Introduction
In this phase, which is the last and by no means the least, as it is the first stage in setting up the garden, you will be in the position of facilitator. As such, your job will be to guide the group in the development of the materials needed to make the garden a reality, such as the framework document, the charter with its values, and the model of the garden. Your objective will be to bring these elements together to form the project document. You will support your approach using the tools of popular education.
Lessons
L1. Communicate to Raise Project Awareness - Creating a flyer
Communicating the project
Communicating the project to the general public is a crucial step in generating interest and mobilizing new stakeholders.
Here are a few strategies for promoting the project:
1. Create an eye-catching visual (A4 poster, A5 flyer, computer graphics, etc.).
You can either :
- draw freehand, or use tools such as CANVA, WORD…
- The hard copy will be distributed through letterboxes or delivered by hand posted in high-traffic areas (town hall, schools, bakeries, etc.).
- The dematerialized version will be shared on social networks.
- Materials required: paper, photocopier, computer, etc.
2. Send out press releases
Produce an article for the local press (town hall newspaper, for example). We advise you to write the article yourself so that it can be published in its entirety. The elements of the project pitch can help you with the writing.
If your project is innovative, some media may be interested. Write a press release and send it to specialized journalists or blogs.
3. Post on social networks: Facebook, Instagram,...
Thanks to social networks, your communication will be broader and will also enable you to target specific groups of users according to their interests or location.
4. Use word-of-mouth and ambassadors
Encourage people already involved in the project to spread the word. You can also appoint ambassadors. Influential people can actively support the project and share your information with their own networks.
Each of these methods can be used independently or in combination to maximize your project’s visibility.
5. Organize a meeting
Ideally, you should organize an initial face-to-face meeting to present the broad outlines of the project as described in the framework document.
Take the opportunity to share a moment of conviviality with participants over a snack…
To make your meeting a success, you’ll need the following logistical resources:
- meeting room
- overhead projector or not
- office supplies
- computer
- drinks and homemade cakes for the social time…
Human resources :
- volunteer with communication skills
- volunteer for towing.
Now, we will propose you an activity to work on the communication of your project of community garden: you will be asked to create a flyer to invite people to a meeting of presentation. You will need to take into account and your own project, and the context of the garden: which neighborhood? What is the audience that you want to reach? How old are they? Do you have any expectation? Is the meeting place accessible? Is it the right time of the day (retired people are available during the day, but usually people between 25 and 60 are at work and only free the evenings and week-ends)?
L2. From the Field to the Garden - Using permaculture tools
Introduction to permaculture
In this lesson, you will discover some tools coming from the permaculture approach that you can apply in a community garden project. These tools are representing the ethics and values of permaculture, defined by David Holmgren.
According to David Holmgren, the co-originator of permaculture, “The permaculture flower shows key domains that require transformation to create a sustainable culture.” Each petal, or domain, of the permaculture flower represents a category where permaculture principles can be applied. However, if you look to any one petal for guidance, you’ll always encounter aspects of every other domain as well. This interconnectedness means that within each category, you’ll find elements that relate to all others.
This quality is what makes the permaculture flower so valuable. Whether considering something broad, like farming, or specific, like a solar panel, every topic reflects aspects of each domain simultaneously. The flower, therefore, illustrates the various dimensions of any topic, encouraging us to enhance our designs by engaging with each domain as part of our work.
Permaculture’s impact is often most visible in the domains of Land, Building, and Tools & Technology—those that directly shape the physical world. It is less immediately apparent in the domains of Education & Culture, Health & Spiritual Well-being, Finance & Economics, and Land Tenure & Community Governance. These latter domains, sometimes called “invisible structures” or, perhaps more accurately, social systems, display patterns that are often overlooked but still critical. An underdeveloped petal hinders any system, and no single overdeveloped petal can compensate for the others.
In Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability, David Holmgren introduces permaculture’s foundation of three core ethics: Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share. These ethics serve as the guiding compass for all permaculture principles, forming a cohesive framework for sustainable, balanced living.
