Crafting Biodiversity with Our Own Hands– The Power of Grafting Indigenous Fruit Trees

A Vision That Starts in Our Hands

What if the simple act of planting a tree could help restore balance to our planet?

Imagine this: a baby wears a diaper. That diaper is collected, composted, and turned into rich soil. From that soil, a fruit tree grows—one that is native to the region, resilient, flavorful, and supportive of local biodiversity. That tree feeds people, shelters birds, nourishes insects, and supports the entire ecosystem.

This is not a distant dream. This is the path we are walking with DYCLE—a local system connects early childhood, soil regeneration, and indigenous fruit trees. Our vision is simple but powerful: citizens, not just professionals, can play a direct role in shaping a biodiverse and regenerative future.

In this blog, we’ll explore why indigenous fruit trees matter, how grafting gives us the power to preserve and multiply biodiversity, and how you—yes, you—can get involved, even in the middle of a city.

Grafting: A Skill to Multiply Biodiversity

So how do we actually grow more indigenous fruit trees? How do we preserve those rare, flavorful, and climate-resilient varieties that supermarkets forgot?

One powerful answer is: grafting.

Grafting is an age-old method used to grow fruit trees by hand. It means taking a branch (called a scion) from a tree you love—maybe one with the best-tasting apples in your garden—and joining it to the root system (rootstock) of another tree. The two grow together, and eventually, you get a new tree that carries the characters of that special fruit.

It sounds like magic, but it’s a skill anyone can learn. Just yesterday, Ayumi, one of DYCLE’s co-founders, joined a hands-on grafting workshop at a local tree nursery in Berlin-Brandenburg. “I was amazed by how much care and precision goes into every graft,” she said. “It made me realize: this is not just gardening. This is a form of cultural and ecological preservation.”

Why Indigenous Fruit Trees Matter

When you walk into a supermarket, how many kinds of apples do you see? Three? Maybe five?

Did you know that in Germany alone, there are over 5,000 traditional apple varieties? Each one with its own flavor, scent, color, and story. Some bloom early in spring, others resist frost. Some are perfect for drying, some for juicing, some for eating fresh under the sun. These are not just fruits—they are living archives of climate resilience, local wisdom, and biological diversity.

Yet today, this incredible variety is at risk. Industrial agriculture favors uniformity. Trees are often bred for shelf-life, not for taste or biodiversity. As a result, traditional, indigenous varieties are disappearing—silently, and fast.

Why does this matter? Because diversity is nature’s strategy for survival. The more variation we have in fruit trees, the more resilient our food systems will be against climate change, pests, and diseases. Indigenous trees are deeply adapted to their environments. They require less water, fewer chemicals, and often support more wildlife.

By preserving and spreading them, we’re not just saving old fruits—we’re actively building a future where food, ecosystems, and culture thrive together.

Grafting Hope, Growing Futures

When people hear “Diaper Cycle,” they might think it's only for parents of babies. But that’s just one part of the story.

This movement is for anyone who wants to plant trees, taste forgotten fruits, reconnect with the seasons, and bring life back into their surroundings.

It’s for the pastry chef who dreams of baking with rare pears from the 18th century.
It’s for the city dweller who wants to turn their backyard into a small orchard.
It’s for the gardener who saves seeds and memories.
It’s for the student who wants to learn with their hands, not just their head.
It’s for the elderly who remember the fruit of their childhood and want to pass it on.

In short, it’s for everyone who believes that the way we live can be more joyful, more local, and more connected to the earth.

At DYCLE, we are simply building the soil—and the space—for these people to meet.

Are you a gardener, tree nursery worker, or plant lover with grafting skills? Let’s collaborate! DYCLE is building a network of regenerative growers who want to make biodiversity something citizens can touch, learn, and grow at home.

And what branch will you bring? What flavor will you help preserve?
Together, we can graft a future that nourishes us all.