Eco Balance Project Roadmap

Current Version: 2025.11 (2025.11.13 19:12) Last Updated: 2025.11 (2025.11.13 19:12) Status: Phase 1 (Bootstrap Launch) - In Progress ← Back to Project Hub

🎯 Vision Statement

Transform degraded ecosystems in Southern Europe through evidence-based, community-engaged, financially sustainable restoration that serves as a replicable model for global climate action - starting with a 1-hectare bootstrap pilot and scaling systematically based on proven results.

📍 Current State (November 2025)

✅ Completed: Documentation Phase (v1.0.0 → v2.0.0)

v1.0.0 (October 2025)

Initial strategic documentation created
Large-scale aspirational model (10-30 hectares, €500k-2M)
Comprehensive implementation guides

v2.0.0 - Bootstrap Model (November 6, 2025)

MAJOR TRANSFORMATION: Shifted from aspirational to immediately executable
Bootstrap approach: 1 hectare pilot, €20-30k Year 1, 1-2 founders
373 markdown files, 100% documentation complete
44 detailed implementation task guides
AI skills framework initiated
Version control and release management established

Current Blockers (Being Resolved in Parallel):

~~Legal structure cost contradiction (Germany gGmbH €40k vs. e.V. €500)~~ ✅ RESOLVED - All documents now align: e.V./Associação recommended for Year 1-2 (€500-2k), gGmbH deferred to Year 3-5 with correct €28-35k cost documented
Geographic location ambiguity (Germany vs. Southern Europe)
Budget source confirmation (€20-30k availability)

→ See Assumptions Audit Summary for details

🗺️ Project Phases

Phase 1: Bootstrap Launch (Current) - Year 0-1

Objective: Secure land, launch crowdfunding, establish 1-hectare demonstration site

Timeline: Next 12 months (starting after critical issues resolved)

Key Milestones:

Resolve 3 critical blocking issues
Launch crowdfunding campaign (€10-12k target)
Secure 1 hectare site (€10-30k)
Establish basic infrastructure (tiny house, solar, water)
Begin restoration activities (soil, water, biodiversity)
Document learnings and initial results

Budget: €20-30k Year 1

Crowdfunding: €10-12k
Friends & Family: €3-7k
Small grants: €5-15k

Team: 1-2 founders

Success Criteria:

Site secured and occupied
Infrastructure operational
Restoration initiated on 0.5-1 hectare
Community of 200-500 supporters built
Documented baseline data collected

→ Detailed plan: Next 90 Days

Phase 2: Proof of Concept - Year 1-2

Objective: Demonstrate viability, gather evidence, prepare for scaling

Timeline: Months 12-24

Key Milestones:

Complete first full year of restoration activities
Collect ecological monitoring data
Publish case study with results
Secure expansion funding (€250-500k)
Identify 5-10 hectare expansion site
Build team to 3-4 people
Establish partnerships with research institutions

Budget: €50-100k Year 2

Grants: €30-60k
Social enterprise revenue: €10-20k
Continued crowdfunding: €10-20k

Team: 2-3 core staff + volunteers

Success Criteria:

Measurable ecological improvements (soil health, biodiversity, water)
Published results in peer-reviewed or practitioner outlets
Expansion funding secured
Repeatable model documented

Phase 3: Public Platform & Community Engagement - Year 1-2

Objective: Transform documentation into public, AI-driven collaborative platform

Timeline: Runs parallel to Phase 2 (4-6 months development + ongoing operations)

Key Features:

Public Documentation Website
- All documentation accessible online
- Real-time updates from Git repository
- Clean, searchable interface
- Mobile responsive
AI Chatbot Interface
- Answers visitor questions about the project
- Explains methodology and approach
- Provides context and clarifications
- Multi-language support (EN, ES, PT, FR, DE)
Community Feedback System
- SSO authentication (Google, Apple, email)
- Inline commenting on any text
- Question answering by AI
- Suggestion collection and moderation
- Merit-based incorporation of feedback
AI-Driven Operations
- 7 specialized AI roles (Project Coordinator, Documentation Curator, Research Analyst, Community Liaison, Quality Auditor, Task Manager, Moderator)
- Prevents AI problems: timeouts, context loss, focus drift, inconsistency
- Bidirectional documentation-task relationship
- Public task tracking
Moderation & Governance
- 3-tier moderation: AI pre-filter → Community review → Core team decision
- Transparent decision-making
- Contribution recognition system

Development Timeline:

Weeks 1-8: Foundation (infrastructure, auth, AI integration)
Weeks 9-12: Beta testing with 20-30 users
Weeks 13-16: Public launch and stabilization
Months 5-6: Enhancements (advanced search, notifications, multi-language)

Budget:

