Permaculture at Dunhill Eco-Centre September 28, 2008
Posted by Graham in : General , 2comments
Ive just got back from a great weekend at the Dunhill Eco-Park, Ballyphilip, Co. Waterford, where I gave an Introduction to Permaculture course.
The course was organised by Environment officer Samantha Richardson, and as well as gaining an introduction to permaculture, and the basics of forest garden design, the group of 14 students created the first part of what is to be a permaculture Community Garden at the Centre.
Before…
and after
keyhole paths and mulched beds planted with herbs, shrubs and fruit trees and bushes
The participants included members of the burgeoming Transition Towns Tramore who have asked me back for a talk on Forest Gardens and perennial agriculture, provisionally for the 21st November.
Many thanks to Samantha and Paul for their hospitality, and full power to Samantha for her commitment to the permaculture concept in the garden;
and thanks to all the course participants for their interest and hard work and all their contributions to the course.
Pioneer Roundhouse vindicated September 18, 2008
Posted by Graham in : General , add a commentThe community of Brithdir Mawr in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Wales, has finally won the right to stay on the basis that the residents are living “low-impact” lifestyles and earning most of their living from the land.
This is where Tony Wrench built his famous cordwood roundhouse- the inspiration for my own.
This landmark decision by the planning authorities vindicates the 10-year struggle of Tony and his neighbours to earn the right to live a sustainable, environmentally conscious lifestyle as responsible stewards of the natural resources they earn their living from.
Mr Wrench, 62, who has been pioneering the concept of “permaculture” for decades, found his lifestyle being hailed as a model for sustainable living. The park authority amended its rules to allow “low-impact” housing, and yesterday he was told that the roundhouse is no longer condemned.
In a way, this issue is a good example of the difference between much of environmental policy which tends to have a “conservationist” ethic- setting the natural world apart from humans as a museum- and a permaculture ethic- which sees human and the natural world as being mutually supporting- from this perspective, the national parks could be better cared for if people could live in them and earn sustainable livelihoods in low-impact dwellings.
