Since I was a child there was always some narrative about the environment, about the ecosystem, about the importance of ecology. It always sounded like “save the whales” and look at “this watershed” or “these random plants because they’re there and birds want them” and you have to care.

And there was (and still is) such a disconnect between “caring about” objects of nature and what was allowed to happen with little consequence like littering and chemical dumping and imported goods that contain invasive insect species and destructive “development”…making the whole concept of environmentalism akin to a chore that can never be completed.

I don’t care whether every known bird shows up to look at the crops. In fact, there are some, plenty, that I don’t want nearby eating the berries and messing up the place in obvious ways. I don’t want to attract insects “just because” an Academic says they’ve always been there.

And the biggest truth: the larger expanse of Earth and all the activities therein, along with time, has changed things “permanently” and keeps things changing…meaning we can’t really “fully” “repair” the land in the way that “environmentalists” require, therefore, why make that a goal? 

Instead: “restoring an ecosystem” can be a curated, individualized process instead of an unachievable political campaign. I am interested in attracting the pollinators and predators that are beneficial to me as a Steward. So that is the framework for my efforts: ecosystems are dynamic communities of plants, animals, and microorganisms interacting with the environment. I can decide what that actually is comprised of. 

Ecological restoration  is an intentional effort for ecosystem recovery following damage / degradation / destruction. I can decide how that will occur on the land I care for.  The agroecological farm is a result of these decisions. It’s the “ancient” way of growing, brought into the “now”.

History, therefore, is extremely important as a reference: I intend to use historical plants – indigenous plants – in the bulk of the agroecological layout of YearZero Farms. A few non-native plants will be incorporated, but only a few, very specific plants that are non-invasive. 

Ecology is simply the patterns of relationships between living things and their environments. It’s not a checklist. It’s not a chore. It’s a base to build something beautiful, imaginative, and functional. And when a Steward finally masters restoration, their mini-ecosystem can do on its own all the things corporations have duped us into thinking we needed a bottle of this or that chemical, every growing season, to achieve.