaining this place, thanks to the hearts of many people.

What I have been continued to say for 20 years is that I am curious about the word of "nature". What does "nature" means? Today we are talking about "people and nature", but actually I don't like this term. Are human beings included in the word "nature" or not? Do we use "nature" to mean only the space except for humans and other living thing? I think we may have been using the word of "nature" for our own convenience on different occasions.

In my opinion, I think the "nature" means the relationship between lives that support each other. I want to live as one existence that respects this relationship well.

I think the Nature Center is a place where one can sense these relationships. We need more of these places that help us think about how to live in this world while understanding nature. I think this is how a Nature Center creates "Sense of Place".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Japanese Perspective

 

Yamaguchi  A lot of comments came from everyone. Let me introduce some of them. "Sometimes I have smelled the scent of plants or flowers while walking in the city and it makes me happy. I think a Nature Center is not a separate facility, but it is something that can be part of our daily life." "I think it is good that museum and art gallery might become a Nature Center. It is important that not only some artifact is displayed, also many people gather together, take care something and leave it for the future.

In contrast, someone said that "I agree with the opinion that we feel awkward to go to a Nature Center." I guess it may mean that "how can we design a Nature Center to experience nature and community in our daily lives, as not special things or facilities."

 

Brent  I think it’s important that the Nature Center is community-based, be controlled by community. It’s very important that community maintains control. Eco tourism will give only an economic impact. Tourist will may just come and tramp or destroy the nature.

I think every culture and community is different. So the method of the social worker is to connect a community need with a  community resource.

If there are hungry people, the Nature Center can provide land for them to grow food, and bring local experts who know how to grow local foods.

 

Carolyn  Regarding the importance of connecting people and people, I believe that people give to people. I can speak about a project with great enthusiasm and I listen very carefully to what partners are interested in. When I cherish each partner, the relationship with them will last long time. And they may give us their time or donate. You must always express gratitude for their help.

 

Yamaguchi  A comment said "The project in America may not translate in same way to Japan. Is the purpose and relationship of the Nature Center more important than the method?"

What do you think?

 

Carolyn  During my short stay in Japan, my perception is that Japanese people have great appreciation of nature and great awareness of their environmental problems. It's very old culture that thinks long ways in the future. I think Japanese can make the Nature Center better than Americans.

 

Yamaguchi  One person questioned that "Is the project such as the Nature Center for developed country?"

Based on this, please tell us about Japanese sense and custom, Mr. Yamazaki.

 

Yamazaki  I agree with the two opinion that "the project in America may not suit in Japan directly" and "should not divide human from nature." From the view of difference between America and Japan, Cibolo Nature Center is being supported by donations. American people and companies are allowed to donate and decrease their taxes, but in Japan the rules are different.

And another difference is that Japanese people have a culture which thought that  god exists everywhere. It said as simile there are 8 million gods. It is possible to say that we are living in the culture which permits a range of points of view.

At 1970's in America, there was an argument that "the concept of ecology includes our humanity?". However, we can wonder about this and say, "We can not imagine ecology without humanity." I think these ideas which we are having are actually valuable. Japanese people know that we are included nature, rather than the human-centered view-point. So I think it is possible that community design will do well in Japan.

 

Finally we just realized

 

Yamazaki  Can I write on that White board? Let me explain while writing.

Focus on each country in the world, people in developing countries looking at developed countries as they want to become in the future. However, we, people in developed countries have been just realizing little by little that there will be no future when development continues. We have many problems such as nukes, urbanization and lessening connection with people and community. In any case, we do not believe anymore that a bright future will come in the end of economic growth. We just realized finally, that here is more important things such as the Nature Centers and community design. We have become aware that we should go another direction.

Our mission is not to show a detour to developing countries, but show them that we are already going toward another direction now. We should be practicing this vision which we are seeing. I believe that the activity of a Nature Center is the one for our future.

 

Kajita  China is now developing rapidly. I think the human being can not go there directly without development. Fortunately or unfortunately, no one can decide any ways to go without self-experience.

 

Yamazaki  In addition, the "developing town" still exists in Japan. Can't they go in new direction without becoming a big city like Tokyo? I think they can. They are creating their new lifestyle, which people in the city are jealous of. I think it's our hope.

 

Kajita  I think they can do that in their own country, but it's difficult across the  countries. So it's important that to remove the image of border between each country, in context of true meaning of "Global".

I am always saying that "Love will not save the earth". We must not forget that the conflict often happens among communities and countries because people  love their own. It is important to discover that how to design a relationship among each community across the borders.

 

Yamazaki  Yes, it's important. But the Internet is getting over the any borders invisibly. Many people know a lot of information across the border through the Internet. I think hope is in there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make up our mind to be with nature

 

Yamaguchi  Time flies fast. Please give us some comments at last.

 

Yamamoto  Well, only few words. I think we should make up our mind to be with nature.

 

Yamazaki  Someone questioned "There are some cases that some people become onlookers despite having a mind to do something. What is needed for them to engage in the action actively?"

My answer is that to enjoy is very important. We have a lot of tools such as Facebook and Twitter and we can share information or feelings with everyone. But the contents that we should share are more important than media. People enjoy with a positive mood, or they sit down and be onlookers. I am commiting to work with pleasure.

 

Kajita  I think the Nature Center will become a place to remind us of "nature in people", not just "nature and people".

I became a chief abbot in here 29 years ago, and then I set up the Forest Center. Today someone said that the Nature Center is the place that may make on feel awkward to go, and a temple can be same. But the Hounen-in Temple becoming more popular, and many people come.

This temple is many things: a Nature Center, a Human Center, an Art Center or a Religious Center, and people gather together, learn, play and enjoy. I hope the number of these place will increase, and people will remind themselves of their connectedness to everything.

 

Brent  Many people move to our town because they look at some pictures through the Internet. And they see a beautiful place. They don’t see shopping centers or commercial advertisement in the street and they see the Nature Center. Once people come and visit, it might be one and half hours in a week, but they are affected. They go home with something different.

We see things happening in our community that people are now using native plants in their yards. At the inspiration garden people learn that they can grow food, they may go home and may have only one potted Tomato plant. That’s now they are getting closed to the nature. It can be enough.

 

 

Carolyn  The best indicator of a good Nature Center is that there is very happy children in the nature. We see it everyday. The children grow more and more healthy with more time in nature.

There are problems everyday but the rewards are very great because of relationship with people and nature. I believe that if you love your work, these obstacles will seem small. I see that a Nature Center can live inside of you, a very small thing.

Today, every community can not have beautiful nature. Some people lived in dense city with very high apartments and no land. I agree very much with the idea of community gardens in the city because growing food equals having a nature connection. If you have a nature connection, you will be happier, healthier and smarter.

 

Yamaguchi  Thank you very much. Today's guests was Mr. Yamazaki,

Mr. Kajita, Mr. and Mrs. Evans.