Ledgers in the Land

Practice

Ledgers in the Land | an Emergence Magazine Practice

The Earth has an immense capacity for recording the passage of time. The planet’s very flesh—crust, rock, sediment, and soil—holds memories of the Earth’s many changes; mountains, trees, bodies of water, and sequestered carbons offer enduring testimonies to bygone geologic eons and technological ages. In this way, the Earth is a great self-documenting archive—one on which we humans, too, have inscribed our marks. As our rapidly changing climate transforms the landscapes around us, much of the past is once again becoming visible, reminding us that the land is always recording, always remembering.

Starting as far back as possible, learn how the landscape you inhabit came to its current formation. What ancient forces collided and collaborated to form its hills, valleys, or plains? What spells of ice and heat transformed its ecosystems? Make note of some key species that have come and gone from the landscape and how their habits have shaped the character of the ecosystem. What imprints did humans leave on the land?

Now, consider what vestiges of previous ages can still be found in the present. Embark on a walk in your homeplace where you might encounter such traces — perhaps an old-growth forest, a historic part of town, a rocky canyon or bluff; or head to a point of elevation where you can observe the topography of your region. Take note of the layers of the past that are still evident in the landscape in its present form.

Imagine what your home might be like in a decade, a century, and then a thousand years. What elements of the present moment might become layers of time buried within the land? What do you think will remain obvious and active? In the examples you note, does time feel linear, multidirectional, spherical, eternal?

Illustrations by Aldo Jarillo

an Emergence Magazine Practice

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