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E-News - February 2016
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Welcome to Enews 2016!


Hello all and welcome to our first Enews for 2016, and the first of our new Permaculture West Committee!

I am co-convening with Georgina Warden, mentored by Charles Otway and superbly organised and coordinated by our secretary Helen Shanks. We are incredibly fortunate to be supported by a brand-new fabulous, supportive, engaged and productive committee. I am a newbie to Permaculture and to committees in general but am very keen to get out there, to learn, to get to know you, to connect and share in surplus time, energies and skills. 

We have our feet on the ground and while the beginning of this year at least is likely to be one of building strength within our committee, we have a few exciting events in the works to shimmy up excitement and involvement and help to support Permaculture endeavours in WA. One of these is a seasonal Permaculture West E-Magazine with in-depth articles that draw on local knowledge and highlight local skills. 

Also, excitingly this year WA is hosting the 13th Australasian Permaculture Convergence (better known as APC13). The first day will be free and open to the public as a Permaculture expo, followed by two days of convergence open to PDC graduates, then almost a week and a half of tours, workshops and courses. Hopefully, this will revitalise Permaculture in WA and showcase the efforts of many fabulous souls and systemic design. 

To 2016!! 

Warm regards and plentiful gardens,
Kelly Springer, Co-Convenor


P.S. I would love to extend a huge thank you to Kelly Thorburn for compiling, editing and designing our now monthly E-News. We are very lucky! (My pleasure! - Kelly T.)

Permaculture West website   |   Permaculture West facebook

In the Noongar seasons of South West WA, Bunuru is the second summer that happens during February and March. It is the season of adolescence.

This is the hottest part of the year, with hot easterly and northerly winds and sparse rainfall. As inland water supplies became scarce, Noongar people traditionally moved towards the coastal areas where large assemblies gathered.

Read more HERE, HERE and HERE
The Permaculture Principles form the foundation for permaculture design. They are valuable tools for thinking about how to re-design our environment and our behaviour.

Permaculure founders Bill Mollison and David Holmgren each have a set of permaculture principles that overlap and are subtly different from the other.

Observe and interact


Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Embraces the concept that taking time to engage with nature can help us design solutions to suit particular situations.

Before you decide to plant out a new super duper vegie garden in your backyard, first take some time to observe where the sun falls, where the winds blow, or which parts remain in shade at the hottest part of the day.

By observing your space, you will have a better idea of how to interact with it.

Read more   |   Sing about it  (with the Formidable Vegetable Sound System)

13th Australasian Permaculture Convergence


2 – 5 October 2016, Middle Swan, PERTH

The Australasian Permaculture Convergence (APC13) is a great chance for permies across Australia and Asia (and the globe!) to gather and share stories about their permaculture journey.

The convergence will showcase sustainable living practices, demonstrate how permaculture can bring positive change to the environment and people’s lives, and offer suggested solutions to the challenges facing the world today.

A public Permaculture Expo will be held prior to the convergence and tours, workshops and courses will be held afterwards.

Submissions for presentations. Closes: 31 May 2016

General Information  |  Register to attend  |  Volunteer  |  Facebook page

Join us, and be a part of the solution!

Envirofest 2016


Sunday 10 April 2016, Whiteman Park

EnviroFEST aims to increase the public’s awareness and understanding of the importance of trees, the environment and conservation in the home and wider community.

Its a family friendly event with displays, workshops, short talks, native fauna displays, organic products, renewable energy, native seedlings for sale from Men of the Trees, plus a range of sustainable and healthy living products.

Read more HERE and HERE

Complete your Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) so you can attend the Australasian Permaculture Convergence in Perth this October.

A PDC gives you life changing skills and the knowledge to help you design and implement permaculture theory in your own home, community and beyond. You will get hands-on experience through practical activities as well as learning through workshops, presentations, and field trips to inspiring permaculture properties. And, at the end you will be a globally recognised, certified Permaculture Designer!

Take control of your future and be the change you want to see in the world today.

There are several options for training coming up over the next few months.

