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South Coast Permaculture Guild Contacts
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Hello everyone,
Just to remind folks that if you want to hear Permaculture News and Interviews tune into Santa Barbara Region KCSB 91.9fm or on line www.kcsb.org Fridays 9-10am Sustainable World Radio.
Summer 2007 newsletter
It's our 10 year Anniversary!
In 1997 we took a Permaculture Design Course with Bill Mollison in Ojai California, coming back to do grassroots community organizing in our region. How appropriate that exactly ten years ago this summer, we found ourselves in Brazil for the the 8th International Permaculture Conference (www.ipc8.org ).
Whew! what an amazing
journey. In this ten year period, we participated in two parallel endeavors
in our efforts at community organizing. With other communities we helped form
the South Coast Permaculture Guild, a membership based, informal affiliation
of people, groups, and organizations in our region of Santa Barbara, Ojai, and
Ventura. This included anyone interested in doing Permaculture activities in
any shape or organization form they chose. Locally we formed the Santa Barbara
Chapter of South Coast Permaculture Guild, holding monthly meetings, roadtrips,
Eco-Film Nights, and other activities that all could be a part of.
We were new at community organizing, but Wes Roe in his usual "seize the day" style, started things off with a Ferro Cement workshop just a couple of weeks after our big design course (we had over 100 in our class), knowing the value of linking people together before the good energy dissipates. For that weekend workshop approximately 60-70 people showed up, and a ferro cement water tank was built with only a small instruction book and lot's of enthusiasm. Our monthly meetings started soon after with anywhere from 5-60 participants, but big or small, we committed to always holding them, knowing over the long term momentum would build.
In time we also felt it would be valuable to form an educational non-profit, so Wes and I did that in 2000, to specifically bring a wide array of educational programs and teachers to our area, with a mission of permeating and saturating our community with all things relating to permaculture and sustainability, until no one could say they didn't know what the word "permaculture" meant. And thus, Santa Barbara Permaculture Network was born. ( www.sbpermaculture.org). The two organizations existed side by side, one with plenty of room for others to come in and experiment with many formats, the other remaining true to a specific educational mission.
Our beginning years included many collaborators (bless all collaborators, for indeed, they make the world go round). Oscar Carmona working at the Community Environmental Council (CEC) as Director of Gardens made space for us, we worked together as co-sponsors of many programs we dreamed up, holding them at the old CEC Gildea Resource Center and Gardens, which we still miss to this day. We did many innovative programs those first few years, including our first, a series called "Visions of Gardens & Communities, Learn the Wisdom of Sustainable Living", with Fairview Gardens director Michael Ableman, Biodynamics expert Steve Moore, John Jeavons with a Biointensive Mini-Farm workshop, and permaculture designer & teacher Larry Santoyo. Soon after we held a two day Harvest Festival with music, exhibits and demonstrations, that among others included Lorenz Schaller of KUSA Seeds teaching us it is still possible to grow ancient seed grains, even in Santa Barbara. Without Oscar, this ambitious endeavor that launched us into the community would not have happened, and set the tone for everything that followed. Thank you Oscar.
Larry Santoyo came down from the San Luis Obispo area and did some of the most innovative programs ever, starting with a two day pattern course called Visioning a Permaculture Site that included five different locations for participants to observe and make attempts at design as we learned about pattern literacy, in locations urban and rural, and even a juvenile detention center in the mix. Penny Livingston arrived to teach a four day introduction to permaculture workshop. Remember, in those days we were still in the Intro mode, permaculture for the most part new to the local vocabulary. Bill Roley did a Permaculture & Healthy Watersheds workshop that brought a whole new group into our permaculture world, those from government agencies, held at the South Coast Watershed Resource Center, another great collaboration. We explored topics from Holistic Range Management to Permaculture Credit Unions, and never missed an Earthday, LiveOak Music Fest, Organic Festival, or any other public venue where our exhibits could be shown and we could talk Permaculture. We developed very successful book tours for authors of permaculture, sustainability and natural building, many self-published, to travel minstrel style up and down the coast and sometimes even to other states, sharing their expertise. We developed great skill sharing methods to help empower communities to do their own organizing around events. These authors never failed to leave behind a tremendous wake of interest.
