Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

permaculture - [permaculture] Keyline design and holistic range management at Pine Ridge in July

permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: permaculture

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Cory Brennan <cory8570@yahoo.com>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [permaculture] Keyline design and holistic range management at Pine Ridge in July
  • Date: Sat, 5 Jun 2010 19:00:17 -0700 (PDT)

We have two great teachers for this course, both recommended by Darren
Doherty, and we're going to be implementing some major ecological rehab as a
result of this course. Be part of the history at Pine Ridge Lakota
reservation! More info at permacultureguild.us

***

Are you interested in learning how to rehabilitate and regenerate degraded
environments on a broad scale basis – 1000’s of acres? Or on a small, one
acre farm?

Would you like to see degraded, overgrazed lands at Pine Ridge Lakota
reservation transformed to the rich, diverse prairie systems the Lakota
enjoyed 150 years ago?

Would you like to find out how ranchers and farmers can reduce CO2 levels
substantially while enhancing ecosystems and increasing profits?

This course will enable the Lakota at Pine Ridge reservation to begin the
process of regenerating many thousands of acres of land on the reservation
and managing herds in harmony with indigenous wisdom so that they help keep
the prairies healthy instead of destroying them. The project will create
economic opportunity for the tribe in a cultural context while regenerating
ecosystems. Be a part of and contribute to this historic and exciting
process.

Holistic Management can be considered a form of permaculture for ranchers.
It is a method of working with the energies and laws of nature to improve
soil health and the biodiversity of rangelands and pastures and increase
grazing and wildlife capacity while increasing annual profits and enhancing
livelihoods. Also covered is optimal rainfall usage, using herd animals to
regenerate prairie, methods of reversing desertification, increasing food and
water security and enhancing family relationships. Whether you are a rancher
or not, you will walk away from this course with a knowledge of principles
that apply to any system – how human systems can enhance nature instead of
harming her.

Keyline design is a method of capturing and controlling water, aerate soil
and bring fertility and abundance back to degraded drylands quickly, while
providing enough water to continue to build and regenerate a full, diverse,
mature ecosystem. It can be done on a small or large scale. HM and keyline
are responsible for regenerating thousands of acres of degraded and abused
land, creating carbon sequestration, rich wildlife habitat and food systems
such as agroforestry.

Two of the most experienced and well respected instructors/designers in the
US will be teaching this course. Between them they have decades of
experience and walk their talk, using the principles on their own successful
ranches.

Your course fees will help fund a keyline plow and other key expenses of
getting this project implemented.

July 21-25 intensive

Opportunities for apprenticing and volunteer work after course.

Course fees: $795, includes materials

For more info write: cory@permacultureguild.us

Instructors:

Kirk Gadzia owns and operates Resource Management Services, a training and
consulting firm located in Bernalillo, NM. He is a certified Educator with
Holistic Management International. Kirk has over 25 years experience
teaching the concepts of Holistic Management and has taught over 250 Holistic
Management training seminars and workshops internationally.

The focus of his work is a holistic approach to agriculture and life, whereby
land, animals, crops, wildlife and other resources are planned into the
operation and financial picture. The model for making this work is mimicking
natural systems and balancing life style with long and short term goals. The
decision making processed used to achieve this balance is called Holistic
Management.

Kirk works directly with producers to achieve profitability in their
operations. He has extensive international consulting experience with many
large ranching and agricultural operations throughout the United States and
overseas. In addition, Kirk also provides customized training and consulting
to a wide variety of public and private business and conservation
organizations. Kirk is co-author of the National Academy of Science 1994
publication entitled Rangeland Health, and is working to improve rangeland
health monitoring techniques in a wide variety of environments.

Years of assisting people on the land helps Kirk approach the course in an
interactive, hands-on style. His courses are known for their relaxed
atmosphere, open dialogue and practical real-life examples. He is uniquely
qualified to help you achieve your own distinctive learning objectives.

Abe Collins is a grazier in St. Albans, Vermont. He founded New Soil Matrix,
Inc, and co-founded Carbon Farmers of America, a Vermont farmer-owned company
that introduced the idea and practice of accelerated topsoil formation to
numerous farmers and policy makers around the world.

Abe’s focus for the last 15 years has been studying and developing management
tools to rapidly build new topsoil and reverse desertification. He has
carried that work through New Soil Matrix to enable farmers and policymakers
to scale and monetize topsoil formation while cost-effectively meeting the
environmental services needs of cities.

Abe worked with Native American communities focused on land restoration
through the 1990’s. Much of this time was spent working with the Black Mesa
Permaculture Project (BMPP) while living on the Navajo Nation. Through this
work and practical trials Abe laid the foundation for New Soil Matrix
decision-support software and ground-tested numerous soilbuilding tools.

From Abe:

“By combining Planned Grazing and subsoil (keyline) plowing we can convert
subsoil to topsoil at astounding rates. The resulting robust photosynthesis
and rapid decay of pasture roots transforms atmospheric carbon dioxide into
stable humus in topsoil. If enough of us farmers embrace soilbuilding, we can
reduce atmospheric CO2 from current levels to near pre-industrial levels
within ten years. In other words, we can stabilize climate-change as a
by-product of profitable, ecological farming._This discussion will go beyond
using less hair-spray, driving less and the Kyoto protocol; we will address
and examine policy and citizen action that can harmonize people, land, water
and atmosphere. Energy and fuel issues will be tackled. Together, farmers and
our conscious customers can restore biodiversity, build deep topsoil and
stabilize CO2 levels. The choice of our legacy to future generations is
before us; this presentation will give you new and empowering
information to incorporate into your farm and daily life.”






  • [permaculture] Keyline design and holistic range management at Pine Ridge in July, Cory Brennan, 06/05/2010

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page