Permaculture Design Certificate

– Permaseed, Bunbury


Saturdays from 20 February 2016, 9.00am - 5.00pm

Part-time course. BYO lunch. Morning and afternoon smoko provided. Participants receive a copy of ‘The Basics of Permaculture Design’ by Ross Mars. Course cost: $1000. Read more

Contact: Permaseed, 9 Cross Street, Bunbury, 0427 456 699,
Facebook page

Permaculture Design Certificate

– Fair Harvest Permaculture, Margaret River

1 – 14 May 2016

Full time course. On-site camping available. Three healthy meals provided daily. Access to extensive library of permaculture resources. Course cost: $1850. Read more

Contact: Fair Harvest Permaculture, 426 Carters Road, Margaret River, (08) 9758 8582, www.fairharvest.com.au

Permaculture Design Certificate

– Terra Perma Design, Innaloo


11 – 15,  18 – 22 May 2016, 9.30am – 5.30pm

Full time course spread over two, five-day blocks, plus follow-up weekend in June. BYO lunch. Morning and afternoon teas provided. WA-centric PDC design manual included, plus access to seeds and plant cuttings. Course cost: $1200. Read more

Contact: Terra Perma Design, 0466 633 275 (Charles), www.terraperma.com.au

Other Courses & Workshops


Earth Carers Training Program, Free, various dates in March 2016, various locations within Mindarie Regional Council

Holistic Management Training Part 1, $2000 + gst, 15-16 March 2016 (other sessions included in fees: 12-13 April, 17-18 May, 14-15 June 2016), Fair Harvest Permaculture, Margaret River

Beginners’ Beekeeping, $95, 12 March 2016, Fair Harvest Permaculture, Margaret River

Grow Your Own Superfood, $95, 13 March 2016, Fair Harvest Permaculture, Margaret River

Introduction to Permaculture, $170, 16-17 April 2016, Fair Harvest Permaculture, Margaret River

Future Scenarios, $150, 6 October 2016, David Holmgren, TBC WA

Advanced Permaculture Principles, $450, 8-9 October 2016, David Holmgren, TBC WA

Advanced Permaculture Teaching, $700, 10-14 October 2016, Rowe Morrow & Robin Clayfield, TBC WA

Advanced Permaculture Design, $700, 10-14 October 2016, Graham Bell, Ross Mars, David Holmgren, TBC WA

Halloumi Making, $110, with sufficient numbers, Fair Harvest Permaculture, Margaret River

One Planet FreoMatch Funding Program
– Now Open!


Calling all sustainability project innovators

The One Planet FreoMatch funding program is now open for project applications until Friday 12 February 2016. Sustainability project innovators, not-for-profit organisations, local businesses and social enterprises, start-ups and individuals with concepts that align with the City of Fremantle’s One Planet Strategy and its ten sustainability principles are invited to apply.

The model encourages participants to seek community support and involvement in their projects through crowdfunding. Those who successfully reaching 50% of their total target are then eligible for the remaining 50% of funding from the City of Fremantle. Successful applicants will be invited to the One Planet Pitch event on 24 March 2016.

HURRY! Closes:  Friday 12 February 2016

Pitch your project HERE    |    Read more HERE

Contact: Melanie Bainbridge  |  melanieb@fremantle.wa.gov.au  |  (08) 9432 9735

Community Capability Grants – Small Projects


Volunteer groups with an interest in caring for WA’s natural resources can now apply for funding to grow their capability through the State Natural Resource Management program, thanks to Royalties for Regions.

The grants are to help organisations improve the capability of their volunteers to do on-ground work, to help improve organisational governance, and to help improve management performance of community-based organisations.

Groups can apply for grants up to $10,000 for small projects with a timeframe up to 12 months. All projects must be finalised by December 2018.

Closes: 30 May 2016 (subject to availability of funds)

Read MORE or APPLY ONLINE

Successful Funding

Green Army

In Round Four of the Australian Government's Green Army programme, 397 new projects were approved to protect national and world heritage icons and key threatened species, bringing the total number of approved Green Army projects to 1,145 since it began in 2014.

Check out the latest successful Green Army Projects
 

20 Million Trees

20 Million Trees is part of the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme investing over $1 billion in four years to help manage natural resources and improve the environment. Grants totalling over $5 million were approved in Round Two, with 64 projects being funded to plant 1.3 million native trees and plants to re-establish native vegetation, provide habitat for threatened species and improve the liveability of our cities.

Check out the successful 20 Million Trees projects

Other Funding

 

Regional Events Scheme – Funding of $5000 to $50,000 to develop smaller, regional events in WA. Closes: 1 February 2016. HERE

The Horizon Scholarship – Scholarship up to $5000 for Agriculture students and future leaders. Closes: 19 February 2016. HERE

Project Bunbury


A Community Timebanking Initiative

Project Bunbury has been started by a small group of concerned local citizens who want to see Bunbury become a place where people work together, a place where we help each other out.  Project Bunbury has a values based approach that is both participatory and non-discriminate. We believe that everyone has something to offer and that we all have intrinsic value and worth to our community.

WHAT IS TIMEBANKING?

TIMEBANKING is a way of trading skills in a community.

INSTEAD OF MONEY, time credits are used as payment. You earn time credits for the work you do, and then use them to ‘buy’ another member’s time to get the services you need.

