Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Research on Crop Biodiversity in Permaculture presented at the 9th Biodiversity Forum in UPLB

Poster presentation by Jabez. Photo by Jhong Tolentino

Institute of Biological Sciences
University of the Philippines Los Banos
December 11, 2019

Results of Phase 3 of the "Designing Food Security" permaculture research project entitled "Edible Landscape: Polyculture and Crop Biodiversity in Permaculture Designs in the Philippines" was presented last Friday, December 6 at the 9th Biodiversity Forum in IBS, UPLB. The study identified 71 crop species present in at least two permaculture sites. In addition to crop biodiversity, permaculture sites also have a diversity of functions and services to offer. The research team found an average of 6 different uses per site with the "vegetable garden" being the standard design feature in all sites. 

View the full poster here. Read related article here. 

Oral and poster presentors. Photo by Jhong Tolentino.

Jabez with Forum organizer, Prof. Marj Delos Angeles. Photo by Jhong Tolentino.


Monday, November 25, 2019

How Do I Influence My Landscape? Environmental Communication using Aerial Photography

Oikos Peace Garden in Bilar, Bohol is a permaculture project that practices organic and bio-dynamic farming methods. Aerial photo taken at an altitude of 24 meters by Tello drone.

Permaculture design is about individual action and making positive change in the landscape. And what better way to see our impact than from the sky!  

We're advocating the use of aerial photography for documenting how common people are influencing their landscapes with permaculture. A single aerial photo speaks volumes. It can inspire you and at the same time makes you aware of your surrounding environment from a view that we only get to see either from a plane or a tall building. 

"How do I influence my landscape?" was a question that popped up while scanning through several aerial photos we took with our Ryze (DJI) Tello drone--a budget UAV that we have been using for research since last year. It's a cheap drone ($99.00) with a 5 MP camera. But don't let the specs fool you! When used for a good purpose, there are many opportunities and applications for the Tello. T3.com even awarded it as the top budget drone for 2019.

Our Instagram account is currently focused on answering the question "How do I influence my landscape?" So we are encouraging people to share their photos and their stories with us on social media by using the hashtags #MyLandscape and #PermaGardenPH.

Aside from documenting landscapes with a permaculture design, some delegates from the recently concluded 3rd Philippine Permaculture Convergence had some ideas for the drone:

1) Citizen science - the general public can provide real-time visual data to scientists and researchers
2) Environment - documentation of land use and land cover change; detection of polluted areas in coastlines, forests, and other ecosystems; detection of illegal activities such as backyard burning 
3) Agriculture - crop and livestock monitoring; farm management
4) Biodiversity Conservation - surveillance of protected areas; monitoring of reforestation projects
5) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management - reconnaissance and aerial survey; search and rescue

and of course,

6) Environmental communication - aerial photos can be used for info dissemination campaigns and public education regarding environmental and climate issues. Students can use the drone for research projects, posters, and presentations.

This aerial photo of a group of people in a forest gave us the idea that Tello can be used to report illegal logging or poaching activities in the forest. The small drone is relatively quiet and can be a useful tool for park rangers. 
Using a 3D-printed mirror clip attachment from PHTek, the Tello can take downward view aerial photos.

While high-end drones with better cameras are available in the market, the price, size, portability, durability, and usability of the Tello sets it apart from other commercial drones. Well, at least until DJI/Ryze releases a new version of the Tello.

You can purchase the Tello at any DJI outlet or you can order it at the DJI store. The drone is also available on Lazada

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Research Timeline

Kudos to the all the people who have been part of the research team since last year. It's a long process but we will get there. The people we studied...their voices will be heard in due time.
Permaculture research in the Philippines still has a long, long, looong way to go. We really believe that permaculture can be part of the sustainable development agenda here in our country. It's a philosophy that focuses on what we can do right here, right now, with what we have. And this mindset, worldview, and advocacy is manifesting physically in landscapes across the country. We commend all the practitioners here, who in spite of ridicule and hardships, are trying to adapt, to be resilient, to be sustainable. Their landscapes reflect what's in their hearts...it's a heartscape.

We need radical solutions to address complex problems like food security and climate change. Permaculture is radical in a way that it encourages you, the reader, to step up and do something in your immediate environment, no matter how small it is. Of course this is not the solution to everything. But if you know how to cook what's growing in your backyard, then it's a solution to your hunger at the moment. For some this is a huge step, but my goodness, we live in desperate times.  




Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Map of Permaculture Projects in the Philippines


Presented here is a map of the 12 permaculture sites we studied for our research. We hope to document and study more sites soon, if ever we get the support that we need to continue in this endeavor. We also encourage students, researchers, and scientists to see and visit these places and conduct their own researches to contribute to our understanding of what "permaculture" is in the context of the Philippines. We believe that permaculture is an important emerging social movement that would help in the realization of our country's sustainable development goals. 

Below are the links to each site. Feel free to contact them and learn more from these permaculture practitioners.

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Luzon
Site: Olaussen Permaculture Park in Layog Country Farm, Tadian, Mountain Province
Contact Person: Flordelina Layog 



Region II, Luzon
Site: Lorenza's Garden and Food Forest Farm, San Manuel, Isabela
Contact Person: Enrico Navea



Region II, Luzon
Site: Isabela Permaculture Development Center, Ilagan City, Isabela*

Region III, Luzon
Site: Cabiokid Foundation Inc., Cabiao, Nueva Ecija



National Capital Region, Luzon
Site: Eco-house, Philippine Permaculture Association Office, Marikina, Metro Manila
Contact person: Bert Peeters



Region IV-A, Luzon
Site: Kai Farms, Silang, Cavite
Contact person: Karla Delgado, Thomas Caristea



Region IV-A, Luzon
Site: Glinoga Organic Farm, Pitogo, Quezon
Contact person: Nenieveh "Weng" Glinoga



Region IV-A, Luzon
Site: Tara Farms, Bay, Laguna
Contact person: Paulo Sandoval



Region IV-A, Luzon
Site: Foronda-Bonita Residence, Jubileeville, Bay, Laguna
Contact person: Edu Foronda



Region IV-B, Luzon
Site: Aloha House/Aloha Natural Farm, Puerto Princesa, Palawan
Contact person: Keith O. Mikkelson



Region IV-B, Luzon
Site: Aloha Ranch and Organic Farm
Contact person: Keith O. Mikkelson



Region VI, Visayas
Site: Alpas, Tobias Fornier (Dau), Antique
Contact person: Kimberly Eng



Region VII, Visayas
Site: The Justice German Lee Jr. Nature Sanctuary, Carcar City, Cebu
Contact person: Edna Lee and Joel Lee



Region VII, Visayas
Contact person: Edna Lee and Joel Lee

Permaculture-inspired hotels and lodging:
West Gorordo Hotel, Cebu City, Cebu*

Mayflower Inn, Cebu City, Cebu*

Elicon House, Cebu City, Cebu*

Region IX, Mindanao
Site: Umaleng Permaculture Farm/Dumingag Organics, Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur
Contact Person: Joan Pacalioga Abejuela and Elgyn Pacalioga




Region IX, Mindanao
Site: Bukid ni Bogs, Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur*
Contact person: Bogs Castro



*Visited but not included in study

Thanks to Malvin Biguerras for making this map. This endeavor would not be possible without the financial support of SEAMEO-SEARCA and DOST-SEI. Special thanks to UPLB, UPLB-GS, and UPLB-SESAM for making this possible. 

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Common Permaculture Crops in the Philippines

Gabi and siling labuyo are resilient crops and grow quite easily. The two crops ranked 6th and 4th respectively in terms of food preference based on a focus group discussion with our respondents

Sharing these findings to all the practitioners out there who might find this useful. 

In our research in twelve permaculture projects in the Philippines (Quezon, Nueva Ecija, Laguna, Isabela, Palawan, Metro Manila, Antique, Cebu, Cavite, Zamboanga del Sur, Mountain Province), we identified 71 crops found in at least two locations. Though these projects are not necessarily representative of all permaculture projects, the data should provide us with an idea on what kinds of plants we can find in a farm or garden project with a permaculture design. What's interesting is that our respondents actually prefer these crops in their diets. 

Eat what you grow, grow what you eat. Strengthen the connection between the garden and the kitchen by learning how to cook what's available and creating innovative dishes.

We're still in the process of revising and editing the full report. In the meantime, we will be posting research highlights in the form of short blogs like this. 

Do you have these crops in your permaculture garden/farm? Let us know by e-mailing us at permacultureresearchph@gmail.com.



Sunday, July 21, 2019

Landscape Ecology and Caffe: Reflections of a Graduate Student/Barista

Text and photos by Jabez Joshua M. Flores
Ph.D. Environmental Science student
SESAM-UPLB

This is the wonderful view from our room in Ostello Parco Monte Barro.
I began my professional career as a barista back in 2007. I worked behind the bar and operated the espresso machine like a musical instrument. Every day was like a performance. And of course, going to Italy--the birthplace of the espresso--was a dream for me. Fast forward 12 years, little did I know that what would bring me to Italy was my research as a graduate student at a scientific gathering. In retrospect, I realized my coffee dream was not hindered by a career change. It's like hitting two birds with one stone. So every time I passed by a bar in Italy, me and my wife would savor every sip of 'caffe'!

