Here in a developed industrial empire, the forests are lonely. We have lost our sense of living with forests as friends. With climate weirding and excessive fuel loads, our abandonment of forest care is catastrophic. We are largely clueless as to how to build persistent inhabitation and ecological integration that serves multiple values and connects us to wonder and appreciation. Luckily we have remnants of knowledge from both Native American and traditional European forest cultures to help us rebuild our lives. We can learn to be social in the forest together and to bring ways of living into our homes that connect us to place.
The course supports our vision of stewardship contracts with ecological covenants, semi-nomadic seasonal work patterns, cottagers’ co-ops and cultural support for a new/old way of being in relationship with our forests and landscapes. We believe that only through building new relationships now can we look forward to a more appropriate and sustainable culture of cities, farms and forests that inspires us all and especially the children to look forward to a future that makes sense and promises a good and glorious life many generations hence.
We discuss medicinal products, charcoal, basketry, decorative jewelry, wood products, pole building, adobe plasters, cooperating with wildlife, storytelling, seasonal festivals and inclusive family activities. Hands-on activities may include basketry, can stoves, rod mats, small diameter wood working, loading and firing charcoal kiln, coppicing, species assessment, forest mark-up and stand examination, tree felling, pole stripping, underburning, fuel hazard reduction with pile burning. Activity choice based on weather conditions and interest.
The course is held at Wolf Gulch Farm where Hazel has designed and maintained an experimental social forestry operation over the last 10 years. The Permaculture Design Course is not a pre-requisite to take the course.
Course Price $550, early registration price $475 until January 5th.
Tom Ward aka Tomi Hazel has taught dozens of permaculture design courses, permaculture teachers' training and advanced courses in Southern Oregon and Northern California over the last 30 years. He is the author of Greenward Ho! Herbal Home Remedies: An Ecological Approach to Sustainable Health. Tom advises local farms and has a social forestry project in the Little Applegate Valley where he is demonstrating natural building, fuel hazard materials utilization, multiple products woods-crafting, wildlife enhancement and desert forest water management.
From our student reviews:
"This is a wonderfully exciting, fast-paced course focused on a the way humans can relearn to participate in the forest community as a regenerative force of change. I loved the mix of inspiring, revolutionary and visionary stores with hands-on projects. The best thing about it was the offering of a change in perspective of how to manage the forest amongst the human and natural community. This is vital information for all world-changers."
"The Social Forestry course has been truly transformative. My expectations were blown away and I am leaving full of practical knowledge, inspiration and a deep respect for the forests. The social aspect of forestry that Tom brings pulls all of the permaculture forestry practices together in an extremely critical way."
Reminder:
The weekend Permaculture Design Course for 2015 starts February 21st. Held at Jackson Wellsprings Community Room.
Please contact me with any questions or clarifications. Hope you can join us.