WHO ARE THE BIONEERS?
By Ed Elkin

MARIN COUNTY, California - October 29, 2001 - Last week, the Bioneers Conference took place on the grounds and in the buildings of the Marin Center in San Rafael, California.  Over 3000 people of diverse backgrounds shared three focused days of discussions, films, dances, meals and exhibits in a beautiful natural setting, complete with surrounding hills, outdoor sculptures, a water bird-filled lagoon, flowers and trees.

 Exactly who are the "Bioneers?" Their slogan Revolution from the Heart of Nature says it best.  They are gardeners, biologists, architects, economists, writers, public servants, scientists, farmers, business people, educators, ecologists and activists of all kinds.  These are the Bioneers.  Their work spans many fields and cultures, marrying ecological technologies with social, spiritual and political strategies for restoration. 

The Bioneers are the pioneers of new territory on Earth, now leading the way for humanity to once again become a part of nature rather than apart from nature as we continue through the 21st century. 

Paradoxically, it is "pioneering" that brings us back to our nature-centered origins as we study the natural world and learn to merge with it rather than dominating and conquering it.

While combining biology with pioneers gives the most common interpretation of Bioneers, biology and engineers gives an alternative interpretation.  In a very tangible sense, biologists - as those who study life - and engineers - as those who design and build non-living systems - also merge their skills, talents, hearts and imaginations to create another meaning to "Bioneers."

One example of such a marriage was presented by Janine Benyus at the first plenary session, "Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature." She told of taking a team of engineers to the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador, introducing them to the ways that nature had solved many "engineering problems" such as desalinization of water, prevention of scaling in pipes and efficient water-filtration, among others.

In the wake of the horrific events of Sept. 11, the welcoming message from co-producers Kenny Ausubel and Nina Simons acknowledged that there are no easy answers to a very complex situation:

"There will be no long-term solutions without addressing the root causes of our civilizationís unsustainability. It is only by restoring degraded ecosystems and biodiversity, by instituting people-centered economics, and by moving away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy and non-toxic technologies, by addressing social injustice, and by shifting toward an Earth-honoring and life-affirming culture, that we will birth a peaceful world"

The concerns of the Bioneers are nothing less the restoration of the Earth and its peoples.

BIONEER'S MISSION STATEMENT

1. To maintain a forum for visionary innovators and activists with diverse approaches for restoring the Earth and people, from the grass roots to the societal;

2. To optimize effective action by building bridges among diverse communities and cultures that otherwise operate separately, enhancing collaboration on a variety of culturally appropriate approaches to restoration.

3. To develop an active faculty of Bioneers, introducing them to each other's work to foster cross-pollination of ideas, strategies and networks;

4. To disseminate environmental solutions to the public, to professionals and to the media; to cultivate grounded optimism, encouraging and equipping people to take action and engage more effectively in restoration.

HISTORY

In 1990, Kenny Ausubel founded the Bioneers Conference and its parent not-for-profit organization, the Collective Heritage Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  His wife and partner, Nina Simons, co-produced the events, initially in Santa Fe, and since 1993 in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Although serious scholars often are the presenters, the conference is not considered academic, but is more oriented towards action and activism.

AWARD WINNERS - 2001

• ANNA CARTER, the "seed lady" of Watts.   Her exemplary horticultural heroism and community service are creating organic gardens in South Central Los Angeles.

• TOM GOLDTOOTH, National Coordinator of the Indigenous Environmental Network and a long-time grassroots activist.   His highly effective initiatives built alliances among Native American groups and environmental and social justice organizations

• LYNN MARGULIS, Ph.D. formulated the Gaia Hypothesis (along with Jim Lovelock) that considers the Earth as a living system, providing insights into evolutionary biology and the bacterial evolution of life on Earth.

• WADE DAVIS, an ethno-botanist and explorer, brilliant writer and passionate orator.  He has carried on the legacy of the legendary giant of ethno-botany, Richard Evans Schultes. 

• TIERAONA LOW DOG, MD, a medical visionary transforming health care into a genuine ecological medicine.  She is also a leading expert on botanical and integrative medicine.

• DIANE WILSON, mother of five and fourth-generation fisherwoman on the Texas Gulf Coast.  She has battled some of the world's biggest corporate polluters and won, providing many of the great tales in the history of grassroots environmental heroism.

YOUTH PROGRAM

A significant youth presence was a first at this year's conference. Coordinated by Julia Butterfly Hill, renowned for living for two years atop a 1000-year-old redwood tree, they created a youth visioning and dialogue, and hosted a wondrous, energetic dance and theater program.

TOWARD THE FUTURE

The Bioneers demonstrated they are truly one of the foremost organizations re-connecting humanity to its roots as a natural expression of Nature, and providing a leading edge for the evolution of the planet.

"Concern for the environment will no loner be one of many single issues in this next century. It will move to the center of the stage. It will become the context of our lives, our businesses, our politics."

                                                                                                   Fritjof Capra, Author, "Web of Life"