[Lapg] Fruit Trees For Schools Tours Feb 21-April 15 2005 San Diego-Eureka CA

[Wesley Roe and Marjorie Lakin Erickson]

here is the info for the Tour in Spring from Common Vision Website

Fruit Trees For Schools Tours http://www.commonvision.org/
Feb 21-April 15 San Diego-Eureka CA
HE VISION of FRUIT TREES!!!

By getting students and their teachers in touch with the Earth by planting 
fruit trees we create a catalyst to transform the schools in California 
into physical models of sustainability. Fruit trees begin to help transform 
social paradigm of scarcity to abundance.

How do fruit tree planting tours lead to retrofitting California schools 
into models of sustainability?
Next to water, fruit trees are the first step to creating a more 
sustainable world. Common Vision is creating a network of schools that will 
lead the country into designing wholistic living systems. Each time we 
return to a site we make physical steps towards this goal by adding a new 
element to make a more functional system of self sufficiency. For example 
some elements of such a system are closed loop water systems to irrigate 
the orchards, building earthen benches and classroom additions, installing 
Photovoltaic solar panels for electricity, solar hot water panels, and on 
site compost.

Once a school is retrofit, then what?
The vision comes to maturity when schools become models of sustainability 
because then they are ready to be propagation centers for food forest 
corridors and community retrofitting. As schools mature in this design, 
education from these schools will also mature in a way that embodies the 
ethics and services of stewardship. This way as students grow their 
connection to the environment, the community they live in, and their sense 
of ownership of these things will enable good decision making for people 
everywhere as a whole.

Food forest corridors and Community retrofitting?
Food forest corridors are non motorized pathways that connect residential 
and business areas by edible landscape. These lands, owned by the municipal 
park systems are developed and maintained by the school system. In 
Portland, Oregon CITY REPAIR is a project that has been germinating a way 
for people and schools to be involved with localizing, community building, 
and retrofitting the physical urban environment. City Repair provides a 
good model for California to adopt.




What are the methods to advance schools to physical models of sustainability?
Common Visions' staff are experienced service learning facilitators. We 
continue to develop our program so that students and their teachers are 
involved in any installation of system elements we implement. Our 
Facilitation includes basic written instructions and curriculum follow up 
suggestions for teachers to incorporate into their own lesson plans.
Common Vision also uses the music, song, and story of indigenous cultures 
to convey the importance and depth of the work we are all doing together.

What do we need??
Volunteers for the spring season
•Volunteers receives organic meals for their participation
•Possible stipend available
Diesel vehicles; busses, trucks and runner vehicles
Digital Documentation/Projection equipment
Tools and Materials
•Organic trees and compost
•Shovels
•Picks
•Drip irrigation
•Hoses
•5 -15 gallon containers

Costume/Prop designer
Drums

How Can You Help?
A side from your monetary donations or contributing items on the needs list 
we need:
•Regional Coordinator
•Press Release / Media organizers
•Grant Writers / Fund Raisers
•Tour poster designer
•Curriculum developers
•Biofuel organizer
•Drivers

Contact Blair Philips stillwater at commonvision.org, Deanna Moore 
jodi at commonvision.org