Building Wellbeing Together

We believe that a person’s wellbeing depends on the wellbeing of the community in which they live and work, while the wellbeing of their community depends on the wellbeing of society as a whole, and the long-term health of the natural world on which we all depend.” 

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that one person can do very little to shape the future. Nigel and Margaret Woodward refused to accept that perspective. After retiring to Totnes, United Kingdom, they began donating to a variety of environmental organizations. But this wasn’t enough – they wanted to take a more hands-on approach. After much thought and consultation, the couple decided to establish the Network of Wellbeing.

The Network of Wellbeing (NOW) is founded on a belief that individual wellbeing depends on the wellbeing of the community, the society as a whole, and the natural world. Evolving organically, the organization has grown to 5 part-time staff working on a variety of projects. Mirella Ferraz, the Totnes Project Coordinator, outlined the scope of Network of Wellbeing’s (NOW) activities.

Wellbeing in Totnes 
The Network of Wellbeing’s initial activities were centred on its home town of Totnes.

Totnes Wellbeing Fund: In setting up NOW, organizers had asked community members what they needed and how the community could be improved. They learned that people had ideas and wanted to set up projects but needed some initial capital to help get the projects off the ground. As a result, NOW established the Totnes Wellbeing Fund, which offers small seed grants (under $1,000) to individuals and organizations in Totnes and the neighbouring areas to help them turn their ideas for boosting wellbeing into reality. Projects that have been funded in the past include a pond in the Follaton Forest Garden, Dartington Restore (repair café and workshops), and Wild and Curious (foraging walks and workshops).

Monthly Potlucks: NOW also noticed that there were limited opportunities for families with young kids, newcomers, and single people to meet other members of the community. They decided to organize a monthly community potluck and the idea took off in a big way. The first potluck attracted almost 40 people and the attendance quickly grew to 70-100. Bigger events with decorations and entertainment were held at Christmas and to celebrate the International Day of Happiness in March. After 5 years of monthly potlucks organized by NOW, a group of local people has taken on this responsibility so that the potlucks are “run by the community for the community.”

You Can’t Buy Wellbeing 
Gross Domestic Product measures goods produced and services sold, but it doesn’t measure personal or community wellbeing. NOW has chosen to counter the dominant consumer culture by focusing on sharing, recognizing that there are many ways in which we can find fulfilment and meet our needs without money changing hands.

ShareShed: ShareShed, a library of things, was established in Totnes 1½ years ago. They now have 340 members who can borrow over 300 donated items. Share Shed opens its doors for several hours 3 times a week. The 5 most popular items are carpet cleaner, lawn mower, pressure washer, hedge trimmer, and projector.

Storage is a problem with items temporarily housed in NOW’s offices. The High Street location is a good one, but 2 flights of stairs limit visibility and accessibility. In addition to looking for more permanent storage space, the organization has applied for funding to buy a truck that could transport the 50 most popular items around the community. This would eliminate the need for a car in order to make use of the sharing library.

ShareFest: Totnes is an active community offering a great variety of activities and organizations. A large part of the community is ecologically minded, but others feel alienated by this approach, resulting in a subtle community division. Network of Wellbeing was discussing ways of bringing the community together and integrating it without attempting to convert when they heard about ShareFests.

ShareFests are “participatory events designed to connect the local sharing economy” and “celebrate ways we can share, make, swap and repair rather than always needing to buy new things.” Over 50 ShareFests have now been held in communities around the world, and Shareable offers a how-to guide and toolkit to help organize an event.

NOW wrote to community organizations inviting them to participate in the Totnes ShareFest in November 2018 as part of MAKE SMTHNG Week and got a great response. Over 800 people attended the day-long event and there were activities for everyone of all ages, ranging from an ugly Christmas sweater swap, crafts, and storytelling to tool sharpening and appliance and textile repairs. 

Building a Wellbeing Network 
NOW believes that wellbeing encompasses society as a whole and the natural world, and their activities extend well beyond the boundaries of Totnes.

Urban Wellbeing: Totnes is a small town and NOW was eager to see what could be done to promote wellbeing in a large city. A recent workshop in Leeds brought different organizations together to discuss compassion and wellbeing. It’s a trial project and they hope it will lead to a community festival of wellbeing.

Building Wellbeing Together: A national conference in 2017 brought together close to 100 people to discuss ways of building wellbeing together. The conference was designed to share the organization’s vision of holistic wellbeing and to encourage dialogue among professionals in the field. A second conference is planning for September 2019.

