Animacy & Intelligence

basing interactions and communication in the assumption that other beings are sentient and intelligent; checking for and calling out human exceptionalism in language and activities; normalising expressions of love, care, respect, or curiosity for the more-than-human-world in behaviour and conversations; explicitly referring to care and respect towards a living, intelligent Earth in organisational values or cultural statements; referring to landscapes, beings, and ecosystems as living entities rather than as resources or assets in all communication and documentation; removing extractive, objectifying or commodifying language from reports, policies and communications.

greeting a landscape; introducing ourselves to new spaces; seeking permission before harvesting; using quiet zones on land shared with other animals; avoiding walking through landscapes at nesting time; pausing operations during nesting seasons or minimising disruption to habitat; following specific cultural or indigenous protocols when entering certain landscapes; respecting local no-go zones for ecological or spiritual reasons.

conducting regular reviews of investments and supply chain - removing harmful suppliers from procurement; refusing partnerships with extractive industries; ending contracts that support habitat destruction, exploitation or animal cruelty; redesigning operations and supply chains to minimise practices that cause harm or abuse more-than-human beings; realigning employee pension schemes and portfolios to support ethical investments.

studying diverse perceptual worlds (umwelten) and the sensory lives of other species; learning about sensory pollution and its impact; studying the perception and communication forms of other species; exploring plant neurobiology or root signalling; reading and discussing research or literature about plant intelligence, animal cognition, or microbial communication as part of team activities or professional development.

reducing artificial light and noise pollution; choosing locations, materials, or equipment that minimise disruption to animals, plants, fungi, or ecosystems; avoiding chemicals, vibrations, frequencies, surfaces and other signals that interfere with more-than-human communication; supporting mycelial or soil health by reducing compaction, pollutants, or disturbance; adapting campaigns, technologies, or media outputs to avoid overwhelming or disorienting multispecies communities; including sensory wellbeing in programme design, procurement choices, or funding criteria.

learning practices like animal tracking, bird language, sensory observation, or bioacoustics; experimenting with intuitive listening or attunement to land and beings; using AI tools or sensors to monitor wildlife presence or ecosystem changes; collaborating with experts in animal behaviour or interspecies communication; creating space to quietly listen and notice other-than-human voices in shared environments.

choosing nature-based approaches over control-driven, technological or extractive solutions; aligning timelines, strategies, and expectations with the rhythms of living systems; recognising when ecosystems, species, or landscapes are already finding their own way, and adjusting our role accordingly; creating space - physically, socially, or organisationally - for nature to regenerate without interference; resisting the urge to dominate, optimise, or fix what is already intelligent and adaptive; designing policies, practices, or environments that honour the agency of the more-than-human world and allow its wisdom to unfold.

dedicating time to observe land or ecosystems without intervening; noticing shifts in team energy or rhythm as signals from the broader system; inviting local ecological knowledge holders to share insights about place; integrating seasonal reflection times to notice patterns before planning.