DesignGeneralPlantsSoilWaterWhy Permaculture?

A Tale of Two Neighbours

“A Tale of Two Neighbours” is a story of two neighbours on either side of a river. One was an environmentalist who grazed his cattle right up to the edge of the river. The other was Geoff Lawton.

If you have ever heard of plant prejudice and how that sentiment plays a role in developing land, then this story will resonate with you. On one side of the river the weeds are saving the creek bank from soil erosion, even if they eventually just pioneer the situation into an emergent rainforest. The conservationist greenies use Roundup (glyphosate) to control weeds to plant native trees. If we stop being prejudice about plants and start being open minded about their potential in beneficial functions, we stop using nightmare chemicals.

The Permaculture Research Insitute

PRI Zaytuna Farm functions as a model farm (in development) and permaculture training facility. Geoff and Nadia Lawton, world-renowned permaculture educators and consultants, lead the project. Much of Geoff and Nadia’s time over the last few years has been spent away from the Institute, consulting and helping set up projects in diverse locales around the world. Seeing the worldwide demand for knowledgeable permaculture consultants and teachers increase exponentially, as fuel and fertiliser prices skyrocket and the effects of climate change, soil depletion and water shortages begin to hit hard, priority and focus is now shifting back to the Institute, where growing the training program will increase the output of quality teachers to help fill the growing need for them.

2 Comments

  1. Great as always – This tradescantia looks very much like Commelina diffusa which I see in the West Indies, they are from the same subfamily Commelinoideae. Doesn’t know how to distinguish them. It groes sooo fast on everything, far more to be frendly. Hopefully, Commelina diffusa is edible, although it may be diuretic, and medicinal too. The problem is the solution….

  2. Wow. What a tremendous example of two different approaches. True confession. As I watched, I sat here(all by myself!) with a smile on my face and teary eyes! This is so HOPEFUL! Yes, we CAN! Thank you so much, Geoff Lawton, for learning and showing us this wonderful “technology” of restoration.

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