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- Permaculture Design
- What is Permaculture?
- Diploma>
- Output 1 Making room for new beginnings; creating conscious space for good design>
- Output 2 Beginning the Design Process; Observing and interacting>
- Output 3 Stacking functions>
- Our current living space; Alex`s house and garden>
- Pete`s house; Turning a monster into an ally!
- Integrating permaculture design into my work place>
- Forest gardening at Margam Park...
- Raising Seth - supporting my son`s journey>
- Extracts from learning journal
- Process reflection
- Appendix
- Appendix ll. Tutor & Peer review
- Output 4 Small and slow solutions>
- Our current living space; Alex`s house and garden>
- Pete`s house; turning a monster into an ally!
- Integrating Permaculture design into my work place
- Forest gardening at Margam Park
- Raising Seth; Supporting our son`s journey.
- Getting to grips with technology!
- Extracts from learning Journal
- Process reflection
- Output 5, Accept and respond to feedback>
- Output 6
- Output 7
- Output 8
- Output 9
- Output 10
- Completed Designs>
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Designing my Action Learning Pathway.
The Action Learning Pathway (ALP) is all about projecting ahead through time, forward planning. It`s about organizing my projects into a logical and achievable order, taking into account such things as priorities, personal development, ambitions and skills that I need to develop in order to achieve my objectives. It is unlikely that the ALP that I have produced below will align completely with the way in which things actually happen, but it does provide structure for my intentions and helps mind map the projects for my Diploma in Permaculture Design.
Making a curtain pole bracket from greenwood.
My Projects
At this early stage in the diploma process it is difficult for me to realistically come up with ten potential projects that I can predict to be achievable to design over the next two years. That doesn`t of course mean that I cannot think of ten possible projects to which permaculture design can be applied. In truth, the opposite is the case!
Currently, there are a few project definites that simply must happen in order to progress on so many levels. These "priority" projects will then lead into others, and form a network of other potential projects. For now, I am going to list the various possabilities that I have included in my ALP. It will be interesting to compare this list with future updates as my Diploma in Permaculture Design runs it`s natural course.
Project One; Our Current Living Space - Alex`s house and garden
Project Two; Pete`s House - Turning a "monster" into an ally!
These first two are definite projects that are happening right now and which I will apply the principles of Permaculture toward. I hope to spread out from these two projects into many directions, it is difficult to predict precisely where but I will put together a list of possibilities, all of which are referenced in my ALP. First of all though, let`s take a look at my ALP itself.
Not exactly being a technological wizard myself, (at least not yet!) I drew my ALP out on a flip chart, photographed it and put it on the computer. It worked well for me, as spending too much time in front of a computer screen does little for my creativity. I thoroughly enjoyed the creative process of drawing my ALP. I first of all noted my prior learning experiences. I used swimming tadpoles to represent these experiences, all of which are pictured swimming towards a central area where a frog sits happily. The frog is then pictured leaping forwards to the ALP itself.
The ALP I have called the "Mycorrizal Action Learning Pathway" as it has taken the shape of an expanding entwined network, much like the infrastructure of fungal networks.
So, here`s the list of possible projects, as depicted in my ALP, on the red branch of the Mycorrizal network; "Design & Implementation."
Henry`s land - An interesting mixture of upland farmland, woodland and scrub with amazing views looking over an estuary. Henry is a friend that used to volunteer with me whilst employed by BTCV Cymru as a Community Project Officer in Llanelli and whose land I have walked a good few times. It`s about half an hour`s drive from me.
Conquer Technology - A potential project in itself! My technological learning path, could be interesting!!
Brynglas Farm - Another fantastic piece of former upland farm land, owned by a lovely lady called Helen who already opens it up to community groups.
Simon's Place? - A possible joint project with the other members of my learning guild.
Jeff Simm`s Woodland Living Space - A friend living part-time in the woods. He might be making it more permanent, I may make it a diploma project!
Carmarthen shire Woodland - More friends with more land! More potential projects!
Les`s Land - Guess what - another friend with yet more land. 90 acres of mixed woodland, and forestry land. I have already been involved in creating wildlife ponds at the site, there is the potential to do so much more and Les is open to suggestions. Would make a fantastic venue at which to engage and educate groups.
Allotments - Two separate allotments currently run by a Mental Health department. It would be great to apply Permaculture at the sites, work alongside the people, and perhaps use it as a training venue at which to deliver Open College Network units, (perhaps in Permaculture and food forests!) with the possibility of involving my friend and fellow Diploma Apprentice, Kevin Mascarenhas. Which leads me to.....
