Home

Gaia Association and Ecovillage

Argentine Permaculture Institute

Living and Learning Center

Calendar

Visiting Gaia

Photo Galery

Links

 Contact Us

Spanish Version

Gustavo Ramirez and Silvia Balado

The permaculture movement faces the challenge of transferring its
designs and strategies to society as an alternative to the neo-liberal
model that oppresses the people of the Third World. In the countries of
the South, this isn't just a challenge, but a necessity.
For this reason, when we decided to begin our Ecovillage project in
Argentina back in 1991, we focused on making our experience an
inspiration for a new social model. In 1996 the Gaia Association
acquired 50 acres of land in Navarro, Buenos Aires, and the dream
finally began to flourish. In the middle of an infinite grassland ocean
where the blue sky and purple sunset invite an endless dance with
nature, we felt inspired to start. Perhaps the grandeur of the landscape
was at the same time a portent of the great task before us.
We received our first intensive permaculture training when Max Lindegger
came in 1996 and taught the first permaculture design course in
Argentina. He was a great source of inspiration. Our previous years of
experience and ideas took on new meaning, and clear strategies towards
the development of the Ecovillage project began to crystallize.
We were deeply committed to networking. For that reason, we participated
in the creation of the GEN (Global Ecovillage Network) and the ENA
(Ecovillage Network of the Americas). We have been active members since
then, and function as a node for our southern region.
The place became a "Living and Learning Center, and we started receiving
hundreds of students from many places. We also focused on research and
practice of appropriate technologies for the local needs.
Our goal was to spread permaculture to society, but until late 2001 our
country was living a virtual reality of consumption with a neo-liberal
model supported by the IMF, which among other dramatic results left the
country with a $148 billion debt. The cause of the entire crisis was the
more than 25 years of neo-liberalism imposed by military governments,
followed by the corrupted democracy that furthered this crushing
globalization scheme.
The country suffered a sudden crisis of its economic system in the past
months (see PCA #47, "Cacerolazo Global"), and we stand now before a
vast sector of the population that can't even satisfy their most basic
needs. At the same time, the generalized criticism to globalization, and
its dehumanizing consequences that exclude and destroy social and
biological diversity, have opened new paths for people to understand
that local resources are the base for subsistence and a genuine human
existence.
Our people have been forced to worship an economic system that is
perverse. Sadly, this system confused most of the people and thus
restrained them from making important decisions regarding their lives
and the ecosystem as well.
What is clear now is that only when people get the chance to solve their
problems with their own hands will there be hope to solve this deep
crisis.
The wreckage of the economic model in Argentina foretells what will
happen in other countries. This shows that the world is walking towards
hard times. The evolution of permaculture and its proposals in Argentina
will advance what will happen in other countries that collapse. It shall
be a proposal of generation of resources instead of consumption of
resources and where the human being replaces competition with
cooperation.
Designing a Micro-Society
We started with Mahatma Gandhi´s words: "We must be the change that we
want for the world." Thus we set out on the path growing our "inner
garden" first.
At Gaia the design process hasn't followed a straight line, but has
rather become an evolutionary process involving the resources and needs
of the place, our own needs, and the arrival of new members to the
Ecovillage that bring new necessities and ideas. It's been a journey
between reason and intuition, reality and utopia.
In our design we try to include natural patterns as well as patterns
that other cultures have developed in their villages and ceremonial
locations. We try to integrate this generous ancestral knowledge with
beauty and serenity, while preserving and incrementing ecological
diversity.
We sought to accomplish the vision of a whole Ecovillage being both a
natural sanctuary and a testament for future generations. With this
vision in mind we designed sustainable constructions, autonomous power
systems, permanent agriculture and a synergic evolving community based
on the search for human beings´ true role on the planet. We are
designing a landscape where every detail may offer a space for the
communion between human art and the creative forces of nature.
When the visitors arrive at Gaia, they are welcomed by a galaxy-shaped
garden of native species that flow colorfully and gracefully. The
newcomer is seduced by a universe where life is celebrated.
Water is an important key in this landscape. As a guiding line we've
made three ponds of approximately 100m2 each and other ponds are about
to be built. One of them will be part of a natural sanctuary forming a
7000m2 lake.
To improve the soil we make planting a priority. Restorative tasks are
aimed at recreating native ecosystems. This is an educational activity
