Not Just Lavender: Landscape Restoration
Landscape Restoration And Land Degradation
Land Degradation is the deterioration of the land, the topsoil, vegetation and water resources. Humans cause land degradation, not always intentionally, sometimes it’s mismanagement of their animals or natural resources. The land will eventually become severely degraded that there’s soil erosion, a decrease of arable lands, the resource base decreases, and an increase of risks of natural and socio conflict. Can Landscape Restoration using aromatics such as lavender be one solution?
Flora Mosaic Landscape Restoration Project
Mosaic Landscape Restoration is a planned process of large-scale multifunctional landscapes consisting of different components which work together to form a restored natural ecosystem. This concept reflects the complexity and dynamics as well as the uniqueness of each landscape. This restoration makes the ecosystem healthy as well as beautiful.
Santa Luce Hills and My Students
I am currently working as a consultant with the collaboration of my Permaculture Design Course students (Silvano Rizzi (my cousin), Simone Ianuale and, Robin Cech) on a project in the valleys of the Santa Luce Hills, in Pisa (Italy). This Project is for my uncle Rosario Rizzi and his company Flora Aromatica Santa Luce! It involves several stakeholders and between them the University of Pisa and local farmers.
Permaculture Practices
We are building a profitable supply chain, experimenting with new approaches and restoring the landscape using swales and other permaculture practices that are lessons throughout my courses. I am so proud to be able to work on a project right next to these students. I am happy to be able to give my students the knowledge and opportunity to make such a difference in a working agriculture practice. This project is so close to my heart because this is my family, this is the farm I grew up working on and this is so much more than just lavender.
Aromatics
There are many reasons to plant aromatics such as lavender. There are three that are the most relevant reasons related to Permaculture:
- That aromatics naturally repel mosquitoes, flies, fleas, moths and, other insects;
- Aromatics Attracts Pollinators such as Bees, Butterflies, and Hummingbirds;
- Aromatics Control Soil Erosion.
Organic Essential Oils
Flora, one of Europe’s largest producers of organic and biodynamic essential oils companies. Flora Essential Oils are 100% pure essential oils made in ITALY using Organic and Biodynamic agriculture practices.
Organic Essential Oils are extracted directly from the bark, flower, fruit, leaf, seed or root of a plant or tree. Most common essential oils are lavender, frankincense, lemon, peppermint and tea tree oil. Organic Essential Oils are replacing a lot of the chemical counterparts for cleaning products, natural pesticides, and natural medicinal treatments.
Lavender Project in South Africa
Another landscape restoration project like Flora Aromatica Santa Luce is with Commonland in Baviaanskloof, South Africa. This project is where they are using lavender and aromatics for the creation of organic essential oils in their landscape restoration. This project will create a possible 500 jobs. Flora Aromatica Santa Luce and Commonland not only focus on land restoration but the revival of the economy as well in both projects.
One Generation To Become A Whole New World
Landscape Restoration projects focus on a sustainable local development including economic, environmental, social, cultural and tourism aspects together. With landscape restoration, there’s a brighter, lavender filled, more sustainable future for the next generation.