Webinars and Online Resources: NOW shares its knowledge and resources with as wide a population as possible. Online videos explore themes such as beyond GDP, putting welllbeing at the heart of government, and businesses’ role in promoting wellbeing.

The Network also runs regular free webinars with topics ranging from the role of happiness in social change to the nurturing power of soil, wellbeing and wildness, and growing your own happiness through gardening.

You can follow and participate in the Network of Wellbeing’s ideas and activities through their blog, by signing up for a monthly email update, or on social media.

See Also 
Transition Town Totnes

EcoSask News, December 23, 2014

This week’s EcoSask News brings you a collection of current news stories to ponder as you enter the holiday season.

Local News
Threats to boreal caribou habitat continue to mount in Saskatchewan, including a peat mining project in the Pasquia Bog and oil sands explorations

Congratulations to Rick Huziak for speaking out against light pollution, which wastes energy and harms wildlife (for further information, check out our interview with Rick earlier this year)

Urban Wilderness
Celebrate Urban Birds (CUBs), a project run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, studies the birds that manage to eke out a living in cities and surrounding areas

It’s time to broaden our view of wilderness to include urban microwildernesses – small areas that are uncontrollable, unpredictable, and mysterious.

English News Bites
Penny is spending 7 weeks in England. Here are two sites that caught her attention in Lincolnshire:

Ecotricity, Britain’s green energy company, offers everything from wind power to electric cars

Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant – turning wheat straw into electricity

Thought Provoking
A community group that supports local, independent businesses helped a dry cleaner to go green and stay in business

Wishing you a green Christmas and a sustainable New Year. Happy holidays from Andrew and Penny at EcoFriendly Sask!

Permaculture: Practical Solutions for Restoring Healthy Ecosystems

"What permaculturists are doing is the most important activity that any group is doing on the planet. We don't know what details of a truly sustainable future are going to be like, but we need options, we need people experimenting in all kinds of ways and permaculturists are one of the critical gangs that are doing that." David Suzuki 

What is Permaculture? 
“Permaculture is a design system that focuses on meeting human needs – habitat, food, shelter, community, energy – while at the same time healing and regenerating the natural environment,” explains Joanne Blythe, a member of the Permaculture Research Institute of Saskatchewan (Permasask). “It’s a framework for developing solutions, for fixing what we’ve done wrong,” says Mark McLaughlin, Permasask.

Bill Mollison, one of permaculture’s founders, describes permaculture as “a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labor; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single product system."

The first step in any permaculture project is to observe nature in order to support the natural systems rather than impose an external order. “We haven’t been trained to observe,” Joanne says. “For every hour of work on the ground, we should do 100 hours of observation. Our western culture has taught us to act quickly with very little observation, but that may not be the best approach.”

Permaculturalists try to look at the big picture and to see how things are connected. Initial activities have focused on gardening because food is central to our survival and one way that people can take responsibility, relatively easily, for their own well-being. Garden designers take into account the local climate, water, and light, choosing plants that are well suited to the local environment as well as plants that grow well together.

Permaculture principles can be applied broadly. When designing a residence, permaculturalists look at the placement and size of the house on the land, ways to reduce the ecological footprint of the house, renewable energy sources, rainwater run-off, root cellars and cold rooms to store food, a water tank for garden use or possibly drinking water, etc.

They pay particular attention to placing the elements in relation to one another in order to enhance their functioning and facilitate the system functioning as a whole rather than as isolated, individual parts.

“You look at the whole situation, observe all the opportunities, and choose the ones which will work best together,” Joanne explains. “You’re not just growing carrots or raising chickens. You’re developing an ecosystem. Heat from the chicken coop can warm the greenhouse, and the manure will fertilize the garden.”

“You try to find as many connections as possible,” Mark says. “That’s the really exciting, nerdy side of it.”

Permasask 
In 2009, Ken McLeod took a two-week Permaculture Design Certificate course with Jesse Lemieux of Pacific Permaculture. Ken invited Jesse to come to Saskatoon in January 2010 to give a public talk and two-day introductory permaculture workshop. The events generated a lot of interest, so organizers decided to offer the full two-week course in the summer. Approximately 24 people attended the course, and some of them decided to start a group.

The Permaculture Research Institute of Saskatchewan was officially incorporated in 2011 as a non-profit organization, and the group currently has over 50 members. They host workshops, film nights, monthly potlucks, and other educational events, as well as organizing permablitzes. Membership includes a discount on workshops, a 10% discount at Turning the Tide bookstore, and a monthly digital newsletter.

