Using Agroforestry to Restore Brazil's Paraíba Valley to Glory “I want 40,000 hectares of forest to be restored in Paraíba Valley,” said Patrick Assumpção, a farmer, tree grower and agroforester from Brazil. He is doing his part, working with the local community to plant native trees on degraded land in order to grow high-quality food and build a strong rural economy. “I want to spread what we’re doing here, introduce new plants and fruits to farmers and consumers. The Nova Coruputuba farm in São Paulo State, Brazil, seen in a drone aerial image. Patrick is at the helm of Fazenda Nova Coruputuba, a farm of about 200 hectares in Pindamonhangaba, São Paulo. But few signs of the farm’s golden age remain today. Cicero da Silva Prado, Patrick’s great grandfather, founded the farm, in 1911. Patrick visits empty buildings in the town, where more than 5,000 people once lived. The history of the farm parallels that of the Paraíba Valley, located between two mountain ranges and close to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Patrick has always planted trees.
What Is Biomimicry? – Biomimicry Institute “Bioinspired design” is a term that is generally accepted as an umbrella category for design and engineering approaches, including biomimicry, that use biology as a resource for solutions. While biomimicry is a type of bioinspired design, not all bioinspired design is biomimicry. An important factor that differentiates biomimicry from other bio-inspired design approaches is the emphasis on learning from and emulating the regenerative solutions living systems have for specific functional challenges. Within the family of bioinspired design, a common misunderstanding that we encounter is mistaking biomorphism for biomimicry. Biomorphism refers to designs that visually resemble elements from life (they “look like” nature), whereas biomimetic designs focus on function (they “work like” nature). Biomorphic designs can be very beautiful and beneficial, in part because humans have a natural affinity for nature and natural forms.
Futuro da humanidade depende das árvores, a “verdadeira fábrica do solo” | Entrevista Há mais de 40 anos, Jean-Philippe Beau-Douëzy, ecologista e engenheiro consultor na área do ambiente, iniciou-se naquela que viria a ser a sua luta pela conservação da natureza. Hoje, quer continuar a plantar árvores nativas porque diz serem o futuro da humanidade. Há 11 anos que trabalha na Fundação Yves Rocher, em França, onde é administrador do programa Plant for the Planet que consiste na plantação de 100 milhões de árvores em vários continentes com o objectivo de combater a erosão do solo, a perda de biodiversidade e recursos hídricos e para ajudar a agricultura local. Jean-Philippe Beau-Douëzy, que esteve recentemente no Porto, já percorreu vários pontos do planeta. Que questões se discutiam em 1978 e que ligação têm hoje com as preocupações sobre a sustentabilidade e a eficiência das cidades? Interessante que a conversa é a mesma. Como se aplica a todo o planeta uma política capaz de gerir e conservar o ambiente? A questão não é política, a questão são as pessoas.
Biomimética: a ciência que se inspira na natureza A partir de observações sobre a natureza, são desenvolvidas funcionalidades úteis aos humanos A população mundial tem crescido muito e rapidamente, cultivando hábitos insustentáveis. A natureza, que chegou ao seu limite, cobra-nos uma mudança de atitude. O que é a Biomimética? A biomimética é a área que estuda os princípios criativos e estratégias da natureza, visando a criação de soluções para os problemas atuais da humanidade, unindo funcionalidade, estética e sustentabilidade. O princípio da biomimética é utilizar a natureza como um exemplo e fonte de inspiração, e não de apropriação similar às práticas da biologia sintética (saiba mais aqui). Na natureza, os organismos utilizam apenas a energia que necessitam, visto que alguns precisam produzir a sua própria, pela fotossíntese, ou se apropriar de uma fonte alheia pela caça. Aplicações Um exemplo muito antigo e conhecido é o velcro (ver foto no início da página). Veja também:
How to make a mini forest with Miyawaki method Miyawaki is a technique pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, that helps build dense, native forests. The approach is supposed to ensure that plant growth is 10 times faster and the resulting plantation is 30 times denser than usual. It involves planting dozens of native species in the same area, and becomes maintenance-free after the first three years. This article shares the basic steps to create such forests in small urban spaces, as small as 30 square feet. This guide is an abridged version of the DIY guide shared by Afforest, a service provider for creating natural, wild, maintenance-free, native forests. Step 1: Determine the soil texture and quantify biomass Soil texture helps determine water holding capacity, water infiltration, root perforation capacity, nutrient retention and erodibility. What to add to the soil Perforator materials help to improve perforation and allow roots to grow quickly. Step 2: Select tree species for plantation Step 3: Design the forest
Tree-inspired dendriforms and fractal-like branching structures in architecture: A brief historical overview Abstract The shapes of trees are complex and fractal-like, and they have a set of physical, mechanical and biological functions. The relation between them always draws attention of human beings throughout history and, focusing on the relation between shape and structural strength, architects have designed a number of treelike structures, referred as dendriforms. The replication and adoption of the treelike patterns for constructing architectural structures have been varied in different time periods based on the existing and advanced knowledge and available technologies. This paper, by briefly discussing the biological functions and the mechanical properties of trees with regard to their shapes, overviews and investigates the chronological evolution and advancements of dendriform and arboreal structures in architecture referring to some important historical as well as contemporary examples. Keywords Architecture; Tree; Dendriforms; Fractal geometry; Branching structures; Technology 1. 2.
The incredible – and still quite mysterious – way trees trade information via their roots Aeon email newsletters are issued by the not-for-profit, registered charity Aeon Media Group Ltd (Australian Business Number 80 612 076 614). This Email Newsletter Privacy Statement pertains to the personally identifying information you voluntarily submit in the form of your email address to receive our email newsletters More generally, when visiting the Aeon site you should refer to our site Privacy Policy here. This Email Newsletter Privacy Statement may change from time to time and was last revised 18 May, 2020. By clicking ‘subscribe’ you agree to the following: We will use the email address you provide to send you daily and/or weekly emails (depending on your selection). Unsubscribing You can change your mind at any time by clicking the ‘unsubscribe’ link in the footer of emails you receive from us, or by contacting us at support@aeon.co Security of your personal information We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. Sharing your personal information
Design elements - Trees and plants | Trees and plants - Vector stencils library | Interior Design Site Plan - Design Elements | Palm Tree Architecture The design elements library Trees and plants contains 29 symbols of trees, hedges, groundcovers, greenery, and shrubbery. "Landscape design is an independent profession and a design and art tradition, practised by landscape designers, combining nature and culture. In contemporary practice landscape design bridges between landscape architecture and garden design.
Direct Air Capture Countries and regions that have taken an early lead in supporting DAC research, development, demonstration and deployment include the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan. The United States has established a number of policies and programmes to support DAC RD&D, including the 45Q tax credit (providing USD 35 per tonne of CO2 used in enhanced oil recovery and USD 50 per tonne of CO2 stored) and the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard credit (providing the DAC project meets the requirements of the Carbon Capture and Sequestration Protocol). Meanwhile, the Investment and Jobs Act (signed into law in November 2021) includes funding (USD 3.5 billion) to establish four large-scale DAC hubs and related transport and storage infrastructure.