Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/760410
8 2 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t THE PROPOSED MENDOCINO APPELLATIONS PROJECT (MAP) WOULD BRING CANNABIS BACK TO THE SUNLIGHT by Karen Moneymaker and Dianne Porchia ANYONE THAT KEEPS UP WITH THE NEWS can attest that 2016 was a big year for the cannabis industry—and 2017 promises even more changes and growth. As the trail is being blazed—and continually widened—by the next generation of passionate and contentious cannabis growers, there is increased focus on how to organize and classify, well, almost everything related to the logistic of cannabis cultivation. The desire to keep things small and emphasize quality over quantity has brought out voices in the industry who are dedicated to preserving the integrity and sustain- ability of small growers. One such voice is that of Justin Calvino, a biodynamic farming specialist and permaculturist, who holds dear the ethos of the "Emerald Elders" who lived more in harmony with the land and did not exploit its natural resources. He is passionate about his mission to protect small farms from an impending market shift towards big brands and large-scale commercial production. Upon moving to Mendocino, Calvino founded the Regen- erative Design Center to empower local activists in creating their environmentally sustainable local economy. He sits on the Board of the California Growers Association and helped draft the Mendocino Heritage Initiative (which went to EMERALD TRIANGLE Mapping out Mendocino The proposed Mendocino Appellations Project (MAP) identifies 11 dis- tinct appellation zones in Terroir Mendocino.