This project is an international collaboration, looking at sites in different locations. Analysing the suitability of these sites is part of our interdisciplinary research and preparation work. By investigating at least two and possibly more locations, we ensure that the resulting methodology can also be replicated elsewhere, instead of only being suitable for a single location.

Obtaining local community support is fundamental, and this project will actively seek community involvement and support before shortlisting specific sites.

Currently, we are exploring two different types of locations in two different continents. In South Africa, we are looking at the potential of establishing this project in an abandoned coal mine in the province of Mpumalanga. This region is of interest because the gradual closure of more and more coal mines is expected to have a large negative social impact, while also leaving a heavily degraded landscape behind that needs a restoration plan. And even though these restoration plans, which also include addressing of social issues, are legally mandated, there is often a lack of execution. At the same time, the region provides rainfall and other climatological conditions that might make agriculture as well as ecological restoration feasible. In Colombia, on the other hand, we are looking at the potential of heavily degraded agricultural landscapes in the department of Antioquia. These rural areas are a social focus point of the regional government, and they also might have favourable climatological conditions for restoration

These initially identified areas are currently under investigation and we expect that it will take a lot of interdisciplinary discussion, local government and public involvement and support, as well as negotiation with actual stakeholders and land owners to come to an agreement. These processes are expected to take a number of years and their development will be documented as part of our work. We invite our partners and our network of Thematic Action Committees to suggest additional sites for investigation as they see fit.