Wildlands
General Shared Values:
We will manage wild areas to improve the long term health and productivity of the land and water. We will protect and enhance biodiversity of animals and plants, water resources, and mineral resources. Conversely, we live here expecting the land to provide benefits to us. Zephyr folk’s quality of life depends on receiving long term benefits which will range from aesthetic to spiritual to recreational to economic.
Other Beliefs or Values:
Different Levels of Activities, Definitions:
2. Coop Sanctioned Activities for Individuals:
Activities approved by the community where individuals –member or non-member take the lead. I.e. hunting, plant collecting, antler hunting, retreat area. These may be activities that need Coop approval (SP) or do not need Coop approval (SA). Non-members always need to get approval for any activity.
3. Coop Prohibited Activities:
Activities the coop will not allow. I.e. Oil and gas exploration, radio towers, paint ball games.
We will manage wild areas to improve the long term health and productivity of the land and water. We will protect and enhance biodiversity of animals and plants, water resources, and mineral resources. Conversely, we live here expecting the land to provide benefits to us. Zephyr folk’s quality of life depends on receiving long term benefits which will range from aesthetic to spiritual to recreational to economic.
Other Beliefs or Values:
- We will assess negative and positive impacts of development and use.
- We will balance individual wants with community wants and long term resource protection.
- Uses could include collecting plant, animal or minerals (soil) for individual use or economic use.
- Development based on economic, spiritual, or community outreach/support may have different priorities and restrictions.
- Protection of the resource usually occurs best when people actively use the resource, i.e., Prairie Moon’s management for wetlands, hunter’s work days.
- Ecotourism takes many forms. Outside guests may come to our farm for economic, recreational, spiritual, and educational gain of both members and guests.
Different Levels of Activities, Definitions:
- Coop Sponsored Activities:
2. Coop Sanctioned Activities for Individuals:
Activities approved by the community where individuals –member or non-member take the lead. I.e. hunting, plant collecting, antler hunting, retreat area. These may be activities that need Coop approval (SP) or do not need Coop approval (SA). Non-members always need to get approval for any activity.
3. Coop Prohibited Activities:
Activities the coop will not allow. I.e. Oil and gas exploration, radio towers, paint ball games.
| wildlands.doc |
managing Our Native prairies, wetlands, and oak savannas
Native plant diversity
Prescribed Burns
Our native goat prairies, wetland prairies, and oak savannas evolved with fire. To maintain their native diversity, we manage them with prescribed burns. Our resident DNR burn expert leads the burn crews to safely manage these burns.
Pasture Land
We currently have a grant to help us manage the buckthorn and other invasives in our oak savannas, by grazing with goats, followed by hand cutting and burning. Diversity Landworks is providing this service for us.
One of our members is renting our lowland and hillside pastures for a seasonal, regenerative grazing project.
Gardens
Zephyr is also the home of One Scythe Revolution. Botan Anderson is currently creating a no-till, hand tool scaled, regenerative gardening project in our one acre deer-fenced market garden area. The garden beds are spaced a scythe-stroke's width apart, and the scythe is used to mow the grassy lanes in between the beds, to be directly deposited as mulch on the beds. Currently we are growing squash, garlic and potatoes. Hoping to expand into heirloom grains, and also permaculture fruit and nut crops.
About half of our members have vegetable gardens close to their houses. The rest of us garden collectively in our 1/4 acre Community Garden. The intensive garden beds are separated by grass pathways, which are mowed with electric lawnmowers, or scythes. The vegetable beds are mostly minimally tilled. Compost is broad-forked into the soil, and then covered with grass mulch after planting.
