Autonomous Forest
Information & Tickets
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A living work of art and a new techno-legal entity that reimagines ecological regeneration through collective, blockchain-based ownership.
On the occasion of Berlin Science Week, LAS Art Foundation presents terra0: Autonomous Forest, a multifaceted artwork that rethinks land ownership through blockchain-based governance. Autonomous Forest marks the first time a German woodland is managed by a DAO (Web3 organisation), linking art, law and technology in a living experiment of shared responsibility.
Opening the project is a series of in-person discussions as part of Berlin Science Week, taking place 6, 7 and 8 November. These are followed by an NFT sale, which enables holders of cryptocurrency worldwide to acquire both an artwork and a place in the DAO that stewards the forest together through the non-profit organisation, or Verein.
The project is inspired by the question, “What would it mean for a forest to own and manage itself?” This led the Berlin-based collective terra0 to outline the idea that ecosystems could hold autonomy rights, similar to those of humans, in their 2016 white paper. LAS commissioned Autonomous Forest to support turning this vision into practice as a proof-of-concept. As of now, it consists of two newly acquired forest plots in Reesdorf (Beelitz). The bigger plot is a certified biotope, and both are home to a variety of plant species, primarily birch and alder. To administer the forest plots, terra0 founded a Verein (a legal association under German law) and designed a DAO to collectively manage them. As both a land art project and a legal prototype, it is designed to challenge years of monocultural and profit-driven forestry in Germany.
DAOs are organisations that distribute decision-making power and ownership to their community using blockchain technology. The hybrid design of Autonomous Forest gives the DAO legal standing under civil law, while also ensuring transparency, permanence and collective decision-making through the blockchain infrastructure. This model introduces a new form of environmental protection, outside traditional state regulations. It envisions a regenerative, communal life for both human and non-human actors.
Participants are invited to purchase an NFT, which functions both as an artwork and a key to unlock membership. This purchase supports the Verein and grants members decision-making power within the DAO. Through this structure, members and token holders participate in decisions on administrative tasks and long-term goals, including the potential acquisition of additional forest land, making it a continuous, collective process. Here, blockchain isn’t used speculatively but as a connective tool, bringing participants together in a shared experiment of caretaking, and critique, while openly challenging the logic of capitalist forest exploitation.
How to participate
There are various ways to get involved with Autonomous Forest, depending on your level of experience with Web3 and your interest in becoming a member.
Sign Up on the Forum
If you are new to Web3 and just want to get a feel for what's happening within the association or DAO, you can start by engaging in activities that do not require prior Web3 knowledge.
Join the Autonomous Forest forum to follow discussions, stay informed, and learn from other members. It's a great place to keep up with the latest news and events.
Links to Forum : https://forum.autonomousforest.org/
Buying an NFT
For those with advanced Web3 knowledge and a strong commitment to the community, you can take on a more active and influential role within the DAO.
At the heart of the Autonomous Forest system is a custom smart contract, the piece of code deployed on the Ethereum blockchain that defines how tokens behave. This contract is designed with a double function: on one side, it issues the NFTs that represent visual artworks, on the other, it governs how those NFTs can be staked to unlock membership and voting rights.
Each NFT in Autonomous Forest corresponds to a specific parcel of purchased forest, mapped through a custom geohash grid that links physical land directly to the Ethereum blockchain. Each grid cell covers an area roughly 9.54 × 12.38 metres making the NFT not just a digital token but a direct index to a tangible, measurable piece of land.
The NFTs in Autonomous Forest can be staked to acquire voting rights within the association’s Community Council (DAO). Staked NFTs become non-transferable, separating governance from market speculation, while unstaked NFTs remain freely tradable. This means that owning governance tokens is legally equivalent to membership in the Community Council.
Get informed once the NFT Sale starts and follow the countdown on terra0 website.
Step 1: Log in to a cryptocurrency exchange:
Cryptocurrency exchange websites are user-friendly platforms for buying, selling and managing cryptocurrencies. Set up an account to purchase cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, which you can then use within the Autonomous Forest ecosystem.
Popular cryptocurrency exchange platforms are:
- Binance (here you can find Binance Beginner’s Guide)
- Coinbase (here you can find Coinbase Beginner’s Guide)
- crypto.com (here you can find Binance Beginner’s Guide)
If your account has already been set up, it's time to purchase your first cryptocurrencies. On the websites of individual exchanges, you will find guides on how to do this. After purchasing cryptocurrencies, the most prudent solution is to transfer the funds from the exchange to your cryptocurrency wallet. Storing cryptocurrencies on exchanges is not the safest option.
Step 2: Install a cryptocurrency wallet.
Your funds are best secured in a dedicated cryptocurrency wallet. The most popular wallet used in the NFT space is Metamask (www.metamask.io)
How to Set Up MetaMask (2025) | Complete MetaMask Tutorial for Beginners
Become a Verein Member
The association (Verein) Autonomous Forest is smaller in scale than the broader Community. It consists of a Board, which implements the Community Council’s decisions, provided they align with the core principles of Autonomous Forest and comply with legal requirements and the ordinary members, who appoint and oversee the Board. Becoming an ordinary member of the association requires formal identification, an annual membership fee 50 Euro and active participation in meetings. If you’re interested in supporting the project in this more committed, long-term way, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at: info@autonomousforest.org
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