My classmates  listening to a lecture (L-R): Martina, Adriana, Xingyue, Xueying, Gaoyuan, Tasuka, and Annegreet

Attending the 10th International Association for Landscape Ecology (IALE) World Congress in Milan and the IALE-Europe Ph.D. course in Monte Barro, Italy was life-changing for me for two reasons. First, it's Italy. And second, it was a scientific gathering where I felt my research belonged to. To those following this blog, you already might be familiar about what we do. But in a nutshell, my research is both weird and complicated. Probably it's because of the complexity (or obscurity) of the subject matter? It's not what you would call a 'mainstream' topic in science. I don't know. Sometimes I believe the funding we get was given out of the sheer novelty of our work. Anyway, I felt that the papers I presented during the past two events was at the right place at the right time. 

Our paper session group discussing our final presentation for the course.

People studying landscape ecology are very particular about patterns and processes...and design. And not just aesthetic design but also functional and ecological design. I met a lot of architects, landscape architects, and urban planners and I also talked to some civil engineers, geographers, and biologists. We shared experiences and exchanged insights (and calling cards!) regarding each other's work. For me permaculture design was not hard to communicate. Some people may call it other names but we're basically talking about the same thing. A common ground was not hard to establish. Opinions and approaches may vary but we all wanted to design a sustainable future for our world. By the way, the world congress theme was 'nature and society facing the anthropocene: challenges and perspectives for landscape ecology'.

Our excursion to the Parco Archeologico dei Piani di Barra 

Out of the 900+ world congress participants (but I think there were at least a thousand people over there), 14 of us went up to Monte Barro Regional Park (an hour away from Milan by train and then by van) immediately after the closing program to take part in a 5-day Ph.D. course organized by the IALE-Europe team. It's like they were taking us to the mountains to make us focus on our research projects...and give direction to our lives. 

Mentors and students listening intently to the final presentations

All of us were Ph.D. students at different stages of our research. Most of my classmates were on their proposal stage and some of us were just writing our manuscripts (actually, it's the hardest part!). I wasn't supposed to be in this event but my academic adviser encouraged me to participate because he said it would help me with my writing process. And it sure did.  

Jacques and Veerle discussing during our last session

At the beginning of the course, we presented our respective posters explaining the scope and progress of our research. There were 14 students and our 5 mentors spent a considerable amount of time asking questions and commenting on our presentations. It took us the whole day to finish this exercise! I'm not sure if I did great job explaining my poster, I probably blacked out. But I had the feeling they understood the scope of my study and what I was trying to accomplish. So that was a good experience for me. Another is learning from the presentations of my classmates. We came from different disciplines, so I took notes, asked questions, and tried to learn as much as I can. Learning about their research topics and how they do research really broadened my perspective. It made me aware of the social and ecological contexts of their places and how they respond to it.

My classmates (L-R): Zhengkai, Leajim, Tasuka, Caleb, Laura, and Adriana

Our mentors brought books for us to read during our stay at the hostel. I borrowed the Multifunctional Landscapes book and read it every night before I went to sleep. I wanted to make the best out of my stay in Monte Barro and focused on listing down questions that I would ask for the paper sessions. Plus, I needed all the inspiration I could get to finish my manuscript. 

Xingyue, Xueying, and Gaoyuan  discuss during the poster session

Our class was divided into four groups for the paper sessions. This was the time for us to discuss a specific section of our research with our mentors. I was grouped with Annelise (Belgium), Gaoyuan (China), and fellow Filipino, Leajim. Annelise and Leajim are studying heritage sites while Gaoyuan is researching on public parks. We were lucky enough to be in the group with two mentors, Veerle (Belgium) and Andreas (Denmark). I consider it a special opportunity to discuss one's work with a small group of people who can really dissect and scrutinize your work. Honestly, I haven't discussed my research this extensively to anyone. I was yearning for fresh input and honest opinion. What's great about this exercise is that one session is dedicated entirely to your study! Receiving insights from landscape ecologists was what I needed. I now know what to do. 

I enjoyed this session with Francois and Tasuka where we discussed the beautiful Italian landscape from the terrace of the hostel

I enjoyed the lecture sessions by our mentors, Jacques, Andreas, Angela, and Veerle. And also Francois whom I always had the chance to talk to especially during meals. My classmates...such a special group! I think having a small class works best because I got to talk to all of them and really form friendships with each other. I hope we could get the opportunity to collaborate on projects and visit each other's countries. Overall, I'm just really happy I was able to be part of this landscape ecology community. This doesn't happen very often. But I'm sure this bond will last a lifetime!

