Act locally, Think globally.

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Hello friends,It’s getting cold here! I’ve shifted my focus toward prepping for spring. I’m really keen to start harvesting food straight from the land as soon as possible… the cost of shop-bought food lately is brutal.

Unfortunately, the soil still needs a lot of work, but I’m hopeful that having a full nursery of plants ready to go will keep me inspired through winter.

Today’s post is built around a phrase that’s been circling in my mind:
“Act locally, think globally.”
I really love it. It reminds me that even though the work I’m doing might seem small, it can have a real impact in the bigger picture. Every action, every seed, every conversation, it all matters.

I’ve also included a pre–food forest considerations list. If you’re dreaming of starting your own system, I recommend following along collecting this kind of info early on will really help shape your journey and give your forest the best chance to thrive.

Hope you enjoy, and feel free to reply or reach out if you’re on a similar path.

— Jax

“Act locally, think globally.”

This phrase is powerful for me right now. In a world clouded by negativity, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed but things can be changed with our own two hands.

I know it might sound far-fetched when we look around at the state of the world, the way we treat each other, the greed in so many systems, and the way we grow our food. But this phrase gives me the motivation to get outside and keep pushing, to build resilience in the garden and in our communities.

When we start seeing our actions as seeds carried downriver, or taken high into the mountains by birds, we begin to understand how local actions can spread, take root elsewhere, and grow into something much bigger than ourselves. Like nature, it all starts small.

It reminds me of that quote from Gandalf:
“It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.”

That’s the energy I’m holding right now.

We don’t need to change the whole world at once. We just need to do our part where we act with intention, with love, and with the belief that it matters. That’s where change begins. The garden has taught me that.

I hold onto that. It’s a reminder that even amidst uncertainty or despair, we’re not powerless. We’re part of something much older and wiser than the systems we’re caught in. Nature reminds us daily: growth takes time, resilience is quiet, and the most powerful movements often begin at the roots.

I dream of one day creating forests for others. Sharing a living toolbox of action, stories, and knowledge. I want to help everyday people, ordinary folk, build resilience in their own way, in their own backyards. To remind them they’re not alone. That their hands, too, can shape something lasting.

This feels like the right path. But I'm still a seedling, so much to learn on my own project. One day, I hope I’ll feel ready. Ready to walk alongside you and help you grow your forest.

So I’ll keep planting. Keep sharing. Keep tending the soil beneath my feet. Because acting locally is thinking globally.

🌿 Site Considerations – The “Scale of Permanence”

A tool to assess and design your landscape or food forest by evaluating the most permanent factors first and working toward the most easily changed.

🔴 1. Climate (Hard or impossible to change)

• What is your climate type? Temperate, tropical, subtropical, arid, or Mediterranean?

• Understand temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, frost dates, humidity, and average rainfall.

• Consider how climate influences plant selection and design decisions.

A lot of this information can be found online. Taking a look at your region’s weather patterns from past years can give you a good sense of both the extremes and the average.

Another great tip is to talk to the locals farmers, neighbours, even the punters at the pub. You’ll often hear stories about floods, droughts, frosts, and winds that won’t show up on the Bureau of Meteorology site. You can also dig through old news articles for records of major weather events in your area.

I know this might sound a bit out there, but honestly spending a full year just observing and taking notes of your space can be incredibly valuable. What areas stay wet the longest? Where does frost settle? What plants already thrive there without your help? These little things add up.

I know it’s hard to wait a whole year (trust me, I struggled with that too), but the insights you’ll gain will save you so much time and energy down the line.

🟤 2. Landform

• Observe the natural shape of the land: slopes, valleys, ridgelines, and contours.

• Take note of sun aspect (north/south facing), prevailing winds, and views.

• These features dictate water movement, wind exposure, and microclimate potential.

I still remember waking up at 6am on the shortest day of the year just to see when and where the sun first hits the land. Those little observations are honestly worth their weight in gold. Different times of the year bring different advantages and challenges, and paying attention to those patterns can really shape your planning.

For example, here we get strong westerly winds that dry the land out fast. Creating a wind buffer with hardy plants is a must for me. It’s something I never would’ve thought about properly without taking the time to observe.

I also brought in a surveyor who was able to give me a top-down image of the block, including slope levels and a contour map. That kind of info has been super helpful—and it leads perfectly into one of the most important elements in a food forest: water.

🔵 3. Water

• Assess water sources: rainfall, surface water, groundwater, tanks, or boreholes.

• How will you capture, store, and distribute water? (e.g., swales, dams, tanks, greywater)

• Water is life—design systems that make the most of every drop.

Rainfall data is a must. How often does it fall? When does it fall? How much at once? In my area, it usually comes in big, heavy dumps. That meant I needed to act fast to take advantage of those events instead of watching all that precious water just run off. Using the contour map, I was able to identify the lowest point on my property and dig a pond right there. It now acts as a catchment and a key feature of the whole system.

There are so many ways to catch, store, and slow water. tanks, swales, ponds, diversion drains but don’t underestimate the power of mulch, organic matter, and plants themselves. They’re living water retention machines. A healthy forest floor acts like a sponge, holding moisture exactly where it's needed.

🔴 4. Access

• Plan paths for people, tools, wheelbarrows, and machinery.

