Dynamics of a Thriving Ecosystem
Arboretum Centre at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
What Nature Teaches Us About Thriving in Community
By Elvira Booth
Back from beautiful Guelph, where the Human Systems Dynamics Gathering took place on May 29 & 30. During the Ecosystem Walk with the brilliant Alison Morrison, Curator of Conservation at the University of Guelph, we wandered through the lush forests and gardens of the Guelph Arboretum — uncovering some of the quiet, potent lessons Nature offers.
What is Nature teaching us about living and thriving in community? Here are some of the seeds we picked up…
🌱Cycles of Regeneration
Growth and decay cycles of plants recreate the soil as nourishment for the developing roots of the new plants.
🌱 How do we integrate and “compost” past experiences, knowledge, and efforts to nourish what is yet to come?
🌱Interdependence & Co-creation
Most interactions in a thriving ecosystem go unnoticed. Yet even the simplest settings can support a wide variety of local wildlife.
🌱 How do we create conditions to support rich, diverse collaborations through simple, straightforward infrastructure?
🌱Pollination as a Service to the Community
Pollinator plants provide nectar and pollen for many species. Pollination is essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems that benefit both flora and fauna.
🌱 In what ways do we choose to share knowledge and support the cross-pollination of new ideas?
🌱Adaptive Capacity Helps Us Thrive
Spring ephemerals bloom in a brief moment before the tree canopy fully forms. They weave their life cycles into the rhythms of the community — thriving by staying attuned to local and global conditions.
🌱 How can we create space for each other’s growth, on our own timelines? How do we thrive by staying responsive to the unfolding collective?
🌱The "Turtle Beach" Metaphor
The Guelph Arboretum created a special zone called Turtle Beach —helping them avoid random sites where their eggs are more vulnerable to predation.. By setting the right conditions, we enable the shift in system dynamics towards a greater fit without imposing the change.
🌱 How can we design places for safe experimentation that support individuals' learning journeys right from the start?
🌱Supporting Diversity
We often assume that earthworm activity is universally beneficial for soil substrates. Yet in Canada, earthworms are not native — and many local forest plants haven't evolved to thrive in the altered soil conditions they create.
🌱 How can we support local initiatives and communities in growing in ways that honor their unique needs, histories, and ecosystems — rather than imposing well-intended solutions that may not truly fit?
🌱Generative Patterns
It sometimes takes just a few “pioneer” species to spark a new ecosystem. Once the first plants take root, many more follow.
🌱 How can we ignite curiosity and belief in a community’s potential to evolve, discover, and grow organically?
Many more seeds of insight were planted during that walk — and each of us likely carried home different ones. These questions, shaped by ecological metaphors, aren’t meant to be answered quickly. They’re invitations to reflect, together...
What did you notice on your own walk through the ecosystem? What might Nature be teaching you about human systems today?
Elvira Booth is a Consultant in System Leadership and a Coach for Sustainable Performance. She is the founder of the Ecosystem Leadership Lab, which supports leaders and entrepreneurs in experimenting with adaptive, sustainable approaches to business in a VUCA world. Her work focuses on helping people lead with clarity and resilience in the midst of uncertainty. Elvira lives and works in Lausanne, Switzerland.