Tending the Wild

The idea that would become the foundation of this book—that indigenous people’s stewardship of the land carries important lessons for us in the mod- ern world—germinated in my mind as I stood in a Mexican farmer’s fields in summer 1983. Growing alongside the many kinds of crop plants were a variety of native herbs and trees. Insects buzzed and clicked, and birds chat- tered.The land smelled good and radiated beauty.The farmer was using the land quite intensively, yet much of the natural plant and animal diversity remained. He explained to me the importance of diversifying crops, using locally available resources, retaining overstory trees, and planting vegeta- tion that harbored...