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S. Symens 's Profile
S. Symens
Details
Joined:
30/09/2011
Last Updated:
08/06/2015
Location:
Belgium
Climate Zone:
Cool Temperate





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Brin de Paille Permacultura Aralar GUANGA Permanente
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Looking for Land

Posted by S. Symens almost 9 years ago

the Belgian challenge...

I have my eye on a 2.6ha piece of land, which is really big by (overcrowded) Belgian standards. It has a small section where a house can legally be built, and the rest of the property is classified as agricultural land, which can be developed as meadows, orchards or fields. (Mixing the three is not yet acquired practice :-))
The property has been completely chemical free for a number of years, possibly more than 20, it has several mature fruit trees, good species diversity in the herb layer, in my eyes a lot of potential for development!
Will investigate what the best financial solution is for acquisition... 


Challenges for any belgian permaculture site development are certainly the very strict zoning and building codes, prohibiting things like:
- the placing of even temporary structures (tent, yurt, shed...) on agricultural land if you are not a professional farmer,
- an extension of the number of housing units (1 12x12m structure allowed for the land I would like to acquire, although the size of the terrain is such that it could easily support a much larger community than a single family),
- making changes to the profile of the land (including digging swales, dams, ponds, removing top soil) without a license. Oops!

Hmmm, it will certainly be a balancing act to develop any terrain permaculturally here while observing the local laws, and a huge hallenge to make permaculture better known in this country, but it is my firm intent to do this...

Good luck to all permaculture workers/activists out there, may the TRUE green revolution prevail!

Comments (6)

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Cindy Madou
Cindy Madou : Good luck Saskia with finding the perfect spot. I'm experiencing the Belgian bureaucratic challenge in the flesh, and living in an agricultural zone only complicate things. 2.6 ha is indeed huge! Don't underestimate the work involved. Everyday we are confronted with the fact we are lacking some basic skills! This morning we used a chainsaw for the first time... and broke the chain. But it wouldn't be any fun if there wasn't some learning involved. All the best.
Posted almost 9 years ago

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Nick Rountree
Nick Rountree : Hi Saskia, one approach with the land if earthworks are restricted could be to follow Masanobu Fukuoka's approach of not changing the landscape, but still following permaculture principles.
Posted almost 9 years ago

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Lorenzo Costa
Lorenzo Costa : Saskia, I looked at my land for six months, and then just jumped the line. it may be these 2.6, in may be less, or elsewhere, but the important thing is that it will be soon. I've learned observing my land, walking on it, working on it, how much we don't have the perception anymore that time is different than what we immagine. Nature, of which we are part, is so slower, and that is sane, we just have to walk at its pace and we'll make it around every obastacle. good luck
Posted almost 9 years ago

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S. Symens
S. Symens : Thanks you three for your supportive comments! Cindy, let's keep in touch, and yes, learning and fun should definitely go together :-) Nick, thanks for the idea, will definitely look into it, but will probably also try to get away with mini swales Lorenzo, Yes I agree observation is a crucial step. Ideal would be to be on the land for at least 1 full cycle, so you have witnessed it in all 4 seasons, before making any changes. In reality few of us have that luxury, but I will walk my land and work it and learn, and I bet I will be doing the same still in 25 years time. Love your take on things!
Posted almost 9 years ago

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Rodney Robinson
Rodney Robinson : Hey Saskia Go for it! :-) I want to share this video https://youtu.be/vhfjUSusROc Sure looks like a swale to me. I have the tractor and ordered the rotary plow and will be renting it out to neighboring PC practioners as time goes on. Best of luck on any property that you end up with. Here is a quote from Bill Molloson's design manual. "keep it small, keep it varied".
Posted almost 9 years ago

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S. Symens
S. Symens : I used to own one of these until I decided to stop digging, but indeed, Rodney Robinson, they could be used for digging swales, LOL! I might rent one of these to do exactly that, but the disturbance to soil life seems worse than with a big machine, no? At any rate I would first strip off the topsoil to put it back on later when the digging is done...
Posted over 8 years ago

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My Permaculture Qualifications
Verified
PDC
Type: Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course
Teacher: Steve Read
Location: Noganets, France
Date: Sep 2011
Pri verified
Geoff Lawton
Type: Geoff Lawton Online PDC
Teacher: Geoff Lawton
Location: Online
Date: Feb 2015
Other course verified
Geoff Lawton
Type: Geoff Lawton Online Earthworks
Teacher: Geoff Lawton
Location: Online
Date: Feb 2015
Other course verified
Geoff Lawton
Type: Geoff Lawton Reading the Landscape
Teacher: Geoff Lawton
Location: Online
Date: Feb 2015

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