Gardening towards the Symbiocene: exploring human-invasive alien plant species alliances through discursive artifacts

Invasive alien plant species (IAPs), spread through human activity, pose a significant threat to biodiversity and cause substantial harm. This project investigates the human role in this global challenge, using a more-than-human design (MTHD) approach. The research explores how a material driven design approach can visualize and encourage collaboration between humans and IAPs. Gardening serves as a metaphor for a design practice that, in collaboration with IAPs, imagines and shapes regenerative futures. Through this approach, we explore alternative strategies and scenarios regarding IAPs, grounded in care, co-creation, and co-existence, contributing to the broader vision of the Symbiocene. These gardening practices are shaped through the design of discursive artifacts: new tools, objects, interventions and narratives that aim to raise public awareness and encourage stakeholder involvement. Public engagement is key for transformative change; therefore, we employ a transdisciplinary and participatory process. This research advances societal understanding of IAPs by exploring their socio-cultural dimensions, increasing ecological awareness, and inspiring regenerative strategies to address related challenges. Examining the role of materials in MTHD practices allows this research to develop novel design approaches for tackling contemporary socio-ecological challenges.