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An Open Letter: Building a Collaborative Living Landscape
Dear Friends, Neighbors, and Future Partners,
I hope this note finds you well. I am reaching out to invite your perspective as an ecological and educational initiative begins to take shape in our region.
I am developing the Wilderness Farms Museum and Nature Center, envisioned as a long-term field site where regenerative agriculture, environmental stewardship, and interdisciplinary research can unfold within a single living landscape. The aim is to create a place that supports graduate study, longitudinal ecological observation, and collaboration across fields concerned with the interconnected health of soil, plant, animal, and human microbiomes.
At this early stage, my focus is twofold:
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Bridging Institutional Research: I am eager to learn from faculty at Auburn University and Alabama A&M University whose work engages systems thinking, environmental health, and ecological resilience. I believe Wilderness Farms can serve as a unique, neutral ground for cross-institutional study, linking Auburn’s leadership in systems engineering with Alabama A&M’s deep expertise in community-based agricultural research.
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Engaging Community Stewardship: I am seeking to partner with community members who are invested in a healthy future. By recognizing that soil health and community health are a single continuum, we can build a landscape that serves as both a laboratory for scientists and a sanctuary for neighbors.
Your insight would help guide how such a landscape might meaningfully serve researchers, students, and community members over time. As conversations develop, expressions of academic interest may eventually help inform land acquisition and future funding pathways. For now, I am simply hoping to begin a thoughtful dialogue and learn from your experiences.
Thank you for considering this introduction. I would welcome the opportunity to hear your thoughts whenever convenient.
Warm regards,
Harmony Wilhems
Founder, Wilderness Farms annd Nature Center