Development: €60,000 - €120,000 (one-time)
Operations: €910 - €3,110/month
Scales with usage

Team: 2-3 developers + project lead oversight (10-20 hrs/week)

Success Metrics:

500-2,000 monthly active users (6 months)
50+ community contributions incorporated
80%+ AI response accuracy
<24 hour feedback response time

→ Detailed plan: Public Platform Plan

Phase 4: Scaling Operations - Year 2-5

Objective: Expand to 5-10 hectares, establish sustainable operations

Timeline: Years 2-5

Key Milestones:

Expand to 5-10 hectare site
Build team to 5-8 staff
Establish formal legal structure (gGmbH or e.V.)
Generate €50-100k annual revenue from social enterprise
Secure major grants (€100k+)
Develop replication toolkit for other organizations
Publish scientific papers on methodology
Train 50+ restoration practitioners

Budget: €250-500k Years 2-3, then €150-250k/year ongoing

Team: 5-8 core staff + seasonal workers + volunteers

Success Criteria:

5-10 hectares under active restoration
Self-sustaining operations (revenue covers 50%+ of costs)
3+ peer-reviewed publications
Replication toolkit used by 5+ other organizations
Regional recognition as restoration leader

Phase 5: Replication & Network - Year 5-10

Objective: Enable replication across Southern Europe, build restoration network

Timeline: Years 5-10

Key Milestones:

10+ sites using Eco Balance methodology
Network of 100+ restoration practitioners
Regional policy influence (land restoration incentives)
€500k+ annual budget across network
100+ hectares under restoration (across all sites)
Measurable regional ecosystem impact

Budget: €500k-1M annual (across network)

Team: 10-15 staff + network partners

Success Criteria:

Demonstrated ecosystem restoration at scale
Replicable, financially sustainable model
Policy changes supporting restoration
Global recognition as model for climate action

🎯 Key Success Factors

Must-Haves for Each Phase

Phase 1 (Bootstrap): ✓ Secured land with restoration potential ✓ Minimum €20k funding ✓ 1-2 committed founders ✓ Community of early supporters ✓ Documented baseline data

Phase 2 (Proof of Concept): ✓ Measurable ecological improvements ✓ Published results and case study ✓ Expansion funding secured ✓ Growing team (3-4 people) ✓ Research partnerships

Phase 3 (Public Platform): ✓ Functional web platform ✓ Active community engagement (500+ users) ✓ AI systems working reliably ✓ Quality feedback incorporated ✓ Sustainable operations budget

Phase 4 (Scaling): ✓ 5-10 hectares restored ✓ Self-sustaining operations (50%+ revenue) ✓ Scientific validation ✓ Replication toolkit ✓ Regional partnerships

Phase 5 (Network): ✓ Multiple sites operational ✓ Demonstrated regional impact ✓ Policy influence ✓ Financial sustainability ✓ Global model recognition

🔄 Cross-Phase Priorities

Always Active

Documentation & Learning:

Continuous documentation of all activities
Public sharing of learnings (via platform once launched)
Annual reports and case studies
Scientific publication pipeline

Community Engagement:

Build and nurture supporter community
Transparent communication
Regular updates and storytelling
Opportunities for participation

Financial Sustainability:

Diversified funding sources
Social enterprise development
Grant applications
Crowdfunding campaigns

Quality & Impact:

Evidence-based decision making
Ecological monitoring and measurement
Continuous methodology improvement
Peer review and validation

AI & Technology:

AI skills framework maintenance and expansion
Platform enhancements based on usage
Technology integration (monitoring, data collection)
Automation where appropriate

📊 Timeline Overview

Year 0-1:  Phase 1 (Bootstrap Launch) + Phase 3 (Platform Development)
           ├─ Resolve critical issues (Month 0)
           ├─ Crowdfunding & land search (Months 1-3)
           ├─ Site occupation & setup (Months 4-6)
           ├─ Initial restoration (Months 6-12)
           └─ Platform launch (Months 3-9, then ongoing)

Year 1-2:  Phase 2 (Proof of Concept) + Platform Operations
           ├─ Full restoration cycle (Year 1)
           ├─ Data collection & analysis (Year 1-2)
           ├─ Case study publication (Year 2)
           ├─ Expansion fundraising (Year 2)
           └─ Community growth (500-2,000 users)

Year 2-5:  Phase 4 (Scaling Operations)
           ├─ Expand to 5-10 hectares
           ├─ Build team to 5-8 staff
           ├─ Establish legal structure
           ├─ Revenue generation (€50-100k/year)
           └─ Replication toolkit development

Year 5-10: Phase 5 (Replication & Network)
           ├─ 10+ sites operational
           ├─ 100+ hectares under restoration
           ├─ Regional ecosystem impact
           └─ Global model recognition

