Practice Highlight: Reciprocity

Read more about Lindsey Crofoot and her work with biocultural restoration.

Pictured: Field with purple Fireweed.

A core aspect of agroforestry and one of the focal points of the Skykomish River site’s biocultural restoration project is the practice of reciprocity. Within this view, humans are an essential part of the ecosystem and have an important role in maintaining ecological balance. 

“We give as much as we take. We take no more than what we give,” explains Lindsey Crofoot. “If we are just eating the food, then that is only one side of the relationship. We must give back in reciprocity.”

Some of those aspects of reciprocity are familiar to Western science and fall under the general umbrella of land tending. For example, a gatherer engages in pruning, aerating the soil, assisted species migration, etc. while hunters cull herds to prevent overgrazing. 

Other aspects of reciprocity are built on an underlying belief that plants and animals aren’t just other parts of the ecosystem, they are valued relatives. 

“We practice reciprocity by spending time with our relatives,” said Lindsey. “We sing our songs to them, we tell them our worries, we tell them about the great things that are happening in our lives.”

This aspect of relationship and connection still remains outside the bounds of mainstream  Western science but is an integral component of Traditional Ecological Knowledge.

“We have a holistic view of science and within that we include the metaphysical and spiritual realm,” explains Lindsey. “Our ceremonies, prayers, protocols, and songs all have the goal of maintaining this balance of interconnectedness and interdependency.

You can't separate the faith from the science, they are intertwined with each other. There is no equivalent in Western science to me saying that there's power in when we sing to a river.”