permaculture

[Martin Naylor <martinwnaylor@yahoo.com.au>]

It also takes a lot of gut's to stand against the powers that be,
   
  Fear nothing,  LOVE,  conqueres all, and i mean all, your family, freinds, 
culture, comunity, religion and country, 
   
  AND IF YOUR NOT PREPARED TO STAND UP TO THAT, THEN FORGET IT YOU WILL ONLY 
GET HURT
   
  You may stand alone,
   
  But remember,
   
   Permaculture started from two people, and two people alone
   
  Love
   
  Martin

Katherine Steele <kat@steelemoon.com> wrote:
  Hi Antonio-

I'm a member of the dynamic East Bay Permaculture Guild (local) in 
Oakland, California and the Urban Permaculture Guild (still local but 
growing towards national and international). I am part of the team 
that put this template for Permaculture Guilds together. It was 
mainly authored by my friend and colleague Benjamin Fahrer. It's been 
very useful for a starting ground for several local guilds here, 
Sonoma, San Francisco and East Bay specifically. There was some 
resistance to pieces of it but mainly our group has adopted it as a 
structure for us to learn together in. We've had anywhere from 35 to 
5 people attend meetings and Garden Wheel Days. Many wonderful 
friendships and collaborations have come for our group. We've been 
meeting for about 2 1/2 years and there was a Bay Area Guild before 
us that I don't know much about...

We do most of our communication via a local internet list like this 
one and meet monthly face to face. Posting flyers at the local 
ecology center/cafes etc.. also helped in getting folks to join and 
attend.

As a guild we've hosted a Permaculture Bike Tour, designed public 
space at SF Garden Show and the Green Festival and volunteered on 
several community garden projects, city repair natural building 
projects at Merritt Community College, the Alameda Point 
Collaborative permaculture sites and other sites around town.

Hope this helps you in Barcelona. Let me know what you think!

Peace and Solidarity in Organizing Groups for Positive Change
~Kat
http://www.urbanpermacultureguild.org


Permaculture Guild
Organizational Format
For the long term sustainability of the Guilds
Authored by

The Bay Area Region of the Permaculture Alliance of California





This is a template to use as a guide to help you set up 
a permaculture guild in your local community. This format is based 
off of guilds formed in the San Francisco Bay area that had first 
been formed loosely and without much structure. Over the course of 
18 months much was learned through trial and networking via cross 
county and recognizing patterns as the guilds developed.

In order to legitimize the guilds this structure was 
developed pulling from the general model of natural patterning and 
the core permaculture process. In turn these guilds are developing 
into groups that are organized and linked together that form a 
regional guild. The Regional Guild is made of Professionals within 
the field of permaculture, while the smaller localized groups consist 
of a wider range of people who have integrated permaculture into 
their daily practice, however they are not necessarily certified 
permaculture designers. The Regional guild is a networking hub; its 
primary function is to provide support to permaculturists in the 
field and in the practice of teaching P/C to others. It also helps 
host workshops and events as well as provides mutual aid and 
protection to people within the Permaculture movement. Below is the 
basic structure and template that is divided into these two groups. 
First, how localized groups are organized and secondly how the 
regional guild ties in.

The first structure shows how local guilds can be organized. The 
second structure we see the movement. Each local guild has customized 
the structure to accommodate their focus, size and overall scale they 
choose to function within the community. At the regional level we 
become well organized and prepared for the restoration of cultural 
decisions. At each level the integrity of Permaculture is of utmost 
importance and a commitment to the core ethics and principles is 
essential for the guild and members of it.



Each regional guild operates independently yet is apart of the 
greater whole. The Permaculture Alliance of California (PAC) is in 
the process of formulating it’s connections with all the regions, 
with each region acquiring non-profit sponsorship from established 
Permaculture Institutes. We hope to complete this process within the 
next 3 years. Due to involvement of members and the critical energy 
mass, certain localized guilds are obtaining Fiscal sponsorship of 
other non-profits in order to operate more readily and independently.



The PAC is also forming an interlacing relationship with the newly 
forming Pacifica Association of Permaculture Institutes and 
Teachers. This Association spans the whole West Coast from Canada to 
Mexico and includes Hawaii, providing a much-needed network for the 
Pacifica region.



Taking the zonation concepts of permaculture and applying them to 
this format we see the edges more distinct.


· Zone 1 Local Guild Structure

· Zone 2 Permaculture Alliance of California , PAC, Regional 
Guild structure

· Zone 3 Pacifica Association of Permaculture Institutes and 
Teachers

· Zone 4 North American Permaculture

· Zone 5 International Permaculture Community, Global Scale




Template


Each element listed below is structured through the PC lens with the 
core ethics and principles being represented. Those ethics being; 
Care of the Earth, Care of People, and The cyclical return of the 
abundance of surplus to further the first two. The principles are 
much more elaborate yet the main ones being stressed in this template 
are; see the problem as the solution, Every element serves multiple 
functions, the design is theoretically unlimited and the least change 
for the greatest effect.





