There is a world view which identifies humanity as a vital part of the web of life; indeed people have for thousands of years been stewards of Earth, always finding innovative ways to extract our needs for survival while improving life for other species and future generations.
The native Iroquois tribes perfected a system for forest management through controlled burning and kept tabs on deer populations through the sacred hunt. To contrast this perspective with our own, look no further than the endless miles of corn and soybeans we grow each year which deplete precious water and soil resources while providing ample habitat only for voracious pests and diseases. There must be a better way.
In defining the concept of "ecosystem" we can find insight into the way we might live to achieve a balance between humanity and nature. The word is defined by Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary as " the totality or pattern of relations between organisms and their environment." This language indicates we are part of a system, and that our world is defined solely by the pattern of relationships we cultivate. A quick look into the human concept of relationship and its destruction of habitat, loss of topsoil, and decreasing quality of life brings a question to the surface: What types of relationships are we in?
If we want to become members of our ecosystem, we need to observe the millions of interconnected relationships around us. For example, during winter months chickadees, cardinals, and blue jays form a tight relationship and mutually help each other to survive. We have come to believe that species compete to survive, yet nature tells a different story. The diversity and resilience of forests, prairies, and estuaries have survived the test of time because each is a complex and tightly woven system where cooperation dominates competition.
Our system of agriculture is grossly inefficient. We currently spend 10 kcal of energy (mostly fossil fuels) to produce 1kcal of food. We spend excessive time, labor, and resources to produce products that are low in nutritional value and quality. The farmer and consumer no longer relate to the plant, tending its fragile life. Instead, machinery and chemicals form a dysfunctional relationship of suppression that destroys countless interactions in the pursuit perfectly red tomato or the ten cent egg.
Agriculture can easily take on a rapid transformation if we begin to view it as an ecosystem. In permaculture design we find quickly that the more we encourage "wild" elements to enter our agricultural systems the less pests and disease we have. We focus on building topsoil as the foundation for biological health and find that our crops and animals live healthier lives, meaning that we too live healthier lives.
The Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute (FLPCI) was founded in 2005 as a response to a growing local need for effective sustainability education. We offer a multitude of opportunities to the community which include short classes, study groups, apprentice programs, and the intensive Permaculture Design Certification Course.
Beginning in January, FLPCI will embark on a new campaign which deeply explores the human relationship to nature. Rather than provide answers, we will focus on asking questions. Experience indicated that solutions are never simple, but we'll know we are on the right track when our work benefits all the members of our local ecosystem.
FLPCI has been housed at the Cayuga Nature Center (CNC) since June of 2006 and has recently completed a 5 year land use plan for for approximately half of the 160 acres CNC currently operates on. The overall goal of the design is to develop a site where the community can explore a diversity of human relationships to landscape, including an expanded maple sugaring program, a system of ecological gardens, and pastured animals at the farm.
In 2008 we are increasing the variety and scope of our programming. We have introductory courses, an eight week study group, apprenticeships, and will host our fifth Permaculture Design Certification on alternative weekends from January 18 through May 11. We also now offer children's programming in collaboration with Trumansburg Learning Cooperative and a series of classes on special topics such as tree pruning, natural plasters, and mushroom cultivation in conjunction with a local foods brunch one Sunday per month.
We invite you to join us as we collectively discover the unique ecosystem that we call home. You can learn more about what we're up to by visiting www.fingerlakespermaculture.org and www.cayuganaturecenter.org.
Steve Gabriel is co-founder and Program Coordinator for FLPCI and currently facilitates land use at CNC.