Wolves are a vital part of the ecosystem

I was watching the local news a few days ago and was stunned to hear a story of local farmers and ranchers wanting wolves removed from the ecosystem. I have sympathy for the individuals. I understand that the wolves affect their livelihood. I think one of the issues here, and with so many similar cases is how challenging it is to see all the interconnections, particularly when we have been so trained to reduce everything to individual components.

I could argue here about the vital role that wolves play in the ecosystem, going well beyond a simple predatory relationship; however, I would rather refer you to the following video which illustrates the wide spread impacts that wolves have on the system as a whole.

The next video also details the necessity of relationships in ecosystems, this time in relation to an actual sustainable fish farm.

I like this idea of the relationship expert. Let’s stop taking a reductionist view as our ultimate source for decision making. Let’s examine the relationships and the in between spaces. I know that in my past work as a teacher it was these elements that brought students together and engaged them with the subject. I don’t deny that it is complicated, but, well, so is our world.