Editorial
Welcome
Tim enjoying Tarr Steps, Exmoor. © Ben Cherry
In our opening article (p.4-8), Kirsten Bradley, from Milkwood, perfectly describes what the permaculture community and what we as PM strive for within these pages: “You could be forgiven for thinking that our species is only destructive – there’s overwhelming evidence of the harm we can do all around us… but it’s also true that you can participate in your ecosystem in a way that tends seeds and people, nourishes plants, pollinators and relationships, and builds soil and community.”
We celebrate and shine a light on people and projects who are taking on inequality, biodiversity loss, the effects of climate chaos, and the cost of living crisis. They are creating positive and vital transformations in their gardens, landscapes, communities, relationships and living systems. Kirsten’s description of permaculture also describes our co-founder, Tim Harland, who we devastatingly lost on 30th September 2023, just after he celebrated his 65th birthday at the Permaculture Festival (where everyone sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to him, something which now feels so profound and memorable). Tim spent the last three decades at the helm of this magazine, and our sister company, Permanent Publications. His dedication to creating flourishing ecosystems and relationships can be seen throughout the pages of 30+ years of PM and the future-thinking books published, as well as the gardens and communities he has lived within.
The response to Tim’s passing has been so moving for the whole team. People have shared that Tim was their ‘mentor’ and their ‘second father’, how Tim and his wife (co-founder Maddy Harland) have been constant steadfasts and guides, and that they have been such a dedicated and brave couple.
Kirsten also talks about permaculture being flexible and easily incorporated into everyday life, as well as being an important framework to design ecosystems, and meet our responsibilities: like what we eat, how we garden, how we care, how we work with our communit y. This issue represents all of these aspects and more. We visit Sol Haven in the UK, where Sammuel and partner Natasha work with vulnerable people, teaching them vital life skills and giving them the space for nature connection and healing. In Spain, Joanna Crowson, Jorge Gallardo and Andrew Zionts Abram share how they’ve built a Life Cairn to honour extinct species and give people a place to grieve. Pippa Chapman reveals how she ’s designed and installed a mandala forest garden that will grow perennial foods, herbs and medicines, as well as plants for crafts, all in a community garden so the locals have a space to learn, connect and be immersed in Nature ’s beauty and wonder. We learn from the powerful and inspirational Community Roots Permaculture Project in Bradford, where two locals, Steve and Ben, have been planting fruit trees and growing nutritious produce for those most affected by the cost of living crisis while offering a green space for people to visit, come and learn, and connect with Nature. We also have Tomas Remiarz sharing how his polyculture designs make him an ally to Nature.
Our world can be a sad, worrying and even scary place, and with each issue, we aim to show there is another way – one full of love, kindness, joy and practical, doable solutions. This issue, as well as all those that came before it, is our gift of hope, resilience and jo y. And although our dear Tim hasn’t seen this issue to fruition, he is with us on every single page, passionate about what is right, celebrating those creating beaut y.
“ We want to continue our work in Tim’s honour – as he was the visionary of this project from Day 1 – he was entirely committed to making permaculture as accessible as possible and a global force for change,” Maddy shares.
Thank you for all the messages of support for Madd y, her daughters, and for the PM team. And thank you to all of you who have been visiting the Donate page www.permaculture. co.uk/donate in Tim’s honour (see more on p.29 of this issue). Rozie, Tony, Kate and Nicola
Permaculture is... an innovative framework for creating regenerative ways of living;
a practical method for developing ecologically harmonious,
ethical, human-scale and productive systems that can be used by anyone, anywhere.
Read more at www.permaculture.co.uk/what-is-permaculture issue 118 winter 2023
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