Midva sva R&M.
Ta pobuda je zrasla iz dveh desetletij dela in potovanj po svetu, ki ga je povezovalo iskanje odgovorov kako lahko podpiramo in začenjamo spremembe, ki so potrebne za dostojno življenje v prihodnosti — skozi pisanja; procese, ki so podpirali širše razmišljanje; kampanje, ki so dajale glas nevidnim okoljskim in družbenim posledicam; ter podporo obstoječim organizacijam.
Kdo sva
Mihela je Slovenka in je otroštvo preživela blizu te doline, pa tudi njen stari oče je prihajal iz Koroške. Robert je po rodu Nizozemec in Avstralec. Robertovo delo facilitatorja in pisca je raslo iz dialoga, refleksije in iskanja skupnega razumevanja. Mihela je delovala na področju okoljevarstvenih projektov in izobraževanja pogosto v globalnih izzivih — a prepogosto stran od krajev, ki jih spremembe dosežejo. Te poti še vedno tiho oblikujejo, kako razmišljava in kako poslušava, čeprav se je veliko najinega dela in predvsem najin fokus sedaj naravnal na najin del posestva in regije na Koroškem.
Zdaj, ko živiva z zemljo, vodami in gozdovi tukaj v Sloveniji, se učiva drugačnega ritma — počasnejšega, bolj telesnega, zarisnega z mejami našega vpliva, ki jih ni mogoče odmisliti.
Mirn Grabn ni projekt z rokom trajanja, temveč način življenja in dela, ki vabi k skupnemu pogledu in reševanju okoljskih in družbenih izzivov.
Je dolgotrajna praksa pozornosti in odprto povabilo k skupnemu delu — za pogoje, v katerih lahko življenje tukaj vztraja, in v katerih lahko to, kar prihaja, nastaja skupaj za nas in za vse, ki bodo sem prišli za nami.
Where we are
We live on the north side of Smrekovec, a volcanic massif formed around 27–30 million years ago, when this region lay beneath an ancient sea. Volcanic eruptions, ash, and sediment slowly accumulated underwater before later uplift shaped the mountains we see today. The porous volcanic rocks left behind absorb and release water, giving rise to springs, wetlands, and forest soils that have long supported life. Water has been shaping this place since long before it was land.
For centuries, people lived here in close relationship with these forests and slopes. Survival depended on mixed forest use, grazing, small fields, charcoal burning, and careful timber harvesting, shaped by steep terrain and long winters. Forests were worked, but they were also varied — uneven in age and species, with space for regeneration and wildlife.
From the mid-18th century, forestry reforms increasingly favoured spruce (the name Smrekovec comes from Smreka, spruce), reshaping forests and waters over time.
As forests became more uniform, habitats simplified. Species dependent on old trees, deadwood, diverse canopies, and slower moving water lost space. Streams were straightened, hardened and with build in concrete barriers, particularly in the 20th century, reducing wetlands and altering shelter, temperature, and spawning conditions.
Water continues to shape this place, reminding us how closely forests, land use, and life are tied to its movement. There is so many streams everywhere, but water comes differently now — faster, with less patience.
The question is not how to return to the past, but how to support forests, waters, and ways of living that can still adapt and continue here.