Educational Opportunities
Motivation: The grasslands of the world have the ability to act as an incredible carbon sink and remove enough atmospheric carbon to bring levels to pre-industrial times. Through mimicking the wild herds of ruminants that once roamed the earth, livestock completes the eco-system processes necessary to restore grasslands. Savory holism is an important tool in the regenerative agriculture space, especially as it relates to restoring the world's grasslands, which cover one-third of the earth's land surface and are in dire need of repair. Seventy percent of the world's grasslands are degraded, which is a leading cause of floods, droughts, famine, and poverty in those areas.
Solution: There's a world-of-difference between intensive, industrial animal agriculture, which has greatly contributed to climate change and land and water degradation over the past 50-100 years, and Holistic Planned Grazing done through managing holistically. Not all livestock is managed or produced equally. Research done by the Savory Institute and others have shown that animals are a critical component in the ecosystem processes necessary to regenerate soils and sequester Carbon.
Barrier-breaker: The impact of meat and animal products on the environment has been getting a lot of media attention lately, but much of it is an over-simplification or misunderstanding of the role of ruminant animals (livestock) and the ecosystem.
Shared vision: We cannot address climate change without fixing agriculture. And agriculture cannot be fixed with rigid, one-size-fits-all thinking that doesn't take full systems into account. Through managing holistically, we can regenerate soils, and regenerate the social fabrics of cultures and communities throughout the world.
GSG provides educational opportunities for those wanting to increase their knowledge of the land and managing holistically. We incorporate field days, webinars, workshops, land planning, restoration of the land, and other classes on topics that will help producers to earn a profit, manage the land, and recover the damage that has been previously done. We offer group educational classes as well as hands-on training in the field to teach about managing holistically.
GSG provides classes on the financial and economic benefits of working in agriculture and managing holistically. Our purpose here is to teach producers that they can in fact make a living off agriculture, and they can do so in a way that benefits themselves, their communities, and their ecosystems.
GSG provides a work study program for those interested in pursuing a field in agriculture and managing holistically. We will work with surrounding universities and institutes to facilitate relationships with producers for part time employment for those wanting to learn more about managing holistically. This can provide young adults with a hands-on learning environment, as well as experience in the field that they may not otherwise be able to get with other programs.