NewTree Ranch is dedicated to socio-economic-ecosystem regeneration; including a robust, solutions based, approach to tackling some of the biggest issues that we face as a species, including climate change, resource and habitat depletion, and social justice and equity. At NewTree Ranch visitors experience a host of strategies for making this critical transition to a more socially and ecologically sensitive and resilient way of living.
Community Based Economies
NewTree Ranch is a model for community scale farming and production. Community based economies are ultimately more resilient, equitable, and nourishing than factory based industrial models. When community members are connected to the people and land that supports them, mutual respect, care, and understanding for others and the environment is dramatically increased to the benefit of the entire socio-economic-ecosystem. Growing, preserving, and preparing food in local gardens is activism and empowers people everywhere!
Living Soils
NewTree Ranch builds living soils. Many of us understand that healthy soils grow more vital and nutritious food, but healthy, biologically diverse, living soils, are also critical to absorbing and harvesting rainwater, sequestering carbon, and filtering pollutants. Visitors to NewTree Ranch will experience a host of best practices for improving soil health and therefore ecosystem and community health. These include, biodynamic soil preparations, composting, animal tractoring, rotational grazing, sheet mulching, and more.
Vital Water Cycles
NewTree Ranch recognizes opportunities to re-vitalize water cycles and reduce potable water use by eliminating erosion and harvesting rainwater in tanks, ponds, and contouring the landscape to store water in the soil. These techniques are important for improving overall landscape vigor, providing for irrigation needs, and creating wildlife habitat. Sitting or strolling lakeside at NewTree Ranch is also a great place to cool off or observe hunting King Fishers!
Energy Wise
NewTree Ranch recognizes opportunities to reduce waste and harvest energy. Solar panels have become an increasingly affordable option for harvesting onsite energy that people are becoming more familiar with, but there are lots of simple ‘passive’ ways to harvest energy and reduce consumption. Building orientation and designing proper overhangs and shading for windows and hardscape surfaces significantly impact energy use. Specifying local and onsite materials for construction reduces the carbon footprint of your project. Rotational grazing can eliminate the need for mechanical equipment and offsite amendments. Eating locally produced food and less meat can also radically reduce energy and water use.
Animal Sanctuary
The animal sanctuary at NewTree Ranch provides a nurturing space for animals in need. As vital members of our biodynamic ecosystem, these animals provide us with amazing gifts. As they freely graze our fields, they enrich our soil and provide manure for our farm. As teachers, they provide our guests and the public experiences that help them reconnect to nature in direct and intimate ways. NewTree Ranch Foundation is dedicated to advocating for the fair and humane treatment of all animals, allowing them to flourish in a safe home and a loving, productive community.
Forest and Watershed Stewardship
Forest and watershed health are critical to human survival and climate change moderation. Understanding and respecting ecosystem and climate patterns like the fire and flood cycles inform a regenerative land stewardship approach. NewTree Ranch practices fuel load reduction and fire thinning techniques, erosion and noxious invasive species removal, and native habitat planting as a means of regenerating the beautiful surrounding forests and streams which include endangered salmon and steelhead habitat.
Educational Model
The NewTree Farm Foundation aspires to be an educational model for both the local community and visitors from further afield, creating public and private partnerships with schools, growers, and local organizations that share this vision of community and earth regeneration. Please support these vital and timely efforts, and we hope to see you at the ranch soon!
