The Center for Permaculture

IPES is planning to develop the Center for Permaculture and Sustainable Development to meet the growing demand for our current educational resources. Our plan is to design and develop a large plot of land according to permaculture principles which will serve as an education, experimentation and demonstration site allowing us to further develop our education programs.

To use the development of the center as a unique opportunity for hands on learning for community leaders and NGO´s in sustainable development techniques
To prepare leaders of poor rural communities in El Salvador in permaculture design and techniques for ecologically sustainable development of their communities
To train staff from local development institutions in permaculture approaches to sustainable development
To demonstrate permaculture systems for sustainable agriculture and appropriate technology
To experiment with and find solutions to prepare Salvadoran communities to face climate change
To provide international students with opportunities for study, internships and volunteering in order to study the practical applications of sustainable development techniques within a third world setting
To enable IPES to generate funds through sustainable business

Methodology
We expect the development of this new center to take approximately three years. During the center´s development, we plan to continue to teach within the communities as we have been doing in the past; however, we also plan to use the development of the site itself as a unique educational resource. We will invite community leaders and local organizations to participate in a series of workshops to design and to develop the land and buildings according to permaculture principles. We want to give local communities and NGOs the knowledge but more importantly the hands on experience they need to practice ecological development in their own communities and homes. The idea is to build the center from the ground up with the help of the surrounding community so that they can experience for themselves the feasibility and cost-efficiency of building an ecological community.

We have bought land that is ideal for development as an education and demonstration site. The land is located 6 kilometers from the colonial town of Suchitoto, which is in the Department of Cuscatlán and in the heart of El Salvador. It is situated 1.5 hours from the international airport and 45 minutes from the capital, San Salvador. The area is tranquil and full of natural beauty and is developing rapidly as a tourist area for both Salvadorans and international visitors. In the future we hope to take advantage of this tourist trade to develop sustainable businesses, such as an ecological guesthouse, sale of organic produce, ecological tourist trails which will enable the Institute to become more economically self reliant. The site comprises 20 acres of land, stretching one kilometer from the main Suchitoto road up towards the summit of the Montepeque Hill. A beautiful and peaceful zone, with much wildlife and well-preserved natural areas, we consider Suchitoto an ideal place for both Salvadorans and overseas visitors to study and work.

Goal
Another goal for this project is to diminish the harmful impact of climate change, deforestation, and agrochemicals on subsistence farming.

Objective
To achieve this goal we will experiment with and create demonstration sites of a wide range of ecological techniques for improving soil fertility and pest control, improving soil conservation, and implementing appropriate and diverse agroforesty systems. We will also provide practical, hands on teaching in ecological farming techniques to leaders and development agencies.

These techniques include:

Diversifying plots for basic grains demonstrating interdependent crop systems that are low maintenance, climate resistant and self maintaining

Maize, beans and squash (the three sisters)
Maize, green manures, sesame, sorghum and rice
Amaranth, Jamaica Rose, cucumber and yucca

Implementing a variety of agro forestry systems including
Coffee, cocoa and apiculture
Fruit forest with undercover vegetable crops

Fruit and forage forest combined with small animal production (peligueys and poultry)

Combined fish/duck and fruit tree systems

Planting perennial climate resistant crops such as malanga, camote, yucca, chaya, chufle etc

Planting medicinal plant garden

Implementing combined worm/rabbit systems

Creating pest control systems including:

Insect repellent plants
Predator attracting plants
Plants for making botanical insecticides
Fungi

Soil Conservation and Fertility
Key line planning system of interconnected drainage ditches
System of live and dead barriers for soil retention and prevention of erosion
Production of natural fertilizers:

Composting kitchen waste
Composting animal manures and organic matter
Vermiculture (worm compost)
Fermented composts (bocachi)

Improving Biodiversity

Goal
Our goal is to improve biodiversity and reforestation and preserve our biogenetic heritage.

Objectives
IPES will create a seed bank and plant/tree nursery within the center to help achieve our goal of improving biodiversity. With the seed bank and nursery, we will collect, reproduce, and distribute non-hybrid seeds for basic grains and vegetables, medicinal plants, pest control plants, alternative perennial food plants, native trees for reforestation, and plants for green manure. We will also diversify the forest on the land and create sites to demonstrate a range of diverse systems.

IPES will use these demonstration sites to teach local communities leaders and development agencies about the importance and benefits of preserving our genetic biodiversity.

Goal
The goal for the construction of the facilities of this center is to expand the use of natural, local materials in community construction.

Objectives
To achieve our goal we will build the center facilities using a range of local, natural materials, which we can then use as models of natural building techniques. We will also provide practical, hands on teaching to community leaders and development agencies in natural building techniques. We want the buildings to harmonize with the landscape by not cutting down existing trees and providing a cool and comfortable learning environment.

A 900sq foot octagonal building made with compacted adobe and palm roof, this will provide teaching space for up to 30 students.

Constructed from volcanic stone with ample secure storage, the kitchen will be partly open to the outdoors to provide more comfortable conditions for cooking. Attached will be a dining room in the design of a porch which can cater for 50 people.

Five connected 144sq foot rooms which will house a total of 20 people, constructed of stone from the site and adobe bricks with clay tile roofing. Bathroom facilities will be attached with compost latrines and solar heated, rainwater showers.

A 196sq foot building made of super adobe with clay tiled roof will house our educational resources, provide internet access, and study space.

Three small separate offices built of super adobe with clay tiled roofs will house the IPES administrative team, educational team, and Director.

An eye catching entrance on the Suchitoto to San Salvador main roadway will be constructed. The access road will be built with stone on the land’s contour lines and will lead to the center of the site. To enable students to visit the different parts of the site we will also construct an interconnecting system of footpaths. We will enclose the site with secure fencing.

Four small family homes and one home for volunteers will be made of adobe bricks, super adobe and stone. These homes will house the center’s live in staff.

Goal
The goal for the technology component of this project is to improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities and to increase the use of alternative energy sources.

Objectives
Within the center we will develop rainwater harvesting systems, greywater catchment and recycling systems, a well with solar pump, water filtration systems, compost latrines, compost and garbage disposal systems, energy efficient wood stoves, micro hydroelectric systems, and solar water heating and photovoltaic systems. All of these systems will provide us with models to demonstrate appropriate technologies as well as hands on teaching opportunities for community leaders and development agencies.