With my roommates Zhengkai and Caleb

Our only group photo! I apologize for the quality, it was taken by a drone at night!

Lunch at Lecco with my classmates

Special thanks to my funding agencies for making this trip possible: UP Office of International Linkages, SEARCA, Fondazione Cariplo, IALE-Europe, and DOST-SEI.

Follow me on Instagram for daily photos of our trip to Italy: @thebeigetable
You can also follow our research at @permacultureresearchph


  


Friday, July 19, 2019

Research on Permaculture Presented in 2 Landscape Ecology Events in Italy

World congress delegates. Photo by Lula Bacchetta from IALE 2019 Facebook Page

Oral presenters of Symposium  74: Biocultural Landscapes During the Anthropocene during the 10th IALE World Congress. Photo by Catherine Bucu-Flores

University of Milan-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
Ostello Parco Monte Barro, Galbiate, Italy
July 1-10, 2019

Phase 2 of our research on permaculture  design in the Philippines was presented earlier this month at the 10th International Association for Landscape Ecology (IALE) World Congress at the University of Milan-Bicocca in Milan, Italy. The paper entitled, "Creating a Network Model of System Component Connectivity to Visualize Agroecosystem Interactions in Ecologically Designed Permaculture Landscapes in the Philippines" was presented by PRPH lead researcher and UPLB graduate student, Jabez Flores, as a 15-minute oral presentation in Symposium 74: Biocultural Landscapes During the Anthropocene during the fourth day of the congress. The presentation discussed the development of a holistic network model using a sample data set and an actual data set obtained from a farm in Pitogo, Quezon. The research aims to use this model to describe the multi-component network structure of 11 more permaculture landscapes in relation to family food security. Work on this endeavor is currently ongoing.

Jabez presenting his paper during the symposium. Photo by Catherine Bucu-Flores

Jabez was one of the awardees of the IALE Travel Grant. Photo by Lula Bacchetta from IALE 2019 Facebook Page

In addition to this, a poster entitled, "Let's Democratize Drones! Using the Ryze Tello Drone as a Tool for Ecological Farm Design and Landscape Ecology Research" was presented during the poster sessions of the congress in July 1, 2, and 4.

Jabez explaining his poster to Caleb Toroitich from Kenya. Photo by Catherine Bucu-Flores

The poster on drones was quite popular during the congress! Photo by Catherine Bucu-Flores

After the World Congress, Jabez went to Monte Barro, Italy to take part in the 5-day IALE-Europe Ph.D. course. Along with fellow Filipino and UPLB-SESAM student, Leajim Villanueva, the two of them were the first Filipinos ever to represent the country in the Ph.D course program.  The course was attended by 14 students from all over the world.

Lecture session at Ostello Parco Monte Barro during the 5-day Ph.D. course.

Jabez and Leajim Villanueva of UPLB-SESAM

The Ph.D. course was an opportunity for our research to be heard and scrutinized by some of the best scientists in the field of landscape ecology. These include Angela Colucci (co-author of Smart, Resilient and Transition Cities: Emerging Approaches and Tools for a Climate-Sensitive Urban Development); Veerle Van Eetvelde (co-author of Landscape Perspectives: The Holistic Nature of Landscape); Andreas Aagaard Christensen (co-author of Landscape Ecology, International Encyclopedia of Geography); Jacques Baudry (co-author of Changing Landscapes: An Ecological Perspective); and Francoise Burel (co-author of Landscape ecology: concepts, methods, and applications)

A separate blog article will be posted by Jabez to share his experiences during the Ph.D. course.

We would like to thank our sponsors for making this trip possible: UP Office of International Linkages, SEARCA, Fondazione Cariplo, IALE-Europe, and DOST-SEI.

Thank you for believing in our work! More to come!

Sunday, June 9, 2019

Permaculture Vlogs Showcased at Green Unconference 2019

Kai Farms, Silang, Cavite
June 9, 2019

Today the PRPH team had the special opportunity to show a couple of videos and share some insights about our vlog series during the last day of the Green Unconference 2019 at Kai Farms.
Thanks to Paulo Sandoval of Tara Farms PH and Nu Wave Farmers for sharing how the vlogs helped him network with people interested in permaculture. Thanks also to independent filmmaker, Brian Sulicipan, for also sharing his experience while filming for the Permaculture Research PH team. 
Special thanks to the Philippine Permaculture Association staff for being there to support us, we appreciate it very much! 
And lastly, to Karla DelgadoAmena Anantishi Bal, and the staff of Kai Farms for inviting us to this event! 
Shout out to fellow speakers Sarah Queblatin and Earwin Belen! To a better tomorrow!

