Projects
The Land and Leadership Initiative (LALI) is a strategic and educational initiative to grow and support collaborative non-partisan leadership in the soil health movement, worldwide. LALI’s Seed Media Team includes scientists, writers, educators, farmers, and food systems innovators focused on the essential work of living systems, the essential infrastructure of the soil sponge, and the widespread benefits of land regeneration. LALI was founded by author and educator Didi Pershouse.
Our activity highlights include:
Many of our events generate enough income from participants to cover basic operating expenses. Additional support from foundations, individual donors, and sponsors has allowed us to provide course scholarships to everyone who needed one, and engage with people from a wide variety of contexts and backgrounds.
This diversity in our strategic gatherings and courses has been a key part of building communities of practice that can think in larger, more holistic contexts about systems, to create landscapes and policies that actually work. We now need additional support to focus on growing our library of “seed media” resources.
Seed Media
This past year we started creating foundational materials and “seed media” that strengthen the capacity of current and emerging leaders (anyone who is working to make things go better) to explain the multiple benefits of regenerative land management to their communities. We use the term “seed media'' to describe our short, shareable resources that can be used to “seed” the widespread flowering and fruition of longer articles, films, books, policy and legislation, and educational projects. We aim for non-partisan language that is accurate and accessible, with links to relevant and trusted research. These media will include:
Our activity highlights include:
- An 18-event speaking and listening tour across North America—including five “Can we Rehydrate California?” events throughout the state, and the formation of a multi-stakeholder Rehydrate California initiative.
- Ten rounds of a vibrant discussion course Regenerating Landscapes for Community and Climate Resilience, involving hundreds of current and emerging community leaders from around the world who continue to collaborate through our Google Group and ongoing membership community.
- Training the trainers, and curriculum development for the United Nations Farmer Field School Program and the Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming Initiative in India (involving over 800,000 farmers.)
- A free training manual being used in over 60 countries: Understanding Soil Health and Watershed Function.
- A webinar series focused on the science of regenerative agriculture, and successful initiatives around the globe.
- Dozens of national and international keynote presentations and workshops by our founder, on the soil sponge and its role in community and climate resilience.
- Online workshops on topics such as Consensus-based Holistic Policy Writing and Analysis; the Social Aspects of Large-Scale Regeneration; and Nourishment, Learning from the Wisdom of Grazing Animals.
- A 6-day conference (2018) and a five-day strategic gathering (2019) focusing on the Soil Carbon Sponge as a nodal intervention point to catalyze social, economic, and environmental success.
- Articles highlighting opportunities for widespread change: Why Communities Should Invest in the Soil Sponge and Regenerative Agriculture; and Other Species are Essential Workers Whose Economies Enfold Our Own.
Many of our events generate enough income from participants to cover basic operating expenses. Additional support from foundations, individual donors, and sponsors has allowed us to provide course scholarships to everyone who needed one, and engage with people from a wide variety of contexts and backgrounds.
This diversity in our strategic gatherings and courses has been a key part of building communities of practice that can think in larger, more holistic contexts about systems, to create landscapes and policies that actually work. We now need additional support to focus on growing our library of “seed media” resources.
Seed Media
This past year we started creating foundational materials and “seed media” that strengthen the capacity of current and emerging leaders (anyone who is working to make things go better) to explain the multiple benefits of regenerative land management to their communities. We use the term “seed media'' to describe our short, shareable resources that can be used to “seed” the widespread flowering and fruition of longer articles, films, books, policy and legislation, and educational projects. We aim for non-partisan language that is accurate and accessible, with links to relevant and trusted research. These media will include:
- Fact sheets and short videos on the potential for widespread community and climate resilience through land management--with scientific references, links to suggested reading materials, and open questions for future research, community discussion, and think-tanks.
- Monthly webinars highlighting successful projects that show how systemic change actually happens, socially and environmentally.
- An article series highlighting living systems approaches that provide flood and drought resilience, better air and water quality, and regional climate cooling through the soil sponge and increased plant cover in urban and agricultural areas.