Lusi Alderslowe

A permaculture educator of adults and children: I am a Permaculture Design Course teacher, a senior tutor for the Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design, a LAND/ScotLAND tutor, a Forest School Leader, a Branching Out Leader, an Outdoor Learning Trainer, and generally a busy mum! I have always loved spending time in nature, whether bumbling in woods, paddling in burns, cycling or climbing munros. I first conceptualised my deep love and connection to nature whilst studying Ecopsychology in an MSc at the Centre Human Ecology (CHE) in Edinburgh in 2003-05. My thesis on Ecovillages and Planning Permission was awarded a distinction. I studied the Permaculture Design Course in 2005 in Kilmartin with Ed Tyler (an amazing and inspiring nature observer), and in 2006 set up an outdoor children and parents’ play-group called ‘Nurture in Nature’ - featured in the Permaculture Magazine (PM73). In 2010 I completed a Permaculture Training of Teachers course with Designed Visions, and in January 2011 I completed my Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design. I have been teaching permaculture since 2009 including many full design courses. From 2005-12 I lived in the City of Glasgow, including leading permaculture education with children from the local schools and nurseries in Castlemilk (through Urban Roots, a local environmental charity). In 2012 I moved to Gatehouse-of-Fleet in Galloway, where I continue to teach permaculture to adults (in PDCs) and children. Completed my Forest Schools Leader training, I now work with kids both within school hours, and after school leading both nature connection in the woods and gardening in the school grounds. I worked with others to reinvigorate Permaculture Scotland in 2009 - organising events including the main annual event the Permaculture Scotland Gathering, coordinating the ScotLAND network, although taking a back seat now, as the new team are doing such wonderful work and I focus more on children in permaculture. A potted history of my permaculture journey: Since 2014 I have been working on the Children in Permaculture European project , which has been full of fun, rewards, challenges and creative solutions, including receiving Erasmus+ funding (100 page application!!!), representing two partners - Gatehouse School and the Permaculture Association. In 2018, we wrote a book entitled 'Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share in Education: the Children in Permaculture Manual'. Since then we have been leading lots of permaculture courses for educators of children, including in schools, permaculture centres and online. Currently a co-chair of the Dumfries and Galloway Outdoor and Woodland Learning Group delivering training of teachers and Branching Out (outdoor mental health support for adults). I have a fun, informative, participatory teaching style with lots of diversity in methodologies.