Integrating Permaculture Design into my work - An holistic project with the potential for rapid and effective awareness raising of Permaculture. I have already started to sow the seeds of this project.
Margam Food Forest? - A Local Authority owned deer park at which I have already established a working relationship. I have previously sourced funding for, and created ponds, habitat, and a disabled access boardwalk. Recently, a grant has been awarded for the clearance of a vast area of Rhododendron ponticum. This work has already begun. I am looking into the possibility of creating a food forest at the cleared area.
My areas of interest.
Just in case anyone reading this hasn`t worked it out yet, my life long interest has been the natural world.
Integrating it into all of my projects whenever the opportunity presents itself will be an absolute pleasure for me.
Taking inspiration from nature will be a constant running theme of my Diploma in Permaculture Design.
Pond creation, another of my specific areas of interest and one that I have a considerable experience with.
Resources - The inspiration of nature as previously mentioned, is probably the most overlooked but freely available educational resource out there.
My friend, permaculture mentor and Diploma Tutor Richard Perkins is another resource. I will be tapping into his knowledge and guidance during the course of my Diploma. Literature and the easily accessible Youtube are two more resources that I have already been utilising.
My Learning Guild - Jesus, Adam and Eve (er I mean Nim!) are three lovely people and fellow Permaculture Design Apprentices that form the rest of the learning guild that I am part of. Together we will observe, reflect, review and listen. It will be a valuable resource and process in itself.
Training Courses - that I would like to attend to aid me in progressing during my Diploma studies include;
Integrating it into all of my projects whenever the opportunity presents itself will be an absolute pleasure for me.
Taking inspiration from nature will be a constant running theme of my Diploma in Permaculture Design.
Pond creation, another of my specific areas of interest and one that I have a considerable experience with.
Resources - The inspiration of nature as previously mentioned, is probably the most overlooked but freely available educational resource out there.
My friend, permaculture mentor and Diploma Tutor Richard Perkins is another resource. I will be tapping into his knowledge and guidance during the course of my Diploma. Literature and the easily accessible Youtube are two more resources that I have already been utilising.
My Learning Guild - Jesus, Adam and Eve (er I mean Nim!) are three lovely people and fellow Permaculture Design Apprentices that form the rest of the learning guild that I am part of. Together we will observe, reflect, review and listen. It will be a valuable resource and process in itself.
Training Courses - that I would like to attend to aid me in progressing during my Diploma studies include;
- Natural Building
- Bee keeping
- Alternative technology - harnessing energy
- Food forests
- Possible teacher training
- I will also look to gain experiential learning in all of the above mentioned areas. I plan on assisting tutors with future Permaculture Design Courses, both to gain experience of teaching and to refresh my memory on one or two points! Richard Perkins will be delivering a course in March, and I hope to join a few of my fellow Permaculture Design Apprentices and get involved.
Walking the Talk - applying permaculture principles to my life.
Raising my son and my relationship with my partner are two areas where I can apply permaculture principles.
I shall also be exploring spirituality further and deeper.
Relaxing and celebrating achievements whenever the opportunity arises, and if it doesn`t, then making opportunities to do so is an important part of maximising creativity and productivity, and is something that I will be devoting time toward.
I shall also be exploring spirituality further and deeper.
Relaxing and celebrating achievements whenever the opportunity arises, and if it doesn`t, then making opportunities to do so is an important part of maximising creativity and productivity, and is something that I will be devoting time toward.
Skill Sharing - promoting permaculture design
Integrating skill sharing and promoting permaculture design throughout my Diploma Action Learning Pathway will take the form of;
I would like to set myself the target of being able to deliver an Introduction to Permaculture course before reaching the accreditation stage of my Diploma in Permaculture Design. Doing so would stack so many functions, learning from the experience of teaching and collaborating with fellow Apprentices during the process and so learning from each other, raising awareness whilst doing so and spreading interest and empowerment further, and so ensuring that the rolling stone of Permaculture Design gathers further momentum.
Back to top of page or go to next element of Diploma output 1, my skills flex.
- Writing Articles
- Giving talks
I would like to set myself the target of being able to deliver an Introduction to Permaculture course before reaching the accreditation stage of my Diploma in Permaculture Design. Doing so would stack so many functions, learning from the experience of teaching and collaborating with fellow Apprentices during the process and so learning from each other, raising awareness whilst doing so and spreading interest and empowerment further, and so ensuring that the rolling stone of Permaculture Design gathers further momentum.
Back to top of page or go to next element of Diploma output 1, my skills flex.