Santa Barbara Permaculture Network Monthly Events Announcement JUNE/JULY 2006

Hi Everyone-

        Well, our big fundraising event for 2006 is almost here.  Last year we had Permaculture co-founder David Holmgren speaking about Energy Descent and the end of cheap fossil fuels as an energy source.  This year we are very excited to have Geoff Lawton, Director of the Permaculture Research Institute(www.permaculture.org.au) at Tagari Farms in New South Wales, Australia, speaking about Permaculture & Sustainable Aid in the 21st Century, How to Change the Paradigm.......

        Geoff is one of the most accomplised permaculture teachers and designers in the world, many times working in ecologically degraded areas, sometimes areas experiencing extreme cultural conflicts.  Today we are faced with the additional knowledge that the Earth's ecosystems are in crisis, Geoff shares Permaculture's practical, positive solutions and asks us to be a part of an exciting future of positive world change.  We met Geoff at a conference in 2000, where he talked of his work with CARE International in Macedonia, the largest refugee camp since World War Tw, we were amazed at the restoration & repair work not only for the damage done by the camp itself, but hundreds of years of erosion ....  Present at the conference were young Macedonians that had taken a PC design course taught by Geoff, and were....



GEOFF LAWTON, is world renowned for field expertise and extensive teaching experience in the ecological badlands of Earth, areas of extreme cultural conflicts, as well as more friendly environments. Founding director of the acclaimed Permaculture Research Institute, Geoff is working in more countries and co-ordinating more projects on the ground than any other Permaculture Institute today.

Earths ecosystems are in crisis. Permaculture offers practical, sustainable solutions. You can be part
of the exciting adventure of positive world change.

After Hurricane Katrina last summer, will we ever view emergency relief in the same way?  If we experience more natural or man made disasters, will we find a better way to respond to each others needs, which might be our own?  How is care designed into a system that best serves the people?  Katrina also showed us how many people wanted to help, but couldn't, faced with many, many obstacles.

Join Geoff, Nadia Abu Yahia, and Andrew Young as they talk about their aid work around the world, with exploration of ideas that include not only temporary emergency relief work, but long term development, landcare restoration strategies, and ecological design. Also discussed will be plans to develop International Permaculture Aid training centers.  For an example of Geoff's work, please go to www.permaculture.org.au, to see the web video Greening of the Desert to view a project in Jordan, an example of the work they are involved with.
(GEOFF LAWTON, is world renowned for field expertise and extensive teaching experience in the ecological badlands of Earth, areas of extreme cultural conflicts, as well as more friendly environments. Founding director of the acclaimed Permaculture Research Institute, Geoff is working in more countries and co-ordinating more projects on the ground than any other Permaculture Institute today.

Earths ecosystems are in crisis. Permaculture offers practical, sustainable solutions. You can be part of the exciting adventure of positive world change.
Both timely subjects for our times. )



The Conference takes place with an evening lecture on June 30, and a two day workshop on July 1 & 2.  Both will be held at the Santa Barbara City College West Campus, in the Fe Bland Auditorium.  Please see below for more details.  We would love to have members offer places to stay for those coming from out of town to attend this event, it is on the holiday weekend before July 4th, making it difficult to find accomodations.  Please contact if you would like to take advantage of this opportunity to meet and share with other permaculture folks.  One of our long time members says sharing her house is her favorite way to give back to us and the community!

Sustainable World Radio on public radio station KCSB 91.9fm continues to interview lot's of permaculture folks, they will have Geoff, Nadia & Andrew on for a special two hour show on Friday June 30, from 9-11am, please tune in, also streaming live at www.kcsb.org.  They welcome phone calls and questions during the show. 

We are also hoping people are staying alert to what is happening in Los Angeles with the South Central Farm (www.southcentralfarm.org) which was raided last week by LAPD and the LA Sherriff's Dept., helicopters and bulldozers.  This was a lush oasis in the middle of concrete jungle, growing food and feeding many families, and was in the process of raising funds to purchase the property through a landtrust.  Visit their website to decide whether you feel worth supporting, they can use donations large and small.  Originally they asked everyone to just send a dollar, always powerful to have all the people pitch in, although I'm sure $20-$100 might be more helpful.

