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Since 1979, Jadav Payeng has single handily planted a forest bigger than Central Park. The dedicated arborist managed to turn an eroding wasteland into a tropical paradise for man and beast alike. 115 elephants, rhino, deer, and tigers call the 550-hectare forest home.

Payeng has a dream to restore his home island of Majuli and neighboring Jorhat with the beautiful forests that once covered them.

Agricultural development and human influence destroyed the natural beauty of his home, but Payeng is doing his part to bring the ecosystem back. He's a man on a mission and proves that small acts every day can add up to tremendous change over time!

"I tell them, cutting my trees will get you nothing. Cut me before you cut my trees!"

Check out his beautiful story in the video below!

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Man Planted Trees In Same Spot Every Day. 37 Years Later, Stunned By The Masterpiece He's Created.

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Since 1979, Jadav Payeng has single handily planted a forest bigger than Central Park. The dedicated arborist managed to turn an eroding wasteland into a tropical paradise for man and beast alike. 115 elephants, rhino, deer, and tigers call the 550-hectare forest home.

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Video

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SnagFilms Watch Free Streaming Movies Online

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Watch "Nature of Things Ep 2" Full Episode Free

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Watch the full 2nd episode of NATURE OF THINGS for free at SnagFilms. Exploring where science and nature collide, from bee behavior study to biomimicry.

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Art/Science: Exploratorium

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Strandbeest: The Dream Machines of Theo Jansen

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The 2016 exhibition Strandbeest: The Dream Machines of Theo Jansen may be gone, but you can still experience it on video. Jansen's strandbeests-"beach animals" in Dutch-are enormous, self-propelling kinetic creations. Constructed largely of PVC tubing and other hardware store materials, strandbeests are mesmerizing in their motions and eerily lifelike.

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How does nature ...
produce color?

Humanity faces many challenges. Nature holds
solutions. To discover them, all we have to do is
ask. Begin your search here, or explore featured
content below to learn from other species'
successful strategies and adaptations.

Youth Design Challenge Gallery

Working with groups made me feel like I made an impact on the world. Youth Design Challenge Participant

The 2023-2024 Youth Design Challenge is here! Once again, students around the world will learn to use biomimicry to address some of the biggest environmental challenges we face. Learn more and view winners' projects from 2018 to the present.

Whether it is tool use among chimpanzees or song practice among zebra finches, the process of perfecting the craft lies in diligent practice. Karuna Skariah Educator

Education isn't just about memorization, but practicing into mastery. Looking to other species, we see that long-term success is all about incorporating new knowledge into your very being.

When materials that comprise living systems are subjected to repeated loads, they can weaken over time. This is called fatigue and it can lead to cracks and eventually failure. However, fatigue doesn't occur just anywhere on a material; the cracks usually start in areas subjected to elevated local stresses. Therefore, living systems often employ shapes, materials, and/or smooth transitions to decrease the potential for fatigue. An example of using shape is found in brown algae, an intertidal seaweed. Rather than being bent by the constant flow forces of waves and currents, its shape causes it to be pulled. This reduces stress by roughly 800 times compared to another species that bends with the flow, ultimately reducing structural fatigue.

Featured Pages for October 2023

Enjoy a hand-picked selection of pages, including seasonally themed, recently updated, or newly added Biological Strategies, Innovations, and more.

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Innovation Inspired by Nature - AskNature

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Welcome to the Biomimicry Toolbox, your guide to applying nature's lessons to design challenges.

Let's begin our introduction to the practice of biomimicry by defining what it is, why it is important and how biomimicry differs from other fields that sound similar.

Biomimicry is the practice of applying lessons from nature to the invention of healthier, more sustainable technologies for people.

Biomimicry is the practice of applying lessons from nature to the invention of healthier, more sustainable technologies for people. Biomimetic designers ("biomimics") focus on understanding, learning from, and emulating the strategies used by living things, with the intention of creating designs and technologies that are sustainable.

