Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

permaculture - [permaculture] Some thoughts about the possibilities of Permaculture on Pitcairn

permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: permaculture

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Sharon Gordon" <gordonse@one.net>
  • To: <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [permaculture] Some thoughts about the possibilities of Permaculture on Pitcairn
  • Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2003 22:27:19 -0400

Peter, I hope this works out. I think it would be wonderful, not only for
the Island, but also as an educational resource for the world.

Some assorted thoughts on various aspects:

***Introducing permaculture***
I'd emphasize the aspects that are valued most by the local culture, and
then expand their view by showing the other bonuses that come along with
permaculture. I'd show video or slides of successful permaculture sites in
similar climates.

***Overall plan***
I'd solicit everyone's input into what they'd like for the Island short and
long term brainstorming style and without regard to how likely they think
something could be. I'd also solicit the help of an ecologically oriented
rural/urban planning specialist as I think it would help to organize the use
of the Island, and to include all the important aspects for future
development and nondevelopment.

***Short term plan***
I'd do enough planning for family plots of land that people could learn
biointensive planting (How to Grow More Vegetables, etc than You Ever
Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine, 6th ed, by John Jeavons.
For help in planning for complete nutrition also see One Circle:How to Grow
a Complete Diet in Less than 1000 square feet by David Duhon and the Mexican
and Kenyan One *** Diet booklets at http://www.bountifulgardens.org ), and
begin their annual food plots in their best locations. In places where rock
is very close to the surface, lasagna beds planted in raised bed style or as
swale like plantings might work well too.

***Long term plan***
I'd look at the Island(s) as a whole in terms of zones. Part of what can be
"sold" is beautiful vistas, so as many of them as possible is a good thing.
I'd look at what a reasonable population limit(and preferably not the
maximum so there is some safety margin) is for the main inhabitable Island
and plan for that long term. (I was reading that there used to be around 250
people and are now 50. I think more than 50 people would probably be needed
so that everyone was not severely overworked.) I'd look at what tourist
levels are desirable. There should be a point at which people can make a
good living while preserving the beauty and viability of the Islands.
I'd make a list of what is needed for complete sustainability for business
and home use.
Some things will be easy to grow or to figure out how to grow. Other things
will need research to figure out how to do or what to substitute for the
obvious thing which is currently being imported.
Grow own fertilizer and soil fertility.

***Reforestation***
In Iceland there is a place whose name means something like Beautiful Valley
in the local language indicating that originally it had been beautifully
forested. Until recently it was a wasteland. But Iceland decided to
reforest the area and that project is going well. In the country of
Columbia in a place called Gaviotas they reforested the desert and much
diversity grows there now. Once there were trees, migrating birds dropped
all kinds seeds into the forest. There are a couple of African countries
which have been doing the same thing on the outskirts of some major cities
with great success. Some of these people might be helpful with strategy,
particularly combined with a botanist who understands the specific Island
flora and fauna.

***Businesses***
I'd look for as many as possible which share ideas rather than physical
objects with the tourists. This would increase its value as an educational
site while preserving its natural resources. In the beginning there would
be some need for outside knowledgeable people in a number of areas, but as
much as possible I'd require that outside experts work closely with one or
more people who will then become the local experts in that particular area.

***Business Ideas***
Permaculture Tours
Permaculture Courses
Permaculture Working Vacations
Biointensive gardening workshops
Power of Duck workshops (if that works there, see book at
http://www.permacultureactivist.net )
Flora Tours
Birding Tours
Fauna Tours
History Tours
Treasure Island Mystery solving parties
Dance/Music Instruction/Performance and Dance Hall
Diving Instruction and Dives (if it's safe on one of the uninhabited
islands)
Language Instruction
Craft Instruction
Basketry workshops
Art Gallery (building on the beautiful stamp tradition)
Pitcairn Weddings and Wedding Hall or Shelter with dance floor--develop some
wedding packages that make the wedding distinct from other places
Seventh Day Adventist style retreat/spa
A hut or camp style "hotel", and perhaps at least one which has a sort of
Swiss Family Island/Robin Caruso theme
Outward Bound camps
College botanical or permaculture semesters
Marina
Local food cafes perhaps some with slowfood type focus
Internet Cafe
Smoothie Cafe (there are hand cranked blenders which could be used. See
http://www.realgooods.com )
Cookbook of traditional and new Island recipes
Goats for milk, cheese, and butter
Chicken Tractors integrated with biointensive or permaculture gardens for
eggs and meat
Rentable Houses in a permaculture neighborhood where people could do
permaculture activities under supervision around their house while on
vacation.
Photography workshop tours
Painting workshop tours (here you might like having famous people doing the
painting instruction with local people leading the group around to the
various sites)
Ship refuse recycling--if you can get ships that are providing organic food,
the Islands could run a compost facility for waste from food preparation
which would give more compost for building soil fertility
Webpage design for tourist oriented businesses
Solar panel design, installation and repair
Candle making from beeswax
Line of skin creams from beeswax--local and tourist use
Soaps and other toiletries for local use
Fiber for local clothes, linens, sails, doll clothes
Spinners, weavers, sewing or tailoring people
Seed savers exchange for local seed and for the growing of imported seed and
scions for future seed saving
Papermaking and growing of plants for papermaking, process might be a
tourist event as well
Pitcairn History and Tour Guide
Pitcairn genealogy book and kept updated
Shell jewelry and pearl jewelry (sustainably harvested)
A special event perhaps every five years or so where royalty visits the
Island.
A book of botanical art
Solar salt production
Ship building, perhaps with miro. Some thought given to making the boats
appealing for photography and painting workshops
Pitcairn carved chess sets with the chess figures to be items significant to
Pitcairn
Pitcairn Monopoly(licensed) game boards with all the paper made and printed
there and items carved for the sets and the board to have all Pitcairn
themes (get off the Bounty free cards, for example)
Pitcairn dolls and outfits, and future clothing available by mail
Value added foods for local use such as chutney, marmalade, pickles
Pitcairn Deck of Cards featuring people, cats, plants, museum items, etc.
Bakery specializing in tropical fruit and nut bread
Tropical fish breeding for aquarium export and eventually an aquarium for
tourist education
Carved nativity sets
New sets of postcards every 5 years or so
A community college with guest teachers. This would be to help Islanders
learn things to help with their permacultural and sustainable living and
could also be attended by tourists from docked ships
If the clay is suitable, some pottery for local use

