The UMass Permaculture Initiative was originally proposed by a group of passionate UMass students. In 2009, these students presented their idea to Director of UMass Auxiliary Enterprises, Ken Toong.  Their proposal was simply to install edible and ecological landscapes right on campus.Permaculture landscapes, the students explained, are perfect for a campus setting because they are replicable, scalable, and adaptable to anyone, on virtually any budget, in almost any climate. They provide nutritious foods to the dining commons, improve the quality of the environment and create service-learning opportunities to students and volunteers. Toong fully embraced the idea, and in 2010 hired Ryan Harb to oversee UMass Dining’s first permaculture project. Since 2009, the UMass Permaculture Initiative has grown to include 4 fulltime staff members, a revolving 12-member student committee, several student garden leaders and interns, and over 2,000 volunteers from the local community.

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About Part 1: The first video in our documentary series takes an in-depth look at the first phase necessary for completion of the garden: Soil Preparation. Through the perspectives of key figures involved in the planning of the project, we learn of the origins and the obstacles to its implementation. There is a breakdown of the process of sheet mulching, explaining why the method works and the need for specific nutrients that the soil is currently lacking. The video demonstrates how volunteers, the school, and The Permaculture Planning Committee’s support is making this groundbreaking garden a reality.

Sheet Mulching and Soil Preparation: UMass Permaculture Documentary Series (Part 1 of 3):

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Part 2: The second video of the documentary series opens on the last stages of the Soil Preparation. The sheet mulched garden sits overwinter until the spring thaw in 2011. At this stage, we see that the soil has been truly transformed, complete with plenty of plump earthworms and a fungi network. We also see that the design of the garden was very much a collaborative process. UMass Permaculture Planning Committee hosts a workshop for the local community to participate in the design process for the garden. Afterwards begins the planting process with hosts of volunteers pitching in to help build the garden. Key figures involved in the planning of the garden discuss the excitement this project has generated, about the benefits of creating garden spaces that are interactive and engaging, and about how this permaculture garden is going to be a model for campuses across the nation.

Campus-Wide Design and Initial Planting Phase: UMass Permaculture Documentary Series (Part 2 of 3):

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Part 3: The third video of the documentary series provides an in-depth look at the impact surrounding this inspirational project. We begin to see how permaculture goes “beyond sustainable” by regenerating and mending the earth and communities. A year and half after we first began work on this project, we take you through the results we’ve seen from The Franklin Permaculture Garden and share the beginning stages of our newest on-campus permaculture garden. Plus, a special guest author weighs in on what the UMass Permaculture Initiative means to her.

Growing a Model Sustainable Campus: UMass Permaculture Documentary Series (Part 3 of 3):