Janine Benyus, co-founder of the Biomimicry Institute, biologist, and author of Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature (the book that brought biomimicry into the public eye), has defined biomimicry as the " conscious emulation of life's genius." That is:

"Conscious": being intentional

"Emulation": learning from living things, then applying those insights to the challenges humans want to solve.

"Life's genius": recognizing that life has arrived at well-adapted solutions that have stood the test of time, within the constraints of a planet with finite resources.

With biomimicry, we can develop new products, processes, and systems, or improve existing designs. It can help us to shift our perspective, see design problems and objectives differently, and uncover "new" solutions to difficult problems.

Biomimicry, bio-inspired design, and other "bio-" terms

As you begin to explore biomimicry, you'll no doubt come across a host of other "bio-" terms, such as: bio-inspired, biophilia, biomimetics, bioengineering, bionics, bio-utilization.... What do these terms mean? How are they similar to or different from each other?

Not everyone agrees on the definitions, but "bio-inspired" is generally accepted as an umbrella term for design approaches, biomimicry included, that use biology as a resource for solutions. (See the Glossary for our definitions of these terms.) Biomimicry is unique among other bio-inspired design approaches in its emphasis on learning from the capacity of living systems to arrive at sustainable solutions to specific functional challenges. The articles below offer perspectives from two biomimicry practitioners on the value of biomimicry and what differentiates it from other types of bio-inspired design.

by Denise DeLuca for Biomimicry for Creative Innovation

by Allison Bernett for Terrapin Bright Green

Our planet is old - 4.5 billion years old. And for an astounding 3.8 billion years, it has harbored life. Since that time, millions of organisms have adapted and evolved to meet their needs within the limits of the planet, creating an intricately interconnected living system in the process.

Humans are a product of that living system, too, but we are relative newcomers. In the short period we've been on Earth (approx 200,000 years), we've developed some rather destructive habits, too. In fact, we've transformed the earth so much physically, chemically, and ecologically that some scientists argue we've ushered in a new geologic epoch: the Anthropocene. We've tinkered with Earth's systems in significant ways, and only in recent decades have we truly begun to understand the consequences of our actions.

But perhaps the biggest mistake we've made is forgetting that we are part of, not separate from, the ecosystems of our planet. We depend on them to provide essentials like clean air, water, and food. And in turn, the rest of life on Earth depends on us to be mindful of the limits of planetary resources.

Biomimicry offers a chance to make things right - to embrace a systems view of our world and begin living within planetary limits. Biomimicry recognizes that we are surrounded by millions of organisms and ecosystems that have something to teach us about surviving and thriving on Earth. They face many of the same challenges that we do-they need to stay warm, filter water, obtain energy, and so on-all while conserving precious resources and without harming their own environments.

With care and focus, we can learn to emulate nature's successful strategies. Now is the time to begin creating designs, materials, and technologies of our own that are not only sustainable, but also regenerative and restorative-supporting the fabric of life on Earth.

In the practice of biomimicry, we set our sights on an audacious goal: to build a more life-friendly world-one in which human technologies meet the same 'design constraints' that the rest of life on Earth works within. Of course, we can't create that perfect world overnight. But when we pay close attention to how nature works, and learn how we can emulate its genius in ways that enhance, rather than detract from, our planet, we can take steps toward significant change. Over time, all of those steps can add up to a system shift, a better way to fit into our world. This Toolbox will help you get started on that journey.

As you begin your learning journey, we suggest exploring the Core Concepts of biomimicry in the next section of the Toolbox.

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Welcome to the Biomimicry Toolbox, your guide to applying nature's lessons to design challenges. Let's begin our introduction to the practice of biomimicry by defining what it is, why it is important and how biomimicry differs from other fields that sound similar.

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Biomimicry

There is perhaps no better spokesperson for biomimicry than Janine Benyus, co-founder of the Biomimicry Institute, biologist, and author of Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, the book that brought biomimicry into the public eye. This 20-minute film features Janine introducing biomimicry and explaining how mimicking nature can solve some of our most pressing problems.