• Ensure logical flow for daily use, pruning, harvesting, and maintenance.

• Good access reduces labor and increases efficiency.

This one’s easy to forget, but so important: access. Before going crazy planting out your forest, take some time to plan how you’ll actually move through the space. It’ll make life way easier in the long run. Trust me—there’s nothing worse than having to dig up a tree you lovingly planted just to make room for a wheelbarrow track.

Good paths are essential because, honestly, maintenance is 95% of the work. Whether you’re using a wheelbarrow, a brushcutter, or machine, being able to move freely through your site is a must. Think about slope, surface, wet zones, and how the layout might feel in all seasons not just on a nice sunny day.

A well-thought-out access plan will save your back, your tools, and your sanity.

🟢 5. Vegetation

 • Identify existing trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and weeds.

• Some plants can be retained as pioneers, windbreaks, or habitat.

• Consider successional planting and integration with new species.

This is hands down my favourite step: go for a walk.

Take a slow wander through your area. Look at what’s growing in people’s backyards, what’s surviving on the roadside, or what’s pushing up through cracks in forgotten corners. I really recommend checking out places like train tracks, eroded riverbanks, or neglected paddocks anywhere you can see what plants are thriving without help.

Also, go for a walk in any remnant forest nearby. See what large native trees still exist in the landscape and start building a mental map of the species around you. These are the survivors. These are the plants already adapted to your climate, soil, and conditions.

And the most important part of this step? Enter with no prejudice. Forget what’s “good” or “bad.” Our job is to build fertility, and believe it or not every plant can help with that. You might start your journey with a so-called “weed,” but given time, care, and strategy… you’ll be growing food, medicine, and habitat.

Nature doesn’t waste time on labels and neither should we.

🟤 6. Microclimate

 • Note areas that are naturally warmer, cooler, wetter, or more protected.

• Use buildings, trees, or earthworks to create new microclimates.

• Vital for extending seasons or growing more sensitive species.

This one’s been a bit of trial and error for me: understanding microclimates.

To really grasp them, we first need to get to know our land and its layout and that just takes time. Microclimates aren’t always obvious at first. They reveal themselves slowly, season by season, moment by moment. A shady corner that stays damp in summer, a slope that gets hit hard by wind, or a dip that traps cold air in winter… these are all clues.

And as we start building forests, the landscape itself begins to shift. The trees and plants we put in will eventually create microclimates—cooling the soil, blocking harsh winds, trapping moisture. It’s a living, evolving system.

One of the best ways I’ve found to observe microclimates in action is through planting. I’ll scatter seeds or pop different plants in various spots and just see what happens. The ones that germinate and thrive are often sending me signals this area might suit a subtropical fruit tree, or that patch could handle something frost-sensitive.

It’s like the plants are giving feedback. All we have to do is pay attention.

🟠 7. Buildings & Infrastructure

• Existing or planned houses, sheds, fences, tanks, greenhouses, or animal shelters.

• These structures affect shade, wind flow, water catchment, and access.

• Plan for utilities and expansion needs.

This step is pretty straightforward but definitely benefits from a bit of a “master plan” mindset. Even if the full vision is years away, having a rough idea of your long-term goals can really help guide your choices now.

For example, I hope to one day build a house on my land, so for now I’m only putting in raised garden beds in that area not planting any permanent trees. It’s tempting to fill every space with something, but thinking long-term saves a lot of heartache (and digging) later on.

⚫ 8. Soil

 • Examine soil structure: clay, sand, loam, or a mix?

• Test for fertility, pH, and organic matter. Consider biological activity.

• Amend and improve soil over time through compost, cover crops, and mulching.

I’ll be honest—I didn’t bother getting a fancy soil nutrient test. The soil was hard, dry, and clearly lacking. I could see that with my own eyes (and feel it with a shovel). Instead, before I bought the land, I invested in a test for harmful chemicals, just to make sure it was safe to grow food.

If you’re curious about your soil type—whether it’s more clay, sand, or loam—there’s a simple jar test you can do at home. Just mix your soil with water, shake it up, and let it settle. Well worth doing. I used this guide from Milkwood:
👉 milkwood.net/soil-type-calculator

And remember the more carbon we can build into the soil, the better it will become. That means organic matter, mulch, compost, and most importantly, getting plant roots into the ground. Deep-rooted trees and support plants do a lot of the heavy lifting in regenerating tired soil.

🟢 9. Aesthetics & Experience of Place

 • How will the space feel? Calm, wild, productive, social?

• Integrate the design with your lifestyle and how you move through the site.

• Include beauty, rest spots, and a sense of purpose or belonging.

I love this one because it’s so often overlooked. It’s easy to get caught up in function where to plant, what to harvest, how to build fertility but don’t forget to design for the moments you’ll actually live in. For me, I want to be surrounded by forest, but I still want to see the mountain off in the distance. What do you want to look out on when you’re having your morning coffee.

Designing with beauty and peace in mind is just as important as productivity. These little daily rituals are part of the ecosystem too. They remind us why we’re doing this work in the first place.

➤ Use this scale to guide long-term planning.

Start with what you can’t change, and let it shape your vision. Work down the list toward the elements you can actively design and influence.