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Commenced:
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01/09/2010 |
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Submitted:
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04/02/2011 |
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Last updated:
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06/04/2016 |
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Location:
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1986 E Harder Rd, Ritzville, WA, US |
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Climate zone:
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Cool Temperate |
Columbia Basin Permaculture is exploring Permaculture designs and techniques uniquely applicable to cold winter/hot summer dryland environments (Koppen-Geiger BSK).
The CBP property consists of a twenty one acre piece of a early 1900's farmstead/ranch with many outbuildings and some rocky pasture land. In the 1990's a previous owner installed a motorcycle motocross track but it has since fallen into disrepair. The climate is very dry with between 9 and 15 inches of precipitation yearly, consistent drying winds, and a prairie ecosystem based on grasses, sagebrush, and mice/voles (and their predators).
The local agriculture is dryland wheat and beef cattle, with some more recent deep wells (>1000 ft) circular irrigation of field corn, potatoes, and hay. These areas are frequently sprayed with herbicides, insecticides, and fertilizers. Because the dryland wheat fields are left fallow with no cover crop for a year between plantings (to recharge the soil with water), there are often dust storms blowing away the soil during windy periods.
The goals of this Permaculture experiment are especially oriented to identify and implement strategies to restore the area disturbed by motorcycle track, identify and plant sustainable windbreak vegetation, increase the diversity of trees and shrubs, implement a variety of water catchment techniques, capture and store the solar and wind energies in abundance here.
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. |
Eden in Hell, Practicing permaculture in dry climates
CBP Property Plant Database
We are creating an oasis in the middle of a biological wasteland. Surrounded by dry wheat monoculture - here is our tree & shrub inventory - the beginnings of a small forest.
Rebuilding Arched Roof Root Cellar - Part II
Steam-bending new truss arches
Rebuilding Arched Roof Root Cellar - First Steps
Rebuilding a unique arched roof for an underground root cellar
Lay of the Land
Photos to put the Columbia Basin Permaculture project in context