How we care for the ecosystem is a collective responsibility and an opportunity for collaboration. In order to be responsible stewards, we must first understand how we and all other actors in the ecosystem are in relationship with each other, including humans and non-humans. These relationships are often reciprocal, based on mutual care, and collectively nurture conditions that allow us all to thrive.

During the walk, we will reflect on how actors have different ‘conditions to thrive’ (such as how the River Lea needs to be clean to thrive), and how in turn these are created by other actors’ ‘commitments to care’ (such as water companies stopping sewage dumping). We hope this will inspire meaningful reflections on what the ecosystem provides for us, and in turn, what should be our commitments to the ecosystem, in order to create a thriving society and ecosystem.

You will be able to explore a new tool that Dark Matter Labs has been developing to help us understand the ecosystem in this way, our place in it, and how the tool can support us to realise our commitments to steward for the ecosystem. Exploring how the ways we structure information influence the ways we interact with one another and the world around us. During the walk, we will be highlighting different ecosystem relationships, and how we can start to record these into a ‘living stewardship agreement’.

Come join us for a fun way of reconnecting with nature, as we are all part of it!

This event is hosted by Cody Dock and Dark Matter Labs, building on the work with the River Dôn Project. You can read more about the work here.

Date and time: Friday, 29th August, 10:30 am - 12:30 noon

Location: Meet outside the Growing Space at Cody Dock (11c South Crescent London E16 4TL). If you have any trouble finding it, please contact contact@codydock.org.uk for assistance.

Who is this event for: This event is for anyone interested in learning about the conditions needed for a thriving ecosystem, as well as the care we can provide to support it. We'll also discuss how to organise a relationship of reciprocity with the River Lea ecosystem. Feel free to bring your kids along!

Number of participants: 15 people max.

What to Bring: To participate in this event, you must have a smartphone, internet access, and a Google or GitHub account. Please ensure that you bring a fully charged smartphone that can access the website for creating stewardship agreements with the river ecosystem. Remember to have your Google or GitHub account email address and password ready to log onto the website.

Agreement-making with the Ecosystem: a Walk along the River Lea