permaculture

[sinergyinaction@netscape.net]

Graham,
I agree that everything starts from being small and concentrated and then 
expand, if resources allow.
I my case, I am already doing quite a lot of permaculture activity on my own 
(teaching and some consulting...almost publishing your book in spanish by the 
way!) but most of these things take me away from home, you know. Sometime you 
feel you have the desert around, close where you live and creating a PC 
group, with quite a few like-minded people my have a good influence not only 
on your perceived loneliness but perhaps in practical terms, if the right 
people happen to get together.
I hope that this group, if ever manages to start up, will have quite a few 
enthusiastic people in it.
Beeing alone in my group would be not so nice!
 
By the way, there was once (and there still is perhaps) an old man in 
Barcelona that claimed to have or be part of a permaculture organization, but 
then it turned out to be just him alone. I think one should 
wonder why a persone is alone in his own organization.
Thanks
Antonio

-----Original Message-----
From: Graham <grahamburnett@blueyonder.co.uk>
To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sat, 14 Jan 2006 01:02:17 +0000
Subject: Re: [permaculture] What does it take to set up an Urban PC group?


Blimey, you make it all sound such a trial Martin. In my own experience 
all you need to set up an urban permaculture group is another person or 
2 who are like-minded. And if you havn't got them, start it up by 
yourself. For years 'South East Essex Permaculture' was just me. And my 
cohort Ron when he wasn't being a perma-skeptic. You see, he says 
there's nothing new in permaculture, just what the more sussed hippies 
were doing all along. But he now co-teaches permaculture with me anyway, 
and we work well together as a team. And now we are in middle of 
organising a conference for local groups involved in therapuetic 
horticultural activities, whether voluntary, funded, council run, 
private or whatever, just so that we can find some common ground with 
each other. Its a possitive staring point. We've also been very active 
in the past in setting up local LETS, Time Banks, etc, . These don't 
seem to be working at the moment, so I set up the local Freecycle group 
instead (or as well as, ideally).

We also connect with, and help to drive the local Organic gardening 
group, as well as strongly supporting local road protest camps and 
campaings such as Camp Bling http://blingblog.bravejournal.com/index.php 
and other locally relevant issues, as well as occaisionally interfacing 
in as possitive a way as possible (when we have to..) with the 
officialdom of Southend Borough Council through their (now defunct) 
Agenda 21 forum, however futile that particular gesture might have 
proved to have been.... But I don't think we had too many illusions that 
it would ever be otherwise...

hard work sometimes, surely, but fun most of the time. Keep smiling or 
your bound to go under...

2 people started permaculture? Well Dave and Bill might have coined a 
new word and crystalised a set of ethics, principles and design 
strategies but their efforts didn't come from a vacuum and I'm sure 
neither of them would claim otherwise. They may have been the pioneers 
(building on the work of many antecedents however) but gaia forbid that 
their words ever become written in stone, and I'm sure they wouldn't 
have it any other way... BTW, wheres me cards Dave????

Katheryn, your on the right track! Cheers Graham www.spiralseed.co.uk


Martin Naylor wrote:

>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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