2019-2020 The Year of Permaculture

Permaculture is genuine care for people and nature. It inspires taking only a fair share of resources.

‘The philosophy of permaculture is one of working with rather than against nature, of looking at systems in all their functions, rather than asking only one yield of them, and of allowing systems to demonstrate their own evolutions.” (Bill Mollison, Permaculture – A Designers Manual 1988)

Permaculture is a mixture of new and old ways of how to live sustainably. It provides a new creative approach to old problems, and hope for those who are thinking about life in the context of other beings.

As applied to education, Permaculture is brimming with practical examples of how to support children in connecting their hearts with their minds, with each other, and with the growing cycle. The scope of permaculture that is relevant for children includes outdoor education and gardening, but doesn’t stop there! Permaculture uses gardening as an entry point into wider issues of fairness and connection.

The three guiding ethical principles of Permaculture are:

  • Earth Care – How can we care for living beings? Have we left anything behind in Nature that doesn’t belong there? Can we recycle that?
  • People Care – How can we make sure that everybody is heard? How can we take care of ourselves? How can we take care of others?
  • Fair Share – How can we share this fairly? Who else would enjoy what we have harvested or made? What other species live here and how can we help them?

We are expecting that our training in Permaculture will allow us to see new possibilities for how we work together, and experience our connection with all things.

For more information, visit Children in Permaculture.