Sit Down Sunday With Nyrees Titchener
Today, I got to sit down and chat briefly with permaculture expert and one of our highly interesting parents, Nyrees.
The conversation was my first foray into the world of permaculture and certainly wont be my last. We explored the 12 principles of permaculture, its relevance in today’s world and keeping it simple stupid.
We also explored the relevance permaculture practices have on the lives and understanding of children to the world around them and how this can bring about the possibly of significant nature connection opportunities.
The chat was incredibly enlightening and highly thought provoking for me.
Amongst many of the things we discussed and upon listening intently to it back one large takeaway became very apparent for myself and my practice.
How unbelievably linked permaculture and Forest School are.
Not only considering what both wishes to achieve but more importantly the ways in which it goes about it.
An example for me, was thinking carefully and closely about the impact we as human beings may have on an area and working with the land instead of on the land. A mindset or way of thinking, perhaps.
A key principle of Forest School is to sustainability use the woodland environment taking no more than you need, balancing factors such as footfall and erosion whilst promoting biodiversity in the area through careful management and certainly leaving no trace.
Perhaps by integrating permacultural principles into Forest School practice it may allow Forest School leaders to develop even stronger understandings around how to effectively work as part of the woodland and pass this knowledge on the learners.
After all Forest School is an amalgamation of several key woodland trades, knowledge’s and practices with a the extra sprinkles of facilitation or helpful mentoring of children or learners on top.
Forest School Leaders see themselves not as the finished article but as ever evolving and reflective learners, gaining more value everytime they interact with both the woodland, the children and the natural world. This is why Forest School is not about teaching but is about facilitation and co-construction of learning and how a curriculum would simply not fit into this ideal as an outright contradiction.
Thinking back to last weeks interview with Dr Alexia Barrable and discussion around nature connection; If a Forest School leader could instill permacultural foundations onto the learners in which to appreciate the land seeing themselves as a part of it and working with it to see its potential, may be the scattering of vibrant seeds children need to develop a nature connection so deep that it proves vital for the future protection of the natural spaces in our world.
As an initial conversation and foray, there was so much on offer to be able to go into in detail, but part of me wishes I had. It’s simply now a well meaning excuse to get Nyrees back on the podcast and discuss elements in this episode in more detail.
To listen to the full conversation you can find it over on our podcast;
To find out more about Nyrees and her work please follow these links;
Permaculture Women’s Guild: https://www.permaculturewomen.com/?fbclid=IwAR2Cx_J2Fr-3g2pLeNlUDC4dotC1liGUds5AJBOOLaYlb1YqCTku_bB4w1s
Bramble Permaculture Network: http://sabpermaculturegroup.weebly.com/?fbclid=IwAR09tfivOc3adecSj3RWKQP4ck2uRvQwLQr9RP-UZ3nAOQLVbkAFneCxwhI
Wildwood Emporium: https://wildwoodemporium.wordpress.com/?fbclid=IwAR15-a-T2OoRLs9Pgxseb353E1lpC8lGCy0wKDvlzmxsNysg5knoAFzhZQU
Children In Permaculture: http://childreninpermaculture.com/?fbclid=IwAR2K0iW4bkBbMBm6Iv8fBzAOR4P8ROFb1vqMjAE-CjiEPCfYFIBP0FTUl68
Dark City Radio Archives;http://www.darkcityradio.com/?pid=6#page2
To find out more about Eco Ed forest school specifically please visit the website at www.ecoedforestschool.co.uk.
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