A toolkit for developing forest gardens (thesis)

Facilitating Temperate Forest Garden Development (MSc Thesis)

Forest gardens are spreading around the temperate world with a diversity of goals, strategies and spatial structures as practitioners implement these needed systems. Tools and frameworks to advance the research of forest garden methods are a basic requirement. A toolbox booklet was developed through participatory action research. Gardens in the UK and Denmark were studied. The final output is the Forest Garden Archetype booklet, created through participatory action research and showing tools that may be used to strengthen the forest garden discipline.

Here is a direct link to the booklet itself: http://permakultur-danmark.dk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/FGA-Booklet.-Annex-1.pdf

Macro-economics for permaculture (report)

Regenerative Capitalism: How universal principles and patterns will shape our new economy

For the past few years, Capital Institute has been on an evolutionary learning journey…searching for a path that will lead beyond our current unsustainable economic system and the finance-dominated ideology that drives it. They call it Regenerative Capitalism. Ex-Wall Street economist John Fullerton writes in his introduction:

'My most startling discovery  was that the modern scheme of economics and finance formed the root cause of these systemic crises. My struggle to find a credible alternative framework for economics and finance sharpened my interest in the intellectual and scientific underpinnings of “systemic” or “holistic” approaches. I began by studying how we might apply the lessons of living systems to economic systems...I then discovered that scientists were turning the rules by which living systems sustain and regenerate themselves into empirical principles of systemic health and development, which applied as much to nonliving systems, including economies, as to ecosystems and living organisms.'

Discover the PIRN facebook page

Permaculture International Research Network Facebook page

Regular readers of The Digest will enjoy The PIRN Facebook page. Discover how trees talk to each other, be inspired by someone baking bread, see how the charity IED helps farmers in Senegal, read new research on carbon dioxide exchange in plant communities, and learn about Italy's new law to reduce food waste. The page is dedicated to supporting a vibrant, diverse International Permaculture Research Network. Another great resource brought to you by the Research Team at the Permaculture Association Britain!

Education to spread agroecology (report)

Education for Agroecology

In this report, Nicole Vosper shares the key findings of her research exploring education and agroecology. She presents successful models from around the world that have been inspiring and supporting people to practice agroecology. This report shares insights into how successful agroecology learning opportunities have been designed, structured and resourced. It also includes commentary on the various curriculums, as well as the common forms of pedagogy (the method and practice of teaching). Finally, it highlights the role of education in accelerating agroecology and gives recommendations to organisers and educators in this field.

Does humus exist? (online)

The contentious nature of Soil Organic Matter – what is it and why should we care what it is ?

 In case you were left scratching your head by the recent 'humus doesn't exist' report, here's  a pdf of a slideshow presentation by the authors of the study that made the claim, which makes for easier reading:

Call for sustainable ag. research funding

Scientists call for increased federal investment in sustainable agriculture

Based on a new analysis of federal funding from the US Department of Agriculture, researchers say there is an urgent need for increased investment in research and development aimed at making sustainable food production more effective. The article published in Environmental Science & Policy has been selected for the Elsevier Atlas Award of June 2016. The team searched 824 projects accounting for almost $300 million in funding or 10% of the 2014 USDA Research budget. In many cases, sustainable agriculture was included in projects but not as the primary focus. The findings suggest that significant improvements in sustainable agriculture could be made with additional investments and support. The researchers note an urgent need for additional public funding for research aimed to advance highly promising areas of biologically diversified farming and ranching systems.

New UK agroecology database

Agroecology Research.net/work

This website provides a platform for networking, research, and engagement related to agroecology in the UK. The platform hosts the outputs of a scoping study into agroecological business models in the UK. A central output of the study is a database of agroecological businesses, projects, and initiatives in the UK. All of the information contained in the database is publicly available online and was not provided by the individual initiatives. The database available here is intended to be an interactive and growing resource. This site also provides a history of agroecology, extensive related literature and external resources, and a forum for those interested in agroecology to interact.