Live green Creating a generation of communities in harmony with nature through the restoration of destroyed soils and ecosystems

It is no secret that humanity is facing numerous problems. There is an all-pervasive lack of awareness in society, and this has serious consequences. People have for­gotten that they are part of a global system, a biosphere, or set of ecosystems and organisms that are in a state of constant interaction, influencing and affecting one another.

The impact that human insensitivity has had on the health of the planet is truly something to behold. The excessive use of natural resources in the name of consumerism that encourages people to consume more and more to fill an inner void created by a system that is only interested in selling more products, even at the cost of human life itself, has caused environmental disasters.

Particularly frightening examples of this include deforestation, the overex­ploitation of soils, and other processes associated with soil degradation and the destruction of ecosystems.

As we can see, the degradation of the planet comes fr om a lack of awareness among people and a profound disconnection between human beings and life. This degenerates into a sick and gluttonous system that feeds on the consumption and labour of the ignorant masses. Therefore, as I see it, there are two possible solutions to this problem:

1.       Contribute to the millennia-long work of reviving and shaping awareness in people.

2.       Restore soils and ecosystems that have been destroyed.

One concrete solution would be to create communities that are able to satisfy their needs using technology (including biotechnology) and at the same time are fully integrated into the natural ecosystem (forests, scrubland, etc.). Such commu­nities will be designed for people who enjoy caring for the environment and want to live in harmony with it, cultivate their mind and expand their spirit. It is not about forcing people to think differently, but about showing them that there are other ways that they can live and satisfy their needs (internal and external).

To achieve this goal, the project will have two main strategic directions:

1.       Soil and ecosystem regeneration using the achievements of physics, chemis­try, and biology. This will involve, first of all, a physical, chemical, and biological analysis of the soil, followed by treatment with whatever is required to create the desired ecosystem (or soil type).

2.       Designing habitats for communities living in balance with nature. This will involve the creation of natural and technological environments that promote the development of (non-dogmatic) consciousness and the restoration of the human being’s connection with natural life. Project concepts will vary depend­ing on the tastes and needs of different population groups. These could be taken from the realm of fantasy (elven, medieval, crystalline, etc.), places of meditation (in the middle of mountains or in a humid climate), science cit­ies (colonies wh ere scientists live and carry out their research), art communes (designed in such a way as to heighten members’ sense of beauty and inspire creativity), autonomous houses for workers, etc. Let us consider these two strategic directions in general terms.

Soil and ecosytem regeneration

One of the most important aspects of this project is that the communities will be built on land that has been damaged by deforestation, overconsumption of nat­ural resources, desertification, erosion, chemical and metal pollution, and so on. What is interesting about this is that the idea is to not only build communities that live in harmony with nature, but also to save and revive damaged lands and thus contribute to the gradual restoration of the planet’s health.

At the beginning of each project, a comprehensive soil analysis will be carried out to determine its physical properties (density, moisture, colour, etc.), chemical properties (acidity, nutrient content, presence of heavy metals and harmful chemi­cals, etc.), and biological properties (determination of biological species, their con­centration and role in the ecosystem). Then, depending on the ecosystem that is being created, the necessary elements will be added to the soil for effective regen­eration. This will involve, first of all, mechanical treatment of the land (removing or adding stones, water, or whatever is necessary), followed by chemical treat­ment (adding the required nutrients in precise quantities), and finally biological treatment (introducing biological species that are required for the creation of the appropriate microecosystem).

The last stage, biological treatment, is of singular importance, since it is one of the main problems encountered in the process of soil regeneration. In addi­tion, numerous studies have proven the crucial importance of micro-ecosystems in the creation of macro-ecosystems. The populations of organisms in individual micro-ecosystems will vary greatly from one soil to another (both in abundance and diversity), and these features also determine the type of ecosystem (forest, grassland, swamp, etc.). It is thus of utmost importance to “plant” the appropriate microorganisms to create the desired ecosystem.

In terms of physical and chemical properties, it is simply a matter of adding and removing whatever is necessary to create optimal soil conditions, and although different soils have their own characteristics. In most cases, it is necessary to ensure basic properties such as porosity (for proper filtration, root anchorage, and nutrient retention), a balanced composition of plant nutrients, adequate mois­ture, the absence of contaminants, etc. However, as we mentioned in the previous paragraph, the biological factors will be different for each ecosystem and soil type, meaning that a specific and tailored approach is required - this is the only way to achieve the goal in an efficient manner.