THE KEY IS EQUALITY. Everyone’s time is valued equally. No matter what skill are used, no matter what work is done, one hour always equals one time credit.

Read more

Having a peek at permie places!

Summer is here, as unusual as the weather has been! And we’d love to know what’s happening in your abundant gardens, including those progressing towards abundance.

This picture is from Kelly Springer’s garden in Craigie, where she has unirrigated sweet potato, bana grass and passionfruit all thriving in a rarely visited part of the garden only 30 metres from her back door.

What’s happening at your place? Please send us pictures of your garden along with your name and location, plus a few words describing it. You can send it to us via enews@permaculturewest.org.au

Buy nothing new for a year!


Australians are some of the world's biggest spenders

Sasha Milne just took a year off, bucking the trend with her 2014 Nothing New project. The 29-year-old single mother lives with her three-year-old daughter, Bo, in south-west Western Australia. She shared her story with ABC Open. Read more

Engaging Landcare's Next Generation


The search is on for the next generation of young people committed to protecting Australia's crucial land and water assets into the future.

In a bid to make it easier for Landcare groups to attract young people, Landcare Australia has released a new ‘how-to’ kit designed to provide practical advice on encouraging young people to become active in their local Landcare group.

It includes ‘how to’ kits for Youth Engagement in Landcare, for Youth Engagement Case Studies, and a Project Design template.

Read MORE

2016 - International Year of the Pulses


The United Nations has declared 2016 the International Year of the Pulses, with the aim of promoting the nutritional benefits of pulses and demonstrating their place as part of sustainable food production.

Read more – HERE, HERE and HERE

WA Young Achiever Awards


The Scott Print Environment & Sustainability Award recognises young individuals that have demonstrated environmental leadership or made a significant contribution to sustainability in Western Australia. Read more

PIP Permaculture Magazine


Grow - Build - Eat - Thrive - Nurture - Design

Pip is designed for and written by the Australian permaculture community, for the community.

It comes out twice a year and is a great place to connect and share ideas, knowledge and experience, and stay in touch with what is happening around Australia. All while learning about integrating permaculture and sustainability in your life.

There are informative articles on all aspects of permaculture as well as profiles on people, projects, gardens, farms, houses and businesses. There are ‘how to’ guides, recipes, reviews, a directory containing permaculture related businesses, courses and people and a classifieds section.

Read more and more

Each month we'll be featuring a Permaculture Business from WA. The aim is to let people know what services are available out there, and to provide inspiration for what's possible to achieve with a PDC!

If you have a Permie Business, send us your information for inclusion in a future Enews.

Terra Perma Design


Permaculture education & design

Terra Perma Design is a permaculture business based in Perth that focuses on education, with 72 hour Permaculture Design Courses and 2 – 3 hour special interest, sustainable living workshops for councils and community gardens.
Terrma Perma Design was set up in 2011, with the aim of teaching sustainable gardening, ecological and permaculture design and eco-living in Perth. It is currently run by prominent Perth Permie Charles Otway – a fully qualified trainer and experienced sustainability and food garden designer – along with his wife Jolene.

Read more and more

Brogo Permaculture Gardens, NSW


Brogo Permaculture Gardens on the south coast of New South Wales begun over 20 years ago when John Champagne and his wife Sharon moved to the area from Melbourne after a permaculture course.

Since then they have raised five wonderful children, built their own mudbrick home and transformed land that once only supported cattle and blackberries. Their permaculture course have inspired many to take a similar plunge and try a new way of living. They also run PDC’s, internships, open days, and openly welcome people to visit them.

Read more and more

Green Warrior Permaculture Aid, Philippines


Green Warrior Permaculture is a social enterprise dedicated to caring for the Earth and caring for the people. This international team of front-line aid and development specialists has a combined total of 51 years experience working as social and environmental consultants with communities in 38 countries around the world.

Through their Green Warrior Field School, they provide the technical expertise and know-how to manage and train people in resilient reconstruction, food security, eco-education and sustainable livelihoods.

Their next Permaculture Design Certificate will be held at the Green Warrior Field School in Mablad, Philippines from 6 to 20 March 2016. Volunteers are welcomed to be involved in their projects!

Read more

Let us know - send us your content!


This is your Enews, so we'd love to hear from you!

Tell us about your events, any courses or workshops you know of coming up, funding opportunities, general permie news and other cool permie-related stuff.

We’ll be featuring a different Permaculture group from around WA each month – so let us know what you’ve been up to!

We’d also love to see what’s happening in your garden too, or in your kitchen – at your place.

Send your updates to: enews@permaculturewest.org.au

Until next month,
Kelly Thorburn - Enews editor
Copyright © 2016. Permaculture West. All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
enews@permaculturewest.org.au

http://permaculturewest.org.au



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