as well, especially for the children and youths.
The forest gardens are designed to function as spaces for demonstration,
education, and research on permanent synergic agriculture. Different
stages of development of working permaculture systems can be seen step
by step as they unfold.
The design pays special attention to the harmonious integration of
pre-existing structures, the new natural buildings, paths, green areas,
etc. Indoor and outdoor spaces are combined to help the Ecovillage
function as a multi-leveled system, where different educational and
productive activities can happen alongside the everyday activities of
permanent residents. For example, a group of weekend visitors may join a
guided tour while some residents work on their agricultural business,
and a 15-day "Living and Learning" program for foreign students is
simultaneously taking place.
When we first arrived here, the approximately 2400m2 of existing
structures were dilapidated from long years of abandonment. We started
to heal, restore and embellish the place. It was hard reconstruction
work that required organization, clear design lines, and a lot of
enthusiasm and creativity, which is in a way what is needed today:
creativity on a bigger scale, to accomplish the resurgence of a country
as broken as Argentina.
Part of our challenge lies not only in the development of the Ecovillage
but in making this project a jumpstart for social transformation. This
dedication to service helps those who reside here join minds and skills
with others who come visiting, in an effort to keep giving birth to
innovative practices and ideas.
Appropriate Technologies
We started from the idea that technological innovation should be taken
in an holistic way. We take special care to select the most appropriate
technologies for each activity. Innovations must be ecological and
smoothly transferable to society, especially to the impoverished people
whose basic needs must be met. Once technologies make their way to
people they can start spreading through society. One example of this
kind of technology is our efficient manual water pump which consists of
a rope with a number of cups attached to it, running through a pipe.
The combined use of solar and high-efficiency firewood cookers help
optimize the energy use per capita in the community kitchen. This helps
the students understand that community maximizes small-scale economy.
We decided to live off-the-grid by installing a small wind power farm
consisting of three generators with a total output of 5400 watts, which
we are now planning to upgrade. Our 16 batteries combined with a 4500
watt inverter feed our own grid with standard 220V AC. Optimization of
the generation and distribution systems give us a sense of appropriate
use and conservation of energy. Our installed power system is at the
same time reproducing the same technology as we use part of its output
to produce low cost 300W and 600W prototypes for people in need. Another
example of energy cycling is the water heating solar collector system.
The graywater produced by showers and laundry is treated with a reeds
bed gray water treatment that uses reedmace (Typha latifolia) and canna
(Canna glauca). A plant called totoras produces a material that is great
for thermal insulation, which we are now using to insulate the water
tanks of a prototype low-cost solar collector. Thus the initial
collector takes part in the process of developing new systems and the
graywater produces new resources. This chain of events is explained to
visitors and students at Gaia, who can understand and see for themselves
the importance of small systems generating others, and the relevance of
permacultural proposals for an Ecovillage.
The Ecovillage has become a perfect laboratory for innovation and
research in appropriate technology. Adding our own values to the needs
the technologies must serve makes new appropriate designs emerge. Our
basic needs are the same as those of most people in Argentina who have
been excluded from the system. Thus the appropriate technologies we
develop to solve our problems will be useful to millions of people in
need. Gaia also serves as a space where different technologies from
sustainable communities and groups of appropriate technology from all
around the world meet the knowledge of our ancestors. We teach the
technologies that we develop and use daily as part of our lives. Among
other examples, we adopted a compost toilet based on red worms-designed
at Crystal Waters-and kept improving it through 5 years of uninterrupted
use. Today we build them in impoverished settlements.
Agriculture and Forestation
We cultivate about 220 edible and medicinal plants, most of them from
organic, open-pollinated, and heirloom seeds. Most of these species
aren't native to Argentina, but finding and preservation of native
American plants is also an important goal for us.
We are developing a seed bank and exchange system that aids exchange
with other permaculture centers and individuals, thus initiating-slowly
but steadily-a South American network. We're growing forest gardens. We
have planted more than 600 bushes and trees for wind-breaks. Other
native bushes and trees have been planted in the wild sanctuary area to
reproduce the native eco-system. The forest supplies wood needed for
heating and cooking as well as timber for building.
We h