Permacultura | Permaculture

Arthur Nanni presenting results of UFSC Permaculture Study Group Photo: Paolo Martins.

The UFSC Permaculture Study Group (NEPerma) participated on 2º Permaculture, Agroecology and environmental education Seminar, promoted by Permacultura Lab institute and Environmental education from “El Sur” Group (GEASur). The event happened at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro State.

It was presented by NEPerma the results of six years on teaching, research and extension. “Permaculture on academia” was the theme developed. Arthur Nanni talked a synthesis about permaculture initiatives on universities around world and Brazil scenarios, highlighting the results and products generated by NEPerma/UFSC.

Borned in academic environment on 70’s, permaculture as a grassroots movement, is now widespread around world and present in more than 150 countries, linked basically to farms and institutes. In the past decade, a brew of teaching, research processes and application of several techniques, brings permaculture back to the academia, recognized as a holistic and socio-environmental science. Its recent insertion on academia is providing advances on adoption of its philosophy for environmental education and social organization on a sustainable way.

The discussion of insertion of permaculture on academia agenda is not a recent and involves different and important aspects. One of them, is about permaculture movement/science institutionalization to beyond traditional institutes and farms, that supposes a weakening of anarchical and self management way of development originally purposed by permaculture. The NEPerma’s researchers are working on it discussion and understands the role of academia on permaculture promotion, as a technical-scientific supporter, looking for improving teaching methods and pedagogical instruments, as well as to validate scientifically used processes and techniques of land management. Thus, it is aiming strengthen through research, teaching and extension actions for both, permaculture movement and science, following such as the agroecology development on Brazilian universities and it several undergraduate and post-graduate programs.

The Permaculture on academia lecture’s content is described on article Building permaculture on Brazilian academy [in Portuguese], published recently.

More information about the Seminar and Instituto Permacultura lab [in Portuguese].

Woodland and CFH location at UFSC.

The UFSC woodland has around 5ha and is one of the main green areas in Trindade campus. This place has relevant importance to life quality in the university whole socialising space. Its plant cover comprehends some degraded areas and forests in different successional stages. There are three streams conforming buffers of permanent protection along it.

The environmental regeneration project began at 2014 as a initiative of Philosophy and Humanity Sciences Centre (CFH) thought it Revitalisation Commission in association with Permaculture Study Group and UFSC Environmental Management. The major aim is to ally land degradation to food production though agroecosystems designed according to permaculture way.

The permaculture design was a fundamental stage, because could define energetic zones establishing different uses areas and plants to be inserted in the landscape. The zones definition take in consideration the pre-existent elements (tress, buildings, consolidated and circulation areas)  and distances from project focus (zone 0).

Planejamento por zonas energéticas da permacultura.

Zone 0 – Project focus

Located in the higher terrain in woodland. In this zone the project aim to construct a bioconstruction structure to welcome visitors, teaching actions, socialising,meetings and administrative activities.

Zone 1 – Food garden, didactic circuit, composting and earthworm

Near to zone 0, this zone will be  composed by a food garden designed by agroecology process, a didactic circuit with trail for environmental education and one earthworm space.

Zone 2 – Orchards

This zone will be composed by permaculture orchards with ecological interest fruit trees over current eucalyptus trees.

Zone 3 – Agroforestry

The multifunctional agroforestry will be the principal agroecological arrangement to restoration of riparian forest and permanent protection strip.

Zone 5 – socialising, inspiration and natural regeneration area

The areas chosen to be represent zone 5 are those already have consolidated and climax stage trees.

Nowadays, the project is active and it is performed by collective actions where the permaculture knowledges are shared.

To know more [in Portuguese]:

http://gestaoambiental.ufsc.br/projeto-bosque/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Permacultura.UFSC/