Over the summer, I had an interesting email; Catherine from Ireland was visiting Pittsburgh and wanted to help out a bit, here is what she wrote about her experience.
-Troy
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Tree planting with Pittsburgh Permaculture
After reading an article on ecological travel and responses to peak oil, I decided in 2008 to take a no-fly pledge, which had me grounded for a year. In truth, I found it difficult not to fly and this was accentuated by living on a small island on the edge of Europe. No excuses, however; but I did wonder if an alternative, if even a minor approach was possible – in comparison to the option of not flying at all.
In 2010, I accompanied my boyfriend on a visit to Pennsylvania. Coming to terms with the realisation of flying such a long distance for holiday purposes in addition to the desire to do something different, I decided to find a willing group in Pittsburgh that I could work with for a day. I wanted to engage differently with the city, rather than do the more predictable things that tourists get up to; I wanted to give, to offer something – aside from the usual outcomes of commercial transactions. I also wanted to receive… I wanted to interact with people who were actively committed to addressing the ecological and related food challenges we face. I wanted to learn, to be inspired by an energy that I could take back to Dublin and apply to similar ideas and projects.
‘Google’ introduced me to Pittsburgh Permaculture and from here; I made contact with Troy with the suggestion of purchasing and planting edible fruit bearing natives for an active project. When we eventually met, Troy showed me around his own urban garden. I was impressed to see the diversity of vegetables and fruits growing in the space available. We then visited the local nursery; Troy informing me what species would suit best according to the climate, local soils and the objectives of the project. We purchased young pawpaws, elderberries and hazelnut trees; these species being natives. The chosen site for planting was the Hazelwood YMCA, adjacent to the Hazelwood Edible Forest. Inspiring chat was shared over digging, planting, securing the trees, as members of Pittsburgh Permaculture helped out with the process. In the short space of an afternoon, I learnt about the progressive aims of the group, native species, and about the process of planting itself (bearing in mind that I’ve no great experience of this). The afternoon ended with a tour of the edible forest, albeit in its infant stages, adjacent to the YMCA site, where the permaculture group have planted fruit trees, vegetables and herbs in an open space alongside a busy road. Troy explained the group’s ambitions for the edible forest; I was enthused by how the group were actively engaging in the urban space to its full potential, subsequently reminding me of similar spaces of land in my own city, Dublin, that lie in waste yet offer much potential for sustainable and ecological-oriented community development.
In 2009, I had done something similar in Denver for a group called Urbiculture Farms (read more about the experience here: http://www.urbiculturefarms.com/2/post/2009/12/first-post.html). It’s very easy to just book a flight and travel, without giving much consideration for the way we travel, what we do when we get there and the wider ecological and economic implications. Ideally, a commitment to not fly if possible is the preferred option; I admit that some work is needed before I can make a full commitment. However, in moving in the right direction, I can choose to create opportunities that allow me to engage with the local community in a way that benefits them socially, ecologically and economically. Thanks to Pittsburgh Permaculture for allowing me to realise this.
Catherine Devitt
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