OUR RESEARCH AGENDA
Ambitious goals. Testable questions.
Our initiatives connect living systems with the systems people depend on. Each begins with a question and a clear account of what evidence would be needed.
Status: proposed research directions. No pilot sites, external partners, funding commitments or verified impact totals are announced here.
MEGA FOREST
RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
01 / PROPOSED INITIATIVEBiodiversity & living biomass
Protect existing habitat and explore restoration that rebuilds native diversity, ecological structure and living biomass where appropriate.
The question
How can restoration improve habitat quality and durable biomass without replacing naturally open ecosystems?
What we would measure
Native species and habitat condition, survival, invasive cover, biomass estimates with methods and uncertainty.
What we must not assume
More trees or biomass alone is not proof of biodiversity recovery.
Next useful step
Define reference ecosystems, baseline surveys and repeat monitoring before choosing interventions.
Discuss this initiative ↗02 / PROPOSED INITIATIVEEmissions reduction
Explore efficiency, electrification and material choices that reduce absolute emissions across their life cycles.
The question
Which changes reduce total emissions after accounting for manufacturing, energy supply and disposal?
What we would measure
Absolute greenhouse gas emissions, energy demand, system boundaries and a stated comparison baseline.
What we must not assume
Avoided emissions, carbon removals and offsets must be reported separately.
Next useful step
Build transparent comparisons with dated emissions factors and sensitivity analysis.
Discuss this initiative ↗03 / PROPOSED INITIATIVEPollution prevention & remediation
Investigate source control, treatment wetlands, phytotechnologies and other methods matched to specific pollutants.
The question
Can a treatment reduce exposure and contaminant loads without moving the problem somewhere else?
What we would measure
Contaminant concentrations and loads, exposure pathways, treatment byproducts and residual waste.
What we must not assume
Plant uptake or containment is not necessarily destruction; contaminated biomass needs appropriate handling.
Next useful step
Begin with site characterization, qualified technical review and a monitoring plan.
Discuss this initiative ↗04 / PROPOSED INITIATIVESustainable agriculture
Explore agroforestry, perennial crops, soil cover and diversified production alongside farm viability.
The question
Which systems improve ecological outcomes while remaining practical for growers?
What we would measure
Yield, input use, soil and water indicators, habitat, labor and net returns over time.
What we must not assume
A practice label does not establish outcomes. Results vary with soil, climate and management.
Next useful step
Develop comparable trial protocols and document costs as carefully as ecological benefits.
Discuss this initiative ↗05 / PROPOSED INITIATIVESustainable industrial processes
Examine material efficiency, repair, reuse, safer chemistry and lower-emission process heat.
The question
Where can a process reduce resource use and pollution across the entire supply chain?
What we would measure
Material and energy balances, waste, toxicity, product life and full life-cycle impacts.
What we must not assume
Recycled or bio-based does not automatically mean lower impact.
Next useful step
Compare a defined product function, realistic alternatives and end-of-life scenarios.
Discuss this initiative ↗06 / PROPOSED INITIATIVESustainable power production
Study low-emission generation, storage, demand flexibility and careful siting together.
The question
Which energy systems meet real needs with the lowest combined climate and ecological burdens?
What we would measure
Delivered electricity, life-cycle emissions, reliability, land and water use, materials and community effects.
What we must not assume
No energy source is impact-free. Biomass energy is not assumed carbon-neutral.
Next useful step
Screen options with transparent life-cycle and location-specific tradeoffs.
Discuss this initiative ↗
