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In this episode, we sit down with Audrea Lim, author of Free the Land: How We Can Fight Poverty and Climate Chaos.
Audrea traces the connections between land commodification and many of America’s most pressing issues: ecological collapse, climate change, systemic racism, gentrification and economic inequality. Through powerful examples and thoughtful analysis, she shows how land ownership and control are key to understanding and addressing these problems.
Then we re-broadcast our 2009 interview with Carleen Madigan about The Backyard Homestead: Produce All the Food You Need On Just a Quarter Acre! The book was so successful, it went on to spark a whole series of Backyard Homestead books.
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Key words: land ownership, Audrea Lim, backyard homesteading, Carleen Madigan, podcast, nonfiction, podcast, book recommendations, author interview, book podcast, book show, history, writer’s voice, Francesca Rheannon
Guest: Audrea Lim
Audrea Lim is a Brooklyn-based journalist who has written for the New Yorker, Rolling Stone, the New Republic, and The Nation. In addition to Free The Land, She is the author of The World We Need: Stories and Lessons from America’s Unsung Environmental Movement.
Introduction to Free the Land
Audrea Lim introduces her book and its core theme: The realization that commodification of land drives various American issues, including ecological collapse and systemic racism.
The Climate and Land Connection
Audrea’s experiences reporting on the climate crisis and Indigenous movements in Alberta, Canada, including the impact of oil developments on Indigenous lands and treaty rights.
Urban Displacement and Gentrification
The parallels between Indigenous dispossession and urban gentrification.
The struggle for land control in urban neighborhoods and its impact on long-time residents.
Historical Perspectives on Land Ownership
The evolution of land ownership from communal use to capitalist property-driven systems.
The complexities and challenges of returning sovereignty to dispossessed communities.
Examples of Community-Led Land Reclamation
The White Earth Land Recovery Project by Winona LaDuke.
The efforts of Somali Bantu farmers in Maine to secure farmland through the Agrarian Trust and community land trusts (CLTs).
The Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative in Boston, which successfully combined community planning and land trusts to fight gentrification and build affordable housing.
Broader Implications and Future Visions
The potential of community land trusts to democratize land ownership and control.
How these models can inspire hope and action in the face of systemic dispossession.
Conclusion
Audrea Lim’s “Free the Land” offers a transformative perspective on land and its role in addressing poverty and climate chaos. Her insightful analysis and real-world examples provide a roadmap for reclaiming land sovereignty and building equitable communities.
Call to Action
- Read the Book: Discover more about these powerful examples and Audrea Lim’s insights by reading “Free the Land: How We Can Fight Poverty and Climate Chaos.”
- Get Involved: Learn how you can support or start community land trusts and other initiatives in your area.
- Share Your Thoughts: Join the conversation on our social media channels and let us know what you think about the issues discussed in this episode.