Karuna
On 25th November, five of us from WM PermaNetwork (West Midlands Permaculture Network) visited Karuna, a few miles south of Shrewsbury. Karuna is an 18 acre site, overlooking Long Mynd and has been owned by Janta and Merav and their two children for a year or so. Since taking over the land, which had been used for horses and sheep over the years, they have planted over 5,000 trees.
Amazingly, some of the local people don’t seem to like trees and continue to cause problems for Karuna. I despair when people look at monocultural fields all planted with a single type of plant, or a field of sheep and say that is nature, or consider it to be the natural landscape! The natural landscape of the UK is trees and shrubs, and whilst mankind needs fields to grow food to survive, we should be working towards restoring as much land as possible to it’s original wooded state.
Due to suspected poisoning of some of the newly planted trees at Karuna, Janta took the decision to move onto the land and is currently residing in a former showman’s trailer, without any mains services. Janta and his family are living lightly on the land, but are under the threat of a planning enforcement notice (unauthorised ‘change of use’ for the land, from agricultural to mixed agricultural and dwelling) which, if enforced, would mean they have to leave their home.
The text below was written by Janta and Merav as an introduction to Karuna and their motives for developing it.
Plant Karuna for the Planet
(true sustainability for Shropshire)Karuna is a Sanskrit word meaning compassion. In “Island” a novel by Aldous Huxley (his last novel) Karuna was a place where people are kind and happy, they have equally without mediocrity, compassion as well as intellect and science side by side with art. Islands happen to be our favourite places.
Karuna is located within an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) at Picklescott, on the lower slopes of the Long Mynd, it faces out towards stupendous far reaching open views of the Stretton Hills and surrounding countryside.
The soil at Karuna is fertile, the area was once covered in trees, it is now naked compared to what it once was. Being lovers of trees and the land we have a desire to restore a small part of it.
Trees are one of the most important assets on the planet, contributing to the solutions of many of the problems that challenge humankind. Trees make a positive impact on the environment, playing a vital role in the battle to reduce global warming; they take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen, they offer a means to meet the needs of an exploding global population from the finite resources of the planet; maintain water supplies, check soil floods and soil erosion. As trees are permanent crops, their cultivation does not require regular ploughing which damages soil structure. Life on our planet could not exist without trees and yet vast tracts of forests across the globe are being destroyed!
It is not enough to criticise the felling of tropical forests - we should all be working to restore our own forests, take positive action towards a sustainable future, by working with nature rather than against it.
At Karuna, an 18 acre site, three separate woodlands (approx 9 acres) of over 50 species were planted in the winter 2006, this year there has been additional planting, including many traditional fruit trees, nitrogen fixing trees, plants and herbs, thus laying the foundations for agroforestry and forest gardening using permaculture and natural farming techniques/principles for production of fruits, nuts, vegetables and medicinal plants, based on interaction between different life forms in order to stimulate and support one another (symbiosis).
The project exists to demonstrate that sustainable land management is the only way forward if the present climate crisis is to be reversed. That is if there is to be any future for our children.
We know, from studying the rocks of our planet, that there was once a time when life did not exist here. Man, in seeing himself separate from nature and taking from it as he pleases is destroying all forms of life as he goes. If he does not change he will soon destroy himself.
Karuna possesses deep mystical magic in its soil, it has great potential, it gives out signals and speaks to those who are receptive to its almost forgotten language. The land is calling out to be healed and be given the opportunity to heal. These two exist side by side. We have chosen to respond to the calling of “the one” at the particular energy spot in order to share our love of the natural world, especially with our children.
Traditionally small wooded areas were often managed on the outer edge of the village, not simply for their raw materials and medicines. Trees offer us the opportunity to recognise inner peace and understanding when we place ourselves quietly amongst them. Developing and raising awareness of sustainability, climate change, wildlife conservation, holistic healing and art are the projects deepest concerns.
There is no better way to reach others than by example, and to offer the opportunity for all of us to develop through direct experience and serve human ends harmlessly while creating conditions conducive to all life.
The positive impact upon wildlife at Karuna is already apparent, Hawks gather in greater numbers to feed upon the increased mice population, due to the long grass between the newly planted woodlands. Threatened species like the once common sparrow also feed from the grass seeds. Hares too take advantage of this valuable situation, the tufts of grass offer herbs a protective environment to thrive in, out of the wind. There is a priority to develop sustainable biodiversity awareness at Karuna and links with local schools and educational groups are being made.
We need to get back to our heritage - our birthright - the land. Karuna aims to fulfill the opportunity for people to lovingly care for the earth which brings us into life, nourishes and sustains us, and ultimately takes us back again.
Agriculture is the very basis of our existence and is likely to go on being so, if we are to survive at all. Even agricultural ‘experts’ can now see and admit that the present system of agriculture in the west is unsustainable. It depends entirely on oil. There is now an agricultural depression, and this industry completely hooked on sophisticated machinery and huge chemical inputs is finding it very hard to carry on. We can make better choices!
The project embraces permaculture techniques, especially temperate Forest Gardening. Robert Hart, Shropshire’s own world famous pioneer in Temperate Climate Forest Gardening, is a great inspiration to us and is held dear in our hearts. Forest Gardening supports the Raw Food Diet (the original diet of humankind). This diet is radically environmentally friendly, any minimal waste created through it is easily recycled into compost. Through adopting this natural diet we save on energy that gets wasted through cooking, a process which robs us of our food’s nutritional value. Eating raw fruits, vegetables, and other plant foods is a major solution to world pollution. Landfills are filled with products directly or indirectly related to cooked and processed foods, such as: packaging, wrappers, bags, old stoves. microwaves etc. The supply system is also dependent at every turn on massive use of motor transport (oil) which poisons and pollutes the environment we live in, the air we breathe.
We hope that the community will benefit from fruit and vegetables organically grown on a small scale at Karuna and sold at the local farmers market in the not too distant future and possibly serve as an additional top-up for existing organic box schemes in the area. We are informed that there simply isn’t enough local organic fruit and veg supply.
The project demonstrates… A) How people can take responsibility for themselves by producing some of their own food, and B) that food they aren’t able to grow is best grown as locally as possible, with no harmful chemicals in its growing or storage.
Buying food that travels unnecessarily funds the polluting , poisoning process that is destroying the quality of our children’s future. Example: an apple flown from South Africa and consumed in Britain puts 600 times more pollution into the air we breathe than an apple grown and eaten in Britain. Apply this logic to all the food transported unnecessarily and the environmental damage is obviously horrendous… beware of food miles!
Karuna is neither politically nor religiously biased as we hope to cross these artificial divides. The project does no have a fixed idea about the multitude of ways it can serve small groups and individuals within the local and broader community.
Karuna is oriented towards the experience of change. We are simply sowing seeds and what is the seeds destiny? We know that any real solutions must embody a change of heart - an emphatic connection with the fullness of life. All of us who preserve the future of life on earth are ‘Bioneers’. Together we are creating an age of restoration, guided by the shared values of interdependence, kinship, cooperation, community and mutual aid. There is a dramatic urgency for us to share ingeniously effective solutions with the widest possible audience, inspiring them to join in this sacred and global work. Your support is needed with advice and assistance in fundraising, practical garden work (aftercare of trees, herbs and shrubs), materials, web site development, constructive creative ideas for new directions within the project etc.
We welcome people who share similar dedicated sympathetic nuturance of nature, and have some vision of creativity. You are invited to offer suggestion as well as participate.
Dean says:
I wish you sucsess I have 4 acres that I wish to do the same with.
January 4th, 2009 at 8:42 pm