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Introductory Videos - Biomimicry Toolbox

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There is perhaps no better spokesperson for biomimicry than Janine Benyus, co-founder of the Biomimicry Institute, biologist, and author of Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, the book that brought biomimicry into the public eye.

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learning from living things, then applying those insights to the challenges humans want to solve.

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Paintbrushes

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Making your own nature paint brushes is easy, fun and free! It will get you and your kids out in the nature and kids will have a blast collecting natural materials - And pine needles make fantastic brushes!

Paintbrushes can be made from a wide variety of different materials, many of which you probably already have in your yard. We used materials from evergreen trees for bristles. Have you ever made a paint brush out of cypress tree leaves? Or spruce needles? Time to make one.

several twigs

string, twine or a piece of raffia

materials for bristles (pine needles, spruce needles, cypress foliage, even tree buds, etc)

optional: a rubber band

HOW-TO make your own nature paint brushes

First, for those of you who prefer video how-tos, here's a short video slide-show for you:

Now, in words:

1) Gather needles and leaves from trees of your choice - for bristles. Get several sticks that will become paintbrush handles.

2) Distribute the bristle material nicely around the stick and start attaching it by wrapping raffia (or twine) around.

Small children will need assistance with this acitvity. To make it easier, you can use a rubber band to hold the bristle material together while the child wraps raffia around. {For a heavy-duty use, the rubber band alone will not be enough.} Very suitable for times when kids make paint brushes themselves without your help.

3) Wrap raffia (or twine) several times around the handle and the bristle material, then tie it firmly and cut off any excessive string.

4) You've just made your very own brush! Your kids will love the process and you might end up making tons of them!

Each paintbrush will create a different pattern in the painting. The more different brushes, the more variety in the process. Kids will explore a wide range of different brushstroke effects! Hands-on learning for kids about textures - while having fun!

When using bristle materials that will last longer (pine needles won't fall off soon!), you can even store some of DIY paintbrushes for next time! If your kids are at least a bit like mine, they will want to paint with those brushes again and again. All the time!

A fun activity encouraging kids to use their imagination and explore textures. Creativity in play! Now get to work and make your own textured paint brushes, it's fun!

And a wonderful color mixing activity! If you want to see more about color mixing for kids, you'll probably love this water walking experiment we did a while ago.

So easy and so many hours of play!

Want More Free Tutorials?

Sign up to get email updates to stay in the loop. If you sign up , you also get a freebie - AppleGreen Cottage subscribers get the 3 smallest sizes of my Perfect Earwarmer Headband Pattern (size baby to one year) as a free PDF. Here:

Or ...go straight to one of my currently most popular PDF patterns - the ZIP Pocket Coin purse. Great as your kid's lunch money pouch!

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Making your own nature paint brushes is easy, fun and free! It will get you and your kids out in the nature and kids will have a blast collecting natural materials - And pine needles make fantastic brushes! Paintbrushes can be made from a wide variety of different materials, many of which you probably already have in your yard.

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Easy Salt Dough

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Make some salt dough leaf print models and colour them to add an extra stage to the creative process! These are so simple to make using everyday ingredients and all members of the family can get involved and make their own special leaf keepsakes.

We are big lovers of the simple, yet wonderful, modelling material salt dough, and have used to to make hand and footprint keepsakes, christmas ornaments, letters of the alphabet and so many more things too! To see our very easy recipe and instructions for making the dough, read this post about our salt dough decorations, where the step-by-step guide is written out.

After playing and investigating the leaves and natural materials on the Autumn nature table, we made some salt dough, kneaded it until it was smooth and rolled it out until it was about 1cm thick. Then they chose their favourite leaves and gently pushed them one at a time into the dough.

We talked about the shapes and patterns along the edges of the leaves and how they were different in each variety. When they carefully peeled the leaves back off, the veins and stem had left a good impression in the dough.

[Tip: I helped them push gently but firmly around the edges and along the centre to ensure the veins and edge imprinted into the dough clearly.]

Some leaves worked better than others so it is worth looking for leaves with raised veins before starting, to avoid disappointment.