The monthly potlucks are open to everyone – you don’t have to be a member – and there is usually a guest speaker. Recent topics have included urban beekeeping, native plants, water harvesting, and a seed exchange.

In March 2014, Permasask offered a two-day introductory permaculture course in Saskatoon. They are currently developing their own permaculture design certificate course. Instead of offering the course as a two-week block, which many people find difficult to attend, they hope to offer a series of weekend workshops, once a month for six months. This format has been offered successfully in other centres and constitutes the full 72-hour Permaculture Design Certificate course, in which each participant completes at least one permaculture design.

Permablitzes
Permasask holds several permablitzes every year. A group of people gather at a member’s yard to implement a permaculture design that has been prepared by someone who has taken the two-week permaculture design program.

The design usually focuses on enhanced food production. The host, who must be a member of Permasask, provides lunch and supplies and agrees to participate in three further permablitzes.

“The blitzes are an opportunity to put permaculture ideas into practice and to offer hands-on demonstrations,” Joanne says. “People work so hard. We offer some mini workshops over the course of the day so that volunteers and host alike get a lot out of the day. A lot of learning takes place during the permablitz.”

In addition to helping individuals, permablitzes build community. “Working together, there’s a great feeling of camaraderie,” Mark says. “The last blitz was really good. We always get the backbone of the design done but not always the fun, last-minute touches. Last time we did it all and were finished a half hour early.”

Around the World and Across Canada 
Permaculture has its origins in the intense discussions between a teacher, Bill Mollison, and a student, David Holmgren, in Tasmania, Australia, in the mid ‘70s. The men were looking for a positive direction forward and a concrete way to address the energy crisis and land degradation. Permaculture UK was founded in 1983, while the Permaculture Institute USA was founded in 1997.

The permaculture movement is particularly active in Western Canada and three groups have strongly influenced Permasask.

Jesse Lemieux, Pacific Permaculture, taught the first permaculture design course in Saskatoon. He offers permaculture design courses and consulting services from his base on Bowen Island, BC.

Tayler Krawczyk, a graduate of the first design course in Saskatoon, was instrumental in establishing the Ness Creek Forest Garden, which incorporates chickens, a pond, an edible hedgerow, and a passive solar greenhouse. Tayler and Solara Goldwynn operate Hatchet & Seed: Edible Landscaping and Applied Permaculture out of North Saanich, Vancouver Island.

Verge Permaculture is a Calgary-based company. Michelle and Rob Avis provide guidance on renewable energy solutions, ecological landscape design and regeneration, as well as offering permaculture design courses.

The Future of Permaculture 
As permaculture develops in a community, people branch out and develop permaculture-related businesses. The most common are permaculture design consultants and teachers, some of whom are listed in the previous section.

This is just beginning to happen in Saskatoon. Happy Bug Farms is using permaculture principles to guide their farming practices. A Permasask member hopes to start a day care based on permaculture principles.

The Transition movement, which is most active in the United Kingdom, was created by a permaculture teacher using permaculture principles and is a program for transitioning to a post-oil society. It demonstrates the full breadth of permaculture possibilities, from community-owned businesses and energy to local currency.

Conclusion 
Permaculture is a positive, optimistic approach to addressing current environmental problems. “We acknowledge we’re in big trouble,” Mark says, “but we don’t let that freeze us.”

“We’re a creative species,” Joanne adds. “We can use that creativity to find solutions, to create relationships that benefit the planet and all its creatures.”

Additional Resources 
Gaia’s Garden, A Guide to Home Scale Permaculture, Toby Hemenway

Ron Berezan, The Urban Farmer – resource list for the prairie climate

Permaculture Calgary Guild

Big Sky Permaculture, Calgary – photos of their projects

Harvest Moon Local Food Initiative, Manitoba – Prairie Culture: Regenerative Agriculture Workshops (strawbale building, forest gardening, grey water systems, root cellar building, etc.)

Pattern Literacy – Toby Hemenway

Regenerative Design Institute at Commonweal Garden

Photo Credit: Permasask Facebook page

Natural England: Working with Developers to Protect Wildlife and Natural Areas

Hazeley Heath, Thames Basin Heaths (RSPB)

Canada has vast amounts of open space, averaging 3.75 people per square kilometer. The United Kingdom on the other hand is small and crowded, with an average of 260 people per square kilometer. Urban and rural, wildlife and people, intermingle and share common boundaries.

