RE: [Permaculture] African Deserts; distance PDC

[John Schinnerer <John-Schinnerer@data-dimensions.com>]

Aloha,

-----Original Message-----
From: Toby Hemenway [mailto:hemenway@jeffnet.org]
>...This is the site assessment phase as taught in the PDC: know your client
>and site. Scott (I believe) and I assume that you've already done this,
>have the backing of the client, and now you're at the implementation phase,
>asking whether digging stick or dozer is a more effective and appropriate
>technology. 

Right on...my take is that since most "well-meaning foreigners" (such as the
IMF, USAID, Peace Corps, etc.) do not engage adequately (or at all) with
clients/stakeholders, and that is what people are "used to," it is really
important to make that aspect of designing always explicit in permaculture
practice...including on permaculture list discussions, since anyone can join
the list and lurk and I for one don't want 'em assuming permaculture also
"barges in."

>...if you
>haven't done a good site assessment and if you don't know your client, any
>design, large or small, will fail....
<snip>
>...These issues are at the heart
>of permaculture every bit as much as the techniques (and why no designer
>wants to work without seeing the site and client), and we ignore them at
>our own peril.

...which leads me to questions about online and distance learning PC design
courses, where student's designs may be evaluated sight (and site, and
client(s)) unseen...thoughts, anyone?

John Schinnerer