TerraShare Ecovillage
Expanding Our Mandate
With a history of providing therapeutic programs for disadvantaged populations, TerraShare Alliance is restructuring programs to address the long-term needs of refugee and migrant women and children in the United States. Our initiative will heal trauma and improve livelihoods for people who have been uprooted by displacement; reduce harm caused by the ongoing disruption of our climate; and repair damage done to our environment. We will pursue this strategy within the framework of an ecovillage located within these Appalachian Mountains.
Why an Ecovillage?
Ecovillages are self-directed settlements that work to protect and restore the environment while creating conditions for a supportive and healing community. Few strategies offer as comprehensive an approach to so many vital issues. This is a unique model based on a proven means of community building with great potential for scalability to a wide range of populations.
An ecovillage offers displaced women and children the durable solution of a self-sustaining community, along with opportunities for reclaiming agency amidst an enduring source of social and economic support. It is an ideal structure for women and children who have faced all manner of threats, inequities and upheaval in their homelands, the trauma of perilous migration, the profound challenge of entry into the United States, and the struggle to rebuild their lives.
Why Here?
Our experience in providing challenge-based camp programs has shown that these wild, gentle mountains can inspire healing and life-changing experiences. As one of the most beautiful parts of the country, this land is lush and diverse, and when properly managed can be highly productive – ideal for developing a self-sufficient community. Importantly, the Appalachians have also been identified as being shielded from some of the worst effects of climate change, which will become increasingly important in coming years.
But the Appalachians are a land of contrasts, pristine yet plundered of their natural resources, and many Appalachian communities are impoverished despite the richness of the land. In consideration of what we can offer here, there is an ever-present need to protect the mountains and repair the damage done to land and people alike.
For ecovillage members, TerraShare will promote sustenance and security through a deep connection to the natural world. And as a community, TerraShare Ecovillage will be able to provide leadership and support in addressing environmental and societal challenges in the region.
Why Now?
As the forces of a destabilized biosphere bear down on the earth to a degree that has surpassed the worst-case scenarios of climate models, decades of progress in global health, human rights, and environmental programs are being overturned. Currently, one million plant and animal species face near-term extinction. Inequality is greater than our civilization has ever experienced and the rate of hunger is rising after years of decline. Not since the massive refugee flows of WWII have so many been forced from their homes, with millions displaced due to weather-related disasters and hundreds of millions more migrants predicted in the coming decades.
Climate change is a threat-multiplier, exacerbating all vulnerabilities faced by individuals and communities, with women facing significantly greater difficulties than men in protecting themselves and their families. Populations most at risk are disproportionately people of color, indigenous and low-income communities. They are vulnerable both within the borders of developed nations and throughout the global South.
An ecovillage ensures a whole-systems approach to poverty, displacement, and environmental degradation. Designed to provide maximum benefit for people rebuilding their lives, TerraShare Ecovillage will be a model for communities seeking sustainable solutions to 21st century challenges.