123. The Wisdom Body
Fred Provenza on a paradigm change in animal, human & planetary health
Professor Fred Provenza is the legendary behavioural ecologist and author who has revolutionised how we understand the nature of animal health and intelligence, and its connection to our human health and intelligence. This includes the regenerative role of livestock, in all sorts of ways. And through his own deep personal trials and transformations, Fred has come to embody this knowledge in ways that shine a light not only on the extraordinary regenerative capacities of nature, including humans, but how regenerating all human systems stems from the wisdom of our bodies.
“I think of the key role that plants are playing in all of this. And I often like to say, plants turn dirt into soil, and diverse mixtures of plants turn soil into homes, grocery stores and pharmacies for creatures below ground and above ground. To me that’s as simple a way to put something that’s so complex, as everyone’s getting into and coming to appreciate. ”
Fred’s published a few books on all this, culminating a few years ago in his master work, ‘Nourishment: What Animals Can Teach Us About Rediscovering Our Nutritional Wisdom’. It’s been called a ‘paradigm-changing exploration’ with ‘implications that could vastly improve our health through a simple change in the way we view our relationships with the plants and animals we eat.’ Montana Public Radio said: “Nourishment is a conversation between science, culture, and a greater spiritual or cosmological umbrella.” Indeed, you might describe this conversation the same way.
More on Fred:
As professor emeritus of Behavioral Ecology in the Department of Wildland Resources at Utah State University, Provenza directed an award-winning research group focused on how learning influences foraging behavior and how behavior links soils and plants with herbivores and humans. In addition to penning a book, he is one of the founders of BEHAVE, an international network of scientists and land managers.
This conversation was recorded online, with Fred at home in Montana USA, on 8 June 2022.
Find more:
Tune into the special extra to this episode with Fred, ‘A Cosmic Voyager with Amnesia’.
Fred’s book Nourishment: What Animals Can Teach Us about Rediscovering Our Nutritional Wisdom.
The BEHAVE international network Fred co-founded.
Fred will be a keynote speaker (online) at the upcoming RCS Australia ‘Convergence’ conference in Brisbane in July.
A reminder that Regenerating Australia will be screened at the Beverley Town Hall, in the wheatbelt of WA, on 17 June, with panel conversation featuring Oral McGuire, Di Haggerty, Grant Revell & Damon Gameau (online), hosted by Anthony James.
Music:
Regeneration, composed by Amelia Barden, from the soundtrack of the new film Regenerating Australia, available for community screenings now.