internship lost valley

My Summer at Lost Valley

My Summer at Lost Valley

• Lost Valley Educational Center is an intentional community and nonprofit educational center dedicated to learning, living, and teaching sustainable, ecologically-based culture.

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The mission of Lost Valley Educational Center is to create and foster mutually beneficial relations between humans and all parts of the web of existence. We believe that these relationships provide a means to well-being as well as survival.

The mission of Lost Valley Educational Center is to create and foster mutually beneficial relations between humans and all parts of the web of existence. We believe that these relationships provide a means to well-being as well as survival.





• In fulfilling this mission, our purpose is to create and maintain an intentional community and an educational center dedicated to three goals which guide us in all activities.

• To educate broadly in areas such as ecology, sustainable agriculture, human-made environments, personal and spiritual growth, and community development.

• To live an ethic in which we are open to spiritual diversity, demonstrate right livelihood and sustainable economics, support individuals in their personal growth and healing, and steward the land to sustain and heal the earth for generations to come.

• To participate in the global community, network with others and facilitate the evolution of cooperative societies and socially responsible relationships at every level.

• We dedicate ourselves to learning and teaching this way of life.

Ecovillage and Permaculture Certificate Program:

Integrating Land, Building, and Social Sustainability

• A two month holistic introduction to creating ecovillages and sustainable communities.



What Is Permaculture?What Is Permaculture?• PERMACULTURE, from PERMAment agriCULTURE, is a

practical system of ecological design. By learning to mirror the patterns found in healthy natural environments, you can build profitable, productive, sustainable, cultivated ecosystems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems

• Permaculture designs range from households to major agricultural enterprises and even whole bio-regions. It integrates disciplines relating to food, shelter, energy, water, waste mangement, economics and social sciences to create whole systems capable of reclaiming devastated lands and building sound social/economic systems.

The Difference is in the Ethic!

The Difference is in the Ethic!

• Most design systems are defined by a "market driven" ethic in which most considerations are subservient to the conclusions of a short term cost/benefit analysis, discounting or ignoring such factors as environmental degradation or destruction of human community. Permaculture departs from any other design system in that it is guided by a common sense ethical system which forms the criteria for design decisions. The ethic is

• Care of the Earth • Care of the People of the Earth • Conscious Frugality

• System surpluses distributed to accomplish these aims

What does Lost Valley do to Be more sustainable?

What does Lost Valley do to Be more sustainable?

• PERMACULTURE APPLIED• New Forest• Meadow• Pond• Swale Systems• Hedgerows• Forest Gardening• Nut Orchard• Orchards• Gardens• Chickens• Solar Hot Water Systems• Greywater System



Our diverse young forest contrasts with the douglas fir monoculture common in Oregon and will serve as a multi-ecosystem and multi-functional forest in the future.

Sustainable GardeningSustainable Gardening

• Uses permaculture principles• Does not use chemicals• Uses perennial and native plants• Has an emphasis on diversity• Employs energy recycling

techniques• Maximizes edge and diversity of

landscape• Encourages mutually beneficial

natural systems

• Uses permaculture principles• Does not use chemicals• Uses perennial and native plants• Has an emphasis on diversity• Employs energy recycling

techniques• Maximizes edge and diversity of

landscape• Encourages mutually beneficial

natural systems



Energy RecyclingEnergy Recycling

• Grey water system

• Black water system

• Use of biomass• chickens



Appropriate TechnologyAppropriate Technology

• Compact fluorescent light bulb• Haybox• Solar cooker• Photovoltaic system• Solar-assisted shower • and clothes washer• Efficient clothes washer• Energy-efficient dryer• Wastewater leach field• Solar Hot Water Panels• Solar Shower• Reduced flush volume in toilet tanks• Insulation wherever possible



Our south-facing solar water heating panels preheat the water in our lodge during the summer months

A little about the program

A little about the program

• 24 students of all ages and walks of life

• Lived in tents • Hands on learning• Integrated into community• Culminated in a final design

project of Lost Valley in 2010

The Outdoor KitchenThe Outdoor Kitchen

The Creek

Where we swam, played and did stream restoration to increase habitat and water quality

The MeadowThe Meadow

• Where we slept

• Where we collected medicinal herbs

• Fire pit for celebrations

• Where we slept

• Where we collected medicinal herbs

• Fire pit for celebrations

Three components to the Program

Three components to the Program

• Land and Garden

• Built Environment

• Human Community

Land and GardenLand and Garden

• Sustainable Gardening!

• Sustainable Gardening!

Stream RestorationWe are moving a log into the stream to slow the flow of water and provide more edge and habitat for aquatic life to flourish

We were also moving the log by consensus…

Yeah Garlic!Yeah Garlic!

Garlic laborGarlic labor• Garlic, our

biggest crop, is being peeled, prepared, and braided for storage

Making herbal salves and tinctures

Making herbal salves and tinctures

• Salves are a wax based cream with healing herbs in it that can be used topically

• Tinctures are usually alcohol based and can be drunken

• Salves are a wax based cream with healing herbs in it that can be used topically

• Tinctures are usually alcohol based and can be drunken



A short medicinal herb quiz

A short medicinal herb quiz

ValerianValerian

• The root is used as a muscle relaxant,sedative,nervine and is good for insomnia and migranes.

YarrowYarrow

• The flowering herb can be applied to wounds and made into a tea.

