** Physical Ecology meets every Tuesday night, 6:30pm. Contacts: land@tryonfarm.org ; garden@tryonfarm.org **
The work of Physical Ecology is very broad in scope. We are in the business of educating ourselves and the broader community through experimentation with different ways in which humans can integrate themselves into regenerative physical ecologies that are capable of perpetuating themselves over geological timescales. We are responsible for the multitude of ways this vision of sustainability will be physically manifested at TLC Farm. The scope of the work is so broad as to invite subdivision and some definition of structure to allow for easy participation by the large number of people that will be involved in carrying out the work. The various projects we work on fall into several natural divisions. These natural divisions still cover fairly large topics and while members of the physical ecology working group tend to be generally knowledgeable of all the different divisions, they usually specialize in one or two. While we recognize that the many aspects of our work are all interwoven and always encourage cross pollination and learning of new subjects by all, it is often more efficient for a smaller group of knowledgeable people to make decisions and recommendations in their area of expertise. Thus, we recognize these natural divisions as subcommittees of Physical Ecology, and that it is in these subcommittees that the major work of the group should be done. We coordinate our work through a spokescouncil model with the subcommittees meeting as needed, coming together for bi-weekly joint Physical Ecology meetings to check in and make larger decisions or recommendations to Farm Council.
Physical Ecology sub-working groups are as follows:
· Wooden educational land signs
· Land cleanup
· Construct play structure (and prepare area)
· Goat barn water management construction
· Build chicken house and prepare site
· Wood chip paths
· Irrigation system in garden
· Remodel barn
· Rebuild Outdoor Kitchen (rocket stove, current kitchen deconstruction, build new roof, cabinets, level site
· Survey and regrade driveway
· Construct new hoop house
· Remove blackberries
· Deconstruct platform
· Water catchment system
· Fix up sauna area
· Wastewater treatment management installation
The garden working group is focused on coordinating the care and expansion of the permaculture gardens, the food forests, and the orchards. It meets fairly regularly on Thursday mornings. Matt Gordon and Bonsai Matt are currently coordinating the gardens, and point people for this group.
Goats and Chickens! Honey bees and Mason bees!
The built environment.
Materials Coordinator
(3 hrs/wk; 3 month commitment; >50% onsite)
· Keep track of existing materials: location, stock, etc.
· Identify new sources of reused materials.
· Ensure that Craigslist, Freecycle, and other online redistribution mechanisms are regularly reviewed and used
· Receive requests for materials
· Coordinate “schlepping” volunteers to acquire and transport materials efficiently
On Land Research Coordinator
(>5 hr/wk; 6 mo commitment; >25% onsite)
· Solicit and coordinate development of proposals for research programs on the land
· Establish and maintain partnerships with academic institutions and independent researchers
· Ensure that research protocols are followed
· Liaise with other working groups (education, social ecology) as needed.
Annuals Coordinator
Food Forest/Edible Landscape Coordinator
Building Coordinator
Animal Coordinator
· Goats
· Chickens
· Bees
OSALT/easements liaison.
(>5 hrs/mo; >1 yr commitment; >10% on site)
· Attend OSALT meetings
· Establish relationships with appropriate administrators in State Parks, Metro Parks, and City BES
· Ensure that commitments and responsibilities under terms of ground lease and easements are met
Planning Coordinator
Native Habitat Coordinator
(>3 hrs/wk; 6 mo commitment; >75% on site)
· Coordinate with Park, Metro, and other habitat professionals
· Improve and expand native habitat restoration plan
· Train and oversee volunteers in implementing restoration plan.
Work Party Host
(3-8 hours per event; 4 events in 12 month period; 100% on site)
· Welcome and orient participants during Thursday or Saturday work party
· Address questions and concerns, ensure that everyone feels as comfortable and engaged as possible
· If possible, conduct land tours (training available)
Restoration Research
(>5 hrs/mo; 1 year commitment; >25% on site)
· Research and/or develop innovative ways to assess native habitat functionality, including partial functionality in hybrid plantings with nonnative human-functional plants
· Establish protocols to assess changes in habitat function
· Coordinate with other groups and research coordinator to ensure data is gathered, analyzed, and results integrated into planning
Freecycle/Craigslist monitor
(>1 hr/wk; 1 mo commitment; >0% onsite)
· Review online exchange forums for potentially or actually useful materials, services, etc.
· Coordinate with materials coordinator and/or volunteer coordinator
· Can be entirely online and offsite.
Write research reports
Energy Coordinator
Water System Coordinator
(>5 hrs/wk; >6 mo commitment; >25% onsite)
· Develop plan for water management on land, including:
o stormwater bioremediation and use;
o rainwater collection;
o greywater;
o dams and swales for infiltration and irrigation;
o cisterns;
o nanohydropower and/or pump-batteries;
o wetland/headwaters restoration;
· Link plan to Park, Watershed Council, neighborhood, City, etc. efforts to monitor and improve watershed health;
· Coordinate with other groups in our social ecology to implement plan.
Tasks:
Stuff Schlepper
(0.5 to 3 hrs per occasion; added to list w/ availability)
· Be willing to move stuff from somewhere to TLC Farm
· Access to vehicle preferable, including bike trailer! (Not required.)
Observations
(0.25 to 1 hr; 10 occasion commitment; 100% on site)
· Read data gathering protocol
· Receive short training
· Gather various kinds of data, both general and specific, qualitative and quantitative
Garden Tasks
· planting
· mulching
· harvesting
· weeding
· sorting
· watering
Animal Tasks
· feeding
· egging
· milking
· vet stuff
· moving fence
Building Projects
· finish suana - phase I: flatten floor, create foundation wall, & finish plaster (feb/march/april08), phase II: changing area, shower, cold plunge
· toilet handwash station
· barn remodel - finished by july 15 2008
· outdoor kitchen remodel (phase I: redesign (in progress); Phase II: VBC8, including adding a 2-burner rocket stove, finishing the plaster on the rocket bench, and more; phase III: ?)
· maintaining cob projects: benches by sauna, benches by outdoor kitchen, altar in grove, etc etc.
·
Paths
(>0.5 hrs; no commitment)
· Lay down woodchips on existing paths where muddy using wheelbarrows and pitchforks;
· Lay down cardboard for new paths (under guidance of coordinator).
Literature research
(> 1 hr; variable commitment; >0% on site)
· In coordination with research coordinator, research both on-line and library sources for data, protocols, analyses, practices, etc.
· Report results of research, in a form depending on situation.
Flow flow flow!
Spread it and sink it!