The Seed Media Project
Welcome! We are a team of scientists, writers, educators, and farmers focused on living systems, complexity, and regeneration. We use the term “seed media” to describe our short, shareable resources that are being used to “seed” the widespread flowering and fruition of longer articles, films, books, policy and legislation, and educational projects. We see this developing into a “wiki” of soil health and the work of living systems. We aim for non-partisan language that is direct and clear, with links to research.
We know from experience that it is possible to address a messy tangle of unfolding regional and global challenges through simple changes in land management. Our resources are focused on these opportunities that are often hidden to public view.
One example: we have the data and case studies to show that it is possible to get almost innumerable benefits (regional climate cooling, flood and drought protection, cleaner water and air, food security, public health, fewer conflicts over resources, while also creating habitat for biodiverse species) by shifting from a conventional monoculture cropping system to a cropping system that uses continual diverse plant cover.
We are just starting to upload fact sheets and overviews, mostly in the form of “living documents” (meaning they are open to comments and suggestions and being updated regularly).
We know from experience that it is possible to address a messy tangle of unfolding regional and global challenges through simple changes in land management. Our resources are focused on these opportunities that are often hidden to public view.
One example: we have the data and case studies to show that it is possible to get almost innumerable benefits (regional climate cooling, flood and drought protection, cleaner water and air, food security, public health, fewer conflicts over resources, while also creating habitat for biodiverse species) by shifting from a conventional monoculture cropping system to a cropping system that uses continual diverse plant cover.
We are just starting to upload fact sheets and overviews, mostly in the form of “living documents” (meaning they are open to comments and suggestions and being updated regularly).
If you are interested in participating in this project, as a funder, researcher,
multi-media producer, or writer, please contact us.
multi-media producer, or writer, please contact us.
Why create "seed media?"
At the Land and Leadership Initiative, we receive multiple requests daily for clear accurate, shareable information about natural land-based solutions with relevant data and research. These requests are from people who have heard our talks, read our longer articles, or seen one of our longer videos on YouTube. They are journalists, filmmakers, regional planners, faith groups, presidential candidates, farmers and ranchers, schools and universities, the United Nations and dozens of other agencies, governments, and NGOs on every continent.
Many organizations are becoming aware that healthy soil can play a role in climate cooling, and flood, drought, and wildfire resilience. People are concerned that conventional farming is affecting our health, and the health and survival of the diverse ecosystems we are nested in.
Yet it is hard for most people to understand or explain how deeply connected these are, because academic research and public agencies have tended to be deeply siloed--studying one thing at a time, addressing one problem at a time. Because we have trouble seeing the nested functioning of ecosystems, there is also a danger that “regeneration” will get sold on the market as a single solution to one problem (such as soil carbon as a commodity vs. atmospheric carbon), with money flowing to a small number of investors, in a way that misses the larger nested opportunities for human and natural communities to work together as a whole.
Many organizations are becoming aware that healthy soil can play a role in climate cooling, and flood, drought, and wildfire resilience. People are concerned that conventional farming is affecting our health, and the health and survival of the diverse ecosystems we are nested in.
Yet it is hard for most people to understand or explain how deeply connected these are, because academic research and public agencies have tended to be deeply siloed--studying one thing at a time, addressing one problem at a time. Because we have trouble seeing the nested functioning of ecosystems, there is also a danger that “regeneration” will get sold on the market as a single solution to one problem (such as soil carbon as a commodity vs. atmospheric carbon), with money flowing to a small number of investors, in a way that misses the larger nested opportunities for human and natural communities to work together as a whole.
Who are these materials for?
These materials are being used to drive change through many outlets:
- Farmers and retailers are using them to make a case to consumers
- Writers, journalists and filmmakers now have accurate information with scientific references from which to build longer books, articles and films.
- Policy makers, faith groups, and others can build consensus towards better land management among diverse political groups.
- Organizations and agencies use our materials as handouts, and as a foundation for public education campaigns.
- Candidates and public speakers have talking points to accurately bring whole-systems landscape function into public discourse and policy.
- Local and regional initiatives are making an economic case for lenders and insurers to consider ecosystem services, and savings on externality costs in their accounting.
- NGOs use these materials to create stronger and more scientifically grounded cases for fundraising.
Who is funding this initiative?
LALI’s Seed Media Project began as a volunteer initiative, because we saw something that needed to happen, and dove in. Many of our scientists are still generously volunteering their time. But for some of us, this is our full time work, that needs funding.
The No Regrets Initiative and The Sustainable Future Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation each gave us a generous grant that, together, allowed us to reach 50% of our funding goal for 2020. The Ompompanoosuc Community Trust has been our fiscal sponsor for this project. We are hugely grateful for all of this support.
Now it’s up to you! If you want this project to continue, we are actively seeking funding for the coming year. You can make donations here and help to spread the word by sharing this page. Drop us a line through our contact page if you would like to make a larger tax-deductible contribution to this project through our fiscal sponsor.
Our aim is to raise $200,000 for 2021. Every dollar makes a difference.
The No Regrets Initiative and The Sustainable Future Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation each gave us a generous grant that, together, allowed us to reach 50% of our funding goal for 2020. The Ompompanoosuc Community Trust has been our fiscal sponsor for this project. We are hugely grateful for all of this support.
Now it’s up to you! If you want this project to continue, we are actively seeking funding for the coming year. You can make donations here and help to spread the word by sharing this page. Drop us a line through our contact page if you would like to make a larger tax-deductible contribution to this project through our fiscal sponsor.
Our aim is to raise $200,000 for 2021. Every dollar makes a difference.