This overview explores the connection between Holmgren’s design principles and these core ethics, showing how each principle supports the ethics of caring for the Earth, fostering community well-being, and ensuring fair resource distribution.
The interplay between these ethics and principles highlights a holistic approach that aligns human activity with ecological values, fostering resilience and sustainable coexistence.
Earth Care (Ethic 1)
Key Principles: Observe and Interact, Catch and Store Energy, Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services.
Connection: Observing natural patterns, capturing solar energy, and prioritizing renewable resources are essential steps to securing the Earth’s long-term health.
People Care (Ethic 2)
Key Principles: Obtain a Yield, Apply Self-Regulation and Accept Feedback, Use Edges and Value the Marginal.
Connection: Supporting projects that deliver tangible benefits, building adaptable systems, and valuing “marginal spaces” are all aligned with caring for individuals and communities.
Fair Share (Ethic 3)
Key Principles: Use and Value Diversity, Use Small and Slow Solutions, Use Edges and Value the Marginal, Creatively Use and Respond to Change.
Connection: Fostering diversity, gradual development, and innovative responses to change all support equitable access to resources, ensuring fair distribution across the community.
The integration of these principles and ethics forms a comprehensive approach to sustainable design and resource management, emphasizing harmony between nature, people, and a fair share for all.
The 12 permaculture principles, developed by David Holmgren in Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability, provide a comprehensive guide for creating systems that are both sustainable and harmonious. These principles go beyond standard environmental design, embodying a holistic approach to how humans interact with the world.
Rooted in permaculture philosophy, these principles apply not only to cultivating productive gardens but to building a lifestyle and mindset deeply embedded in sustainability. Each principle aligns with the foundational ethics of permaculture—Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share—creating an interconnected framework that enhances our relationship with nature, fosters well-being, and ensures resource equity.
1. Observe and Interact
- Explanation: Thoughtful observation and engagement with nature are fundamental to every permaculture project. Before taking action, we must first understand an environment’s unique patterns, flows, and dynamics to design solutions tailored to its specific needs.
- Example: Before designing a garden, observe weather patterns, sunlight exposure, and plant interactions to inform the layout of crops and optimize microclimates.
2. Catch and Store Energy
- Explanation: This principle emphasizes capturing resources when they are most abundant to ensure a reliable supply over time.
- Example: Install solar panels to harness and store energy during sunny days, ensuring a power source when sunlight is unavailable.
3. Obtain a Yield
- Explanation: Prioritizing projects that yield meaningful returns ensures that our efforts result in tangible benefits.
- Example: Cultivate a garden that provides nutritious produce, offering both personal satisfaction and a fresh, local food supply.
4. Apply Self-Regulation and Accept Feedback
- Explanation: Systems should be designed to self-regulate and adapt, responding flexibly to feedback.
- Example: Adopt water conservation practices and adjust usage based on monitoring and feedback to promote sustainable water use.
5. Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services
- Explanation: Favoring renewable resources reduces dependence on non-renewable ones, supporting long-term sustainability.
- Example: Opt for renewable energy sources like wind or hydropower instead of fossil fuels, minimizing environmental impact.
6. Produce No Waste
- Explanation: Embrace a mindset that values every resource, minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency.
- Example: Set up a composting system to recycle organic waste into nutrient-rich soil, reducing waste and enhancing soil health.
7. Design from Patterns to Details
- Explanation: Begin by understanding overarching patterns in nature and society, using them to inform finer design details.
- Example: In urban planning, examine traffic flow and social behaviors before designing streets and public spaces to create a functional environment.
8. Integrate Rather Than Segregate
- Explanation: Design elements should work in harmony, supporting and benefiting one another within a cohesive system.
- Example: Use companion planting in agriculture to grow crops that support each other’s growth, enhancing soil fertility and pest control naturally.
9. Use Small and Slow Solutions
- Explanation: Small, gradual systems are often easier to maintain, better suited to local resources, and more sustainable.
- Example: Use slow-release organic fertilizers in gardening to nurture soil health and reduce nutrient runoff.
