Landscaping as a Nature-Based Solution (NbS) to face the challenges of the century
Learn with M.Teresa Egea Molines about her philosophy of regenerative landscaping in Landscaping as a Nature-Based Solution (NbS) to face the challenges of the century.
The Etnoflora Landscaping and Sustainability Consulting studio, proposes regenerative landscaping as an accessible and effective strategy to develop nature-based solutions and collectively combat the problems we face as a society: climate change, cultural erosion and the loss of biodiversity.
The Etnoflora studio was founded by M.Teresa Egea Molines, a Spanish resident in Mexico City, a specialist in Agroecology and Ethnobotany, and a doctor in Environmental and Agrarian Sciences from the University of Florence. Adopting an ethnological and humanist approach to landscaping, the landscape designer vindicates the ethical, philosophical and intellectual function of the landscape. The method applied is based on ethnological research, specifically on participant observation of the territory, conducting a state-of-the-art analysis of landscape practices throughout the history of the place. Through design, it aims to continue traditional ecological practices by adapting them to current socioeconomic requirements. This method allows for the identification of techniques that have proven to be truly sustainable in the territory, as they have functioned for centuries and hold economic, cultural, and ecological relevance.
Un jardín nativo e integrado / A native and integrated garden
Fotografía / Photography: Mon petit Cabo
The Etnoflora methodology is based on the following principles:
1) Biological corridors that dilute barriers and promote connectivity.
Living fences with native or naturalized plants not only beautify the environment and contribute to creating public green areas, but also facilitate ecological connectivity, promote biodiversity and improve the microclimate. These corridors allow the movement of pollinators and other beneficial organisms, thus contributing to the health of the ecosystem. Diluting the walls with green boundaries expresses a positive relationship with the territory that they unite and at the same time create common well-being.
Bordes integrados con plantas nativas / Borders integrated with native plants
Fotografía / Photography: Ana Paula Álvarez
2) Family gardens and regenerative agriculture that promote social cohesion and food security.
Family orchards act as refuges of agrobiodiversity, fostering food security and social cohesion. Integrating these gardens of fruit trees, vegetables, aromatic plants, and timber species into landscape designs has a cathartic effect on people, resulting in physical, mental, and emotional restoration. These orchards promote culture and conviviality, which are key to civic organization and involvement in common affairs.
Huertas familiares que sanan / Family orchards that heal
Fotografía / Photography: M.Teresa Egea
3) Vernacular landscape practices for awareness of place (“sense of place”).
Rescuing traditional techniques, such as dry stone walls or canal irrigation systems, contributes to the creation of healthy ecosystems. Traditional ecological practices constitute multifunctional green infrastructures that not only improve soil quality and retain water, but also strengthen the sense of belonging and cultural identity.
Transformando tierras áridas en fértiles / Transforming arid lands into fertile ones
Fotografía / Photography: M.Teresa Egea
Cercos tradicionales con esquejes nativos / Traditional fences with native cuttings
Fotografía / Photography: Gabriel Madero
4) Native plants or plants with cultural significance for resilience.
The choice of native plants, loaded with cultural meanings, allows us to recover the resilience of ecosystems. This approach promotes the recovery of local knowledge, connecting communities with their biocultural heritage and renaming the landscape with the vernacular language that contains uses and customs, beliefs and popular stories.
The choice of native plants, loaded with cultural meanings, allows us to recover the resilience of ecosystems.
Combinación de plantas nativas y aromáticas / Combination of native and aromatic plants
Fotografía / Photography: Ana Paula Álvarez
Landscaping as a Nature-Based Solution offers an opportunity to face contemporary challenges. Through the integration of sustainable practices and the valorization of local culture, resilient territories can be created that not only preserve biodiversity, but also enrich community life and conserve the natural and cultural heritage linked to the landscape.
Enalteciendo la flora nativa / Enhancing native flora
Fotografía / Photography: Mon petit Cabo
