permaculture

["Gaden@ziplip.com" <Gaden@ziplip.com>]

Hi Lawrence

Here's just a few 'first impressions' (at the risk of perhaps seeming  to 
tell you 'how to suck eggs'.) Perhaps they are self-evident, but they are so 
simple that people often overlook them.

There are three design principles I like to implement when going in cold to a 
project like this.

1. Work from the familiar to the unfamiliar.

Go for a wander. Look at what 'systems' are currently in place. Good design 
principles work in layer upon layer upon layer, same pattern, different 
scales. Look for strong metaphors within the existing community, then 
replicate those metaphors over and over. The 'metaphor' doesn't necessarily 
have to be an agricultural one. But something profound (perhaps even 
unconsciously), something unique to that community.

2. Tweaking.

Changing paradyms is damn hard work. Especially going in cold turkey. Much 
better to progressively tweak existing patterns in the desired direction. A 
'revolution' of many small steps. (Good chaos theory stuff, iteration, 
outputs become the next inputs, ad infinitum)

3. Don't underestimate the transformative power of participation.

Ownership is critical. Identifying and tweaking existing systems allows local 
people to feel in control of the process. It may sound a bit 'catch-22'ish, 
but the personal change that comes from being participant in the change is 
often the most important and enduring part of that change process. And in 
turn acts as a catalyst for even greater change (often in unexpected 
directions!)

As I said, quick first impressions only.

Gaiden