Document Type

Honors Thesis

Major

Ecology & Environmental Sciences

Advisor(s)

Joline Blais

Committee Members

Melissa Ladenheim, Anthony Sutton

Graduation Year

May 2024

Publication Date

Spring 5-2024

Abstract

There is a need in our society to have a more holistic understanding of the polycrisis, the intertwining of environmental and social crises that create compounding effects, and the underlying issues that have temporarily and psychologically separated humans from our local ecosystems and biophysical limits. This requires creating space to deeply discuss these issues and possible responses. Permaculture is an ethical framework for designing regenerative and resilient human systems that work within, instead of against, nature. The Terrell House Permaculture Living & Learning Center is a student housing project where four resident stewards run the Permaculture & Gardening Club (PGC) to engage students and other community members. I identified a gap in the PGC programming: a need to have a discussion-based program that could help members more deeply understand the permaculture framework. Most of our events in the past have been skill and community building oriented. I created the Permaculture Discussion Group (PDG) to use permaculture as a lens through which to look at the polycrisis and various possible responses. I learned about how to effectively run a discussion-based program. The PDG grew the permaculture community at UMaine and helped participants learn about the permaculture framework, as well as other ideologies and practices, and how they can be applied in many different situations throughout their lives.

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