An NFT is a non-fungible token. NFTs are unique crypto assets stored on the blockchain. They are unlike fungible assets like a dollar, where one dollar is interchangeable with any other dollar or cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, where one Bitcoin is interchangeable with any other Bitcoin. Because each NFT is unique, they can be used to authenticate the ownership and provenance of digital assets like the NovelEco Token. It is a way of ensuring that digital assets can remain rare, scarce and unique.

Blockchains are a type of de-centralised data storage technology in which a record of transactions made in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tezos or other cryptocurrency platforms is maintained across several computers that are linked in a peer-to-peer network. NovelEco NFTs are minted on the Ethereum blockchain.

Ethereum is a general purpose programmable blockchain that can be used for building apps and organizations, holding assets, transacting and communicating without being controlled by a central authority.

Ethereum has its own cryptocurrency, Ether, which is used to pay for certain activities on the Ethereum network.

On 15th September 2022 Ethereum undertook ‘The Merge’ which involved joining the existing execution layer of Ethereum (the Mainnet) with a new proof-of-stake consensus layer, the Beacon Chain. This process converted Ethereum from a ‘proof of work’ blockchain into a ‘proof of stake’ blockchain thereby eliminating the need for energy-intensive mining and instead securing the network using staked ether. Historically Ethereum has had a very high carbon footprint but the conversion from proof of work to proof of stake has resulted in a 99.95% reduction in the amount of carbon emissions being produced by the blockchain (https://digiconomist.net/ethereum-energy-consumption).

All carbon emissions associated with minting Noveleco NFTs will be offset through the purchase of high quality and certified carbon offsets associated with biodiverse planting projects. This offsetting will be undertaken in addition to any NovelEco funded community owned ecosystem restoration projects.

Generative art is the process of algorithmically generating forms, colours, shapes and patterns and expressing these as artwork. These days generative artists are leveraging modern processing power, large datasets and Artificial Intelligence to create an amazing array of aesthetics, with a growing movement focused on producing digital expressions of nature.

Novel Ecosystems is an art project comprised of a series of collections produced by generative artists. Each artist involved in the Novel Ecosystems project produces a collection of artworks that explore and interpret the concept of a Novel Ecosystem; that is landscapes and ecological niches sculpted by biodiversity extinction, human impact on climate systems, invasive species, water scarcity and disruption of global biogeochemical flows. The project offers an exploration into the processes and consequences of human induced ecological degradation and the subsequent restoration of nature, giving insight into alterations in ecosystem composition, structure and form over time.

Each collection with the Novel Ecosystems project is comprised of a series of generative art pieces, called NovelEco NFTs, that are stored as non fungible tokens on the Ethereum blockchain. Each NovelEco NFT is a unique piece of art that shares a common generative art script at the collection level.

NovelEco is proud to be working with the world’s leading generative art company Art Blocks to source and select leading generative artists to be involved in the NovelEco project. Art Blocks is an Ethereum based platform providing unique, programmable, and on-demand generative NFT art to collectors worldwide. Since late 2020 Art Blocks has released a number of iconic generative art collections in collaboration with some of the world’s most renowned generative artists.

Minting is the process of purchasing a generative art piece that is being created for the first time. At the commencement of the minting process the purchaser is unaware of the art piece they will receive. This is because the minting process results in a transaction record on the blockchain that produces a ‘seed’ that introduces unique variables into the artist’s generative art script. This results in the creation of a unique piece of art with transparent and verified ownership.

Ecocene will coordinate the drop of NovelEco NFTs prior to the Ecoengine infrastructure being built. It is expected that this will involve 2 drop events – a genesis drop and a second drop. This will result in the creation of 600 Founder level NovelEco NFTs.

The Genesis drop of NovelEco NFTs will be coordinated by Ecocene and involve the creation of 300 Founder level tokens.

1. 200 will be made available for sale to select individuals and commercial partners with the maximum purchase per entity capped at 5.
2. 50 of these will be reserved for Ecocene and distributed to members of our team.
3. 50 will be held in treasury by Ecocene to be distributed to Conservation Groups, Traditional Owner Groups and Generative Artists.

A second drop of an additional 300 Founder level NovelEco NFTs will occur in Q3 2023.

1. 200 will be made available for sale to select individuals and commercial partners with the maximum purchase per entity capped at 5.
2. 50 of these will be reserved for Ecocene and distributed to members of our team.
3. 50 will be held in treasury by Ecocene to be distributed to Conservation Groups, Traditional Owner Groups and Generative Artists.

Funds from the sale of the Genesis and second drop NovelEco NFTs will be managed by Ecocene and allocated to the following tasks:

1. Building an operationally fit-for-purpose, compliant and secure DAO for Ecoengine.
2. Fine tuning the digital monitoring toolkit (Ecoda) to enable community-managed restoration activities.
3. Creating the marketplace for future NovelEco and Ecoengine NFTs
4. Marketing and promoting Ecoengine.
5. Undertaking a regional natural capital account and kickstarting an initial restoration trial in Western Australia’s South West region

Genesis and second drop NovelEco NFTs will be offered to a curated group of founding partners including select individuals and organisations. This founding partners will be holders of Founder level NovelEco NFTs. Opportunities for founding partners to sign up to the first NFT drop will open in late 2022.

Ecocene will work with all founding partners to ensure that the have the digital wallet and ether required to mint a NovelEco NFT prior to launch.

For those interested in becoming a founding partner please follow up via our contact page.

Once you have purchased your NFT the artworks can be viewed in your digital wallet or in your collection on the Opensea marketplace.

Yes. You can buy, sell and trade Ethereum NFTs like you can other unique assets and this process is called a secondary sale. The easiest way to do this is on marketplaces such as Opensea, LooksRare and X2Y2.

Please send us an email at hello@ecocene.com