Permaculture at UMass Amherst and other U.S. universities
www.UMassPermaculture.com
1 Permaculture Ryan Harb bio
. Chief Sustainability Specialist for UMass Amherst Auxiliary Services. . B.B.A. Business Management . M.S. Green Building . LEED AP . NCI Charrette System Certified Facil. / Manager. . PDC Certified . TPCC Certified
Ryan Harb, MS LEEDAPNCIPDCTPC
2 Permaculture Presentation Outline
Case Study: UMass Amherst Permaculture
. Part I: Background and Timeline . Part II: Story of UMass Permaculture • Chapter 1: Background • Chapter 2: Sheet Mulching • Chapter 3: Documentary (Pt. 1) • Chapter 4: Campus Design Workshop • Chapter 5: Planting / Maintenance • Chapter 6: Facts, Benefits, Economics • Chapter 7: You are Invited . What’s Next? . Discussion and Q/A
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Background: UMass Dining
www.umassdining.com Permaculture Campus Dining
.Flavor .Healthier Options .World Cuisine .Sustainability
www.umassdining.com 5 Permaculture UMass Dining
. One of the largest (3rd), comprehensive food service programs in the country . >15,000 students on meal plans . 95% of students living on campus have a meal plan (+3000 off-campus students) . Serves over 5 million meals annually with a budget of over $60 million . Operated by Auxiliary Services, a division of the Executive Area of Administration & Finance . Employs 585 FTEs and 1200 students . 2 Executive Chefs, 2 Pastry Chefs, 12 Chefs and 1 Dietitian
www.umassdining.com 6 Permaculture UMass Dining
7 Permaculture UMass Dining Supports Sustainability on Campus
. Buy from local farmers and student farm (25%) . Buy from local industries (12%) . Serve sustainable seafood . Herb garden at Worcester DC . Compost all wet garbage . Trayless . Green Certified Cleaning program . Energy conservation program . Eliminated 600,000 water bottles and soda cans at Grab-n-go areas and replaced with water purified station . Use of biodegradable cups, trays and bags . Use a reusable bag for grab-n-go . Permaculture Initiative
www.umassdining.com 8 Permaculture Timeline: UMass Permaculture – How it got started .Ryan’s home sheet mulchHistorical begins context: September• Late 1980’s, group of faculty and administrators write first sustainability document to help guide university PDC • ProfessorCompleted John Gerber instrumental July, 2009 November
Goals Artic. / Vision Site Assessment Design Implementation
August October • 2001: A group of students proposed and got approved a • What can I do now? Simultaneous: student experimentalStudent idea garden on campus. • What can I •do“GardenShare” now, so campus – on the outskirts of campus that it makes the large garden impact I envision?
9 Permaculture Goals Articulation and Visioning
. . What2009: are What my can goals? I do now? . What• Grow resources healthy, local do foodI have? • RaiseLand: awareness1/8 acre grass about front lawn near campus • permacultureFriends: Community project • Access:Involve theCheap community organic matter: compost, cardboard, • woodEasily chipsreplicable, affordable • Highly visible and inspire • Big sign • Information sheet • E-mail friends, family, listservs • Social media • Create a “buzz”…
Building momentum 10 Permaculture Timeline: UMass Permaculture - Steps to Implementation Thesis: grass lawn to Ryan’s homePresent sheet my project to permaculture garden for mulch beginsUMass Department of. economic and SeptemberEnvironmental Conserv. ecological benefits December February PDC Completed July, 2009 November
Goals Artic. / Vision Site Assessment Design Implementation
August October January, 2010 Visioning Student Begin teaching only UMass visioning Amherst permaculture class located directly on campus
11 Permaculture Site Assessment and Analysis
. Observations • Permaculture is being taught at farms, eco villages, intentional communities, homesteads… • Permaculture is not being taught in academia • There is a huge interest in permaculture among students at UMass Amherst… but no classes or projects
. Analysis • A nearby (off-campus, but university connected) permaculture site is needed as a case study • Student demand calls for an introduction to permaculture class directly on the campus
12 Permaculture Timeline: UMass Permaculture - Steps to Implementation 1) Pitch grass lawn to permaculture Ryan’s home sheet garden conceptPermaculture to UMass Dining thesis project mulch begins PresentServices. project What a great story… Beautification, plan a September February student / faculty tour December 2) Planting at Ryan’s April PDC Completed July, 2009 November March
Goals Artic. / Vision Site Assessment Design Implementation
May August October January Grand opening and first tours Visioning Student Introduction to Invite the media visioning Permaculture class Radishes, greens, peas and beans Sell the concept