Localized Guild Structure


The local guild operates through

· Building personal relationships

· Becoming more connected with fellow permaculturists

· A Garden Wheel

· Local Sustainability Groups

· Permaculture projects



Building personal relationships. The primary function of local guilds 
is to build personal relationships that help foster a culturally rich 
community.

Becoming more connected with fellow permaculturists. To stay inspired 
and networked with all the positive solutions that we as 
permaculturists are doing

A Garden Wheel. The meeting format, Rotating from site to site to 
come together and put our energy into our own home zones, Planting 
seeds and growing food and habitat as a collective.

Local Sustainability Groups. The actions of the local guild is 
implemented through already established groups that are carrying out 
the ethical intention of Permaculture; if none exist then the local 
guild takes on this task and assumes responsibility.

Permaculture projects, as a guild we move out into our greater 
watershed to design and implement as many permaculture projects as 
possible to restore, revitalize and regenerate natural systems that 
have been impacted by our human practices. These are organized or 
freestyle projects.


Being a Member of a Local Guild


Membership to a guild offers;
· A quarterly Newsletter from the PAC Regional guild, which 
includes update of events/calendar, workshops hosted by the regional 
guild, features of guild members, and much more. Insert from local 
guild.

· A local directory; hard or soft copy upon request. Has 
contact info as well as areas of interest and skill set of all local 
guild members.

· Opportunity to be connected in numeral ways to projects and 
events put on by locally affiliated groups within the PAC network.


To become a member one is encouraged and needs to

· Pay memberships dues -- Annual Memberships dues $20 to $30 
(or sliding scale TBD)

· Attend at least three garden wheel events per year

· Volunteer at an event hosted by the regional guild if available

· Pledge allegiance to the Earth

· Have the foundational concepts, equivalent of an Intro to 
Permaculture Course or workshop.


The cycle of a local guild

· Garden Wheel Meetings/work parties happen at least every 
other month, 6 to 12 annually

· Any subcommittees meetings take place either at these garden 
wheel gatherings, as breakout groups or in between.

· Major Decisions are processed on Consensus

· These Garden Wheel events are structured as a one day work 
party with an optional potluck, depending on the host. To assess, 
vision and plan and implement. They will rotate throughout the local 
bioregion.

· All those assigned roles are committed to making these 
gatherings and are allowed leave for special circumstances.

· An annual Permaculture Convergence will take place in which 
all members of the PAC and local Guilds are encouraged to attend,



Positions and Roles of a local guild
These positions help give a basic structure so the local guild stays 
function throughout the business of the year. They are clearly 
defined so folks know what they are committing to and the workload is 
not all held by one or two individuals. These roles are basic and can 
be elaborated upon greatly.

1. Facilitators – Help coordinate structural aspects and living 
agendas at working meetings

2. Note takers – records important information

3. Time keepers – Keeps events and meetings on time to respect 
peoples schedules

4. Directory – Supplies a list of local guild members for 
networking, in charge of new member sign up.

5. Garden Wheel Coordinator – Is in charge of the wheel’s list 
and making sure that the host is notified and if anything is needed 
will help rally resources

6. Host – Spoke in the wheel, Pulls on the support of people in 
the guild and orchestrates a work party at their site, coordinates 
potluck if desired.

7. Regional Delegate – Is committed to attending PAC regional 
meetings to inform the regional guild of the happenings of their 
local guild

8. Local community liaison- Is point person between the guild 
and what’s up in local community groups

9. Livelihood networker- Contact person for lining up public 
interest of projects with skilled guild members via directory






*** This template and process is still under development and plans to 
complete it’s initial phase by Jan. 2004, meaning local guilds will 
implement this design. It is noted that the function and structure 
of the guilds is meant to grow and change. At every Annual 
convergence of the PAC, the process will be re-assessed and modified 
appropriately by the local guild that is applying it.

** Additional notes on how it ties together **

For those who want to plug in on the local level, Zone 1. We have 
local guilds (similar to those that we have been setting up). However 
they are free to organize and mobilize however they feel fit, utilize 
other local groups to best channel their efforts and do local 
permaculture projects, get others inspired and so on.

The other level, stepping out to Zone two is the regional level that 
operates a little more formal and with a coherent structure with a 
level of professionalism. This body will seek non-profit status or 
find sponsorship through an already established Permaculture 
Institute, meet seasonally and schedule courses classes and events. 
Put out a newsletter, a directory and be a representational body of 
permaculture to help support and guide local guilds. The regional 
board will consist of reps from each local guild and meet more as a 
council. Those that make up the regional membership are PCD graduates.
These regions form the Permaculture Alliance of California, where 
these regions can network and become a stronger and wider movement, 
share resources and directory, newsletters etc.

Zone 3 takes it to the newly forming Permaculture Association, The 
Pacifica Association of Permaculture Institutes and Teachers, PAPIT. 
This group operates on the whole West Coast level and beyond out to 
Hawaii.

Zone 4 takes it to a national level. The PAPIT merges with the East 
Coast alliance out of Earthhaven and is then connected on a national 
level.

Zone 5 is the Global Scale and ties it all together.

