A Quick Thank you & A Quick Preview
Over 5000 people have read my articles in the last week, including influential folks in the regenerative / nature / conservation world, and I’m honored to consider myself part of that community. Some 300 have subscribed, and five of you pledged a monthly contribution, which I deeply appreciate.
Here’s what’s coming down the pipeline:
1. A continued series on regenerative coastal systems & blue carbon, where I’m going to eventually discuss the two enterprises I’m building in that space that will solve the problems i wrote about in my first post, The False Promise of Blue Carbon.
2. Thoughts and lessons learned from building and advising enterprises, projects, and other endeavors around the globe, including stories I haven’t yet publicly shared from my work in Al Baydha.
3. An introductory series on regenerative systems, with an eye to formal publishing, mapped as follows, but with no promises that I will follow this order!
On Regenerative Systems:
Definition and principles of regenerative systems
Contrast with historical & conventional systems
Overview of key areas: land, water, agriculture, community, economy, and biodiversity
The role of indigenous systems and peoples in shaping narratives of regeneration
Historical context and emergence of regenerative thinking
Introduction to natural capital accounting • Definition and importance • Methods for valuing ecosystem services • Applications in policy and decision-making
Homo Sapiens as a Keystone Species (one of my axioms, and the title of this whole thing)
Regenerative Land Management
Soil health and ecosystem function
Holistic land planning and management
Restoration ecology and land rehabilitation
Case studies of successful land regeneration projects
Water Systems and Regenerative Practices
Water cycle and watershed management
Regenerative water harvesting and conservation techniques
Riparian zone restoration and aquatic ecosystem health
Blue economy concepts and water-based regenerative enterprise
Soil & Regenerative Agriculture
Principles of regenerative agriculture
Agroecology, permaculture, biodynamics, and other related disciplines/branches of thought.
Regenerative farming systems across different climates
Regenerative food systems and local food economies
The sharing vs sparing debate in agriculture • Norman Borlaug's intensification approach (land sparing) • William Vogt's conservation approach (land sharing) • Pros and cons of each strategy • Case studies and current research on optimal land use
How regenerative systems are the synthesis of the sparing vs sharing argument.
Jevon's Paradox and the efficiency trap.
Regenerative Civilization: Design, Materials, Built Environment, etc
Social aspects of regenerative systems
Circular economy and regenerative business models
Regenerative urban planning and design
Community-based natural resource management
Donut Economics
True Growth vs post-growth vs degrowth narratives and analysis.
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Regeneration
Biodiversity as the foundation of human societies
Regenerative approaches to conservation
Biocultural diversity and traditional ecological knowledge
I’d love to grow the audience as I share this. Some of you have asked permission to share in other groups — please feel free and share as liberally as you would like.
~Neal
Awesome stuff - thanks for your efforts!