PARADISE STATE

Right before the end of the summer I went to visit my friend Cathy. She lives in Appelscha, Friesland in a small log cabin on the land of her friend Hilde. Hilde is a Shepperd and has bought a piece of land and small farm. Together with a few people she is buying agricultural lands around her farm. They replant the land to invite biodiversity back and regenerate the soil. I think places like these are inspiring and show a beautiful way of working together with nature. People can take an example on how they make their life fit around community, cooperation and respect. By replanting and trying to live as independent as possible they prepare themselves on what might come when climate change continues to overrule us.
"Shanti"


After reading the article, Wallace-Wells' Inhabitable Earth, I felt small, meaningless, and helpless. The magnitude of the problems created an oppressive feeling, as if we cannot go back and the extinction of ecosystems was certain. The next day I was able to reflect and think about my position on this. This brings me to March 2020, the first lockdown caused by the Covid-19. I was born and raised in Rotterdam, I have seen the city change and grow and with it the pollution, the smell and the crowds. A few days after the lockdown, when I was walking outside, I noticed something strange, something I had not experienced in Rotterdam for a long time. Fresh air! The lockdown meant that there was almost no traffic, the streets were cleaner and crowds had disappeared. This radical change gave me hope. It can be different, we can change our system and together we can return our environment to the natural, paradise state.
"Jaromir"


Op set waren de mensen die uit de stad kwamen en daar opgegroeid waren zo gedisconnected.
Mensen die uit het dorp kwamen liepen weg aangezien de Amsterdammers te snel dingen vroegen, en niet de moeite deden om iemand echt te leren kennen..
Ze waren zakelijk terwijl die mensen dat niet zijn, ‘rustig an’
Ze kenden de dieren niet, een konijn zit niet midden in het veld met de grote oren, en een eenhoorn is inderdaad echt rood, als die over het gras schiet
Het verbaast me dat de geluiden uit de stad die mij tot een waanzin drijven aangezien mijn hersenen continu aanblijven voor hun een need is om juist rustig te slapen
Het gevoel dat er geen geluid was s nachts, omdat de fauna dan ook slaapt dreef hun gek waardoor ze juist onrustig werden en opzoek gingen naar ritmes in bijvoorbeeld de verwarming
Geen geluid werd een probleem, dus de biebjes van het alarmsysteem bood hun een uitkomst tot enige verbloeming dat de stad toch aanwezig was en de menselijke beschaving zich bevond buiten hun kamer door.
Eerdere moment zoals dit zijn mij ook overkomen, maar ik zag nooit echt de Connectie wat er nou gaande was.
In mijn eigen naïviteit hoopten ik dat iedereen toch wel een koe had zien rennen? Laatst staan een koe sowieso?
Of dat je weet wat een kraai is, of waarom bomen met reigernesten dood zijn?
Ik denk dat de basis die het grote verschil maakt tussen het westen en het oosten in Nederland is dat het weste te arrogant is..
We komen wel even naar het platteland en daar de boel als een stel huppelende hipsters fixen, terwijl die boer dit al jaren doet, en de generaties voor hem ook
Er moet een dialoog komen, een gevoel van respect en eigenwaarde waarmee er een basis gelegd kan worden.
Want de ‘stadse’ zijn niet meer connected zoals ze zelf denken.
"Roy"


I grew up in Slovenia surrounded by mountains and wild forests, in a family that cherishes nature and passes on the love for it from generation to generation.
That’s why ever since I was a little girl, I was helping on our little farm, from gardening, picking plants and wild fruits that grow in forest. My grandma learned me a lot about healing plants, where they grow, when and how to picked them. For almost every plant she knows its name, healing effects and how to use it. Also when I got sick I usually didn’t go to the doctor and I healed myself at home, using those plants as a tea, cremes, or inhaling them through steamer.
I always really loved it but I never realise how much I appreciate it until I moved to Holland where I found out that I find happiness in the simplicity of the nature, in the emptiness from human actions and productions.

"Ilona"

IDEAS:

- trash to trash
- the material game
- natural pharmacy bike
- urban jungle
- informative installation

DESIRE TO EXPLORE

DOCUMENTARY MOVIE

A research documentary about different people/initiatives whom strive for a more balanced world, about their values and the impact of this alternative value creation.

What are the new values ​​that are changing the perspective/relation with nature in this current society?

A documentary/excursions/workshops:

- that contribute to restore ecosystems
- tells the story about these places, the history and connections to culture
- contributes to our vision

Projects:

- appelscha
- klimaatbos
- voedselbossen
- Srečko and Lucija's Farm

Ideas:

- The craftsman - How the crafts are forgotten and what the value of this craft is. (connection to nature)

- Nature connected - How nature areas are connected and the impacts and value of these interventions. Future farming lands, New regulations regarding climate goals.

- Natuur krakers - People that left society and went to live with nature.

- Biodiversity - Initiatives where their core lies at generating biodiversity and are not mainly focussed on a money based business model.
example: biggest little farm, bodemzicht

- The commons - Looking for communities, properties or products that are part of commoning. Shared and cared for by multiple people.

By showing nature centred relationships between people and ecosystems we want to inform, activate and encourage others to change their ways of living and regain our environment to the natural, paradise state.

We strive for the society that treats its environment with honour and respect.
A world where people are no longer central and ecosystems can flourish into their paradisiacal state. We show that it is possible to live comfortably without burdening our environment more than we are already doing. To create healthy and livable conditions in which humankind can once again become part of this ecosystem that ensures our existence.