We put them onto a pizza pan (any baking tray will do, either directly or using baking parchment) and left them in the oven for 2-3 hours at around 120 degrees C (roughly 240 degrees F). For a fan oven you may need to reduce the temperature and/or time a little. Remember not to make the dough too thick as it has a tendency to still be soft in the middle otherwise. If it is still a little soft, turn them over for another hour and this usually dries them out thoroughly.

The finished leaves looked lovely as they were, but we decided to add another stage to the art process by adding some colour to represent the leaves. This was an experiment for us as we have only ever coloured salt dough using food colouring (before modelling and baking) or by painting afterwards. Thankfully it worked really well and the hardened salt dough made a great surface for colouring on using coloured pencils. I set them the extra challenge of using at least 2 or more colours per leaf, to see if they could blend and layer the colours to look more realistic and add some texture and variety. The resulting art work is beautiful!

[Tip: encourage them to draw around the outer edges and along the veins with their pencils to make those details really stand out to the eye.]

We have left ours as flat models to sit on the nature table and eventually on a shelf, but you cold also add a hole with a straw before baking to hang them up with string afterwards, or even glue them inside box frame for display, providing the model isn't too heavy.

Cakie: 5.1

Pop: 3.7

Bean: 1.7
What they are learning as they play:
creativity: combining materials and media, modelling, printing, sculpting, colouring and blending

sceince: learning the parts of a leaf, recognising differences between leaf varieties

physical: fine motor skills through rolling, flatting, pressing, cutting, printing, colouring

See our autumn play and learning activities here

See all our salt dough activities here

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Coloured Salt Dough Leaf Impressions - The Imagination Tree

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Make some salt dough leaf print models and colour them to add an extra stage to the creative process! These are so simple to make using everyday ingredients and all members of the family can get involved and make their own special leaf keepsakes.

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Ceramics

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New Wall Plaques - flowers, flowers, flowers

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Custom hand thrown and hand built stoneware pottery, functional pottery of quality - each piece is a work of art, to be used on a daily basis.

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Lesson Plans

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http://ben.biomimicry.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/BEN_Thumb_Fundamentals.png

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Because Sharing Nature activities are captivating and engage us directly with nature, players of all ages can happily enjoy the games together. After a family nature program in San Francisco, the parents of five-year-old Lily told the leader that their shy and hesitant daughter was uncomfortable with new situations.

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-- an approach to innovation that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies.

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http://www.technologystudent.com/prddes1/biomimetic1.html

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An official website of the United States government.

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Grade Level:

Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade

Subject:

Science

Duration:

60 Minutes

Common Core Standards:

5.RI.1, 5.RI.7, 5.RI.8, 5.W.8, 5.W.9

Additional Standards:

5-ESS3-1

Thinking Skills:

Remembering: Recalling or recognizing information ideas, and principles. Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. Applying: Apply an abstract idea in a concrete situation to solve a problem or relate it to a prior experience. Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts. Creating: Bring together parts (elements, compounds) of knowledge to form a whole and build relationships for NEW situations. Evaluating: Make informed judgements about the value of ideas or materials. Use standards and criteria to support opinions and views.

Essential Question/Objective

In "Exploring Climate Science (Research Projects)," students showcase what they learned throughout the unit by completing a final project based on climate change.
Students will be able to create a hypothetical research proposal that examines the potential impacts of climate change on the local community.

Background

Water is essential for life on Earth. Relative water availability is a major factor in designating habitats for different living organisms. In the United States, things like agriculture and water rights are hot topics. Current models predict that average global temperatures are going to continue to rise even if regional climate changes remain complex and varied. These changes will have an impact on all of Earth's systems.

Studies have shown that climate change is driven not only by natural effects but also by human activities. Knowledge of the factors that affect climate, coupled with responsible management of natural resources are required for sustaining these Earth systems. Long-term change can be anticipated using science-based predictive models making science and engineering essential to understanding global climate change and its possible impacts.

