In an effort to advance home heating security, fuel security, and forest sustainability in Vermont, New England (and the cold climate world in general) WSD is conducting research and development on the production of concentrated fuelwood via rapid biomass producing hedges.  Such fuelwood producing systems simultaneously build soil fertility (via mulching, root zone soil interactions and NO2-fixation) and sequester atmospheric carbon. Trials include tree crop production of black locust, hybrid willow species and hybrid poplars. Test sites includes Deans Mtn., Teal Farm, and in the future Northfield and Warren project sites.  We are in grant writing phase for a test plot along the I-89 interstate corridor in Vermont.  The most economical and regenerative short term application would likely be along the 300 miles of Vermont's interstate corridors (and the 46,837 miles/426,378 acres of interstate corridor in the United States highway system).  Read more about this idea in Ben Falk's interview in the VT Commons Magazine. 

View gallery in process.

WSD implements master plan for a small-scale intensive farm raising chickens, goats, pigs, diversified vegetables, small fruits, fruit and nut trees, fish and wetland crops such as watercress. In collaboration with the clients, WSD produced a master site plan and is nearing the end of the first season of site development which has included pond design and construction, greenhouse design and construction, tree crops, perennial flowers and medicinals, and more.  See project gallery.

Is mainstream business waking up to the benefits of truly valuable land use and integrated design? Well, maybe not completely, but they seem to be catching on slowly. Here's one angle on our work from that end of the spectrum. Note, the last line (quote) should read "imagination" instead of "information". (The world's got plenty of info.)

Design for Climate Change workshop to be part of this event in Boston... "In practical ways this workshop will examine how schools can create campuses that look beyond sustainability towards schools that are resilient and regenerative in the face of complex and rapidly changing ecological, social and economic conditions..." Click here for more information.

WSD has been contracted to develop a regenerative and working land use model and organization in the Mad River Valley, VT. The future  site will be planned over the coming months for development into a permaculture farm system. The organizational design and development process will model replicable steps that others can utilize to develop similar profitable, regenerative farming and community land use systems in their own location. Much more on this project to come... See project gallery.