Edge Work, Edge Effect, Ecotone and Sociotone: All You Need to Know
Despite their steel and concrete, bridges and roads, cities and towns are living ecosystems hosting a surprising amount of biodiversity
Edge work is the work done in a territory defined by overlapping circles of influence and activity. In ecological systems, the transition or edge between two distinct biological communities is known as 'ecotone'. The word is a linguistic blend derived from the Greek eco – 'oikos' or environment, and tone- 'tonos' or tension, meaning a place of high intensity where ecologies are in tension.
Similarly, in society edge work emerges out of the interaction and relationships of many diverse agents in the system, providing a non-predictable or controllable field of novelty and change. Edge work tends to increase, rather than limit the flow of life and opportunities into the systems.
“A border- the perimeter of a single massive or stretched-out use of territory- forms the edge of an area of ‘ordinary’ city. Often borders are thought of as passive objects, or matter-of-factly just as edges. However, a border exerts an active influence.”
The Ecotone Concept
The ecotone concept was first used by Frederic Edward Clements in 1905 to describe the transition zone along the edges of two adjacent ecological communities. This could be, for example, a marshland between river and riverbank, the transition zone between forest and grassland or even the transition between continental-scale biomes.
Typically, there is more biodiversity in the transition zones than on either of the ecosystems themselves. Bill Mollison, co-inventor of permaculture, claims an ecotone tends to be 'species rich', as they benefit from inputs and resources from both environments, providing unique ecological niches manifested in space and time.
“Ecotones are spatial, temporal and functional transition zones, edges, boundaries, junctures and interfaces.”
Maximising Edges between Food, Water and Energy Systems
Edge Effect Can Enrich Life
Sometimes the number of species in the ecotone is much greater than in either community. Consider for example the boundary where two ecosystems meet- forest and savannah. While each habitat contains each own species, the region where they overlap creates living conditions that serve as habitats for new species. This is called Edge Effect.
The 10th Permaculture design principle - Edge Effect - is concerned with the changes in the biological communities that occur at the boundary when two or more habitats meet. Ecological designers take advantage of the richness of the edge effect, by maximising naturally occurring turbulence, trade and accumulations of the edges to create greater diversity and increased system productivity.
Sociotone - the social version of ecotone providing a framework for equity, diversity and belonging
Academic Work on Sociotone and Ecotone
Recently I published a paper as my first attempt to describe 'sociotone', or social systems in tension, as a new concept. The paper proposes that, just as it is possible to maximise the edges, ie diversity and productivity between neighbouring biological communities, so it is possible to create a more significant edge effect in society between different social groupings with diverse worldviews, power structures and intentions.
Adopting nature as a mentor, sociotone theory aims to provide a framework for equity, diversity and belonging influencing social life.
Curious to Learn More about what Edge Workers do?
Edge workers are those who know how to navigate and thrive in transition zones between worldviews, mindsets and paradigms while unleashing the potential of nested systems.
I have been an edge worker since I can remember. Born in Brazil and working in the world, life brought me numerous opportunities to develop attitudes to navigate the oftentimes turbulent and intensified field of sociotones. Here’s three key attitudes for edge workers that I have learnt over time:
Position Oneself Within the Flow and Let Life Unfold
Be Alert and Curious for Increased Chances of Serendipity
Practice Bisociation for New Patterns of Things to Come
Edge Work: Position Oneself within the Flow and Let Life Unfold
When we position ourselves in the creative flow of the edge, we realise an increase in energy, excitement and emergence. Sometimes it feels like a gentle stream, sometimes as a rollercoaster. Sometimes when intensity is high we need to create sinks to store aspects of the flow. Sometimes, when the flow is unbearable, I also tend to take refuge in the source of the flow to regain vision.
Serendipity Thriving on Alertness
Historically, the term serendipity coined by English novelist Horace Walpole has been used to describe the accidental discovery of something valuable. The edges are full of surprises, but making something from the unexpected is more a question of enactment than of luck, because surprises can happen and nothing can be made of them. Social edges are incredibly dynamic and complex fields. While doing edge work, prepare your mind, be alert and curious so that the chances of accidental discovery increases.
Serendipity thrives on alertness
What is Bisociation?
The concept of bisociation involves connecting two seemingly unrelated things into a new matrix of meaning. Proposed by Koestler in his book The Act of Creation, bisociation can be described as a “spontaneous flash of insight...which connects previously unconnected matrices of experience”, in other words, the Aha moment!
In bisociation, you basically bring together two ideas or things that seem to have nothing in common and see what results you get. For this to happen edge workers tend to move from thinking on a single ‘plane’ to the creative act of thinking on multiple planes. In my experience, this means dancing between the rational concrete mind and the intuitive abstract mind so that new matrixes of meaning can emerge.
Conclusion
So, if you wake up tomorrow and if you decide to do some edge work, make sure that you position yourself in the flow and become a co-worker with the creative force of evolution. Awaken your eagle eyes so that surprises can be transformed into something valuable. And start practicing bisociation towards new patterns of things to come.
Edge Work in Zambia - community-led socio-ecological transition in the Central Province
Interested in applying edge work principles in a project to maximise its potential of change? Contact: edgework@mayeast.co.uk