The potential for conflict becomes clear when you look at the proposed high-speed train route (HS2) from London to northern England. An environmental impact assessment by The Wildlife Trusts indicates that more than 200 natural habitats lie on the route or within 500 metres of the railroad extension, including the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and 14 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

It’s immediately apparent that Great Britain (England, Wales, Scotland) has gone to some effort to map the land and identify important natural areas. Wikipedia defines SSSIs as the basic building blocks of site-based nature conservation legislation, based on the wildlife (species and habitats) and/or geology of the area. Rather than focusing on specific details, AONBs are designed to conserve areas of outstanding natural beauty and have the same status as National Parks in the planning system. At present, around 28% of England’s land surface is covered by SSSI, AONB, and/or National Park designation (Natural England, 2012).

A key player in protecting England’s natural environment is Natural England. As the government’s advisor on the natural environment, the arms-length body supports the Government’s wider strategic policies and fulfills the aims and objectives set by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It is responsible for protecting, conserving, and enhancing England’s natural environment by providing practical advice, grounded in science, on how best to safeguard England’s natural wealth.

Stewart Coles 

Stewart Coles worked for several years as an Environmental Planning Adviser for Natural England. He is now living in Saskatoon and shared some of his work experiences, indicating how they could apply locally, particularly in regards to the management of the North East Swale.

Stewart’s responsibilities at Natural England included working with local communities, planners, and developers in the Thames Basin Heaths, a European-designated Special Protection Area (SPA), containing tracts of lowland heath stretching over parts of Surrey, Berkshire, and Hampshire in southeast England. The Heaths support internationally important populations of three ground-nesting birds – the Dartford Warbler, Nightjar, and Woodlark.

Based on the recommendations of an established Delivery Framework, prepared to address the long-term protection of the Heaths, Natural England works with and provides advice to all local authorities affected by the Thames Basin Heaths. Developers are advised that net increases in residential development within 5 kilometers of the Heaths could harm the rare bird population due to a growth in the number of walkers, cats, and dogs. Before work can begin on a new housing development within 5 km of the SPA, developers must demonstrate that their proposal can avoid any likely significant effect on the integrity of the designated features of the Heaths.

If it is likely that a net increase will have a significant effect, methods for avoidance, mitigation, and/or compensation are considered. With residential developments of 50 or more dwellings, this usually involves a requirement to provide adequate on-site or neighbouring green space to divert the pressure development could otherwise inflict on sensitive heath habitat.

As part of the planning process and conditions of any approval, the developer is legally accountable for the immediate and future costs, in perpetuity, of any required mitigation and must set out the contingency for these funds prior to determination of the planning application.

North East Swale, Saskatoon

Development in Saskatoon 
Saskatoon’s population is growing rapidly and suburban expansions are putting pressure on the City’s infrastructure. They are also putting pressure on the land, its plants, and wildlife. This is particularly evident in the case of the North East Swale, an important wildlife habitat and watershed, which is rapidly being surrounded by new housing.

Whilst much of Stewart’s work centred on the protection of European-designated sites, he is of the view that the principles of avoidance, mitigation, or compensation can also be applied to protecting important local habitats, such as the North East Swale. Ensuring their connectivity to the wider environment is an essential component of the broader efforts of nature conservation, flood risk management, and greater environmental awareness.

From his training and experience with Natural England, Stewart recommends taking into consideration the following points as Saskatoon moves ahead with its plans for new subdivisions and roads near the Swale.

1. Develop a formal regulatory structure or delivery framework so that you have the authority to protect the land and resources. 
2. Map the area in advance. Be aware of what is currently there, in terms of geology, plants, and wildlife, so that you know what needs to be protected, mitigated, or compensated and have the information you need to assess proposed development. 
3. Plan in advance. Start working with developers when they are still in the master planning stage, so it’s easier to make adjustments and obtain buy-in from all parties. 
4. Collaborate with developers to identify ways in which they can reduce any harmful impacts to the natural area. 
5. If mitigation is impossible, due to site restrictions, limitations, and/or permitted development, require developers to make compensation for their impact on natural areas, such as the Swale. For example, expect them to provide protection for or create land of a similar nature in another area. And, if the land they are altering is irreplaceable, the compensation should be greater. 
6. Ensure that developers cover the costs of both actual and future mitigation. It should not be passed on to local residents. 

“Every opportunity should be seized upon to avoid any unnecessary depletion and/or fragmentation of recognized local and regional habitat, for the benefit of both flora and fauna,” Stewart says.

Photo credit: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds