6 Winter 2016 Applegater
Permaculture for southern Oregon
Siskiyou Permaculture
Courses and Events
BY MELANIE MINDLIN
What does a sustainable lifestyle
look like—not sustaining the convenient
middle-class expectations or the growth
economy, but a lifestyle that can be
persistent on the only planet we have?
How can we regenerate our land, address
climate change, and change ourselves
to feed a vision of the more beautiful
world our hearts know is possible?
Permaculture provides skills, resources,
and perspectives—from water harvesting
to regenerative forestry, from perennial
horticulture to appropriate technology,
from homestead planning to the sharing
economy—that offer a way to be the
change you want to see in the world
Siskiyou Permaculture offers
education and design services
for southern Oregon. The Permaculture
Design Course, offered once a year, gives
you the opportunity to experience the
internationally renowned curriculum
with lots of local applications and
resources for our region provided by
our three instructors: Tom Ward, an
Applegate Valley resident, a storyteller
and counselor, a permaculture teacher
renowned throughout the northwest,
and a social forester with over 30
years of experience; Karen Taylor, a
permaculture teacher, designer, and
rainwater and greywater consultant;
and Melanie Mindlin, a permaculture
teacher, land-use planner, home designer,
and community facilitator.
Andrew Millison, permaculture
instructor at Oregon State University,
says, “Permaculture has become a major
buzzword throughout the design world,
as all gazes are shifting toward green.
This is because the permaculture design
system, founded by Australians Bill
Mollison and David Holmgren in
the 1970s, has demonstrated innate
wisdom and enduring designs around
the globe. Permaculture is a system of
land-use planning and a design protocol
for creating human habitations that
embody three ethical foundations: care
of the Earth, care of people, and the
reinvestment of surplus to support those
ethics. Permaculture design principles
are based around the notion of energy
descent, where industrial society will need
to drastically reduce energy consumption
in order to sustain a stable climate and
support life on Earth.”
Permaculture is a human-centered
and positive approach that invites us to see
ourselves as positive agents for change, to
see our place within nature, and celebrate
the good we can do. Building resilient
communities means providing for our
material and nonmaterial needs locally in
a sustainable way, reversing centralizing
and globalizing trends that require
Jacksonville Community Center:
Moving from a dream to reality
BY SUE MILER
For decades, residents of Jacksonville
and surrounding communities have
dreamed of having a community center
to serve as a focal point for all the cultural
and civic activity that makes this area
so special. Now supporters are close
to achieving this dream—construction
plans are being prepared and the final
push to raise the remaining funds is
under way.
Origin of the project
Since 1998, the Jacksonville
Community Center (JCC) has been
housed in a small, 842-square-foot
cottage at Fourth and Main Street in
Jacksonville. The two-room cottage was
remodeled by volunteers and has been
used by local nonprofit organizations
for meetings, crafts, music and social
activities, and the staging of parades
and other Jacksonville events. However,
the cottage was intended to be a
temporary solution and could not come
close to housing all the activities that
residents desired. Plans for the new
center incorporate the current cottage
but include a large expansion that
will accommodate a greater variety of
activities and events.
What will the center be like?
JCC will be an approximately
3,000-square-foot multipurpose building
with small meeting rooms, a great room
that can be subdivided, an event kitchen,
ADA compliant restrooms, and a small
outdoor amphitheater.
Residents envision activities
throughout the day: performing and
visual arts classes for kids, well-baby
clinics, club meetings, tutoring, teen
activities, and
adult classes. The
great room will
be used for events
such as medium-
sized conferences,
meetings, music
recitals, dance
performances, class
reunions, and family
events like showers
and wedding
receptions. It can
serve as the staging
area for parades and historic education.
Outdoor space is being planned to
accommodate small groups for an
outdoor club, hiking, and nature study.
Who will use the center?
The center will serve residents of all
ages from Jacksonville and surrounding
areas, including the Applegate Valley. We
are particularly interested in increasing
the opportunities and activities for
children and teens in our community.
