Didn’t even finish the day yesterday before having an amazing meeting with one of our emerging regen sisters in the field as we transition onto the hunt for land-based projects to feed the OWL
This woman is incredibly capable and driven, and we both speak the same language, having cut our teeth in the belly of the beast of the construction sector and now sharing a new language of regen dev for the future
Her place is nested on the edge of one of the subregions of the Sydney Basin where we have already started putting together Story of Place plans, anchor property development projects, filming for our Regen Dev documentary, and where we have nearly finalised the establishment of the Affordable Living Impact Fund focused disability and affordable housing in the region
I had one of those moments of shock and admiration internally when I heard of what she had put together in the region that spoke to everything I’m passionate about.
From starting with place and the living world, developing out regenerative agricultural sectors in line with industry and infrastructure development, through to property development for affordable housing for the people, and structured into CLT’s to not only build capacity and capability of her community but to allow them ownership and self-determination in the same process
Everything I could dream of doing in one project she has neatly packaged together and laid out on the potential table for everyone’s benefit
Potential next steps I offer as an example to any community of how we can work together…
Secure land-based project to build the field around
Mangrove Ventures works with local team to build capacity around regenerative business model based on the teams own essence
Regeneratively map region through Story of Place, hand in hand with the community
Regenerative development system mapping of region potential in line with its Vocation of Place
Structure a bespoke Regen Dev Impact Fund for this region as the backbone funding for development of industry sectors starting from wholes, then working down to specific land-based agricultural, tourism, infrastructure, and housing projects
Develop model for a bioregional learning centre through Bioregional Institute (BI), place-based and informed through Story of Place with community for community
Structure a Community Land Trust with a tripartite governance structure across community, residence, and stakeholders, giving power back to the people in service to the living world (potentially an indigenous-focused poly-centric governance structure depending on how much innovation we are able to play with)
Position work as one of the anchor stories in our regenerative development feature film
Develop the project work in stages as courses in OWLe as regen dev cohort learning, part of BI
Connection with local education facilities and universities for research projects through OWL in BI
Develop strategy for a Bioregional Basic Income model for the subregion as a test pad for the entire Sydney Basin, which itself holds 24% of Australia’s population and our highest levels of unaffordability both nationally and globally
Develop bank finance products for regenerative SMEs in region to support the transition economy from fossil fuel to regeneration, with an already heavy focus on renewable energy
These are just generic potentials that need to be informed by the place itself through Story of Place.
The point of all this work is to anchor it with the people. Our goal through all this work is to build the capacity and capability of the local community to reconnect with Country, listen to the living world, and dream of a future they themselves can work towards in serves to the greater whole and each other
Very exciting times, and more exciting to me as it’s on my doorstep
Overview of the Regenerate Sydney Basin deck…
Big beautiful smiles reading this Michael, thank you for being in the field :)