National Parks can serve as benchmarks for climate science trends and effects over time because they are protected areas void of human influence. Understanding current climate trends will help set students up to be successful in interpreting and engaging in discussions about climate change, which will lead to informed decision making.

* Depending on how deeply you would like to explore the activities of the lesson, this lesson could take anywhere between one and three 40 minute lessons. For example on day one, you could explain the project and students could begin work. On day two, students could continue preparing their work and then begin working on their presentations, and on day three students could finish their presentations and share with the class. Conversely, you could do a quick introduction, give students 30 minutes to prepare their grant proposals and then have a quick whip around, share-out, thereby concluding the lesson in a day. The times below are based on one 45 minute lesson.

Preparation

Teachers will need access to the internet, a computer, and a projector for displaying the videos for the class.

Write the following questions on the board or projector so the all students can see them:

How have climate changes influenced human activities? How could Mammoth Lakes(or your community) be affected if the climate continues to change?

Prepare the following videos:
A Way Forward: Facing Climate Change
California Department of Water Resources: Snow Surveying (.wmv file)

Materials

Explains the sections of the grant proposal and how each proposal will be evaluated.
Download Worksheet 8.1: Grant Proposal Rubric
This worksheet will explain how to write the proposals and what should be included. Includes a sample proposal.
Download Worksheet 8.2: Climate Science Project Instructions
Students can use this worksheet to write their proposals.
Download Worksheet 8.3: Proposal Worksheet
Provides teachers with an opportunity to provide lesson plan feedback.
Download Teacher Unit Evaluation
Provides students with an opportunity to provide lesson plan feedback and assess what they've learned.
Download Student Unit Evaluation
Optional visual to help students understand the concept of scarce funding.
Download Fake Money
Lesson Hook/Preview

Explain to students that they will be thinking like a climate scientist today and using what they have learned the past two weeks to create their own climate monitoring project. Explain how in the real world it costs money to conduct research. To get money, scientists apply for grants. Grants are free money that organizations give to scientists to help the planet. Place fake money on table (See Materials Section). There is only enough grant money for two groups to do their project. The two best grant proposals will be awarded the funding and will be able to make a difference in the world.

Procedure

1. Pass out worksheets 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3 (In materials section). Read through the papers explaining sections if necessary. Be sure to discuss Grant Proposal Rubric. Explain that grant proposals will be scored using the rubric. Have students score worksheet 8.2 (the model) and discuss the scores given.

2. Ask what could you research? Brainstorm research ideas as a class.

3. Student work time (Students can work in groups, pairs, or individually according to teacher preference). It may be helpful to have computer time available in case students need more background knowledge about a topic. See Additional Resources section for web links that may helps students.

Vocabulary

N/A

Assessment Materials

Have students share their ideas. Depending on time, some options include:

1. Doing a quick whip around/share out

2. Putting proposals on tables and doing a gallery walk of proposals

3. Student presentations to the class

4. Creating a poster for a mini science fair, etc.

Additional Resources

EPA kid friendly website all about the basics of climate change
http://www.epa.gov/climatestudents/basics/index.html
Website of games, activities, and other resources all about global warming
http://globalwarmingkids.net/
Provides information on animals impacted by climate change from around the globe
http://www.wwf.org.uk/what_we_do/tackling_climate_change/impacts_of_climate_change/climate_change_and_animals.cfm
Details impacts of climate change on various sea animals
http://www.neaq.org/conservation_and_research/climate_change/effects_on_ocean_animals.php
Website all about how kids can reduce energy consumption
http://www.energystar.gov/kids
Helpful slideshow on climate change, weather, and climate

Related Lessons or Education Materials

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Exploring Climate Science - Research Projects - Teachers (U.S. National Park Service)

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Grade Level: Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade Subject: Science Duration: 60 Minutes Common Core Standards: 5.RI.1, 5.RI.7, 5.RI.8, 5.W.8, 5.W.9 Additional Standards: 5-ESS3-1 Thinking Skills: Remembering: Recalling or recognizing information ideas, and principles. Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words.