13 Permaculture Design
. Conceptual Site Plan • Pattern among students and admin.: “Permaculture Buzz” . Schematic Design • Finding a departmental home for permaculture • Plant Soil and Insect Sci. • Building and Const. Tech. • College of Nat. Sci. • Center for Agriculture • UMass Dining . Detailed Design • Propose project and position
14 Permaculture Timeline: UMass Permaculture - Steps to Implementation
Permaculture Permaculture outside Ryan’s home sheet thesis project FormalPlanting job proposal dining commons, ¼ mulch begins Present project presentedBeautification to UMass acre, gets green light September February Diningpreparation Services December Executive Director August Completed April PDC June July, 2009 November March September
Goals Artic. / Vision Site Assessment Design Implementation
UMass Permaculture May is born! August July, 2010 October January Grand opening / Visioning •Seeds planted, Student Introduction to tour visioning Permaculture class •Patiently watch them grow •Some e-mail communication
15 Permaculture Timeline: UMass Permaculture - Steps to Implementation Writing perma- Ryan’s home sheet UMass Permaculture thesis mulch begins Permaculture UMass Dining. gets green light thesis initiated Formal September February Tour prep. December Proposal August April Sheet mulch PDC June July, 2009 November March Sept., 2010
Goals Artic. / Vision Site Assessment Design Implementation
UMass Permaculture May is born! August July October Grand opening / Visioning Students ask for January tour Seeds planted, maturing permaculture UMass Intro. to Permaculture class
16 Permaculture Think/Listen activity
. How would you introduce the concept of permaculture to professors, administration, who have never heard of it before?
. What are some key factors to leading a successful permaculture movement at a university?
17 Permaculture Nutrition:Why Permaculture? Local, fresh, healthy foods
18 Permaculture LessenWhy Permaculture? Environmental Impacts
. Reduces greenhouse gas emissions through regenerative practices:
• No synthetic fertilizers • Using organic matter to improve soil • Educating the local community • Hands-on learning opportunities for campus
19 Permaculture Worcester DC Herb Garden .Diversity .Thoughtful design . Chives Companion planting Lemon balm .Local organic materials Lettuce Swiss chard .Perennials and annual Spinach Basil Tomato Lemon grass
Tomato Oregano Fennel Basil Culinary Herbs Dill Dill
Sage Chamomile Parsley Patch
Mint 20 Permaculture
UMass Permaculture: The Story UMassChapter Permaculture: 1: Background The Story
21 Permaculture UMass Permaculture CommitteeCommunity
22 Permaculture Community and Education
. Now 8 permaculture classes . Volunteer opportunities every weekday . Workshops . Design charrettes . Tour nearby sites
23 Permaculture
The Vision:
. Transform a grass lawn adjacent to the dining commons into a sustainable permaculture garden that provides education, beauty, and local / fresh produce to the campus community.
. Students help plan, design, build the garden . Project start date: September, 2010
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UMass Permaculture: The Story Chapter 2: Sheet Mulching
UMass Permaculture: The Story 25 Permaculture Building a Permaculture Garden
Three Phases: 1. Sheet Mulch - a no-till, regenerative, multipurpose gardening technique that improves soil health. 2. Design 3. Implement
How to sheet mulch: build on top of the existing grass • Layer: “compost”, “weed barrier”, “mulch” “barrier layer”, then “compost”`, then “mulch layer” OrganicWeed barrier: material: OrganicWeed barrier: material: More organic matter: Cardboard,Peat moss, leaves,newspaper, CardboardPeat moss, leaves,, Straw, leaves, grass papergrass cuttings,scraps… animal newspaper,grass cuttings, paper animal clippings, wood chips bedding, compost scraps…bedding, compost or garden "waste" 26 Permaculture Sheet Mulching, October, 2010
. Wood Chips (top)
. Cardboard (middle)
. Compost (bottom)
. Grass (base)
27 Permaculture Sheet Mulching Facts
. A 12,000 s.f. area . Over 400 volunteers . Moved 500,000 pounds of organic matter by hand, using no fossil fuels • Compost from UMA Waste Management • Cardboard from Dining Services, • Wood chips from Physical Plant. . Completed in 13 days. . Education and community involvement . Had a documentary made
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UMass Permaculture: The Story Chapter 3: Documentary
UMass Permaculture: The Story 29 Permaculture Documentary Series (Part 1 of 3)
. Youtube UMass Permaculture . Over 10,000 views in a few months . Linked to dozens of blogs, websites. . Received e-mails from viewers in: • Chile • Brazil • Haiti • India • All over the U.S. . Aired on nationally syndicated TV show, “Real Green TV” in April, 2010.
