permaculture

["Eugene F. Monaco" <EFMonaco@compuserve.com>]

Message text written by INTERNET:permaculture@listserv.oit.unc.edu

>There are actual public matters that no one has commented on, e.g.
arbitrary
creation of a national permaculture organization for the USA, once again,
is
this the fourth for fifth time?, with no consultation of the permaculture
community, meaning design course graduates. <

I share Dan's feeling of isolation on this one; they could have called a
national conference if the intent was to create a professional association.
 My understaning is that the reason for the association was/is
multifaceted, of course.  On one level, Pittman is reported as complaining
that there are some, well, less than perfect permaculture teachers floating
around, issuing design certificates.  But Mollison always stated that the
louzy teachers would weed themselves out because they will not acquire a
good reputation: a self-limiting system.  Pittman reportedly does not share
this view.  Personally, I can see how the indiscriminite issuing of design
certificates flames this problem, but in the end it doesn't matter (see
below).  Mollison spends a lot of time covering drylands strategies which
are not covered by the permaculture courses at The Farm.  But having
co-taught at The Farm, I can say that there are bioregional strategies for
eastern woodlands covered that Mollison doesn't cover.  Those classes may
in fact be better suited for local residents; after all, a farmer in my
area, East Tennessee, should damn well understand the forest systems.  I've
seen too many so-called permaculturists move to a wooded area and start
clearing so they can build a permaculture garden.  This is not good
permaculture but folks still miss the boat.  After 2 weeks of hearing about
the salting of lands, net-and-pan strategies, and tropical paradise
gardens, one can ignorantly come back to the eastern woods and start to
make a mess of things.

Personally, I've supplemented my permaculture education with eight weeks at
the Tracker School which is eastern-woods based (despite Tom Brown's claim
that survival and caretaking skills are universal, another topic and
discussion group).  Mollison also covers earthworks and pond-building.  If
you want to go broke in a hurry, go out and build a bunch of fish ponds
after a 2-week design course.   Having a civil engineering degree I can
tell you that he gives you just enough rope to hang yourself on all that.  

And so what?  Should we require certificate holders to all have engineering
degrees and go to Tracker school?  Absolutely not.  I have a certain sphere
of influence in which I can apply permaculture.  Others have spheres much
different and much larger than mine.  Some are writers, others lawyers,
others are savvy on the internet and can set up pages of reference
information, etc.  It's all part of the puzzle.

The attempt to "own" the concepts of permaculture and to put a tax on it is
one of those humanalities out of which we will just have to evolve.  Folks
are going to try.  I've just about given up on the 2-week course, issuing
certificates and all that.  The certificates aren't worth the paper they're
written on IMO.  If we start creating a professional society of
permaculturists, then we're falling in to the same old trap that every
other wave of enlightenment has fallen into (the churches come to mind) --
existing so as to perpetuate ourselves.  Permaculture is a lifestyle as
much as anything, and it doesn't work unless EVERYONE on the planet
participates.  Do we have a professional society of air breathers, or water
drinkers, or space taker-upers?  What good is a bachelors degree in
psychology anyway?  Would you like fries with that?

So let them set up their professiona society if they can.  In case you
haven't noticed, the other groups on the planet that already own their
titles, don't use the word permaculture; but in many many ways they are
slowlynevolving to the same thing.  Example:  the architects and "green
architecture"; sustainable development; deep ecology, organic gardening,
etc.   In many ways the permaculture community is already being scoffed at
by the "professional" communities as being amateur.  Personally, I don't
care, it's their problem.

Now having rambled on about that (sorry) I want to get to the other main
reason for this American Permaculture Institute that I do see as being
worthy, and that is for a collection point for project funding.

Mollison told us at an advanced course in May, 1996 that when he first
conceived of permaculture, he thought that it was going to take an army to
pull it off.  Well we have that army, he says.  (I don't agree but that's
off the point).  Now he wants to take it to the next step and set up a
permaculture development bank, like the world bank, that will fund
projects.  Well if you want money on this planet, where do you go?  If they
could pull that off and I could go and get $10 million for a project, then
we'd be on to semething.  So on that note I say, go for it guys.  I'll help
any way I can.

Gene