We began to include Natural Builders, like Gary Duncan, Robert Bolman, Catherine Wanek, Joseph Kennedy, Robert LaPorte and Ianto Evans, explaining to those of us who were still new to the subject, that Green Building and Natural Building might be two different things. Strawbale, Cob, and Superadobe became part of our vocabulary. Lots to learn.
Getting the word out to the community on what we were up to was greatly enhanced by a wonderful association with Bob Banner, publisher of Hopedance Magazine (www.hopedance.org) Creative meteorite energy that he is, he blazed a trail with his publication around sustainability issues, and allowed us to be a part of that by coming in as contributors and local editors for several years, and even let us do one issue devoted entirely to Permaculture. It's can still be viewed on our website, (www.sbpermaculture.org, go to related articles). More recently, Jill Cloutier, with Sustainable World Radio (www.kcsb.org), has given space and exposure to many of the Permaculture programs and teachers we have brought to Santa Barbara.
We became a member of the Santa Barbara Ecological Education Coalition (SBEEC), a group of local environmental groups participating in the Santa Barbara City College Adult Education program, and a series called "Living Smart, Living Sustainably", exposing us to students young and old, reaching a very wide audience. We also collaborated on programs with a dynamic group of students from SB City College and their new organization, Santa Barbara City College Students for Sustainability Coalition. We formed a mutual admiration society with two wonderful people, Larry Saltzman & Linda Buzzell with their Santa Barbara Organic Club, sharing ideas and strategies for bringing good stuff to our town.
Others over the years have included Permaculture co-originator David Holmgren speaking about Energy Descent; Mark Lakeman of Portlands City Repair; Toby Hemenway & Gaia's Garden, Robina McCurdy from New Zealand with thoughts on Permaculture and Education; Brad Lancaster on Rainwater Harvesting, Declan Kennedy on EcoVillages around the globe, Geoff Lawton on Permaculture & Sustainable Aid; Starhawk on Earthbased Spirituality, and many, many more---exposing us to the amazing depth and width of this subject of Permaculture. Most recently Darren Doherty came from Australia with a six day intensive on Keyline Design, with implications for large scale agriculture and even strategies to address climate change.
So what does our future hold? After our recent trip to Brazil and the International Permaculture conference, we hope to concentrate on support for the next International conference in Africa in 2009. We would also like to host with others a regional convergence for the Southwest and Drylands regions. Our non-profit, Santa Barbara Permaculture Network will still bring educational programs to our area, but we are looking forward to handing over the local meetings and anything else they might think up, to the many enthusiastic graduates of recent Permaculture Design courses in our area. There is a new Sustainability Center on the horizon with Santa Barbara City College, and under the direction of Enviromental Studies coordinator Adam Green, permaculture and some of our programs will be a part of that.
So with GRATITUDE to all, we invite you to come be a part of a celebration on August 11, 2007, where we share our experiences of the International Conference and month in Brazil, and take time to reflect on the experiences of the last 10 years. Brazil held so many extraordinary experiences, it deserves a storytelling session all it's own, including time in the big city of Sao Paulo, an Eco-Village in the Cerrado (savahnna drylands), a boat ride on the Amazon, and the beautiful historic city of Salvador, Bahia.
Since we can no longer afford despair, let's try joy! (with a brazilian theme)
Hope to see you soon-
Margie Bushman
SB Permaculture Network
Upcoming Events:
August 11, 2007, Brazil
Night
Location, 312 E. Sola St, in the Courtyard:
5:30-6:30 South Coast
Permaculture Guild/SB Chpt Mtg
(bring your recent experiences to share and ideas for local organizing)
6:30pm -10pm SB Permaculture Network hosts a Brazilian Celebration:
6:30pm Food (provided, but potluck encouraged, take the challenge, have fun
with Brazilian recipes)
7:30pm - Brazil Slide Show & Talk
8:30pm 10 pm Music, Dance, Joyful Brazilian stuff, bring your CD's, music makers,
drummers welcome. (The Soho in downtown SB is also having a Brazilian music
night August 11, after 10pm, those wanting to continue the fun can walk over.
Entrance fee, $10).
