Subject: Wednesday Site Tour and Talk with Ben Falk
Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 10:52:48 -0400
Interactive Site Tour, 4-5pm @ Dilmun Hill Student-Run Farm
Presentation, 5:30-7pm @ Plant Science building room 143
Ben will use the student farm for exploring small-scale permaculture,
discussing improvements that can be made to traditional agricultural
operations and backyard gardens to make them more ecologically enhancing
and resilient to flood, drought, pests and other stresses. Topics of
discussion with include water catchment and reuse, site analysis and
site-specific plantings, earthworks and optimizing
overall site layout. He will also give a talk about his work at Whole
Systems Design in Mad River Valley, VT, showcasing the design and
development of human habitats that are adaptive, resilient, and more
secure in a future of peak oil and climate instability.
Ben
Falk, M.A.L.D, developed Whole Systems Design, LLC, as a land-based
response to biological and cultural extinction and the increasing
separation between people and elemental things. Life as a designer,
builder, ecologist, tree-tender, and backcountry traveler continually
informs Ben’s integrative approach to developing landscapes and
buildings. His home landscape and the WSD studio site in Vermont’s Mad
River Valley serve as a proving ground for the innovative land
developments featured in the projects of Whole Systems Design. Ben has
studied architecture and landscape architecture at the graduate level
and holds master of arts in landscape design degree. He has taught
design courses at the University of Vermont and Harvard’s Arnold
Arboretum as well as on permaculture design, microclimate design, and
design for climate change. He recently served on the board of directors
at the Yestermorrow Design-Build School, where he also teaches from time
to time.
*Ben Falk's book, The Resilient Farm and Homestead,
details leading-edge strategies for regenerating soil, water systems and
human health through the design and operations of the homeastead and
farm. It will be available for purchase at the event.
This event is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by Dilmun
Hill Student Farm, Cornell Garden-Based Learning, Cornell Permaculture
Club, CU Collaborate and the Toward Sustainability Foundation.
> Directions to Plant Science: The Plant Sciences building is located on
Tower Road between Bradfield Hall and Kennedy Hall on the Cornell
University campus. When entering Plant Science from the ground level at
the parking circle, this room is accessed by walking up the set of
stairs immediately to the right.