This virtual workshop, led by Didi Pershouse, will deepen each participant’s understanding of whole-systems landscape function and effective land management, with a focus on water and the soil sponge. Biology creates a natural sponge in healthy soils and grasslands that slows and sinks water on a total landscape scale–providing resilience in times of flooding and drought. Many of our current economic, social, and climate concerns are due to a degradation of our country’s soils, in particular it’s sponge-like structure or “tilth.”

In this introductory class we will consider these questions:

• What is the soil sponge, and how is it different from soil carbon?
• Can a healthy soil sponge really address our climate, environmental and social concerns?
• Resilience to flooding, drought, and wildfires
• Regulation of regional temperatures
• Food and water security
• Biodiversity
• Health and increased immunity for all life on land
• Local economies
• Conflicts over resources
• How do we work with nature’s essential workforce to create conditions for the soil sponge to regenerate?
• What is the role of thoughtful livestock management in regenerating the soil sponge?