Autonomous Forest is a multi-layered land art project. It engages with the histories of land art and software art to re-think the relationship between art, land, nature and law. As an artwork, it understands nature not as something completely external to society, but as overdetermined by social, ecological, and economic relations. From this premise, the project questions how ownership, governance, and care shape both landscapes and the artworks that emerge from them.

The main way is by joining the Community Council. To do this, you acquire one or more NFTs and stake at least one of them for a set period, locking it to your wallet. In return, you receive Governance Tokens. These tokens declare you a member of the Community Council, give you access to internal forums, and serve as your votes in the decision-making process. When you unstake your last NFT, your Governance Tokens are deleted, and you are no longer part of the Community Council.

No, membership in the Community Council is open worldwide and only requires acquiring and staking NFTs. Membership in the registered association Autonomous Forest e. V. does require identification, payment of an annual fee, and participation in meetings (which is easier when you are based in Berlin, Germany).

The Community Council is the main decision-making body, and is open to anyone who joins through acquiring Governance Tokens by staking their NFTs. The Autonomous Forest e. V. is a small German association that provides legal standing and is bound to execute the decisions of the Community Council, as long as they are lawful and in line with the project’s fundamentals. Its ordinary members appoint and supervise the Board.

Anyone with ETH can buy NFTs through the website autonomousforest.org. The funds are dedicated to acquiring and maintaining forest land.

Yes. NFTs are transferable, but while an NFT is staked it is locked and cannot be sold. Only staked NFTs generate Governance Tokens and grant membership rights. When you unstake your last NFT, your Governance Tokens are deleted and you lose membership in the Community Council.

Yes! At start, it consists of two newly acquired forest plots in Reesdorf, 120 km outside Berlin: a smaller, 3,000 m² area located just 10 minutes from the main, 2-hectare site. These are the first two forest plots of the project, with plans to expand further.

The Community Council collectively decides on all matters regarding the forest, whether it is simple observation, interventions such as pest control, or organizing events. The registered association is legally bound to execute these decisions, as long as they remain lawful and consistent with the principles of the project.

Yes. All forests in Germany are open to the public for walking and recreation, and the Autonomous Forest plots are no exception. You are welcome to visit and experience the forest at any time.

Events and activities are decided collectively by the Community Council, so the types of gatherings or interventions depend on the proposals and votes of the community.

Yes, absolutely. Autonomous Forest warmly welcomes offers of forest donations or collaborations. If you are interested in contributing your forest and joining this vision, please reach out to us via email. We would be happy to discuss the possibilities with you.

The hybrid model ensures both legal recognition and decentralized decision-making. The registered association provides standing in German law, while the DAO allows for transparent and collective governance through blockchain infrastructure. Proposals are shared and discussed in an open forum, and when it is time to decide, token holders vote on Snapshot. This combination ensures that decisions are transparent, accessible, and shaped directly by the community.