Regenerative Principles

ECOLOGICAL FOUNDATION The TDF community is guided by powerful principles that shape how we interact with the land and each other.

"We work with the land as our most important ally."

🧙‍♂️ CORE PRINCIPLES

These principles form the foundation of our approach to land stewardship:

1. Observe Before Acting

• Watch & Interact - Study patterns before intervening

• Seasonal Cycles - Understand how the land changes through time

• Energy Flows - Map how water, sunlight, and nutrients move

• Existing Life - Identify what already thrives here

2. Stack Functions

• Multiple Yields - Design elements that serve many purposes

• Integrated Systems - Connect outputs of one system to inputs of another

• Resource Efficiency - Maximize value from each element

• Resilient Design - Create redundancy through diversity

3. Work With Nature

• Natural Patterns - Mimic successful ecological designs

• Succession Planning - Understand how ecosystems evolve over time

• Minimal Intervention - Use the smallest change for the largest effect

• Biological Resources - Prefer living solutions over technological ones

4. Capture & Store Energy

• Water Harvesting - Slow, spread, and sink water into the landscape

• Soil Building - Increase organic matter to store carbon and nutrients

• Perennial Systems - Establish plants that produce for many years

• Appropriate Technology - Use renewable energy and passive design

5. Value Diversity

• Biodiversity - Cultivate many species for ecosystem resilience

• Cultural Diversity - Honor different perspectives and knowledge systems

• Functional Diversity - Include elements that serve different roles

• Genetic Diversity - Preserve heirloom and local varieties

🔄 PRACTICAL APPLICATION

PRINCIPLE	METHODS	ACTIVITIES
Observe Before Acting	Site analysis, observation logs	Mapping, journaling, phenology tracking
Stack Functions	Design challenges, system integration	Creating multi-purpose elements, connecting systems
Work With Nature	Biomimicry, succession planning	Forest gardening, companion planting
Capture & Store Energy	Resource management, infrastructure building	Water system design, soil building, solar installation
Value Diversity	Biodiversity initiatives, cultural exchange	Planting diverse species, sharing knowledge

🌀 REGENERATIVE ETHICS

These principles are guided by three core ethics:

• Earth Care - Protecting and regenerating natural systems

• People Care - Meeting human needs with dignity and respect

• Fair Share - Setting limits and redistributing surplus

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"These principles aren't just guidelines—they're the foundation that transforms our relationship with the land."