permaculture

["Ava Devenport" <essenheal@iname.com>]

On 06/06/00, "Scott Pittman <pci@permaculture-inst.org>" wrote:
> At 06:18 PM 6/5/00 +0000, you wrote:

> I have found that some ranchers are willing to cooperate in developing 
> water tanks off of the riparian zone.  If your creek is has appropriate
> head and volume you might consider a ram pump to push water out of the 
> creek bed up to grazing land. 

Dear Scott:

This is great information, thank you!  I've been speaking with Natural 
Resources regarding the problem, now they've put me in contact with a 
wild-life biologist who is more than willing to help us, including state 
funds, to set up some private wild-life reserve areas and use 
phyto-remediation as a possible means to clean up the watershed.

  
> I think it's worth while to talk to local ranchers you might be 
> pleasantly surprised that they respond to health issues, children, and bio
> diversity issues. 

The local ranchers, along with USDA and NRCS are willing to put in filter 
strips and take up some conservation practices for soil/water.  NRCS will 
pay them 'rental fees' on the acreage plus give them incentive payments and 
technical advise, to make it easier, economically, to put these practices 
in place.


> It is better to enroll them as partners in problem solving rather than > 
> confronting them as "the enemy".

I LOVE working within the system to get things done.  I've seen very 
knowledgeable individuals with ideals and goals labelled as 'radical' and 
lose their credibility. I try to use 'example' as a means of getting things 
done, sharing whatever information and knowledge I have available to me, 
and some take it and use it, some don't.  But it's a start and if I can 
make a difference for just one other individual, then I consider it a 
success.

Blessings,
Ava