What Is Regenerative Landscaping? A Hopeful Promise for Tomorrow
Most landscapes are quietly declining — even the ones that look “healthy.” Regeneration challenges that reality. While degeneration weakens soil year after year and sustainability aims to keep things the same, regeneration rebuilds what has already been lost and aims for improvement. It restores soil biology, increases organic matter, stores carbon, improves water infiltration, strengthens biodiversity, reduces chemical dependence, and rebuilds ecosystem function. Through practices like terracing, cover crops, no-till systems, compost integration, diverse planting, and living ground cover, regeneration doesn’t just maintain land — it upgrades it.
Sustainability may slow damage, but erosion, carbon loss, and disrupted water cycles can continue beneath the surface. Over time, this leads to larger consequences such as flooding, drought, and instability within broader watershed systems. As soil microbiomes weaken, biodiversity fades and resilience declines. Our land must thrive — not just survive.
This page explains the mission of regenerative landscaping, key terminology, how carbon and water move through soil, and real-world practices that help restore ecosystem balance. Regeneration is not a theory. It is a practical path forward. The underlined sections above will direct you to the corresponding section of this page.
THE MISSION OF REGENERATION
The goal of regeneration is simple: improve the land so it can support life long-term. When soil health increases, ecosystem function strengthens. The land stores more carbon, absorbs more water, grows stronger plants, supports wildlife, and stabilizes communities.
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When soil degrades, it loses its carrying capacity — its ability to sustain life and remain productive over time. Regenerative landscaping rebuilds that capacity by restoring soil structure, increasing organic matter, supporting biodiversity, and reinforcing natural systems so they improve each season instead of slowly declining.
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When land improves at a local level, the impact does not stay local. Healthy soil absorbs rainfall and snowmelt, supports stronger plant systems, and stabilizes surrounding ecosystems. As more properties rebuild soil carbon and increase organic matter, water cycles become more balanced, erosion decreases, and biodiversity strengthens across entire regions. One yard may seem small, but thousands of households operating with the same mindset can shift carbon storage, water retention, and resilience at scale. The idea that individual landscapes do not matter is simply a lie. Every choice we make on any scale matters.
If soil degradation continues, erosion increases, water cycles become less stable, biodiversity declines, and communities face greater risk of drought, flooding, and rising land management costs. History has shown that when soil health is ignored — as during the Dust Bowl era — the economic and environmental consequences can be severe and cannot be ignored.
Decline compounds over time, just as regeneration does. The direction we choose matters. Regeneration offers a way to reverse course by rebuilding soil, restoring balance, and strengthening the systems that support life. Our future is shaped from the ground up.
CARBON BELONGS IN LIVING SOIL
Carbon. A word that triggers many individuals and is constantly debated. So here are the facts. Carbon is the building block of life. Every plant, animal, and human is carbon-based. Plants pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and convert it into sugars. A significant portion of that carbon moves below ground through roots, feeding soil organisms and becoming part of the soil system. Without carbon, life as we know it would not exist. The more stable carbon we store in our soil as organic matter, generally the stronger and more resilient that soil becomes. Carbon is not the enemy — imbalance of atmospheric COâ‚‚ is.
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When land is heavily disturbed through excessive tillage, overgrazing, erosion, or chemical disruption, stored soil carbon is exposed to oxygen and released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Elevated atmospheric carbon contributes to rising global temperatures. But when soil is healthy and biologically active, carbon remains stored underground as soil organic matter. That stored carbon improves soil structure, increases water retention, strengthens nutrient cycling, and supports a thriving soil microbiome. This process is called carbon sequestration.
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Carbon-rich soil supports stronger microbial communities, and those microbes help plants access essential nutrients more efficiently. Healthier, biologically active soil can lead to more nutrient-dense crops because plants grown in living soil systems have better access to minerals and natural compounds. Regenerative agriculture and regenerative landscaping support this cycle by reducing disturbance, increasing plant diversity, minimizing synthetic inputs, and building organic matter. Instead of releasing carbon, the land holds it — and that shift changes the entire system.
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I’ll go further into why all of this matters in the next few sections.
