The Land Institute s work melds ecology and agronomy. Our programs have been designed to explore basic scientific principles pertinent to a new agriculture. Immodest as it sounds, we think our research, properly developed, can help us break away from the long list of civilizations whose demise was largely the failure of their agricultures. The tendency of all natural ecosystems is to increase their ecological wealth. For instance, all prairie, left alone, recycles materials, sponsors its own fertility, runs on contemporary sunlight, and increases biodiversity.
Agricultural systems tend otherwise.
They erode and degrade ecological capital as they provide for human needs. The ecological paradigm under which our research agenda operates encompasses more than agriculture, for it can extend into the social and cultural realms.