Published May 20, 2026 | Version v1
Other Open

Tools for regenerative practice: 30 frameworks, exercises and methods in service of human and planetary flourishing

Authors/Creators

  • 1. EDMO icon University of York, Environment Department
  • 2. FixOurFood
  • 3. Ecocentric Futures
  • 4. International Evaluation Academy
  • 5. Future Stewards
  • 6. International Futures Forum
  • 7. H3Uni
  • 8. Systemic Design Labs
  • 9. ROR icon Institute of Construction and Infrastructure Management
  • 10. EDMO icon ETH Zürich

Contributors

  • 1. H3Uni
  • 2. ROR icon Indigenous Services Canada
  • 3. International Evaluation Academy
  • 4. Emerald Network Ltd
  • 5. North Yorkshire Council, UK
  • 6. Ecocentric Futures
  • 7. I-Performance Ltd
  • 8. EDMO icon University of York, Environment Department
  • 9. FixOurFood
  • 10. Ruskin Mill
  • 11. ROR icon University of York
  • 12. Fraser Farms
  • 13. FixOurFood Commission
  • 14. ROR icon Joseph Rowntree Foundation
  • 15. International Futures Forum
  • 16. Good Food York Alliance
  • 17. Systemic Design Labs
  • 18. ROR icon Institute of Construction and Infrastructure Management
  • 19. ROR icon ETH Zurich
  • 20. Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, University of York
  • 21. Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF)
  • 22. ROR icon Soil Association

Description

There's growing interest across the world in ideas of how a business, organisation, community, food system, city, economy, region or even a whole country can be 'regenerative', and enable dynamics that build up human and ecological health in mutually reinforcing ways. This idea is a powerful, ambitious and hopeful framing for how we can address the many challenges facing people and the planet, and bring radically different futures into being.

For many of us living in contemporary westernised societies, thinking, designing and acting regeneratively is a major shift, and it can be difficult to know where or how to start. This guide provides a set of tools that help to: enhance understanding about regenerative dynamics; engage with our whole-body senses and intelligence; reconnect people with nature and gain inspiration from it; develop systemic strategies and frameworks for regenerative action; collectively navigate dilemmas and difficult questions; and much more.
 
Overall, regenerative practice means a continuous, iterative journey of design, experimentation, adaptation and learning that is led by the intention of allowing regenerative systems to emerge and flourish at multiple scales. It involves not only striving for regenerative societies and cultures more widely, but also trying to embody regenerative qualities and dynamics – including mutualism, reciprocity, circularity, diversity, reflexivity, adaptivity, a complexity-informed worldview, and a deep honouring of place – in the work that we do.
 
We invite you to give the tools a try, adapt them to your own context, experiment with them, get creative with them – and join a growing movement of people striving to revitalise patterns of life where people and planet can flourish together.
 
In the separate zip folder are raw image files of key figures and diagrams from the guide. We make these available here under a CC BY-NC 4.0 licence, which prohibits commercial use. See the tool guide itself for how to give appropriate credit to the designers and creators of each figure.

Files

Tools for regenerative practice.pdf

Files (44.7 MB)

Additional details

Funding

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Transformations to Regenerative Food Systems BB/V004581/1