What stage is the project at now?
As the nonprofit organization
leading the project, Jacksonville
Community Center has secured a
50-year lease for one dollar per year
from the City of Jacksonville, enabling
construction on the site. Ausland Group
has been engaged as the construction
firm. Approvals have been obtained
from the City Planning Commission
and the Historic Architectural Review
Commission. Construction will begin
once funds to complete the full project
are raised. Construction is expected to
take roughly five months.
Tom Ward, renowned permaculture
teacher and social forester.
massive energy inputs, and relieving
pressure on the rest of the world.
The Permaculture Design
Course starts in February 2017 and
is held over six weekends through May
1 at Jackson Wellsprings classroom
in Ashland. See the sidebar for more
information about this course and
others. More information about Siskiyou
Permaculture can be found on the
website at siskiyoupermaculture.com
or by writing siskiyoupermaculture@
gmail.com.
Melanie Mindlin
Siskiyou Permaculture
541-482-7909
siskiyoupermaculture@gmail.com
Annual Storytelling
December 11, 2016
“Now Then Forever: A State of the
Bioregion Story” told by Tom Ward (aka
Hazel) at UCC Ashland church, 717
Siskiyou Boulevard, Ashland. Free event.
Donations accepted.
Where are we and what’s happening?
The long view is what matters.
Social Forestry
February 4 - 9, 2017
Advanced permaculture course with
Tom Ward, aka Hazel, at Wolf Gulch in
southern Oregon. This course explores
reconnecting with forests through
ecological knowledge, use of hand
tools and woodcrafts, seasonal festivals
and work cycles, and more. Fee: $600,
includes camping. Early registration by
January 4 is $500. Register online at
siskiyoupermaculture.org.
Weekend Permaculture
Design Courses
Start February 18-19, 2017
This certificate course is offered
around the world with lots of local
flavor included. Lead instructor is
Tom Ward with co-teachers Melanie
Mindlin and Karen Taylor. Fee: $725.
Early registration by January 17 is
$625. Full course description and
registration available at sites.google.com/
site/siskiyouper/permaculture-design-
course.
Collectibles toward
a multiuse center.
Proceeds from the
annual Celebrate the
Arts event have been
conserved over many
years toward the same
end. Those combined
f u n d s t o t a l ove r
$200,000, and an
additional $107,000
in contributions and
pledges has been
received. Proposals
have been submitted
to several regional
founda t ions; t he
Carpenter and
Rendering of the future Jacksonville Community Center.
C h a n e y Fa m i l y
How much will the center cost, Foundations have made grants.
and what are the plans for raising
JCC recently received a $40,000
the funds needed?
challenge grant from the Collins
The total budget for the community Foundation, which will award $40,000
center project is $828,000. Of that, to JCC if we are able to raise $40,000
$270,000 is comprised of in-kind from individuals and businesses in the
contributions (primarily the lease from community. Thus far, about half of the
the City of Jacksonville), leaving the challenge amount has been raised. JCC is
“cash cost” for the project at $558,000. now seeking contributions from friends
This figure is comprised of two parts: in the community—both individuals
(1) $450,000 to construct the building and businesses. Every gift, no matter
and (2) $108,000 for furnishings, how small or large, counts! To make a
equipment, and related expenses.
tax-deductible donation, mail a check
The fundraising campaign is well to Jacksonville Community Center, PO
under way. For nearly 20 years, dedicated Box 1435, Jacksonville, OR 97530, or
volunteers from the Jacksonville Seniors, visit our website at cedarson4th.org.
Inc., have had the vision and community-
Sue Miler
mindedness to focus the proceeds
Volunteer, JCC Funding Committee
from sales at Jacksonville Thrift and
samiler17@gmail.com
— N O T I C E —
The Community Calendar, usually found on page 4, has been
temporarily relocated to our website at applegater.org.
