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Field Guide for Growing Community Power
Activism Methodologies for Ecological Restoration​
Francesca Holland collaboration with the MIT Media Lab
Purpose
Climate change, pollution, and extractive practices are accelerating global biodiversity loss. Historically, ecological restoration efforts aimed at responding to these challenges fall short when they proceed without meaningful local collaboration, overlook valuable indigenous knowledge, and reinforce existing power dynamics. In response, for my final project to complete my Master's Degree in Design Engineering from Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), I have been collaborating with the MIT Media Lab’s Community Biotechnology Initiative to create a Field Guide supporting researchers aiming to build equitable, community-driven restoration efforts.
Learning Journey
I synthesized this map linking Field Guide strategies from the Leading Change Network (LCN), Value Mentors, and the MIT Media Lab. It forms the learning sequence foundation for the Field Guide’s upcoming online platform and the worksheet packets I designed.
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Worksheet Packets
Using Adobe Illustrator and Figma, I designed and illustrated printable worksheets using ecological metaphors I came up with to teach activism frameworks from LCN and the MIT Media Lab. The seventeen worksheet topics are compiled into five categorized packets outlining principles of organizing and action the users can follow along with and revisit.
Worksheets were tested against specifications for color contrast accessibility, and user tested for spacing and clarity
Worksheet Covers
A sample selection of pages from the 36 total sheets in the 5 worksheet packets.
Experienced Practitioner Interviews
In order to gauge the validity and real-world application of the planned Field Guide methodologies, I conducted interviews with personnel from external organizations with experience in community building, environmental activism and ecosystem restoration. I implemented my lessons learned into the text of the worksheets I designed to make sure key values come across. Thank you to those who took the time to share their wisdom with me!
​Interactive Exhibit Design
In May 2025 I had the honor of exhibiting this project at the RISD Grad Show. To showcase a key narrative method developed by the MIT Media Lab, I designed and built an interactive portion of the exhibit to gather responses from the public about their connections with nature.
I created a data visualization experience from the over 96 "Story of Place" responses that patrons of the RISD Grad Show and earlier prototype exhibits I set up in Brown University's Engineering Building filled out and hung on the "community coral reefs" I built. Click here to view it! See below for some screenshots of the visualization.
Exhibit prototype testing with real public interaction and lessons learned implemented in the final exhibit design
For my exhibit build-out, I prioritized sustainability by using cork, wood, and natural beet stain instead of plastics or chemical dyes and finishes. I made sure to repurpose materials after the exhibit for other projects as well. My making skills implemented for this build included laser cutting, woodworking, book binding, surface finishing and Adobe software.
Field Guide Web Platform Information Structure
Based on the activism methods learning journey map I synthesized, I designed some wireframe prototypes of what the Field Guide web platform organizational structure would be.​
Ideation: Other Potential Learning Modalities
Before my team and I decided on an online platform and linked printable physical worksheets to teach Field Guide activism methodologies, I sketched other potential contexts for learning this content such as educational toys and card games:
Next Steps
I was recently awarded RISD’s 2025 Graduate Commons Grant to apply these methods in active coral reef restoration projects.
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Acknowledgements
Special thanks to Dr. David Sun Kong, Marshall Ganz, Zoe Lee, Annie Chen, Zion Michael, Gunther Weil, the Master's of Arts in Design Engineering (MADE) faculty at Brown University and RISD, and my loved ones for all the support on this final deliverable for my degree!
