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- | Plants are the centre of the web of life. The growth of urban centres around the globe has had a critical impact on ecology. In recent years there has been a growing interest and public movement to bring ecology out of the bush and into the urban and suburban environments where most people spend their time. Whereas traditional ecology is mainly about connectedness within the natural world,the new focus lies on having a holistic and inclusive approach to build deeper links with ecology in our midst beyond doing conservation in isolated national parks. Some of the questions at the core of this research | + | Plants are the centre of the web of life. The growth of urban centres around the globe has had a critical impact on ecology. In recent years there has been a growing interest and public movement to bring ecology out of the bush and into the urban and suburban environments where most people spend their time. Whereas traditional ecology is mainly about connectedness within the natural world,the new focus lies on having a holistic and inclusive approach to build deeper links with ecology in our midst beyond doing conservation in isolated national parks. Some of the questions at the core of this research |
- | The research started in Brussels and Amsterdam through informal discussions between the producer, FoAM, represented by Maja Kuzmanovic and the design researcher, Sanjeev Shankar. Thereafter, the research base shifted to India where Sanjeev visited the urban villages in New Delhi, Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Kerala, the Beulah organic farm in Tamil Nadu, the Rain Forest Retreat in Karnataka and the Krac-A-Dawna biodynamic farm near Mysore. The project has also been benefitted by detailed discussions with Ms. Suprabha Seshan, director of the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary; Dr. Sujata and Anurag Goel, founders of the rain forest retreat and Juli and Vivek Cariappa, founders of the Krac-A-Dawna farm. Further site visits in New Delhi included Sarai_Centre for Social Development Studies; TERI_Tata Energy Research Institute; Khoj_a community of artists and Chandani Chowk_ a 15th century thriving settlement in Old Delhi. The research has since proceeded through follow up exchanges between the the design researcher and other members of FoAM: Pix, Evelina Kusaite, Cocky Eek, Theun Karelse and Nik Gaffney and concluded at the GroWorld design session in Brussels on 15th April 2008. | + | The research started in Brussels and Amsterdam through informal discussions between the producer, FoAM, represented by Maja Kuzmanovic and the design researcher, Sanjeev Shankar. Thereafter, the research base shifted to India where Sanjeev visited the urban villages in New Delhi, Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Kerala, the Beulah organic farm in Tamil Nadu, the Rain Forest Retreat in Karnataka and the Krac-A-Dawna biodynamic farm near Mysore. The project has also been benefitted by detailed discussions with Ms. Suprabha Seshan, director of the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary; Dr. Sujata and Anurag Goel, founders of the rain forest retreat and Juli and Vivek Cariappa, founders of the Krac-A-Dawna farm. Further site visits in New Delhi included Sarai_Centre for Social Development Studies; TERI_Tata Energy Research Institute; Khoj_a community of artists and Chandani Chowk_ a 15th century thriving settlement in Old Delhi. The research has since proceeded through follow up exchanges between the the design researcher and other members of FoAM: Pix, Evelina Kusaite, Cocky Eek, Theun Karelse and Nik Gaffney and concluded at the GroWorld design session in Brussels on 15th April 2008. The findings |
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- | === India === | + | |
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- | India, which has been traditionally known for its diverse culture and strong traditional agricultural methods is today synonymous for rapid growth and transformation both in rural and urban realms. The nation thrives and lives in both rural and urban areas. New Delhi, situated within the metropolis | + | |
This research explores a global perspective of urban gardening and permaculture and ways in which we can contribute to a fertile and healthy city. The focus here is to compare urban gardening in western countries and India. Within India, on one hand it looks at traditional agricultural methods through on-site understanding of centres which have rooted themselves in rural areas; on the other hand it brings into its fold developments and examples from rapidly growing urban centres with the focus being New Delhi. Though, there have been few efforts to address the issue of integrating ecology into an urban realm, these seem to be happening in a fragmented manner and are yet to reach a tipping point. Urban ecology as a field has resulted in the possibility of system level integration, | This research explores a global perspective of urban gardening and permaculture and ways in which we can contribute to a fertile and healthy city. The focus here is to compare urban gardening in western countries and India. Within India, on one hand it looks at traditional agricultural methods through on-site understanding of centres which have rooted themselves in rural areas; on the other hand it brings into its fold developments and examples from rapidly growing urban centres with the focus being New Delhi. Though, there have been few efforts to address the issue of integrating ecology into an urban realm, these seem to be happening in a fragmented manner and are yet to reach a tipping point. Urban ecology as a field has resulted in the possibility of system level integration, | ||
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At a macro level, this project explores aspects of human environment, | At a macro level, this project explores aspects of human environment, | ||
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+ | === India === | ||
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+ | India, which has been traditionally known for its diverse culture and strong traditional agricultural methods is today synonymous for rapid growth and transformation both in rural and urban areas. The nation thrives and lives in both rural and urban areas. New Delhi, situated within the metropolis of Delhi, is the capital of India and provides a dynamic and complex urban setting. Though Delhi continues to be the political and administrative capital of the country, it also plays a crucial part of the global political economic scenario. With a population of over 15 million the city is undergoing massive change. A couple of decades ago the area surrounding the city was mostly agricultural. One could drive out of the city, and quickly enter into a very rural countryside. Today, the situation is different. Now the city is increasingly in the midst of a continuous urban sprawl. | ||
