permaculture

[Fiona Campbell + Russ Grayson <pacedge@magna.com.au>]

Michael Miller & Ute Bohnsack wrote:
> 
> By the way: whatever happened to the (younger) Dave Holmgren?
> 

David Holmgren (still younger) is based at Hepburn, in Victoria, where
he has spent the last ten years developing his own property as a
permaculture demonstration site and has recently started to teach
permaculture design courses.

David has developed a wealth of practical knowledge during the decade.
His experience in setting up his property in cool temperate Victoria is
well documented in his A3-size book - 'Hepburn Permaculture Gardens -
ten years of sustainable living'.

David has also developed land management ideas for his region and has
produced the book 'Trees on the Treeless Plain - a revegetation manual
for the volcanic landscapes of Central Victoria'.

David's relative quietness, compared to Bill Mollison that is, has been
due to his work on his own property and in his region. Now that the
property is established and now that his family have been living in a
large mudbrick, passive solar home for quite a few years, he is moving
into teaching and other public activities.

David has had a lower public profile than Bill Mollison due, I think, to
a personality quite opposite to Bill. Where Bill is the high profile,
extroverted, publicity-loving permaculture advocate who enjoys more than
a little noteriety, David is more considered in his approach. He is more
accurate fact-wise and is an advocate for permaculture in a quiter but
very thorough way.

I think this is why Bill and David are natural complements in terms of
permaculture advocacy. Something to do with the harmony of oppisites.

You might be aware that Bill Mollison is returning to his home island of
Tasmania to live, although I am told he will retain his home at the
Permaculture Institute - now becoming the Permaculture Research
Institute - on Pumpenbil Road in the Tweed Valley of subtropical
northern NSW.

Bill announced his retirement from teaching at the Spring 1997
(September) Australasian Permaculture Convergence in Nimbin, northern
NSW. His last course was to have been at the Permaculture Instiutute in
February this year, by arrangement with a group of visiting Japanese. I
believe Bill may have made a similar announcement in the US while
teaching over there - I have also heard that there was some controversy
about the course.

I hope this answers your question about the whereabouts of David
Holmgren. Let me assure you that, in Australia at least, David is still
regarded with respect as a teacher of permaculture and as someone who
has honed his knowledge with practical experience. He works more in his
region that on a national level.

...Russ Grayson

-- 
PACIFIC EDGE PERMACULTURE
Russ Grayson and Fiona Campbell
PO Box 446, Kogarah NSW 2217 AUSTRALIA

Phone   02-9588 6931    (IDD-61+2+9588 6931)
Fax     9514 2611 (Mark fax: ATTN: RUSS GRAYSON - APACE) 
          (IDD-61+2+9514 2611)
Email: pacedge@magna.com.au

Permaculture education, publishing, design. 
NSW co-ordinator, Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network.
APACE Village Agriculture Program coordination, Solomon Islands/
resource recovery project coordination - PNG.
PAD Project team (Permaculture And Development).