Permaculture Convergence 2012

Gathering the local permaculture community

Hosted by Permaculture Institute of Eastern Ontario & Permaculture Ottawa

The Event: A convergence to gather the local permaculture community.  This is an opportunity to learn from local permaculture teachers and students, to get involved in permaculture-related projects in the community, and to create beneficial connections!  If you're interested in permaculture, learning more, sharing your experience, connecting with others in the community, and getting involved in local projects, please join us.  Our network, though focussed in Eastern Ontario, has also brought friends from Montreal and Toronto.  Permaculture enthusiasts far and wide, we hope to see you there!

To Register:  Please register online and in advance to reserve your place!  Go to:  http://guestli.st/96744

Cost:  Requested donation $10 to $20 at the door.  All profits will go to support permaculture-related projects in the community.

Location:  Gloucester, Ottawa.  You will receive a confirmation email with the address after you register.

Cancellation:  If you decide to cancel, please email us at info@eonpermaculture.ca to let us know, so we can free up that spot for another person.  Thank you!

What is Permaculture?  An Intro to Permaculture Principles

with Sébastien Bacharach

Permaculture and its design principles come from observing natural systems. Permaculture can be applied to physical things – like houses, gardens and landscapes – as well as to “social” things – like school curricula, organisational planning and business models. We'll look at examples of the principles on the landscape and in the social realm. In permaculture, we work with nature, start small and slow, emphasise multiple functions, create redundancy, promote beneficial relationships, use renewable resources, cycle resources, maximise diversity and edges, work with evolution, and are creative!

Land-Based & Social Connections

with Bonita Ford

In this presentation, Bonita will explore two examples of permaculture design, which were included in her Permaculture Diploma portfolio.  The first design example is a 1/5 acre residential (suburban/urban) piece of land in Perth, ON.  The second example shows how permaculture design was used to design the two permaculture courses put on by PIEO in 2011.

Optimizing the Design Process

by Douglas Barnes

This presentation will give a framework for the design process. While tricks and techniques can help to solve specific site problems, a thorough understanding of how design of any kind is done is necessary to create an exceptional design.

Liberation Permaculture, Food Sovereignty, and Urban Food Forests

with Permaculture Ottawa

Two local organizations, Permaculture Ottawa and Just Food, are working to develop a sustainable and equitable local food system for Ottawa. This presentation will begin by briefly introducing Permaculture Ottawa, and talking about liberation permaculture and food sovereignty- two key ideas that have inspired the group. Next we'll describe Permaculture Ottawa's partner, Just Food, a local organization that's helping to grow Ottawa's sustainable local food system through its community food hub project in Blackburn Hamlet. Finally we'll talk about what urban food forests are, and discuss specific examples, such as the Seattle Food Forest, and Permaculture Ottawa's proposed food forest out at Just Food's community food hub.

Hugelkultur Garden Beds

with Travis Philp

This presentation on hugelkultur will give a definition, the variations of methods of bed construction, and my experience with the test beds and the 100' X 50' hugelkultur plot on my farm, both the successes and failures.

Permaculture as Direct Democracy

with Chris Bisson

This presentation is based on Chris Bisson’s research exploring the intersections between practiced permaculture design, radical urban planning and the direct democracy of recent social movements. Drawing on his experience organizing with the Permaculture Project Ottawa and other community/political movements, Chris will discuss how permaculture design can act as an alternative method for community organization. Permaculture as a practice of holistic ecosystems-based planning stands as a viable alternative political economy that can handle the complexity of today’s urbanizing world, one that reflects the principles of direct democracy recently popularized by the global Occupy movement.