WATER FOLLOWS SOIL HEALTH
Just as we want soil to hold carbon, we also want soil to naturally hold moisture. Soil carbon and water cycles are deeply interconnected. Healthy soil holds water like a sponge because it contains organic matter made from carbon. When rain or snowmelt soaks into carbon-rich soil, that water is stored underground instead of running off. Plants then draw that water up through their roots and release some of it back into the air through their leaves. This natural process is called transpiration.
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This movement of water from soil to plants and back into the atmosphere is part of what scientists call the small water cycle. When landscapes are healthy, this cycle helps form clouds, regulate temperature, and support steady rainfall patterns. When land is compacted, bare, or degraded, water runs off quickly instead of entering the soil. Less water is stored, fewer plants transpire, and the local cooling and moisture cycle weakens.
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Carbon and water work together in this system. The more carbon stored in soil as organic matter, the more water that soil can hold. That means stronger plant growth, reduced irrigation needs, and more resilience during dry periods. For homeowners, this translates into lower water bills and healthier landscapes. On a larger scale, it strengthens the land’s ability to manage snowmelt and seasonal moisture.
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In Colorado, snowmelt feeds rivers and mountain streams, including the watersheds that support places like Rocky Mountain National Park and Alberta Falls. When soil across neighborhoods and open spaces absorbs snowmelt slowly, groundwater is recharged and streams flow more steadily throughout the year. When soil cannot absorb water, snowmelt rushes downhill too quickly, increasing erosion early in the season and leaving less moisture available later in the summer.
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One backyard will not change the entire watershed. But thousands of properties managed with regenerative practices can. Healthy soil strengthens small water cycles. Strong small water cycles support larger watershed systems. That is how individual decisions connect to the bigger picture.
STRATEGIES FOR YOUR LAND
Now that you understand what regeneration is, the next step is implementation. Regeneration is not an optional upgrade, it is a responsibility. If we want future generations to inherit functioning ecosystems, rebuilding soil is no longer negotiable. Regeneration becomes real through action, whether at a backyard scale or across larger properties.
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- Start with a holistic approach to gardening by removing synthetic chemicals and replacing them with natural inputs such as seasonal compost applications, kelp extracts, and fish-based nutrients.
- Avoid tilling whenever possible, as tilling disrupts soil structure, damages microbial life, and accelerates carbon loss. Compost integration builds organic matter and strengthens long-term soil biology.
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- On sloped land, terraced farming or terraced landscaping slows water movement, reduces erosion, and allows rainfall to soak into the soil rather than wash nutrients away.
- Plant cover crops between growing seasons to protect soil, increase organic matter, and support nitrogen fixation. Add living ground cover to maintain permanent root systems that keep soil active year-round and strengthen the microbiome.
FROM BACKYARD TO ECOSYSTEMS
​Homeowners can also increase biodiversity through companion planting systems like the Three Sisters method, which combines corn, beans, and squash in a cooperative system. Corn provides structure, beans fix nitrogen, and squash acts as living mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds. This same principle can be expanded by mixing deep-rooted plants, nitrogen fixers, pollinator species, and ground covers to create year-round blooms and continuous soil protection.
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For larger properties, managed grazing can stimulate plant growth and cycle nutrients naturally when stocking density aligns with the land’s carrying capacity​. Regeneration is a eco-friendly way to reduce reliance on synthetic inputs and builds biologically available nutrients through living soil processes.
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By improving soil biology, reducing disturbance, managing water wisely, and strengthening plant diversity, these practices restore ecosystem function. Even one change can improve water retention and plant health. When adopted collectively, regenerative practices strengthen watersheds, increase carbon storage, improve water retention, reduce erosion, lower drought vulnerability, decrease flood risk, support biodiversity, stabilize food systems, reduce long-term land management costs, improve soil fertility, and build lasting environmental and economic resilience for future generations.
THE SHIFT TO A GREENER TOMORROW
From soil biology to carbon sequestration, from water infiltration to plant diversity, regeneration strengthens the systems that support life. It restores ecosystem function, rebuilds carrying capacity, lowers long-term input costs, and increases resilience across residential and commercial landscapes. What begins as a soil decision becomes a water decision, a carbon decision, and ultimately a climate decision. What begins in one yard can influence an entire watershed.