• It helps stop bleeding and induces sweating

• It is good for fever, colds and flu, cystisis, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and is an astringent

Heal-All (prunella)Heal-All (prunella)

• The flowering herb is a good poultice for skin wounds and bites

Common PlantainCommon Plantain

• Leaves are an astringent and make a good poultice for wounds, burns, skin irritations, and insect bites.

• It also relieves pain and itch an acts as an anti-inflammatory

Comfrey/KnitboneComfrey/Knitbone

• The leaves and roots help repair body tissue for any injury, soothes inflammation, stops bleeding, strengthens bones, and heals respiratory system

Built EnvironmentBuilt Environment

• Natural building including:

• Cob• Paper Crete• Straw bale• Natural wattle and daub variation

• Natural building including:

• Cob• Paper Crete• Straw bale• Natural wattle and daub variation

Paper CretePaper Crete• Papercrete, also called

fibrous cement, is a remarkable building material made with recycled paper/cardboard, sand, and Portland cement. ﾊ You mix the dry ingredients together with water to make a slurry. This slurry dries into hard blocks that are strong and incredibly insulative. Papercrete holds its shape even when wet. Except for the cement, all the ingredients are free or almost free, which makes papercrete a very inexpensive building material.

Mixing the papercrete “slurry”

Mixing the papercrete “slurry”

A papercrete dolphin just for fun!

A papercrete dolphin just for fun!

Cob and Cob WeaveCob and Cob Weave• Cob structures are built using clay from the land, sand, and

straw. Cob is a simple and versatile building material that can last a long time given a solid roof with an adequate overhang and good plaster. The potentially large thermal mass of cob ensures stable temperatures, staying warm at night and cool during the day.



Building a cob weave bird blind

Building a cob weave bird blind

• The frame is made from wood that we sustainably harvested from the land at Lost Valley with hand tools

Preparing the cob slurry

Preparing the cob slurry

Making straw “dookies”

Making straw “dookies”

Weaving the strawWeaving the straw

Getting higher…Getting higher…

Two walls done!Two walls done!

Renewable EnergyRenewable Energy

We also studies applications of:• Biodiesel• Wind power• Solar power• Microhydo power• Appropriate design for energy

conservation• Conbustion stoves

We also studies applications of:• Biodiesel• Wind power• Solar power• Microhydo power• Appropriate design for energy

conservation• Conbustion stoves

Making biodieselMaking biodiesel• Biodiesel is most

commonly made by chemically altering an organic oil through the use of a catalyst and an alcohol, typically Methanol. The chemical reaction that occurs through this process breaks down the oil molecules and replaces the glycerine portion of the molecule with an alcohol molecule. The glycerine falls to the bottom and is drained off resulting in Biodiesel.



For more informationGo to: http://www.biodieselcommunity.org

Rocket stovesRocket stoves

Human communityHuman community

• It’s all about community!!

• It’s all about community!!

Community developmentCommunity

development• We studied the importance of community

and community building techniques• Community building at its best is the

process of cultivating relationships with people in a way that helps them see their gifts and capacities and motivates them to enthusiastically draw on their gifts to make connections with others and take action toward their vision of success.

• We studies and employed structures and workshops to consciously cultivate a strong sense of community and encouraged a way of seeing and a way of relating and interacting characterized by openness and respect.

• We studies and employed structures and workshops to consciously cultivate a strong sense of community and encouraged a way of seeing and a way of relating and interacting characterized by openness and respect.



Working togetherWorking together

Making music togetherMaking music together

Eating TogetherEating Together

Traveling in style with Biodiesel

Traveling in style with Biodiesel

Relaxing togetherRelaxing together

Playing TogetherPlaying Together

What about Ecovillages?What about Ecovillages?

• Well, an Ecovillage is the dynamic integration of all of these elements.

• The last couple weeks of our program were focused on designing Lost Valley as a functioning Ecovillage while integrating all the elements of permaculture.

What is an Ecovillage?What is an Ecovillage?

• A human scale• Full featured settlement• In which human activities are

harmlessly integrated into the natural world

• In a way that is supportive of healthy human development and can be successfully continued into the indefinite future.

Human scaleHuman scale

• Refers to a size in which people are able to know and be known by the other in the community and where each member of the community feels he or she is able to influence the community’s direction

Fully featured settlement

Fully featured settlement

• Is one which all the major functions of normal living-residence, food provision, manufacture, leisure, social life, and commerce are plainly present and in balanced proportions

In which human activities are


In which human activities are


• Means that people are not welcome…

• NO, it just means that design is based from the belief that there is equality between humans and other forms of life.


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In a way that is supportive of healthy human development

In a way that is supportive of healthy human development

• Is structured in a way that involves a balanced and integrated development of all aspects of human life- physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.

And that can be successfully continued

into the indefinite future

And that can be successfully continued

into the indefinite future• This is the sustainability principle,

which brings with it a profound commitment to fairness and non-exploitation toward other parts of today’s world, human and non-human, and towards all future life.

Presentation of design projects!

Presentation of design projects!

Useful LinksUseful Links

• Lost Valley Website www.lostvalley.org• Biodiesel www.biodiesel.org• Intentional Communities Website www.ic.org• Ecovillages www.ecovillages.org• Permaculture International

www.permacultureinternational.org

http://www.lostvalley.org/

http://www.biodiesel.org/

http://www.ic.org/

http://www.ecovillages.org/

http://www.permacultureinternational.org/

The EndThe End

internship lost valley

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