Case Study: Fibershed
Case Study: Fibershed
About the project
About the project
Fibershed is a nonprofit organization that develops fiber and textile systems through a focus on carbon farming, regional production and fiber processing, and public education. Their producer membership includes over 100 agricultural fiber producers in 51 counties in Northern and Central California.
Fibershed cultivates textile cultures designed to build soil carbon stocks on the working landscapes on which they depend, while directly enhancing the strength of regional economies. Through strategic grazing, conservation tillage, and a host of scientifically vetted soil carbon enhancing practices, their supply chains create ‘climate beneficial’ textiles and clothing that will become the new standard in a world looking to rapidly mitigate the effects of climate change. Read our Fibershed blog here.
Ecological contex
Integrated sheep and vineyard systems, with perennial cropping system.
Challenges
Regen Network approach
Figure 1: Ground data collected using Esri’s Collector app during the 2019-2020 winter grazing season by Kaos Sheep Outfit Shepherds.
Remote sensing verification
Using remote sensing tools and direct measurement algorithms provided by Regen Network, Fibershed can verify the positive ecological impact of prescribed grazing practices at the farm level.
Qualitative: Detection of grazing in vineyards using NDVI
Quantitative: 87% accuracy
Improving verification methodology using machine learning and more field data. To that end, we recently applied for NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) in the hope of scaling this throughout California.
Project-based funding via Regen Registry + Regen Ledger
Project-based funding via Regen Registry + Regen Ledger
Creating a project on Regen Registry and storing monitoring data as immutable records on Regen Ledger which provides an important layer of transparency and accountability to funders.
Project page on Regen Registry targeted to go live in Q4; Regen Ledger integration to be added in subsequent phase.
To that end, we recently applied and were awarded the NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) which may lead to scaling the program scaling throughout California.
Conclusion
Remote sensing is a cost-effective way to verify grazing on a large scale, and using project-based funding with bespoke verification can provide an alternative route to funding.
This work supports the financial well-being of farmers and grazers and the viability of modern rural communities in California where many farmers are struggling with low margins, pressure from development, and increasing climate-related risks and costs; explores the financial viability of implementing grazing in vineyards systems; and incentivizes a shift towards ecologically sound practices, resulting in cleaner water, cleaner air, and the mitigation of climate change.
Conclusion
Remote sensing is a cost-effective way to verify grazing on a large scale, and using project-based funding with bespoke verification can provide an alternative route to funding.
This work supports the financial well-being of farmers and grazers and the viability of modern rural communities in California where many farmers are struggling with low margins, pressure from development, and increasing climate-related risks and costs; explores the financial viability of implementing grazing in vineyards systems; and incentivizes a shift towards ecologically sound practices, resulting in cleaner water, cleaner air, and the mitigation of climate change.