Friday, May 3, 2019

Research on Permaculture Presented at the DOST-ASTHRDP Graduate Scholars Conference at PICC

Presenting partial results of our study at the DOST-ASTHRDP Graduate Scholars Conference 2019.
Photo by Kinsey Meg Perez
Philippine International Convention Center, Pasay City
May 2-3, 2019

As this generation faces a changing climate, we are in need of practical solutions to address food security that can be accessible to all sectors of society.

Permaculture is a design framework based on ethics and systems thinking that can address this challenge. The concept went mainstream via the internet in the mid-2000s, when its practitioners' online actions have manifested into the intentional transformation of physical and socio-ecological landscapes.

The research is the first of its kind in the country to study and document designs from the household to the municipal level in different ecosystems and social contexts.

Borrowing tools from multiple disciplines, ecological network structures of permaculture designs were modelled using network theory, general systems theory, and landscape ecology as theoretical foundations. Social network analysis was used as a tool to analyze the interconnectivity and multifucntional relationships of six component categories visualizing a complex web of relationships.

Network statistics and structures varied across twelve sites in the Philippines and key design components influencing food security were identified. Most notable were coconut trees, endemic bird species, aquaponics, and the preservation of indigenous knowledge. Results were made public using originally produces content via the video blog format on our YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Permaculture is about integrating different sustainable traditions, appropriate technology, and best practices and incorporating it into your own culture...your family culture, community culture...it's a new sustainable culture that uses technology to work with nature.

Monday, April 29, 2019

Science Poster on Permaculture Wins 3rd Place at the Plant Biology Forum at UPLB

Presenting our poster. Photo by Marj delos Angeles, Plant Biology Division

UPLB, Los Banos, Laguna

April 29-30

Another victory for permaculture! Yesterday at the very first Plant Biology Forum at the Institute of Biological Sciences, UPLB, we presented a very short snippet of our research work in a poster entitled, "Modelling Plant Assemblies in a Permaculture Farm: An Example in Pitogo, Quezon." The presentation features the permaculture design of Weng and Bittie Glinoga of Glinoga Organic Farm--the very first permaculture site that we studied.

The poster summarizes how the role of the coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) in creating unique plant assemblies that can be found in the farm. We visualized the agroecosystem as a network with six (6) system component categories: biotic, abiotic, manmade structural, technological, socio-economic, and cultural. Each component is represented as a node and connected with edges. The criteria used for creating linkages are use, proximity, function, interaction. The data to create these linkages were gathered using direct observation and rapid rural appraisal (primary data), ecological profiling (secondary data), and a biodiversity survey (in a 50x50 meter sampling quadrant). Data collection was completed in just 3 days. Though it must be noted that we have not yet included the qualitative data in our model (we're still in the process of doing qualitative coding).

The network model that was created was a snapshot of the farm during that time, August 31 to September 2. The system is dynamic and components are evolving. But we highlighted 3 technological components that made the coconut tree valuable to the system (keystone species): hugelkultur, raised beds, and stingless bees. These three technological components can be standalone thesis studies themselves! You can watch the design explanation on our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/zBFbM-2-BLc

You can learn a lot from permaculture designers. If you want to learn more, it's a good experience to visit the sites and talk to the people themselves. As for our work, this is just the tip of the iceberg. We have so much to do, 11 more sites to analyze. Up until now we're still unearthing a lot of things from Quezon. We're very excited to share as much information to the public.

Post from Facebook
Glinoga Organic Farm in Pitogo, Quezon was the first permaculture site we visited and studied last year. Through years of careful observation of nature and creative use of natural resources, the farm owners and staff have created one of the most unique and complex designs we have seen. In this poster that I presented at the Plant Biology Forum 2019 at the Institute of Biological Sciences, UPLB, I explained the multiple functional relationships that the coconut tree has created for other trees and plants plus the other component categories in the system.
My poster entitled, Modeling Plant Assemblies in a Permaculture Farm: An Example in Pitogo, Quezon won 3rd place in the event! Though I explained that not all data has been embedded in the model yet. I would like to dedicate this accomplishment to Weng and Bittie Glinoga, Kuya Jeff, and the staff for showing us how to live sustainably and mindfully with nature. Thank you for sharing your permaculture wisdom!

The Poster

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