I follow Home Grown National Park on instagram, a grassroots movement cofounded by Doug Tallamy in the US, to regenerative biodiversity, by encouraging people to plant native and remove invasives. Recently, he shared this encouragement to shift away from planting vast expanses of lawn monoculture wastelands by positioning one as a yard that “takes” and one as a yard that “contributes.”

I really loved this breakdown – take or contribute? – for the way it feels applicable to the entire world, and our role in it.

I love the use of the word “contribute” because it’s humble, it’s collaborative, it receives what you’re able to offer, it doesn’t demand massive sacrifice or heroic efforts. Just your contribution. Instead of your constant extraction.

It’s regenerative, not extractive. So things grow and improve because of your contribution, instead of stagnating or being strangled or eroding over time, from your taking.

It feels like the way we could reshape the tourism invitation – are you taking or contributing?

And it felt very resonant when I saw the Lil’wat Nation post, acknowledging and thanking the event producers for two successful trial events – the Schwalbe Trans BC Bike Race and the XTERRA Trail Run, for being on the “contribute” side of the equation.

Through collaboration with Lil’wat Nation Lands and Resources, PORCA and the PVTA, giving back, or contributing, is hopefully becoming the M.O. for those benefitting from these lands, and this place.

Take or contribute? It seems like a helpful shift in approach to simply ask: how can I contribute? (Any good guest does.)