🚧 Risks & Dependencies

Critical Dependencies

Phase 1 → Phase 2:

Must demonstrate measurable results to secure expansion funding
Requires 12+ months of restoration data
Dependent on favorable weather/conditions

Phase 2 → Phase 4:

Must secure €250-500k expansion funding
Requires published validation of methodology
Team growth and capacity building

Phase 3 (Platform):

Independent timeline, can launch before/during other phases
Enhances all other phases through community engagement
Requires development resources (€60-120k + ongoing)

Phase 4 → Phase 5:

Must prove financial sustainability model
Requires replication toolkit and training capacity
Dependent on external adopters

Major Risks

Risk	Impact	Mitigation
Cannot secure land	Critical	Multiple search channels, flexible location criteria
Crowdfunding fails	High	Friends & family backup, small grants, phased approach
Ecological results insufficient	High	Evidence-based methodology, expert consultation, adaptive management
Platform development over budget	Medium	MVP approach, use free tiers, phased feature rollout
Community engagement low	Medium	Marketing, value proposition, gamification, authentic storytelling
Expansion funding unavailable	High	Prove viability at small scale first, diversify funding sources
Cannot find team members	Medium	Start solo, build gradually, offer equity/ownership, remote work
Replication interest low	Low	Focus on own site excellence, publish openly, active outreach

📌 Next Actions

Immediate (This Week)

Resolve critical blocking issues (separate thread - in progress)
Review and approve this roadmap
Prioritize: Bootstrap launch vs. Platform development vs. Parallel approach

Short-Term (Next Month)

If Bootstrap Launch prioritized:
- Begin crowdfunding campaign design
- Start land search
- Build email list of supporters
If Platform prioritized:
- Complete AI skill template definitions
- Finalize technical stack decisions
- Secure development resources
If Parallel approach:
- Split time/resources between both
- Identify synergies (platform can support crowdfunding)

Medium-Term (Next 3-6 Months)

Execute prioritized phase(s)
Regular progress reviews
Adapt roadmap based on learnings

Current State:

Project Hub - Main navigation
Version Information - Version tracking
Changelog - Complete version history
Feature Wishlist - Desired features and enhancements

Phase 1 (Bootstrap Launch):

Next 90 Days - Detailed action plan
Funding Strategy - Crowdfunding and fundraising
Site Selection - Finding land
Operations Plan - Site setup and management

Phase 3 (Public Platform):

Public Platform Plan - Complete technical specification
AI Skills Framework - Role definitions and templates

General Strategy:

Executive Summary - Vision and mission
Project Vision - Global context and approach
Expansion Strategy - 10-year scaling plan

🔄 Roadmap Maintenance

Update Frequency:

Review monthly during active phases
Update quarterly or when major milestones achieved
Version bump for significant changes

Ownership: Project Lead

Format: Living document - adapt based on reality, learnings, and changing conditions

Version History:

v1.0.0 (November 9, 2025): Initial roadmap created, all phases defined

Status: Draft - awaiting project lead review and approval

🎯 Vision Statement​

📍 Current State (November 2025)​

✅ Completed: Documentation Phase (v1.0.0 → v2.0.0)​

🗺️ Project Phases​

Phase 1: Bootstrap Launch (Current) - Year 0-1​

Phase 2: Proof of Concept - Year 1-2​

Phase 3: Public Platform & Community Engagement - Year 1-2​

Phase 4: Scaling Operations - Year 2-5​

Phase 5: Replication & Network - Year 5-10​

🎯 Key Success Factors​

Must-Haves for Each Phase​

🔄 Cross-Phase Priorities​

Always Active​

📊 Timeline Overview​

🚧 Risks & Dependencies​

Critical Dependencies​

Major Risks​

📌 Next Actions​

Immediate (This Week)​

Short-Term (Next Month)​

Medium-Term (Next 3-6 Months)​

📚 Related Documents​

🔄 Roadmap Maintenance​

🎯 Vision Statement

📍 Current State (November 2025)

✅ Completed: Documentation Phase (v1.0.0 → v2.0.0)

🗺️ Project Phases

Phase 1: Bootstrap Launch (Current) - Year 0-1

Phase 2: Proof of Concept - Year 1-2

Phase 3: Public Platform & Community Engagement - Year 1-2

Phase 4: Scaling Operations - Year 2-5

Phase 5: Replication & Network - Year 5-10

🎯 Key Success Factors

Must-Haves for Each Phase

🔄 Cross-Phase Priorities

Always Active

📊 Timeline Overview

🚧 Risks & Dependencies

Critical Dependencies

Major Risks

📌 Next Actions

Immediate (This Week)

Short-Term (Next Month)

Medium-Term (Next 3-6 Months)

📚 Related Documents

🔄 Roadmap Maintenance