Description
The Ecosystem Kickstarter is a tool designed to stop erosion and restore degraded landscapes in a sustainable way.
What is it?
The Ecosystem Kickstarter is a foldable structure made from biodegradable cardboard fibres, applied on a slope and filled with local soil to function as a terracing structure. Inside the product are both pioneer seeds and nutrients added during the production process. The rooting systems have time to develop due to the short-term protection of the biodegradable structure in the vulnerable phase of vegetation development. When there is a sufficient rooting system, the cardboard decomposes and adds carbon to the soil. The anti-erosion function will be taken over by the new vegetation, improving water infiltration and soil structure to help the ecosystem get over the ecological threshold.
Join us!
In the last years, the innovation has grown from a simple concept to an idea to a prototype with potential.
Our current strategy is to create a consortium of like-minded partners who believe in our mission. This makes our mission less dependent on the grace of one big funder and more importantly, creates more access to knowledge, finance and testing sites.
The focus of this consortium will be large-scale testing of the EK in Wageningen, Spain and if corona allows East-Africa again. This testing ideally takes place in three sprints, in which the partners are closely involved and their knowledge will be used to optimize the product and approach.
Let us know if your organisation is in!
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