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We do not need instant perfection. We need steady participation. When homeowners, businesses, and communities choose regenerative landscaping, they rebuild soil organic matter, stabilize water cycles, reduce erosion and drought stress, support biodiversity, and strengthen long-term environmental and economic stability.
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Regeneration is not a trend. It is the natural tendency of life to heal when given the right conditions. When practiced consistently and collectively, small decisions compound — restoring balance, strengthening communities, and shaping a more stable future from the ground up. Together.
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Explore this topic in greater depth in my blog.
TERMINOLOGY
Biological Soil Testing
Some soil tests measure only chemical nutrients. Regenerative systems also measure biological activity — the living organisms that drive nutrient cycles. Living soil is more important than chemical numbers alone.
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Brittle Environments
Dry climates, like much of Colorado, are considered brittle environments. In these areas, water management and soil cover are critical. Without proper care, degradation can happen quickly.
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Carbon
Carbon is a basic building block of life. It is found in plants, soil, animals, and even in the air. Plants pull carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and use it to grow. When soil is healthy, much of that carbon stays underground as organic matter. When soil is disturbed or degraded, carbon is released back into the air.
In regenerative systems, carbon is not waste — it is fuel for soil life.
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Carbon Dioxide (COâ‚‚)
Carbon dioxide (COâ‚‚) is a naturally occurring gas made of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms. It is released through processes such as respiration, decomposition, and the burning of fossil fuels. Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis and use it to grow. While COâ‚‚ is essential for life, excessive levels in the atmosphere contribute to global warming by trapping heat. Healthy soils and plant systems help regulate atmospheric COâ‚‚ by storing carbon underground through a process known as carbon sequestration.
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Carrying Capacity
Carrying capacity is the amount of life a piece of land can support without breaking down. If too much is taken from the land without rebuilding it, that limit is crossed and decline begins.
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Community Investment and Regeneration
Healthy land and healthy communities are connected. When capital flows into land stewardship, soil restoration, and responsible agriculture, communities become more stable. Economic resilience and ecological resilience often move together.
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Compounded Results
Compounded results occur when consistent small actions create larger long-term impacts. In regeneration, soil health improvements build over time, leading to stronger ecosystems and greater resilience.
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Cover Crops
Cover crops are plants grown to protect and rebuild soil rather than to be harvested. They are typically planted during off-seasons or between main plantings to prevent erosion, increase organic matter, improve soil structure, and support beneficial microbes. Some cover crops, such as legumes, also help add nitrogen to the soil through natural biological processes.
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Degeneration
Degeneration happens when land slowly loses its strength. Soil becomes compacted and starts to crack. Organic matter disappears. Water runs off instead of soaking in. Plants become weaker. Over time, productivity drops. Degeneration is not dramatic at first. It happens quietly, season after season.
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Dust Bowl Era
Refers to a period in the 1930s when severe drought and poor land management practices caused massive soil erosion across the Great Plains of the United States. Native grasses had been removed and intensive tillage left soil exposed. Without strong root systems to hold it in place, dry topsoil turned to dust and was carried away by windstorms. The event led to widespread crop failure, economic hardship, and migration, and it remains one of the most significant examples of how degraded soil can impact communities and food systems.
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Ecosystem Function
An 'ecosystem' is a network of living plants, animals, and soil organisms working together with water, air, and land. Healthy ecosystems maintain balance, support biodiversity, and allow natural systems to function properly. 'Ecosystem function' describes how well natural systems work. Healthy ecosystems filter water, cycle nutrients, store carbon, grow food, and support wildlife. When soil health declines, ecosystem function weakens.
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Forage Production
Forage production measures how much plant growth the land can produce. Healthy soil increases natural growth without forcing it.
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Free-Range Livestock
Integrating free-range livestock into regenerative systems allows animals to play a functional role in ecosystem restoration. When stocking density and recovery periods are properly managed, livestock help cycle nutrients, distribute manure naturally, stimulate plant regrowth, and strengthen soil biology. In well-managed systems, ranchers may be able to improve both forage production and livestock productivity, effectively supporting farming and ranching within the same regenerative framework. The goal is not to maximize short-term output, but to increase long-term land health and resilience so the system becomes more self-sustaining over time.
