permaculture

[Jason Gerhardt <jasongerhardt@gmail.com>]

Rhonda, AMEN!!! Lineage is what it is all about! If a PDC teacher doesn't
lay out the lineage stories of permaculture in the US and around the world
they are doing us all a huge disservice in my opinion. I'd like to think we
can embrace the valuable parts of hierarchical structure. It is a quite
ecological concept.

I am still totally baffled at how many people are unaware of standards in
permaculture. Seriously!

When I began to teach I first co-taught for years allowing the lead
teachers to issue their certificates. When I got to leading courses of my
own I went to PIUSA (Scott, Larry, Toby) to ask if I could issue their
certificates. After a little back and forth and some PERSISTENCE I got
permission to do so. I will give Andrew Millison credit for this as he was
my original teacher and harped on the importance of respect for elders and
PIUSA in particular. I was also awarded a Diploma from PIUSA last year. I
acted a little like a guinea pig for the Diploma and Permaculture
Practitioner in Training program so we could iron out some kinks and make
the program flow well. It is now fully operational with over a handful of
approved diploma mentors and dozens of Permaculture Practitioners in
Training for the Diploma (more everyday it seems).

I have gotten to know Scott well and my respect has only grown. He has a
huge heart! Scott has been doing this work of the national Permaculture
Institute for over 15 years with very little help. I can imagine he is just
unable to answer every inquiry that comes his way, so don't take it
personal if that has happened to you. I also imagine most people contact
Scott when they want something from him. Healthy ecology requires exchange,
so if you feel burned, perhaps ask yourself what you are offering in
return?

Scott and Arina have been more than happy to have some of my assistance in
organization of the website and fielding e-mails from Diploma applicants.
There will come a time very soon when the demand will once again outstrip
the ability to meet it. So we need people to step up and offer something in
return.

I admit to having a very small amount of aversion to new organizations
popping up to do this same work. I think instead of reinventing the wheel
we can link up and form exchanges with the people that have been doing this
work for decades.

In lineage,
-- 
Jason Gerhardt
Designer and Educator