As promised, here are some resources for you to explore:
The link to the Figma page that features all of the Coral Reef Watershed projects can be found here:
Here are the questions we explored during our 1-hour session (toggle to open)
Where is the Watershed struggling? (3 min)
Which Life's Principles could inspire a regenerative solution?
- Example: The river floods and causes damage regularly Leverage Cyclic Processes – how can the flooding become a positive to the system?
- Example: Local traditional practices are being ignored/replaced Be Locally Attuned – how can you weave the local culture back into the system?
Where is the watershed resilient? (3 min)
Which Life's Principles are the strongest at work?
- Example: The riparian zone shows cooperative relationships between plants and water = Cultivate Cooperative Relationships
Where could a small intervention amplify a Life's Principle to help the system thrive? (3 min)
Look for leverage points—places where supporting one principle
creates cascading benefits
- Example: If Feedback Loops are weak (people don't know the watershed's state), art that reveals the system's story could strengthen it
- Example: If Cultivate Cooperation needs work, a project that brings communities together around the watershed could activate this
And here are the prompts to develop your goal statement based on your discovery (toggle to open)
The Problem Statement: Based on your systems map, what ONE Life's Principle is most critical to support your watershed right now?
The Opportunity: How could your specific skill or art practice strengthen
this principle?
The Intervention: What specific, doable thing could you create or do in the next phase? (Be concrete: not "raise awareness" but "create a photo series that shows X" or "design a temporary installation that demonstrates Y")
The Impact: If you strengthen this one principle, what else might shift? Think of cascading effects, causal loops, connected systems, etc.
The Personal Connection: Why does this matter to YOU beyond the assignment? What calls you to this specific focus?
And here are some general resources if you want to learn more about Biomimicry
Videos
Biomimcry introduction
David Attenborough in the Desert Botanical Garden (gets pricked by a cholla cactus)
Books/Magazines
Braiding Sweetgrass – My absolute favorite book about human nature connection
Biomimicry Resource Handbook – all you need to know to DO B
The Sound of a Snail Eating
Delicious story about a woman who lived with a snail and connected with nature in a new way
The Hidden Life of Trees
Magical connections under our feet!
Zygote Quarterly – A visually stunning collections of writings all about Biomimicry
asknature database to explore how nature works and how it can be applied in design
Podcasts
Education
ASU’s Master’s Degree / Master’s Certificate (all online)
Learn Biomimicry on your own – this one is well designed by Biomimicry South Africa
It was a pleasure to go on a nature journey with you and I hope our paths will cross again some time 🙂
Thank you!
Michelle
Connect with me on Linkedin or Instagram