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permaculture - Re: [permaculture] Permaculture at College Campuses

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  • From: Jason Gerhardt <jasongerhardt@gmail.com>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Permaculture at College Campuses
  • Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:35:38 -0600

Justin,
I teach a permaculture program at Naropa University in Boulder, CO, where we
are implementing permaculture designed landscapes around campus. Naropa is
a very alternative school so this may not be the best example to break into
the land grants or anything, but I'll detail what we are doing.

In 2008 the previous instructor networked and fundraised for a large
geodesic dome greenhouse to hold physical space for the program. Since I
began teaching the program we have designed the greenhouse, cramming it with
mostly dry subtropical plants of fig, citrus, pomegranate, passiflora, tea,
spineless nopale, feijoa, etc. We also have an aquaponics system inside the
greenhouse. We are currently implementing a rainwater harvesting food
forest around the greenhouse and outdoor classroom. Last spring my students
helped build a large annual garden for the university cafe, implementing a
design done in a previous class.

My students are now designing the first and second year dormitory building
and grounds. The landscape manager has been charged with redesigning that
space to be implemented throughout the next couple years.

The biggest success that has been accomplished is getting the landscape
management on board, which fortunately for me was a breeze as we get along
very well. The landscape manager is sitting in on my class to earn his PDC
certificate. We have long term relationships in place with funding from the
Environmental Studies department and buy in from facilities.

Another college in Arizona, Prescott College, also has a solid campus of
fruit trees, rainwater harvesting, and edible gardens. As a student at
Prescott College I began a cafe garden project and then completed a senior
project to build numerous gardens on campus to support the agroecology
program as an urban component. This project was implemented and continues
to be used as a key part of the curriculum 5 years later. Again, the key to
success was working with the invisible structures of the college to get buy
in from facilities management, faculty, and administration.

The plants themselves are great, but in my experience the people are the
keystone species in the ecosystem of institutional permaculture landscaping.

Andrew Millison (who is on this list) will likely have some great feedback
on this topic from Oregon State University.

--
Jason Gerhardt
Designer and Educator




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