livelihoods

PLEASE NOTE: THE CONTENT IN THIS PAGE NEEDS TO BE UPDATED (originally written 2009, updated 2010)

A WORKING GROUP ON LIVELIHOODS IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING SET UP - If you have any questions or comments about this subject area please get in touch via the website and we will connect you with others who are working on this, thank you. (Debbie Jones 2/12/2013)

If people can make money from their permaculture work, they are likely to do more of it. We are keen for there to be a wide range of people using permaculture in a variety of ways to create and sustain meaningful, ethical, and profitable businesses that meet the real needs of the people and environment around them.

We want to find new ways to support people to earn their living using permaculture, to be effective in what they do, and to see how they can connect to support each other.

Who is making money using permaculture?
Its a great question, and we want your help to build up a better picture. If you have a UK business that uses permaculture get in touch and let us know how. Here's some of what we know so far (its not intended to be an extensive list, and we will be adding to it as we go):

Teachers
There are approximately seventy part-time tutors in the UK, who are making part of their income from teaching work. There are also some collaborative teaching teams developing, such as:

• Designed Visions LLP (www.designedvisions.com)
• Brighton Permaculture Trust (www.brightonpermaculture.co.uk)
• Naturewise (www.naturewise.org.uk)
• Gaia University (www.gaiauniversity.org)

Designers
A larger number of designers exist, although we are less knowledgeable about how many. Some good examples are:

• Edible Landscapes LLP (www.ediblelandscape.co.uk)
• Patrick Whitefield Associates (patrickwhitefield.co.uk/)
• Carpe Diem Gardens Ltd. (www.carpe-diem-gardens.co.uk)
• Sage Green in Monmouth (www.sagegreentechnology.co.uk/index.htm)
• Gale and Snowden (www.ecodesign.co.uk)
• Biologic Design (www.biologicdesign.co.uk)

Growers
A much bigger group of people, with a real diversity of crops and other yields. Often an educational aspect too.

• Keveral Farm (www.keveral.org)
• Fordhall Community Land Trust (www.fordhallfarm.com)
• OrganicLea (www.organiclea.org.uk)
• Ragmans Lane Farm (www.ragmans.co.uk)

Woodlands and woodland crafts

• Wholewoods. Educational arts, woodland crafts and buildings and enjoyment! (www.wholewoods.co.uk)
• Ben Law. Furniture, coppice crafts, education. (www.ben-law.co.uk)
• Roundwood Timber Frame Company (www.the-roundwood-timber-framing-co.ltd.uk/)

Social Enterprises

• Hill Holt Wood (www.hillholtwood.com)
• Growing Communities (www.growingcommunities.org)

Publishers

• Permanent Publications, winners of the Queens Award for Enterprise, Sustainable Development category 2008. (www.permaculture.co.uk)
• Eco-logic Books (www.eco-logicbooks.com/)

Wider applications

• Geyer Estates Ltd. A hotel using permaculture principles and ethics to slowly redesign and redevelop all of their activities. (www.stathanshotel.com)
• Landmatters. An eco-hamlet with a number of permaculture related businesses. (www.landmatters.org.uk)
• Lammas. A new eco-community with six individual businesses and a joint enterprise for marketing and added value. Just setting up on the site after years of planning appeals. (www.lammas.org.uk)

Legal structures

The businesses above have used a variety of legal structures. Cooperatives (workers and housing), Limited Liability Partnerships, Companies, self employed. We are keen to hear about other structures that have been used.

Permaculture Community Interest Companies

• Social Landscapes CIC. A London-based Community Interest Company envisioning urban neighbourhoods where people and planet prosper. (www.sociallandscapes.co.uk)

Help develop this area of the website with a case study of your permaculture livelihood.