=== Research Brief === | === Research Brief === | ||
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Some of the reasons for this project are given below: | Some of the reasons for this project are given below: | ||
* The uncontrolled growth of cities has had a devastating impact on ecology | * The uncontrolled growth of cities has had a devastating impact on ecology | ||
- | * By the end of 2008, half the world' | + | * By the end of 2008, half the world' |
* Cities are becoming increasingly polluted, sterile, unhealthy and disconnected with other life forms, especially plants which have been an integral part of human survival and existence. | * Cities are becoming increasingly polluted, sterile, unhealthy and disconnected with other life forms, especially plants which have been an integral part of human survival and existence. | ||
* We have more people hungry every day, more unemployment, | * We have more people hungry every day, more unemployment, | ||
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* Co-Ownership of Assets: In Albuquerque, | * Co-Ownership of Assets: In Albuquerque, | ||
- | * Grafting Fruit Trees: In limited spaces one can still get a variety of fruit, when using a technique of grafting. A desirable variety (early ripening, or developed for storage, etc) is grafted onto an existing rootstock, resulting in trees that bears several types of fruit (now, apples don’t become oranges, but there can be several different apples on the same tree!). | + | see [[urban permaculture initiatives]] |
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- | * Worm Composting: A plastic bin with holes can house a family of red wiggler worms, who will be happy to eat your kitchen waste (eliminating it from the urban waste stream), and these critters will make it into good odor-free compost. | + | |
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- | * The BackYard Forester, Los Angeles: A nonprofit organization, | + | |
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- | * The Citizen Pruner, New York: People can get trained in tree care and pruning, and be able to take care of trees, whenever and whereever needed.((http:// | + | |
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- | * Chickens in a City: Depending on the location, people may be allowed to keep chickens in their urban yard! The City Chicken - a website, which includes every answer plus city by city listing of regulations | + | |
=== Regional Cultural peculiarities === | === Regional Cultural peculiarities === | ||
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=== Possibilities for urban permaculture kits === | === Possibilities for urban permaculture kits === | ||
- | An important question considered by the researcher was, what are the growth symbols/ | + | An important question considered by the researcher was, what are the growth symbols/ |
see [[urban permaculture kits]] | see [[urban permaculture kits]] | ||
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see [[site visit and survey notes]] | see [[site visit and survey notes]] | ||
- | | + | ===Directions=== |
- | * // | + | |
- | * // | + | The insights and lessons through this journey go beyond farming. The project started out with specific focus on urban farming and permaculture. Since, the nature of farming and land is highly interconnected, |
- | * // | + | |
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+ | * Urban communities should join hands with rural areas to create a prosperous | ||
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+ | * Critical focus on agricultural | ||
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+ | * From an urban farming perspective, | ||
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+ | * The need for a gradual shift towards a ' | ||
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+ | * Concious need for information ' | ||
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+ | * In cultural contexts, links with tradition should involve the use of past processes of change rather than the maintenance of past structures and patterns. We have to constantly reevaluate and revalidate our responses and ideas of ' | ||
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+ | * Constantly striving to create fertile diverse systems which bring culture and nature together. This could be through technology, media or traditional mediums. An important example is the use of science and technology through ' | ||
+ | {{: | ||
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+ | ===Suggestions=== | ||
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+ | The researcher would like to suggest the following threads | ||
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+ | * Looking at traditional systems of living and farming in India which are comparable to permaculture as a holistic approach. | ||
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+ | * Analysing | ||
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+ | * Creating tangible manifestations of human plant interaction to nudge it out of the speculative zone. How would a new relevant design practice emerge through observation of and cooperation with natural systems? | ||
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+ | * Rethinking our relationship with other life forms in an infinitely interconnected atmosphere. | ||
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+ | * Finding appropriate ways and methods to bring ' | ||
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+ | * Creating an **International Platform for Growth and Resilience**, | ||
====References==== | ====References==== | ||
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* Farming with Nature-A case study of successful temperate Permaculture | * Farming with Nature-A case study of successful temperate Permaculture | ||
* Permaculture- Sepp Holzer - Aquaculture-Synergy of Land and Water | * Permaculture- Sepp Holzer - Aquaculture-Synergy of Land and Water | ||
- | * Permaculture- Emilia Hazelip-Synergistic Garden | + |