regrò is a Climate-focused project active in seven countries.

Each regroer stewards the land they own/rent/have access to following principles and techniques from a variety of disciplines and fields:

• Assisted Natural Regeneration
• Permaculture
• Agroecology
• Conservation Agriculture
• Regenerative Agriculture
• Carbon Sequestration Science
• Climate Change Science
• Indigenous & Local Knowledge

Introduction

In Croatia, Italy and Kenya Marko Serena and Simon are implementing Solar Energy and sustainable water management at different scales.

In the Italian Alps and Apennines more than 20 hectares of forest are being protected and augmented, while the same is happening in Nyandarua and Golas with local trees and natural guilds.

In Chile, under the Hornopiren volcano, Lissette is cleaning the forest from abandoned trash and repurposing the materials into compelling sculptures.

In Germany and Brazil Lenara is growing low-maintenance urban carbon sinks, biodiversity havens inside the city.

Our aim as growers, farmers and artists is to share knowledge and resources, while augmenting the land we can steward, restore and protect from intensive agriculture, exploitation and pollution.

The regrò projects in depth - Read from the regroers

regrò in Kenya Farmer/Grower: Simon

My land is in Kenya, in the Nyandarua region

Project started Nov, 2021

regrò collaboration started Nov, 2021

Gitcoin Grant Round 18 Update

What I was able to achieve/build/buy thanks to your support:

I was able to introduce 3k catfish in my 300 sq. meters pond (surface area). Previously the pond was just empty and served as a water pan. I was also able to introduce water plants. On another small 30sqm surface area pond, I introduced tilapia: bought pipes and fittings, an aerator and a pump to keep the water as fresh as possible. Also started experimenting with a small aquaponic system. During a previous drought most of my young trees couldn’t make it. With the help of Gitcoin grant I was able to replace my small bamboos, 470 eucalyptus, bought 200 cypresses and 300 prunus africana; an indigenous species very useful especially for medicinal purposes.

How is my project evolving, the future I could grow:

Having a bee colony in one of the three beehives on land, most of the fruits and crops in our garden is pollinated 50% by that colony. My garden is a 4 portion ¼ acre with sunflowers and squash on one portion, brassicas on the other, legumes on the third portion and nightshades on the last one. The intention is to maintain a consistent annual crop rotation routine so no crop of the same family will grow in one portion for four years. I want to have more colonies, more beehives as the future of our world's food security depends on our little yellow striped friends. Bearing that in mind, we do our best to protect them by never using chemicals to spray the fruits or the crops as pesticides. Pretty much everything is organic. In the future, we want to introduce useful plants along the fences as both a food hedge (fedge) and a natural pest-control hedge.

regrò in Italy Farmer/Grower: Serena

My land is in Italy, in the Tuscany and Lombardy regions

Project started Feb, 2015

regrò collaboration started Apr, 2017

Gitcoin Grant Round 18 Update

What I was able to achieve/build/buy thanks to your support:

Establish the pilot Solar-powered watering station, buy/produce seeds and winter nutriment for wildlife in 4 feeding stations for 24 months, grow 130 new oaklings from genetically diverse seed, clean up two hectares of polluted forest in both Apennine and Alps, harvest from the pilot oyster mushrooms indoor cultivation + container harvest of potatoes and onions, grow the wild and heirloom seed bank, transform a neglected space into a micro synergic garden for biodiversity, advocating and convincing a neighboring olive trees orchard owner to transition to no-till/grassing, stopping this way the great soil erosion and biodiversity loss on half the hilltop.

How is my project evolving, the future I could grow:

I’m researching and designing a new plot in the Alps, where ancient terraces once hosted community-grew food forests. The vegetation testifies a very close relationship between the locals and the woods, as villagers are still able to recall intercrops under the chestnut/walnut/hazelnut canopies. Furthering the exploration, I’ll gather soil samples and prepare to produce and apply natural soil conditioners where needed. These restored territories could offer several crops, some from the local tradition and some new: buckwheat, potatoes, cabbage, blueberry and wild strawberry will have endemic shrubs and herbs as growing companions, such as heather, pellitory, nettle and mugwort. Beside restoring and enhancing the historical value of these ancient food forests, a very interesting system we could favour and then observe in this plot is the mycorrhizal symbiosis in Ericaceous, here as endemic blueberries and heathers.

At regrò in Maremma, Tuscany, the main goal for the near future is to secure the 23 hectares of recovering forest from hunters, gatherers and polluters. The most endangered area has been subjected to cuttings in its perimeter to allow access to game: a general population decline in boar, roe deer, mourning dove and corvids is visible after the hunting season, while a recent decree, designed to curb the wildlife’s assaults to civilization, has declared ‘hunting ground’ even highly protected areas in the country. Many of the species we try to protect in Maremma are currently listed as at high risk of extinction. Your contribution will help build, grow and maintain borders to keep exploiters outside the forest while preserving and restoring wildlife corridors.

The regrò animal sanctuary

A recent change in legislation will allow us to open a sanctuary for animals rescued from the food chain and other exploitative systems. We are in the process of researching the necessary documentation and educating ourselves about the needs these survivors will have, and how to ensure them a safe place to thrive. The structures we will build for the animals will reuse materials we found on site from the previous owners, and locally sourced natural materials.

regrò in Croatia Farmer/Grower: Marko

My land is in Croatia, in the Istria region

Project started May 2021

regrò collaboration started Apr, 2022

Gitcoin Grant Round 18 Update

What I was able to achieve/build/buy thanks to your support: Summer 2023: Arrange and buy things for watering, installed one water collector from the roof of tools container, get various water plants, arrange a garden for eatables, plant various plants and flowers, get e trimmer and chainsaw branches cutter.

How is my project evolving, the future I could grow:

For 2023/2024: Planting more trees and making the garden part bigger and fencing it, fight the invasive blackberries and get some barn manure. Get more water plants and make more floating islands. Mulch a part I can’t cut by hand, build few more compost sites, get more local wild smaller plants to grow there, build constructions for climbing plants, create more micro stone-zones for agaves, succulents and similar. Install two water containers near the garden and install the watering tubes through the garden. Build and repair some drywalls. Start making sculptures using cut branches, old clothes and cement, paint the tools container.

Welcoming Lissette and Lenara

This round regrò presents two new projects:

In Chile, Lissette's project Cleaning natural habitats from trash, creating multi-media sculptures with the salvaged materials and documenting her relationship with the forest through paintings and photographs.

In Germany and Brazil, Lenara's project

Urban experiments for carbon sequestration

Goals:

• provide carbon sink and biodiversity increase together with urban liveability advantages
• scale suitable to small urban land plots
• low maintenance, long lifetime

Process:

• research
• implementation
• measure impact at regular intervals

Pilot plots and projects:

• DIY green roof (Germany)
• lawn alternatives comparison (Brazil)

Please, consider visiting our website to enjoy the curated photo galleries.

Thank you!

                                                                     the regrò project