<<<
October 13 - Permaculture Lecture with Darren Doherty, Ojai, Contact Quail Springs,
info@quailsprings.org, www.quailsprings.org
October 15-27 - Permaculture Design Course - 12 day - Cuyama, CA, Contact "Quail Springs" <info@quailsprings.org>
November 2-4 - Keyline
Design Course - 3 day - Marin, CA, Contact Penny Livingston-Stark,
info@regenerativedesign.org, www.regenerativedesign.org
Nov 8 7-9:30pm - Keyline Lecture, Santa Barbara City College, Contact Margie Bushman, margie@sbpermaculture.org
November 9-10 - Keyline
Design Course - 2 day - Santa Margarita, CA,
Contact Larry Santoyo, santoyo@earthflow.com www.earththflow.com
November 12-13 - Keyline
Design Course - 2 day - Goleta, CA, Contact Guner Tautrim,
gunerandheidi@yahoo.com
To find out more about Darren Doherty and Keyline Design: www.permaculture.biz
Upcoming Event, EcoNest
workshops:
The beginning stages of the EcoNest will involve workshops in which builders,
home owners, or other interested folks will work with the EcoNest team in a
series of two workshops that give the participant a solid foundation in understanding
this unique system of sustainable building. The Timberframe Workshop is scheduled
for November 5-11. The Clay/Straw Building Training is November 12-17. Cost
is TBA. If you would like to be on an initial interest contact list, please
email info@quailsprings.org.
October 2007 through March 2008 5th Annual Los Angeles Permaculture Design Course 1st weekend of each month In and Around Los Angeles County, Contact Larry Santoyo, santoyo@earthflow.com www.earththflow.com
Jan- June 2008 Santa Barbara
Permaculture Design Course, 2nd weekend of each month, in and around Santa Barbara
County, Contact Larry Santoyo, santoyo@earthflow.com www.earththflow.com
Long-term volunteer needed for Tropical Mountain Permaculture Project in
Ecuador
The Los Cedros Protected Forest www.reservaloscedros.org was established in
1989 and work for the recognition as an National Protected Area resulted in
the declaration of Bosque Protector in 1994. Over 17 years populations of birds
and mammals have notably increased to the point where the reserve has been chosen
to become a training center for primate conservation in association with the
University of Sussex and a Darwin Initiative project, Primenet.
Through out the years of conservation efforts Permaculture has been a integral
part of the development of habitat concepts in and around Los Cedros and a new
area has been identified for intensified development of a sustainable model.
Among considerations taken into account for the establishment of this new Permaculture
site are reforestation of practically all areas adjacent to the current administrative
buildings and the institution of silveculture systems in existing pastures with
emphasis on providing food sources for primates in the wild. This means happily
that today monkeys are getting at the fruit planted by previous Permaculture
activity here at Los Cedros and we have to move this program further away from
the primates
.Contact Jose Decoux loscedros@ecuanex.net.ec
Croatia - developing permacultural estates.
If you would like to spend time helping to develop permacultural projects in
Croatia or Bosnia, visit www.ekosela.org/modules/volonter/,
marijana@kneja.hr Croatia Balkan Ecovillage
Network
Frappr Permaculture Group - On Line
It offers a map for you to insert a marker showing your global location down
to almost a quarter mile plus street name. Upload your photo or pic of your
homestead, website logo or whatever. Create a Frappr profile for yourself then
join the permaculture group. www.frappr.com/permaculture
Trainers in Permaculture & sustainable small enterprises Needed
GREENHAND FIELD SCHOOL Lamsujin Village, Aceh Besar, Indonesia
Greenhand Field School is a newly-established training centre in Aceh which provides training in sustainable agriculture and sustainable small enterprises to local communities. The school was established in the post- 2004 tsunami period as a recovery program to support tsunami victims. Its teachings and philosophy are based on permaculture principles coupled with locally-appropriate techniques.
