Medicine Wheel for the Planet is more than a book; it's a call to action—a plea for a collective shift in consciousness towards a more sustainable and equitable coexistence with Earth. It is a must-read for anyone concerned about the future of our planet, offering not just critique but also practical, inspiring solutions for change. Dr. Jennifer Grenz not only shares her journey but also empowers us to be part of a much-needed global transformation.

I really wanted to like this book. I’m an environmentalist, I agree with the author’s idea of “Eden ecology” and the books read as if it was coming from a really good place of pushing for transformative change, both for herself and the planet. Unfortunately, I found the author’s writing style off-putting, which detracted from my enjoyment of her story. I can see others enjoying this book immensely, it just wasn’t for me.

One thing I missed about being part of the book reviewing community was coming across inspiring stories and books that I wouldn't normally pick. I received an email from Netgalley highlighting Medicine Wheel for the Planet as an instant approval, so I jumped on it. I am so glad I did!

Dr. Grenz documents her journey from her career as a well known and trusted ecologist and has since shifted her work to focus on Indigenous research methodologies. She describes her personal experiences when making this shift as her western learnings, at times, have become quite contradictory to how she now chooses to live her life. This book also highlights Dr. Grenz's courage when speaking to her peers about how the approaches taken by Western ecologists may not be in the best interest for our planet.

Medicine Wheel for the Planet is a book that reads like a memoir with a fusion of Indigenous transitions and Western ecology. This is a book about ecology, but does not require readers to have a scientific background. It reads beautifully and simply needs its readers to have an open mind.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an early digital copy of Medicine Wheel for the Planet. Opinions are my own.

I'm a biologist whose work sometimes intersects with the field of ecology and this book is a must read. This take on ecology and developing a healthy, thriving environment is smart, and removes the black and white dichotomy that has become entirely too common in the world.

I think everyone should read this book. The principles cannot only be applied to ecology, but also to other areas of science and even beyond that. These principles are valuable for even day to day life.

A very insightful and beautifully written book. Definitely worth the read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC of this book

This is a fascinating book. This is a voice that should be uplifted and shared! I will definitely recommend

I knew nothing about the book Medicine Wheel for the Planet or its author, Dr. Jennifer Grenz, before receiving an Advanced Reader Copy.

Dr. Grenz's book provides a deep exploration of how Indigenous and Western knowledge can work in true collaboration to preserve and heal our environment. It offers a unique perspective that is both enlightening and thought-provoking.

Very quickly, I was immersed in an environmental area that is literally my backyard. Interrupting my reading to dive down a few rabbit holes (which I am widely known to do), I found that Dr. Grenz lives not only on Vancouver Island, as I do, but also in the same small city, Parksville, B.C. This fact, along with the author's highly personal writing style, often made me feel that I was outdoors chatting with her in person rather than sitting alone reading.

In Medicine Wheel for the Planet, Dr. Grenz takes us each on a personal journey. She reminds us that when we are open to other types of knowledge acquisition, we can find alternate paths of inquiry, heightened understanding and new, more robust solutions. She asks us to consider what ancestral wisdom might tell us about healing our planet and encourages us to see beyond the boundaries of a singular worldview. She then provides us with practical examples of what a relational view of addressing climate change could begin to look like. Provocative and stimulating, Dr. Grenz has given me much to consider.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read and review this insightful book in advance. Medicine Wheel for the Planet will be released publicly on March 26, 2024.

I loved this book :)
Indigenous people have long had an intimate relationship with the earth; a respect, reverence, and reciprocity for the land that too many of us have forgotten. It reminds me somewhat of Braiding Sweetgrass, another excellent read.

At the beginning of graduate school focussing on ecology, Grenz pivoted to include that Indigenous relationship with the environment. At this stage she realized “it was time to stop taking the same approaches and hoping for different results.”
In this book she talks about making the connection between her head (Western science) and her heart (Indigenous Wordlview) - how both streams can compliment each other and provide a broader, nuanced, more complete understanding of our environment. Sometimes we need to step back and look at the larger picture, rather than focusing exclusively on printouts and test tubes.

"The greatest distance a man must travel is between his head and his heart"

A beautiful recounting of one Indigenous Ecologist on her journey to finding her true self as an Indigenous woman trained in a Western science.

Through her use of storytelling and reliance on the importance of Elders, Grenz brings colour to the world of ecology on the coast and in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. Grenz skillfully lays out the difficult dichotomy inherent in living in two worlds. She explores her (mostly) unconsciously self-imposed separation of professional and personal/traditional worlds early on in her career, the results of that separation, and how she went about bringing those worlds together. In doing this, she helps us to answer the question: how do we reconcile the many sides of who we are and remain true to all of who we are?

As a British Columbian, it was interesting to read about the ecological perspective relative to some fires and other "disasters" that have taken place in recent years. I found Grenz's discussion on creating room for multiple worldviews incredibly apt. We so rarely take the time to think through who bears the burden of creating space to learn about another culture or worldview, but this is such an important aspect of learning from one another.

Wonderfully written; highly recommend!

What a privilege to get a chance to read this book! Somehow the author manages to write about ecology and science in a way that is poetic, accessible (even to a non-scientist like me) and inspiring. It is a loving book that conveys both urgency and possibility. I appreciate how she invites us to turn away from a colonialist view of our world (focused on extraction and management) to a relational view - and she shows us how to get there. This book is such a generous gift. Would highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC.

I cannot emphasize strong enough how important this book is for anyone working in environmental conservation, ecology, or biology. Everyone can learn something from this book, but I believe this should be required reading for the groups listed above.

“Medicine Wheel for the Planet” is a phenomenal book that challenges readers to analyze the colonial connections in the field of ecology and understand the utter importance and need of Indigenous Knowledge in ecology. Humans must remember we are a part of ecosystems and I loved how the author regularly reminds us of this, and how we are a relation to the ecosystem.

I absolutely love how the author defines and describes “Eden ecology”, it was illuminating to read and how she put it into words perfectly captured how I have reflected on issues in much of Western conservation work. The author illustrates how Indigenous Knowledge and Western science can, and should, work together for ecosystem healing work.

A quote from this book that I loved:
“Our very existence is inside the ecosystem as an equal relation, meaning we are just as important as the grasshoppers, worms, birds, and soils are. Yet we find ourselves living in a world hampered by colonial legacies that continue to force us outside the ecosystem.”

I received a free ARC via NetGalley for this book. Thank you to the publisher and author!