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Commenced:
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01/01/1999 |
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Submitted:
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03/02/2011 |
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Last updated:
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07/10/2015 |
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Location:
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Chambers and Gladstone, Victoria, BC, CA |
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Phone:
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(250) 380-6383 Linda |
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Website:
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http://springridgecommons.ca |
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Climate zone:
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Mediterranean |
Spring Ridge Commons is Canada`s oldest public food forest and Victoria’s largest public permaculture garden or community multi-layer food forest , located on a 1/2 acre city lot in Fernwood at the corner of Chambers and Gladstone. This premier site for small scale urban permaculture has been visited by over 20,000 people over the last 15 years of being a living laboratory for food, medicine and functional plants. Spring Ridge Commons serves as a source of free food, a learning environment, a community space and most importantly a place of beauty, nature and solitude. Spring Ridge Commons is an example of what is possible when you transform an under-utilized, marginal spaces ( a barren gravel lot) into a productive space both in terms of yields such as food and medicines and in terms of social yields such as experiences of beauty, nature and solitude, recreation, learning, a sense of belong through contribution to a common space and experimenting with new relationships to land and people.
Designed as a freely assessible community open space/ permaculture demonstration site, Spring Ridge Common contains over 100 species of plants, many of which have food and/or medicinal value.
At various points during the season, the garden produces strong yields of goumi, pie cherries, seabuckthorn, damson plums, medlars, and especially desert king figs. There are secondary yields of several more fruit species, as a well as a number of herbs. A home for many native birds (including hummingbirds) plus bees and other insects, the Common is intended to be a place where community members can meet, engage and grow on land held in common.
In 1999, local permaculturist Geoff Johnson, together with a group of volunteers began laying sheet mulch over the hard-packed gravel on this unused former school bus lot, and proceeded to start planting fruit trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants according to a design they developed. Over time, some of these plantings have been more successful than others, with figs, goumi, medlars and the large damson plum near the centre doing especially well, while some other species have struggled due to the original poor soil conditions and warm, dry conditions on the site.
Please check out our site http://springridgecommons.ca
Note: The various badges displayed in people profiles are largely honesty-based self-proclamations by the individuals themselves. There are reporting functions users can use if they know of blatant misrepresentation (for both people and projects). Legitimacy, competency and reputation for all people and projects can be evidenced and/or developed through their providing regular updates on permaculture work they’re involved in, before/after photographs, etc. A spirit of objective nurturing of both people and projects through knowledge/encouragement/inspiration/resource sharing is the aim of the Worldwide Permaculture Network.
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MemberA member is a permaculturist who has never taken a PDC course. These cannot become PDC teachers. Members may be novice or highly experienced permaculturists or anywhere in between. Watch their updates for evaluation. |
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Permaculture MatchmakerOne of these badges will show if you select your gender and the "I'm single, looking for a permaculture partner" option in your profile. |
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PDCPeople who claim to have taken a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course somewhere in the world. |
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PDC VerifiedPeople who have entered an email address for the teacher of their PDC course, and have had their PDC status verified by that teacher. Watch their updates for evaluation. |
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PRI PDCPeople who’ve taken a Permaculture Research Institute PDC somewhere in the world. |
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PDC TeacherPeople who claim to teach some version of PDC somewhere in the world. |
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PRI TeacherWith the exception of the ‘Member’ who has never taken a PDC, all of the above can apply to become a PRI PDC Teacher. PRI PDC Teachers are those who the PRI recognise, through a vetting board, as determined and competent to teach the full 72-hour course as developed by Permaculture founder Bill Mollison – covering all the topics of The Designers’ Manual as well as possible (i.e. not cherry picking only aspects the teacher feels most interested or competent in). Such teachers also commit to focussing on the design science, and not including subjective spiritual/metaphysical elements. The reason these items are not included in the PDC curriculum is because they are “belief” based. Permaculture Design education concerns itself with teaching good design based on strategies and techniques which are scientifically provable. PRI PDC Teachers may be given teaching and/or consultancy offerings as they become available as the network grows. |
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Aid WorkerThe individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to be involved in permaculture aid work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture aid worker experience. Watch their updates for evaluation. |
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ConsultantThe individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to do paid permaculture design consultancy work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture consultancy experience. Watch their updates for evaluation. |
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Community ProjectCommunity projects are projects that help develop sustainable community interaction and increase localised resiliency. |
Bee in the Garden at Spring Ridge Commons
Learn about Bee in the Garden at Spring Ridge Commons....
Spring Ridge Commons Brochure
Have a look at a new brochure for Spring Ridge Commons....
Spring Ridge Commons Public Meeting
In Spring and early Summer of 2014, Spring Ridge Commons and the surrounding neighbors experienced the effects of increased drug use, people camping and dangerous people there……
Spring Ridge Commons New Wordpress Site
Visit Spring Ridge Commons new wordpress site: http://springridgecommons.ca
Cracks in the Armour Sculpture
A beautiful sculpture made of inlaid stone was donated to Spring Ridge Commons on March 19, 2011 by John Cowan, a resident of Fernwood (a neighbourhood in Victoria) and is now in the southeast area of Spring Ridge Commons
Transition Victoria / Integreen Action First Event at Spring Ridge Commons
On Sunday, March 13, there were over 25 industrious and keen work party volunteers - Posting includes YouTube Video + Details