A unique opportunity exists for local, national and international experts in related fields to contribute to the development of the Greenhand program. IDEP, the program s NGO sponsor organization, is seeking committed individuals to participate as trainers in permaculture, sustainable small enterprise and associated skills. Those with the following attributes will be considered:
Please send a letter of introduction addressing the above criteria, a proposed course outline as well as a recent copy of your resume to:Attn: GFS Program recruitment
For more info www.idepfoundation.org/ , hr@idepfoundation.org
The Natural Building Network
The Natural Building Network is a non-profit organization, providing support through a website and personal phone contact. At NaturalBuildingNetwork.org Natural Builders can gather to share ideas, announce events and opportunities, and the public can find skilled help and accurate and up-to-date information
Our intent is to help facilitate Natural Building Guilds throughout the US and Canada,offer technical data for engineers, architects, contractors and subcontractors, and to dedicate a portion of our funding to support low income projects and builders. We will help builders connect and mobilize in the event of natural disaster, work to improve the relationships between Natural Builders,building officials and policymakers, and we will organize and administer Natural Building Colloquia.
We hope to support community locally while networking regionally and nationally. We are here to provide a place for your community.
Please become a member. Your support of Natural Building is making the world a more renewable and sustainable place. Your financial support of the Natural Building Network is important in helping us strengthen our community connections.
NBN is a non-profit company of friends supporting your work. Your membership makes this work possible. Individual memberships are only $27, organizational memberships are $47. Please send your membership payment to: Natural Building Network, P.O. Box 372, Cottage Grove, OR 97424. Please contact Jack or Carrie via the website www.naturalbuildingnetwork.org, email: mail@naturalbuildingnetwork.org or phone 541-942-8359 to learn more.
Online Communities
Directory Website
We are very pleased to announce that the new Online Communities
Directory website is now open to the public! http://directory.ic.org The Directory is a free searchable database of intentional
communities. You can browse through our alphabetical community
list or search for communities based on location, keyword, and
various aspects of community living that are important to
community seekers.
Permaculture Credit Union -- Come on In
Loans immediately available to members from any state. Join the only Credit Union
that is based on Permaculture Principles and Ethics. Signature loans for amounts
up to $5,000 at competitive rates and shared-secured loans at even cheaper rates
up to $100,000 are available immediately to members. Anyone who has taken a
Permaculture course, is a member of an affiliated Permaculture Institute, or
believes in the Permaculture ethics is eligible to become a member for $5 membership
fee plus a $50 share deposit.
Teachers/Organizers we can help you by offering credit-worthy students the ability
to borrow money to pay for Permaculture courses. Contact the PCU to inquire
about these and other loan programs.
. Also the PCU is making loans on mortgages, rainwater catchment, home energy
efficiency systems, solar heating and electricity systems, landscape, and car
loans. We offer a 0.75 % discount on loans for earth friendly projects and Earth
friendly car discounts: two types are available, .75% for vehicles with 35mpg
or higher average and 1.5% for vehicles with 45mpg or higher average(which is
usually the hybrid cars).
Please call us at 505 954 3479, toll free 1-866-954-3479 or FAX 505 424 1624.
Visit us online at www.pcuonline.org,
email perma@pcuonline.org, or write
to us.
Permaculture Credit Union
4250 Cerrillos Road
PO Box 29300
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87592-9300
To get Up to Date Permaculture
Ongoing Announcements for courses , events and posting of articles of interest,
try subscribing to our local Permaculture Listserves. ccpg serves San Lois Obispo
,scpg serves Santa Barbara down and including Los Angeles, and sdpg serves San
Diego area. Below are the instructions how to sign up. Thanks to John Howe for setting them up.
It works the same for each separate list:
Central Coast list (ccpg@arashi.com)
South
Coast list (scpg@arashi.com)
San Diego list
(sdpg@arashi.com)
Basically, the info is
more web based now so log on the each website you want to subscribe to:
South Coast Permaculture Ca Guild subscription
http://www.arashi.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/scpg
San Diego Permaculture G subscription
http://www.arashi.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/sdpg
Central Coast Ca Permaculture G subscription
http://www.arashi.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/ccpg
ONCE you are signed onto one or all of the listserves type in sdpg@arashi.com or ccpg@arashi.com, or scpg@arashi.com to post a message to the listserve.
Santa Barbara Permaculture Network
(805) 962-2571
sbpcnet@silcom.com
www.sbpermaculture.org
"We are like trees, we must create new leaves, in new directions, in order to grow." - Anonymous