Microsystems contain extremely important interacting organisms without which it is impossible to achieve the necessary soil composition. For example, we know that fungal mycelium serves to transport nutrients (including signalling molecules) between fungi and plants; it also secretes and excretes substances that affect other species of microorganisms. Different types of bacteria interact through quorum sensing and other mechanisms, not only with each other, but also with other organisms (fungi, protists, plants, bacteriophages, etc.).

On the other hand, several studies confirm the existence of a hierarchy in the types of organisms that form micro-ecosystems. Bacteriophage communities determine bacterial communitas, which, in turn, interact and determine commu­nities of a wide variety of biological species (fungi, plants, etc.). This makes for a finely tuned and wide-range interaction between the various participants in the soil micro-ecosystem, which is why the biological factor is so important for the effective regeneration of certain types of soil. This entire structure is determined through a soil analysis of existing ecosystems in order to be able to reproduce its properties for the purpose of restoring degraded soils.

The appropriate plant species are then planted to generate the desired eco­system. If necessary, measures can be taken to retain moisture, stimulate rainfall, etc. In short, by adding the necessary elements to the system, an autonomous com­munity will be created on the damaged soil.

Designing habitats for communities living in balance with nature

This aspect of the initiative is of utmost importance and will involve architects, engineers, designers, artists, biologists, and other specialists.

This is the creative part of the project, designed to make dreams come true, and involves the people who design the neighbourhoods and micro-cities of the new land. The technical part concerns issues of self-sufficiency (sufficient energy, food, and other resources), infrastructure (piping systems, bioreactors, bridges, etc.), and architecture (the construction of residential and/or other buildings). Meanwhile, the creative part (the design) involves producing images and mock­ups (drawings, models, etc.) and building the required communities. For example, when designing a community in the style of The Shire from Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and other works would require that the spaces are perfect in terms of their dimensions, aesthetics, architecture, and functional purpose, and that they are perfectly in harmony with the natural environment.

Selling the product

One of the main features of the initiative is the focus on adapting to the system instead of fighting it. As such, it is not a matter of creating communities that seek to isolate themselves from the system. Rather, it is about creating communities that are in balance with and respect nature, about creating favourable environments for the development of sensitivity and spirit.

On the other hand, creating communities on damaged soils serves a dual pur­pose: 1) to improve the health of the planet; and 2) to purchase land at low prices, which will significantly reduce costs.

The product is aimed at the general public, private investors, governments, companies, NGOs, etc.:

1.       The general public. The creative team designs neighbourhoods that will include houses, cabins, and apartments that can be put up for sale. The next stage is to attract investments of financing to purchase the land, although deals can also be reached with the owners. This is followed by the pre-sale of residential properties (buyers typically pay between 30% and 50% of the total cost). Part of the proceeds is used to purchase the land, take care of any legal issues, and formalize ownership rights. The remaining funds are used to start construction and pay the first part of the earnings. Upon receipt of the second part of the payment, construction is completed and the project participants receive the remainder that is due.

2.       Investors. Private equity can be used to conclude contracts with developers, provided that the activities of such developers will be in the interests of the people and the planet.

3.       Governments, companies, and NGOs.

As we noted at the beginning of this paper, damage to soils and ecosystems is a fundamental problem in the modern world, and numerous agencies and organizations are interested in solving it. Many governments are implement­ing reforestation, environmental protection, and community development programmes and may contract companies to carry out such projects. Many companies want to do their part for the improvement of the planet and spon­sor these kinds of projects through various mechanisms. And many NGOs work to restore ecosystems, build communities, and enhance cultural devel­opment and may purchase services from the project described for a variety of purposes.

It is important to note that creating communities from scratch will not be the only outcome of this project. Soils are also regenerated for agricultural purposes, existing communities are modified to make them more aesthetically pleasing and self-sufficient, soils are analysed to determine their “footprint,” packages of micro­organisms are made up for subsequent sale, and so on.

Conclusion

The project we have described seeks to create dream communities that pro­mote respect for nature, develop culture, and raise people’s awareness. It will also help restore damaged soils and ecosystems, helping to improve the planet’s health.