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Input Costs
Input costs are the outside materials added to keep land functioning — fertilizers, chemicals, irrigation, and feed. When soil health is weak, input costs rise. When soil health improves, dependence on outside inputs decreases.
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Living Ground Cover
Living ground cover refers to plants that continuously cover and protect the soil surface year-round. These can include grasses, clover, native plants, or diverse low-growing plant mixes. Unlike temporary cover crops, living ground cover is designed to remain in place long-term, protecting soil from erosion, regulating temperature, supporting biodiversity, and maintaining active root systems in the soil.
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Microbiome
A microbiome is the community of microscopic living organisms — such as bacteria, fungi, and other microbes — that exist in a specific environment. In soil, the microbiome plays a critical role in breaking down organic matter, cycling nutrients, supporting plant roots, and storing carbon. A healthy soil microbiome strengthens plant growth, improves water retention, and increases overall ecosystem resilience.
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Nitrogen Fixation
Nitrogen fixation is a natural process where soil organisms capture nitrogen from the air and convert it into forms plants can use. Healthy soil biology reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers.
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Organic Matter
Organic matter is the natural material in soil made from decomposed plants, roots, leaves, and microorganisms. It feeds soil life, improves soil structure, increases water retention, and helps store carbon underground. Soil rich in organic matter is more resilient, fertile, and better able to support healthy plant growth. ​
Planned Grazing
Planned grazing is a land management strategy that uses livestock in carefully timed and controlled rotations to mimic natural herd movement. Animals are moved intentionally to prevent overgrazing and allow pasture recovery. When managed properly, planned grazing can stimulate plant growth, improve root depth, increase soil organic matter, enhance water infiltration, and support carbon sequestration. Over time, healthier forage systems may allow ranchers to increase carrying capacity — meaning the land can support more livestock without degrading.
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Plant Community Shift
When soil degrades, plant communities can change. Native grasses may disappear and be replaced by invasive shrubs. This shift shows imbalance. Regeneration works to restore diversity and stability.
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Regeneration
Regeneration means rebuilding life. It restores soil biology, improves plant systems, and strengthens water cycles. Regeneration does not just stop decline. It reverses it. The land becomes more productive and more resilient over time.​
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Sequestration
Sequestration means storing something safely over time. In land management, carbon sequestration refers to the process of capturing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in soil and plants. This happens naturally when plants grow and when soil biology is active. Healthy soil acts like a carbon bank. The more organic matter in the soil, the more carbon it can store. Regenerative practices increase sequestration by reducing disturbance, increasing plant diversity, and building soil structure. Sequestration is not about removing carbon from the planet — it is about putting it back where it belongs.
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Sustainability
Sustainability means holding something steady. It aims to prevent further damage and maintain balance. But if land is already damaged, keeping it the same does not restore what was lost.
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Stocking Density
Stocking density refers to how many animals land can support at one time. When managed carefully, animals can help cycle nutrients and improve soil. When unmanaged, they can accelerate decline.​
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'Three Sisters'
The 'Three Sisters' is a traditional Indigenous agricultural system that plants corn, beans, and squash together in one space. Each plant supports the others: corn provides structure, beans add nitrogen to the soil, and squash covers the ground to retain moisture and reduce weeds. The system demonstrates how biodiversity strengthens soil health and ecosystem function.
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Time in Production
Land changes over time. Whether land improves or declines depends on how it is managed while it is being used. Regenerative systems improve land even while it is productive.​​​​​
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Transpiration
Transpiration is the process by which plants release water vapor into the air through their leaves. As plants pull water up from the soil, some of that moisture evaporates into the atmosphere. This process helps cool the surrounding environment, supports local water cycles, and connects soil health to climate regulation.
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Watershed
A watershed is an area of land where all rainfall and snowmelt drain into a common body of water, such as a stream, river, or lake. The health of soil and vegetation within a watershed directly affects water quality, flood risk, and long-term water availability for surrounding communities.