About Us
Our Story
Growing soils, communities and futures
Regenerate Earth was established in January 2019, after having been Healthy Soils Australia since 2005. We provide soil-related solutions to inspire and support more regenerative agricultural, forestry, and urban communities.
Throughout our comprehensive networks, we guide and support leaders to find innovative ways to increase the amount of land transitioning to regenerative. Thus making make these practices accessible in Australia and worldwide.
Phill Lee – Founder
Walter Jehne – Co-founder & Microbiologist
Problem Solvers
Building prosperity through nature’s solutions
More and more people have become aware of the power of regenerative practices to restore health to our climate, communities, and ourselves. We share our knowledge to help those who have just started on this path and those who have been on board with these practices for some time. They have become our friends, as well as our partners.
Dealing with the challenges of today requires problem solvers who can bring different perspectives, progressive ideas and bold actions and are willing to take risks. Problem-solving is the power of our core team of hand-picked specialists we have established upon a strong foundation of knowledge and support.
Regenerate Earth works with graziers, farmers, scientists, advocates, businesses and local, state and federal governments on industry strategies, government policies and community initiatives. We invite you to join our group and our conversation for the health and wealth of the people of this planet and, thereby, a better tomorrow for all.
Meet The Team
Quick Access Links
PHILL LEE – FOUNDER
Phill is based in Western Australia where he has been a leading professional adviser for over 30 years.
He has extensive practical experience in cropping and horticultural systems and the analysis, diagnosis and design of effective responses to revitalise farming. He has global expertise in soil microbial ecology, disease management, bio-fertility and the regeneration of degraded soils and, at risk, agroecosystems.
Phill has been Chairman of Regenerate Earth since its inception in early 2019, and after a few essential and strategic years in NSW, is returning to Western Australia to continue his work and position. This organisation is pioneering innovative microbial technologies to manage the natural ecology of soils and to help farmers avoid productivity impediments as well as enhancing the nutritional integrity and premium health value of their products. This understanding is essential to secure water and the food requirements into the next century.
THE CO-FOUNDERS
WALTER JEHNE – CO-FOUNDER
Walter Jehne is an internationally recognised soil microbiologist and innovation strategist.
He has immense field and research experience in soils, grasslands, agriculture and forests at local, national (CSIRO and Science Adviser to Australia’s National Soil Advocate), and international (UN) level. Walter’s specialisation is the role of soil microbes’ symbiotic processes in the ecology of diseases, plant health, nutrient and waste cycling, soil pedogenesis and the regeneration of bio-systems.
Decades of research have made him expert in plant root ecology, mycorrhizal fungi, glomalin, and soil carbon formation. He also has worked on biology’s enormous influences in hydrological cycles, weather patterns, regional and global cooling, and cloud formation and rain precipitation. Recent work has focused on commercializing leading bio-innovations which will urgently help restore agro-ecosystems and urban agriculture and ecologies. Walter is determined to advance the practical verification, application and extension of these innovations, including for cities and their supply chains, to sustain the current 8 billion and projected 10 billion people by mid-century.
CINDY EIRITZ – CO-FOUNDER
Cindy is a humanitarian, environmentalist & rural community advocate.
As a researcher of and strategist for teams helping build longevity, profitability and resilience into farming operations, she works to catalyze new approaches to complement pioneering regenerative extension work. Her primary roles are catalyst, connector and conduit, particularly providing peer and network support. She is focused on skilled knowledge management supporting exceptional communicators to inspire lots more leaders, from the crucial single person to the 1000s.
Cindy was an inaugural delegate of Regeneration International to COP 21 where soils were brought onto the agenda for the first time. She is a Former Logistics Commander, United Nations mission East Timor. And Former advisor into the design and development of the Australian Army’s first Capability Management System.
Her passion is 365 days green cover, supporting arid land ranchers and farmers to restore regional water cycles through regenerative landscape management.
TEAM MEMBERS
DIDI PERSHOUSE – TEAM MEMBER
Didi Pershouse is a skilled facilitator who travels widely in North America and Europe as a speaker, teacher, and consultant.
Didi is board chair of the Soil Carbon Coalition and founder of the Land and Leadership Initiative. She is currently working on projects with the UN-FAO Farmer Field School program; the Climate Resilient Zero Budget Natural Farming Initiative in Andhra Pradesh, India; the 4p1000 Initiative.
CHRISTOPHER COOKE – TEAM MEMBER
Christopher is committed to the recovery and regeneration of our planet Earth.
He is also aware that to achieve this will require a radical rethink of every basic assumption that underpins every Nation to release a new level of global alignment that will equip us to fulfil a worthy role in Universe. His stated purpose is “Imagineering a Regenerative Layer”. His awareness and practice builds upon thirty-five years of directly leading, managing, mentoring and coaching beneficial strategic business development, and internal change management, across organisations and communities of all scales.
He is currently involved with the implementation of regenerative policy practices, with social and ecological outcome verification, across the food and fibre supply ecology for the UK and Europe. He also provides international, cross-sectoral, education, training, and advisory based application of Holistic Management and Integral Practice.
In the context of Holistic Management, Christopher is an accredited Field Professional, Educator and Ecological Outcome Verifier with the Savory Institute. In the context of Integral Practice Christopher has pioneered application across all sectors since 1997.
Christopher is visible through www.5Deep.net and www.3LM.network
STEPHEN CURTAIN – TEAM MEMBER
Stephen is a natural sciences and ecology cinematographer (B.Ed: Environmental Science), director and editor.
He started a career with the BBC Natural History Unit in 2000 and has worked as an expedition, polar and field-safety photographer/film-maker/guide in Antarctica, Japan’s Hokkaido, Russia’s Kamchatka and Australia’s Alps and Top End; experiences that provide him with glimpses into Earth’s exquisite natural systems, their inhabitants and their interconnectedness.
After three years as assistant editor and photo-journalist for Australian-based Wild and Rock magazines in the late 1990s, Stephen began teaching outdoor and environmental education programmes with students in nature; this continues today.
Stephen visually communicates Regenerate Earth’s narratives in cinematic films such as Can Whales Cool Antarctica? and Fire vs Fungi: our choice to cool the planet naturally and in time.
Stephen’s focus is to communicate the basics of ecology from a planetary scale, through to the everyday and to the microscopic beneath our feet to empower communities everywhere, woven as a story of place/or person as beautifully and authentically as possible.
Stephen’s work is also visible at http://stephencurtain.com/
Ben Fox – Team Member
Ben Fox is a regenerative cybernetic practitioner with a background in engineering design, arts and cultural development; Ben wrangles ecologies, influences complex self-adaptive systems and tunes networks to make things happen.
Ben has led organisations and projects in Australia and Asia, including regional and remote Australia. Ben also loves riding bicycles, style, and the scent of fresh rain on the soil.
Learn More About What We Do
For Effective & Restorative Change To Save Planet Earth