So with all that said take a moment a check out the doc. Guild 
Template 1. The Bay area region is planning our first meeting in 
early April. Local Guilds are meeting monthly.



Regional Guild Structure


The regional guild operates through
· Volunteers

· Membership

· Workshops and events

· Community Support

· A newsletter and directory


Inner Workings - The Volunteers. All positions and roles fulfilled 
are volunteer based. It is very important that every volunteer is 
supported and not overly criticized. It will help tremendously if 
people rotate positions over the years to better understand all the 
positions and their demands.

Permaculture Community - The Members. Memberships are the key to the 
existence of a guild and serve as the contingent of folks who have 
dedicated themselves to the earth and to shifting the current 
paradigm into one that has the ability to sustain regenerative 
natural systems. Two types of members are active and supportive. 
Active members hold positions and are actively involved in the 
happenings and activities of the regional guild. Supportive members 
contribute financially to the guild yet hold no major responsibility.

Bioregional Connection. Workshops and events are the fun and learning 
aspects of the guilds outward expression. Mostly the focus of 
workshops is to bring in specialists to present their work and lead 
to a higher evolution of guild members. Skill shares, work parties, 
potlucks, sustainability tours, special guest presentation and sacred 
ceremony are some examples.

Greater Community Support. It is evident that our main work is to 
help cultivate a more permanent culture. It is through the building 
of community that this metamorphosis takes place. Permaculture is 
the ‘common’ ‘unity’ that this collective shares and everyone is 
present for supporting each other in their daily life and to 
cooperate not compete with the ideas and concepts that members have 
energy in pursuing.

PAC, Bringing it all together. A newsletter is put out once every 
season and is a report on all the happenings of the guild and it’s 
members. The newsletter contains members contribution, project 
reports, seasonal reminders, calendar of events and future visioning.


Breakdown of Membership


Membership to the regional guild offers
· A quarterly Newsletter, includes update of events/calendar, 
workshops hosted by guild, letter from president of the guild, other 
submissions from members

· A directory; hard or soft copy upon request. Has contact 
info as well as areas of interest and skill set of all guild members

· Workshops; The guild will host a series of workshops that are 
open to all guild members within the PAC BAR, more reason to become a 
member

· Opportunity to be connected in numeral ways to projects and 
events within the PAC network


To become a member one must
· Be a certified PC designer

· Pay memberships dues -- Annual Memberships dues $30 -$50 (or 
sliding scale TBD )

· Attend at least one meeting per year

· Volunteer at an event hosted by the guild

· Pledge allegiance to the Earth

*All active members are required to attend all seasonal meetings.


The cycle of a Regional Guild

· Meetings/retreats happen every season, 4 annually

· Any subcommittees meetings happen in between main Meetings

· Decisions are processed on Consensus

· These main meetings are structured as a two-day working 
retreat. To assess, vision and plan.

· They will rotate throughout the region

· All those assigned roles are committed to making these 
meetings and are allowed leave for special circumstances.

· A newsletter will put out every season (4 times a year)

· An annual Convergence will take place in which all members of 
the PAC and local Guilds are encouraged to attend,


Positions and Roles
These positions are clearly defined as to give authority to certain 
individuals to assume responsibility within the guild. These 
positions are designed to change over time and most have the time 
commitment of a one-year cycle. All position require one person 
taking the lead, however most roles are designed to be a group of 
people working together.

1. Co-Presidents -Role is as meeting organizer, two people 
alternating and working together as a steering committee for the over 
all coordination of the guild, Facilitate in meetings


2. Treasury- Deals with membership $ and finances as well as 
delegation of funds


3. Secretary- Is in charge of notes being taken at meetings; 
refining important info for newsletter submission, Posts notes to 
lists of local guilds.


4. Newsletter- Responsible for a newsletter coming out once 
every 4 months, subcommittee of 4


5. Directory- Membership person, In charge of new member sign up 
and keeping a directory of all members and making that available to 
all members either by soft or hard copy


6. Phone person- Calls everyone in guild when need be


7. Workshop Coordinator- Is in charge of workshop organization, 
logistics, also finds teachers to fill courses and workshops that the 
guild hosts


8. Events- helps to schedule and notify guild of events of 
interest, also is head of a committee to organize events


9. Permatech- Deals with Web based material and interface


10. Fundraising- any cottage industry and fundraising that the 
guild chooses to do


11. Advertising and posting- in charge of doing any ad work for 
events, workshops, tours, and courses that guild hosts


12. Hands-on Project coordinator- Projects that the guild would 
like to take on as a collective, any help people need on projects or 
want to give, this person helps facilitate,


13. Tours- this person helps coordinate regional tours of sites 
that are examples of sustainability


14. Art Director – Helps coordinates artistic aspects of the guilds’ 
projects







*** This template and process is still under development and plans to 
complete it’s initial phase by Jan. 2004, meaning PAC and Bay area 
guild will implement this design. It is noted that the function and 
structure of the guilds is meant to grow and change. At every Annual 
convergence of the BAR, the process will be re-assessed and modified 
appropriately.



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