Hope to see you at one of these events soon-
Margie Bushman
Santa Barbara Permaculture Network


UPCOMING EVENT, JUNE/JULY 2006
<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>
UCSB Sust Conf

Sust world radio

Perm & Sust Aid Conference

Permaculture & Sustainable Aid for the 21st Century:
How to Change the Paradigm of Emergency Disaster Relief & Development
to a Model of Life Affirming Assistance

3 Day Conference:
Santa Barbara City College West Campus, Fe Bland Auditorium

Evening Lecture with Geoff Lawton, Friday, June 30, 7pm, $15
Lecture, No reservations, pay at the door,

Workshop July 1 & July 2, 2006
$120 pre-registered, $140 at the door, Students $100 (scholarships available for students)
(send & make out checks to SB Permaculture Network, PO Box 92156, SB, CA 93190)

Press Release:

        As Americans we have often thought of emergency disaster relief in terms of sending aid to other countries, after Hurricane Katrina we also see a need to know how to respond in a better way to our own natural disasters.  Natural disasters, wars, famines, how does the human family respond to each other’s needs during these overwhelmingly stressful times? What new models can we create to assist each other better? 

        Join renowned permaculture teachers and designers Geoff Lawton, Nadia Abu Yahia, and international aid worker Andrew Jones, on July 1 and July 2, 2006, as they share their experiences working around the globe in recent disaster zones and longer term refugee camps, existing from circumstances the world may have already forgotten.

        The model of aid permaculture has to offer is vastly different from conventional aid, it includes long term development, land care strategies, and allies itself strongly with the eco-village movement, which incorporates ecological design and natural building techniques for even temporary structures.   Permaculture recognizes that most people have an innate need to help when disaster strikes, and a huge cost to cultures if systems aren't designed with viable ways to both assist and be assisted whenever a need might arise.

        Permaculture is a design system based on ecological principles for creating sustainable human environments, and is one of the most holistic, integrated systems analysis and design methodologies found in the world.  Originally coined from the words PERMAnent agriCULTURE, it has evolved to one of permanent or sustainable culture with consciously designed landscapes that mimic the patterns of nature.

        Geoff Lawton is the Director of the Permaculture Research Institute in Australia, assuming the position from Permaculture founder Bill Mollison.  Lawton has worked for clients that include communities, governments, aid organizations, non-government organizations and multi-national companies. Lawton has served clients in 17 different countries, including Jordan, Iraq, Egypt , USA, Mexico, Macedonia,Vietnam, Costa Rica, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, England, Denmark, Australia and the South Pacific. A recent project in Jordan is documented on a video called Greening the Desert available for viewing on his website (www.permaculture.org.au).

        Nadia Abu Yahia (Lawton) was born in the Dead Sea Valley in Jordan. She learned traditional ways of land use from her father, an expert farmer and herbal healer of Palestinian, Bedouin descent. She later went on to complete her permaculture diploma in design, education and site development and has recently become a registered permaculture teacher.

        Andrew Jones has 10 years of international experience in emergency response, post conflict
development and rehabilitation, working extensively for CARE International, the United Nations, and various NGO’s such as SurfAid International.  Jones is a board member of the Permaculture Research Institute in Australia and Director of the consulting firm, Full Circle (www.fullcirclellc.com). He has worked in the Middle East, South Pacific, Asia, Europe and the United States, most recently in Indonesia in a post-tsunami recovery context.

        The conference takes place at the Santa Barbara City College West Campus, Fe Bland Auditorium, 721 Cliff Drive.  The lecture is on Friday, June 30, 7pm, cost $15, pay at the door, no reservations required.  Workshop, Saturday, July 1, 9-5pm, and Sunday, July 2, 9-4pm.  Workshop cost is $120 with pre-registration, $140 at the door, Students $100, student scholarships available. The Santa Barbara Permaculture Network, SBCC Environmental Studies Program, Nutiva, and Hopedance Media sponsor the event. For more info and registration, contact: Santa Barbara Permaculture Network, margie@sbpermaculture.org; 805-962-2571; www.sbpermaculture.org .
Send checks for the Workshop to PO Box 92156, Santa Barbara, CA 93190.

UCSB would like to invite you to the Turning the Tide; Implementing Sustainable Strategies Sustainability Conference June 25th-28th 2006.  The Conference will highlight best practices in sustainability from University of California, California State University, and California Community College campuses as well as from several state and cities who are taking stances on natural resource conservation and sustainability.  There will be close to 600 participants and over 150 speakers who are top in their field and the people actually creating policy and implementing changes in their work. To find out more and register please visit: www.sustainability.ucsb.edu/conference. Online registration closes Thursday, June 22nd.  You may register onsite however fees are $50 more expensive.  If you need a scholarship please email turningthetide@geog.ucsb.edu.


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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