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UMass Permaculture: The Story Chapter 4: Campus Garden Design Workshop
UMass Permaculture: The Story 31 Permaculture Campus Garden Design Workshop, March 2011
. Over 100 participants including: • Students • Faculty • Staff • Local community members • Professional ecological designers
. Goals:
• Hear ideas from all stakeholders, a diversity of perspectives • Feedback loop, a community-driven process
. Educate, involve the campus and local community
32 Permaculture Campus Design Workshop, March 2011
33 Permaculture Campus Design Workshop, March 2011
. Group ideas were harvested . Concerns were voiced . Common themes identified
Produced a conceptual design: • Vegetable section • Small orchard with fruit trees • Herbs and medicinal plants section • Gathering spaces • Handicap accessibility • Rainwater catchment system designed • Edible, perennial food forest section
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UMass Permaculture: The Story Chapter 5: Planting / Maintenance
UMass Permaculture: The Story 35 Permaculture Implementation - Spring, 2011
36 Permaculture Planting
37 Permaculture Education and Community
38 Permaculture Harvest
39 And now:
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UMass Permaculture: The Story Chapter 6: Facts, Benefits Economics
UMass Permaculture: The Story 41 Permaculture Facts and Benefits of UMass Permaculture
. Converted a 12,000 s.f. grass lawn to permaculture garden . Moved over 500,000 pounds of organic matter by hand, using 250 volunteers . Hands-on education for campus and local community . Involved Big Brothers Big Sisters Organization, numerous schools and summer campus. . Producing food for UMass Dining Services . Featured in dozens of print, TV, radio, online publications . Receiving international media attention . Nominated for a Real Food Challenge Award
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43 UMass Permaculture in the News
Print:
. Green Living Magazine, (Summer 2011) . UMass Amherst Magazine, (Summer 2011) . UMass Homepage Feature Story, (Summer 2011) . Natural Solutions Magazine, (Summer 2011) . NACUFS – Campus Dining Today, (Summer 2011) . Andover Townsman, (4.28.11) . Small Planet Institute Blog, (4.25.11) . Good News Network, (4.23.11) . Food Service Director Magazine, (3.24.11) . Treehugger.com, (3.11.11) . UMass Daily Collegian, (11.18.10) . Daily Hampshire Gazette, (11.15.10)
44 More Permaculture in the News
Print:
13. Springfield Republican, (11.3.10) 14. ABC News 22, (10.25.10) 15. Daily Hampshire Gazette, (9.23.10) 16. UMass Amherst Spotlight, (6.10.10) 17. Coming Soon To: (Communities Magazine)
Radio:
. WMUA, UMass Radio (5.15.11) . WBKM, Burlington, Vermont (4.10.11) . “The River” 93.9, Northampton (1.11.11) . WMUA UMass Radio (12.9.10)
45 More UMass Permaculture in the News
TV:
. “Connecting Point” WGBY (6.10.11) . Nationally syndicated “Real Green TV” (4.30.11) . “Paradigms” WBKM Burlington, Vermont (4.10.11) . ABC Springfield News 22 (10.25.10)
. Coming Soon To: Eco-Company . Coming Soon To: Real Green TV (Parts II and III) . Coming Soon To: Growing a Greener World
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UMass Permaculture: The Story Chapter 7: YouWhat’s are Next? Invited
UMass Permaculture: The Story 47 Permaculture Permaculture Your Campus Conference
. Dates: June 20 – 22 . Location: University of Massachusetts Amherst . Conference Topics: • How to make your permaculture garden(s) a success • Sustainable economics • Involving the local community • Engaging the media. Creating a “buzz” about your project • Tour the internationally recognized Franklin DC Permaculture Garden and other nearby permaculture sites • And more. . How to Register: • Visit www.UMassPermaculture.com/conference • Send an interest e-mail: [email protected]
48 Permaculture The Opportunity is Now
. Permaculture in academia . Create your own job . The world is ready for it
Contact: . Ryan Harb . [email protected] . [email protected] Website: . www.UMassPermaculture.com
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