permaculture

["Graham Burnett" <grahamburnett@blueyonder.co.uk>]

> I'd be interested in comments from folks about how
> they do their actual design process when
> considering a particular site.  What do you do
> first (after careful observation, of course)?
>

Hi Robert, there are a number of 'design processes' available, but the one I
tend to like is the acronym 'SADIM'- Survey, Assess, Design, Implement,
Maintain;

Survey; the 'observation' phase- gather data in a 'value free' manner- don't
attempt to make any decisions at this stage. I see 2 phases to this,
'reading your land' http://www.gb0063551.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/seeog/land/
for a little check-list which might be handy, and 'client interview', ie,
what do your clients (or you) want? Time/money constraints, dierty
preferences, life style, special needs, etc, etc.

Assess; make decisions based on the data you have- what are your
'boundaries'- they might be physical, cultural, financial, time, what are
your 'resources'- again, these might be physical, cultural, financial, time.

Design; be as thorough as you can at the actual 'design' phase- make your
mistakes on paper! There are loads of design tools and methodologies, listed
in Bill's Big Book and also Patrick Whitefield's new 'Earthcare Manual'-
some include using maps and overlays, 'random assembly' (mixing up elements
in the design in a random fashion and seeing what comes out... a way of
freeing up the creative side of the brain particularly if you fel 'stuck'),
McHarg exculsion Method (where DON'T we want things!), Zones and Sectors,
Flow Charts, Group Work, Planning For Real (particularly useful if working
with community groups, etc), incremental design/rolling permaculture (start
small, work outwards), informed intuition, etc, etc. But also remember that
'the map is not the territory'- things don't always go to plan or follow the
blueprint, particularly in evolving/organic systems!

Implement; making the design a reality- who is going to do the work? How
relaible are they? Do you need to seek funding/grants? Have a 'business
plan' (esp if you are after grants, etc), 'Dreams vs reality', look after
your own 'zone zero zero'- don't overwork yourself or burn out, etc.

Maintain; systems changes and evolve. Your needs change and evolve- the law
of succession! You have kids, the kids grow up, you get older and less able.
Trees grow and spread and the nature of the land changes. essentially
'maintain' is about coninually re-visting the Survey, Assess, Design and
Maintain stages of the process...

Hope this helps

Graham www.spiralseed.co.uk