Regenerative Agriculture Podcast

Episode 156: Data-Driven Regeneration with Jonathan Lundgren

Jun 5, 2025
Jonathan Lundgren, agroecologist, farmer, rancher and beekeeper who leads the Thousand Farms Initiative to measure regenerative impacts. He discusses farmer-driven science, rapid biodiversity rebounds, carbon storage potential across regenerative landscapes, how innovations arise from the fringes, and the social, health, and emotional dimensions of transitioning away from synthetic inputs.
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INSIGHT

Be Careful How You Frame Carbon Results

  • Regenerative transitions show rapid biodiversity and soil carbon gains, but wording around carbon must be precise.
  • Lundgren cautions about overstating rates; models suggest these systems shift from carbon sources to sinks.
ADVICE

Watch For Life Returning First

  • Monitor biodiversity return as the primary early indicator of a successful transition.
  • Look and listen daily for new species; visible life returning signals system recovery before many lab tests.
INSIGHT

Biodiversity Recovers Rapidly And Continues Rising

  • Different organism groups return at different rates: fungi and AMF rebound quickly, foliar insects surge, and birds follow.
  • Recovery is iterative and often continues upward rather than reaching a quick plateau.
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