***Personal Family Permaculture planning***
Here I'd design for a vast variety of food and useful plants. I'd focus on
current favorite food plants that can be grown there and also add in some
experimental foods that are likely to do well there. And have herb plants
for food, dye, medicine, soap ingredients, etc. The plants for a future site
can be really helpful with this. It's good to have enough food to cover
expected needs, guests, and a safety margin. Then I'd add plants needed for
the businesses that people run. And then I'd add a share of the useful
plants to cover people's use of paper and fabric and other items like that.
Someone else might actually process the items, but it would helpful if the
plants are spread out to reduce growing risk.

***Gaps to fill***
>From looking at some of what is imported, it looks to me like some things
that would be useful are:

Figuring out how to make buildings with local materials which might include
growing some different or additional things. It might not be possible to
build everything from local materials for the next 10 or 20 years, but if
not the items could be grown for future building and maintenance.

Growing something to make fuel, possibly biodiesel. Perhaps using rocket
type stoves to reduce fuel consumption. Using solar ovens as much as
possible.

Importing of machinery would probably still need to occur though I'd look
for ways at least some of that could be done locally.

Some sort of work/study training for children and teens along with their
regular schooling so they can learn several of these jobs for future
employment and to do their own permaculture living

Workshops on basic business and accounting training, info on dealing with
tourists from different ethnic/cultural groups

Given that Islanders are descended from people who are much more adventurous
and somewhat more rebellious than average, it might be good to have some
sort of workshop devoted to using these gifts while avoiding damage to their
businesses from the downsides of those same gifts. Also it might be helpful
for people to know English/NZ laws and customs, so they won't inadvertently
do something acceptable to their culture but illegal in western cultures
which would provide an excuse for wholesale arrests or removals from the
Island.

Switching to solar power from diesel generators to reduce noise and
pollution

Water permeable paving on roads to reduce erosion and injuries from slippery
times

Fresh water cisterns on the uninhabited islands to allow people to live/work
there. Though some may be kept undeveloped and used for nature tours.

>From reading some of the websites, it appears that dental health is an
important struggle on the Island. If this is still the case, perhaps a look
into why this is occurring and a promotion to fix the situation would be
useful.

Cat Vet Technician, And breeder to produce and neuter cats to be released
into the wild. That way population is healthy and controlled.

People trained in forestry and woodlot management to help insure the health
of the main and outlying islands. Also someone who can figure out ways to
reforest slopes with plants of varied root systems to reduce the risk of
slides.

Teach everyone basic medical care. Consider supporting one person every 10
years through medical school who agrees to return to the Island and provide
several days of medical care per week. Have them specialize in different
areas such as cardiovascular and obgyn/pediatrics figuring on a rotation of
four main specialties.

Use of fish waste as fertilizer if not already being done.

Good design of greywater systems and humanure composting systems along with
safety monitoring.

Given the cardiovascular problems and the high animal fat diet, I'd enlist
the aid of a nutritionist and the best local cooks (Pitcairn and Norfolk) to
come up with healthier recipes using current favorite foods as well as other
foods that might be quickly adopted. The object of this wouldn't be to
require that people eat healthy, but to create some new healthy dishes which
might be eaten more frequently than the less healthy ones.

***Name of Project***
>tentatively titled 'Biosphere3')
For the permanent project name, I'd go with something that would have
marketing benefits like
Biosphere Island
Eden Island (though this might be a plus for Christians which a lot of
English speaking people would be, and less of a draw for people from other
religions)
Bounty Island (a play on the ship name plus the idea of abundance that the
Island will be demonstrating)

***Metal deposits***
>there are substantial deposits of manganese, iron, copper, gold,
silver, and zinc, which have recently been discovered within the 200
nautical-mile exclusive economic zone surrounding the Pitcairn Islands
(Pitcairn, Henderson, Oeno, Ducie).

I don't know whether it is a good idea to mine these or not. It would
depend on the ecological and visual damage created. But it seems to me the
area has enough to offer that they wouldn't be needed for economic
stability.

***More info***
At the moment those are the main things I can think of. I'd enjoy reading
the thoughts of others who are responding to your quest if you'd be willing
to compile them and send them out to other interested people.

Sharon
gordonse@one.net








Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page