434 Marc Leiber - 200 euros, 160,000 trees, and how to build a syntropic paradise from scratch

200 euros in a bank account, no contract, and a vision. Six and a half years later: 160,000 trees, a soil temperature at 15cm depth of a constant 21°C — while the bare field metres away peaks at 38°C — and a landscape so full of birds that visitors ask to walk through it in silence.Marc Leiber, founder of Grow Back and farmer at Quinta das Abelhas, in Portugal, is German agroforestry practitioner who spent nine months on Ernst Götsch's farm in Brazil, arrived in Portugal's Alentejo with almost nothing, and has been quietly building what he calls a Montado-plus, adding the missing layers back into Europe's most famous silvopasture system, ever since.We walk the land together, step outside the gate to stand in the bare control field metres away, and talk about what six and a half years of syntropic-inspired practice actually looks like when it works. Including why eucalyptus, widely considered a villain in the Portuguese landscape, might be one of the most generous trees in it.In this episode:— How a student group got Wageningen University to fund Ernst Götsch's first visit to Northern Europe— Starting a farm with 200 euros, no contract, and acorns gathered by hand for six weeks— Why the Montado's structure is ecologically upside down and what restoring it does to temperature, water, and biodiversity— Why eucalyptus is not the problem — and how to use it to grow a native forest— How to prune cork and holm oaks so they actually thrive— Why in these systems, one plus one equals three or, as someone put it, syntropic farming is measured in cubic metres, not square metres— What Marc would do with €1 billion, and why his magic wand answer is a shift in mindset rather than a farming practiceMore about this episode.Thoughts? Ideas? Questions? Send us a message!Find out more about our Generation-Re investment syndicate:https://gen-re.land/ Thank you to our Field Builders Circle for supporting us. Learn more hereSupport the show=======In Investing in Regenerative Agriculture and Food podcast show we talk to the pioneers in the regenerative food and agriculture space to learn more on how to put our money to work to regenerate soil, people, local communities and ecosystems while making an appropriate and fair return. Hosted by Koen van Seijen.👩🏻‍💻 VISIT OUR WEBSITE 📚 JOIN OUR VIDEO COURSE 💪🏻 SUPPORT OUR WORKJoin GumroadShare itGive a 5-star ratingBuy us a coffee… or a meal! =======🎙 YouTube channel🔗 Linkedin📸 InstagramJoin our newsletter!=======The above references an opinion and is for information and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a duly licensed financial advisor or investment professional before making any financial decisions.Feedback, ideas, suggestions? Get in touch!