The indigenous Mesolithic societies of Europe never disappeared: they adapted, and survived in new ways. Their cultures, values, spiritual beliefs, and relationships with the land are encoded in the folk traditions and regional agroecological systems that persist throughout Europe. The elegance of these systems is shown in how they have thrived for millennia on some of the most contested land in Europe, surviving climate change, war, pestilence, drought, and economic upheaval. They are part of a 30,000-year-old unbroken tradition and relationship with the land, but they are rapidly disappearing. What’s at stake in their survival is not the preservation of a bygone relic, but the protection and expansion of relationships with the land that can feed our communities, preserve biodiversity through climate change, and create productive ecosystems that last for millennia.
Read MoreOur Christmas tree agroforestry system is designed to mimic natural forest succession, with shade tolerant fir and spruce growing up to replace a deciduous overstory - except here, that succession will be kept in check through coppicing. In this system, three tiers of income streams are achievable on a single piece of land, with much higher potential for supporting native biodiversity in the process.
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