10. Use and Value Diversity
- Explanation: Diversity enhances system resilience by making it less vulnerable to threats and tapping into a variety of strengths.
- Example: In community development, encourage a mix of skills and perspectives, fostering an adaptable and resilient environment.
11. Use Edges and Value the Marginal
- Explanation: Edge zones are often where unique, productive interactions occur and should be valued for their potential.
- Example: In landscaping, create border zones between different vegetation types to encourage biodiversity and support beneficial wildlife.
12. Creatively Use and Respond to Change
- Explanation: Embrace change as an opportunity, responding thoughtfully and proactively to evolving system dynamics.
- Example: In business, adopt agile practices that allow quick adaptation to market changes, fostering resilience and sustainability.
Each principle captures a unique aspect of permacultural thinking, offering guidance to create systems that respect the Earth, prioritize community health, and promote fair resource use. As we explore these principles, we uncover insights for building a more resilient, balanced future.
Zones offer a structured way to organize design elements in a human environment, based on how frequently people use them and the needs of plants or animals.
Elements that require regular interaction or harvesting are placed closer to the house, in zones 1 and 2. In contrast, elements that need less attention or benefit from isolation, like wild species, are positioned farther away. Zones are numbered from 0 to 5, with each zone optimized for specific purposes.
Zone 0
This is the home or central living area. Here, permaculture principles aim to minimize energy and water use, harness natural resources like sunlight, and foster a sustainable, harmonious environment for living and working. Zone 0 is informally defined and not explicitly detailed in Bill Mollison’s book.
Zone 1
Closest to the house, this zone hosts elements that need frequent attention or daily access, such as salad crops, herbs, soft fruits like strawberries or raspberries, greenhouses, and compost bins for kitchen waste. Raised beds are commonly used here, especially in urban settings.
Zone 2
Zone 2 supports perennial plants that require less regular care, such as pruning or occasional weeding. It may include currant bushes, orchards, pumpkins, and beehives, along with larger compost bins.
Zone 3
This is the main area for growing crops intended for both personal use and trade. Once established, these crops need minimal maintenance, such as weekly watering or weeding if mulching and other techniques are applied.
Zone 4
A semi-wild area, zone 4 is intended for foraging, gathering wild foods, and producing timber for construction or firewood.
Zone 5
A true wilderness area with no human intervention, zone 5 is reserved for observing natural ecosystems. It acts as a reserve for beneficial bacteria, molds, and insects that can support other zones.
Let’s go into action! Taking into account all the activities done until now and the new tools and reflection provided by the permaculture principles, you will define your project and the community garden design itself. You will have three documents to fill or design in different phases.
If you don’t have already a land for my garden, you need to establish your criteria of research
Use the OBREDIM method to do a diagnostic of the land of the garden
Create a model of the community garden
L3. The Links that Unite Us - Creating the charter of your community garden
A charter of values is a solemn document designed to set out the organization’s philosophy, vision and commitments. It is an official document, not compulsory (but strongly recommended), which transcribes the community garden’s DNA and formalizes its values.
Now it is time to write your own charter! Download the activity below to work on it.
To inspire you, you can download attached example of community gardens.
The project document brings together several key elements to guide the creation and management of a community garden. It consists mainly of:
- the framework document,
- the garden model,
- the community garden charter.
As a reminder:
The framework document structures the essential aspects of the community garden. It gives a general description of the project, the general objectives and the planned activities. It identifies the necessary resources and draws up a provisional budget. It examines possible legal frameworks and sets out a general timetable for completion.
The garden model is a visual representation, in the form of a 3D plan or diagram, illustrating the planned layout. It defines the different zones (individual plots, communal areas, composting zones, etc.).
Finally, the community garden charter sets out the organization’s philosophy, vision and commitments.
By bringing these three documents together, the project document becomes a global reference for all those involved, both internally and externally, guaranteeing that the community garden develops coherently and in accordance with the established principles.
We recommend that you present the project document in such a way that it can be consulted and accessed by all those involved, either on paper or in electronic form (e.g. pdf).
