Planning is very important
--
Travis Dean is an environmentalist and American research scientist, who exemplifies immense intellectual versatility. For nearly two decades, he has excelled as a satellite communications engineer and designer, serving as a first responder for global disasters and ground zero events. Dean's engineering career began after the events of 9/11, and he has since contributed to numerous worldwide disaster relief efforts. His first deployment was during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Banda Aceh. He was later called to assist with Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami, and various instances of flooding, fires, and pandemics.
- Dean also won the 2000 International Innovators Silver Award for developing Aquatat, a groundbreaking behavioral experiment for mammals nesting long-term in underwater environments. He is also the author of "Mardis the Manipulation Interpretation" and numerous white papers, holding degrees in Anthropology and History. His expertise spans multiple disciplines, showcasing his significant contributions to science and technology.
- Dean leverages his diverse background and interests to benefit the environment and combat climate change. In 2024, he acquired 160 acres near Kingman, AZ, intending to plant thousands of trees using innovative techniques and scientific research to encourage microbial life, mycelium, and water retention in one of the driest places in the United States. He aims to improve soil in the region and enhance carbon sequestration to combat rising temperatures.
- Dean's reforestation effort follows the Agroforestry model, cultivating diverse small trees and shrub crops in sustainable agricultural systems. Additionally, he employs the Miyawaki model, used since the 1980s for developing tiny urban forests to amend soil in poor environmental conditions.
- Dean named his endeavor the Jackson Earth Restoration Project after his beloved dog, Jackson, who symbolizes love and hope for the research center. Dean is committed to education, research, and development for all mankind.
We should talk:
If you cannot join us on the property, you can still get involved. Use the buymeacoffee link to donate. We will soon offer merch to help fundraise for our excavator, but one of the fastest ways to help us is to share our website and social media accounts with others to spread the word and help us grow, no pun intended.
Biomimicry and Light Recipes
On missions to Mars, NASA and other world space agencies utilize every advantage to keep astronauts healthy. A journey to Mars would include micro-farms, as plants scrub the air, provide nutrition, and positively impact astronauts' emotions. We have learned from these agencies that specific light recipes effectively control and assist the growth of plant life in confined spaces.
When light passes through a prism, it breaks into several colors, each playing a role in plant growth. For instance, red light promotes quick, tall growth, while blue light keeps a plant short but stocky.
Using 3D printing, we will create a special scaffold that wraps around the base of the tree or plant, incorporating different colored acrylics to enhance lighting and reach the plant's base. The design will mimic the small horns or husks of Dynastinae beetles, which capture water from early morning dew. By incorporating these beetle-inspired horns into the printed scaffold, the collected water becomes heavy enough to fall and deposit onto the plant below.
We should talk:
If you cannot join us on the property, you can still get involved. Use the buymeacoffee link to donate. We will soon offer merch to help fundraise for our excavator, but one of the fastest ways to help us is to share our website and social media accounts with others to spread the word and help us grow, no pun intended.
Ground Cover
Plants chosen
The initial plants we will introduce are small nitrogen-fixers suitable for Zone 8b. Our first task is to work on the soil by assessing its deficiencies, determining what can be added, and adjusting the pH level. This will require time and careful attention. We will start by planting small seeds such as chia and fescue grass. The soil will then be enriched with humic acid and biochar and incorporated into the ground. Larger plants will follow as the soil becomes more fertile.
- Verbena Bonariensis
- Salvia Farinacea
- Amorpha Fruticosa
- Asclepias Asperula
- Asclepias Speciosa (Showy Plant)
- Baccharis Salicifolia
- Chamaenerion Angustifolium
- Lupinus Arizonicus
- Arizona Aster
- Antelope Horns Milkweed
- English Lavender
- Desert Lavender
- Chilopsis linearis (Erosion Control)
- Handroanthus Chrysanthus
- Mint
These larger plants were chosen due to their ability to grow when the pH levels are at a specific target, the plants also encourage pollinators like bees, and butterflies and some offer food for the smaller wildlife. Other plants not listed like legumes will be used for nitrogen-fixing.
10,000 Trees
We hope to plant 10,000 trees in our first year on the property. The trees will be planted in a Fibonacci pattern on the three ridges on the property. We have chosen 28 species of trees. The trees are mostly native, but we will include Fruit and Nut trees. The plants we will add in the first year will start from seeds. We have created an Amazon wish list for anyone interested in purchasing seeds.
- Velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina)
- Blue Jacaranda (Ornamental)
- Olneya Tesota
- Foothills Palo Verde
- Arizona Walnut
- Pinyon Pine
- Chokecherry
- Arizona Ash
- Farnesiana Acacia
- White Balsam
- Prosopis glandulous
- Quaking Aspen Tree
- Papya Tree
- Goodding’s willow ( Salix Gooding)
- Mulberry Tree
- Western Redbud
- Ash Fraxinus Anomala
- Arizona Sycamore
- Water Birch
- Silver Oak
- Emory Oak
- Arizona White Oak
- Yellowhorn
- Marina Strawberry Tree
We chose the trees above for several reasons, growth elevation, shade, lifespan, growing zone, Nitrogen Fixing, and consumables for humans and wildlife. Many of the trees listed above can be found on the Wishlist.
Using the button below, you will see basic drone footage of the SE Corner of the property. This footage and topography maps will help us plan the swales and areas where trees will be planted. We are starting in the SE corner because it is ideally close to where the well and engineering habitat will be located. This is a small corner hill that is approximately 1 acre. We can plant many trees on this ridge.
Fund Raising
An Excavator is badly needed:
We are looking for a used excavator that does not need a lot of repairs. We are open to a donation of heavy equipment, but it is unlikely that anyone would happen to have an excavator lying around. The excavator will be used to dig swales on the contour. Without the heavy equipment, the work will go on with shovels.
This is a big-ticket item for us, so to raise funds, we will sell hats and other products. We have not decided on the type of items supporters might enjoy. Since funding is limited, we have to budget very carefully. To blindly purchase items that no one would buy defeats the purpose of raising funds.
If any of our readers have any ideas, please let us hear them. We hope to meet others along the way with access to this type of equipment, but due to our extreme location, and current road conditions, renting equipment is not an option.