Ecosystem restoration at permaculture education centre in beautiful volcanic Andes, Radal Siete Tazas, Chile

Details

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  Description

  Hi, we are Ivan and Lucia.
  
  We live here in the beautiful foothills of the Andes in front of the volcano Descabezado Grande at 750m in the region of Maule. We are the stewards of 1.5Ha where we are working to restore the ecosystem through localized water cycle and landscape regeneration, working towards an abundant landscape that supports and nourishes a complete ecosystem (ourselves included).
  
  We work with many different techniques of water retention bodies and rainwater catchment & infiltration, landscape morphology, successional agroforestry (sintropic agriculture), permaculture practices and different soil restoration practices working to create a living system based on creating abundance for all elements within the ecosystem.
  
  We are located in a special ecological zone where the evergreen sclerophyll forest of the north meet the Deciduous Nothofagus forest of the south. We are 10Kms from two of the 10 most visited national parks of Chile, Parke Radal Siete Tazas and Parks Ingles, 7km from Salto La Placeta, and a 10min walk to the beautiful Rio Teatino with private (undiscovered by others) pools and swimming spots. In wintertime, when the Roble lose their leaves we are treated to a panoramic view of the volcano El Descabezado and the andes ranges from property.
  
  This land is a center of demonstration, studies and education based on Ecosystem Regeneration, Permaculture, water cycle restoration, sintropic agriculture, earthen building, regenerative and resilient living practices.
  
  Before coming to this land, Ivan and I spent around 3 years living between Australia and New Zealand and both between 4-5 years previously traveling around many parts of the world, living, learning and working in many different permaculture and earthen building projects from India, Nepal and Western Europe to Mexico, California, Guatemala and Costa Rica and throughout South America.
  
  We have been here on this land since 2019, just before the pandemia started. Since then have been putting into practice our knowledge and experiences gained during the last 8 years of travel, sharing this land with a huge number of amazing people from all over the world, experimenting, learning and exchanging knowledge of the earth.
  
  Ivan is a Construction Engineer by qualification and Lucia is trained in architectural technology and landscape design, we are both natural builders, life long students of permaculture and regenerative land and living prácticas, and we design and build earthen buildings when not dedicated to this land. Some of our grand inspirations and masters are Ernst Gotsch, Sepp Holzer, Bill Mollison, Masanobu Fukuoka, Nicoles Masters and nature herself . We have had the great luck to study personally with some of their long term apprentices like Zach Weiss, Namaste Messerschmidt and Rosa Henderson.
  
  Lifelong apprentices of the earth, we enjoy the enrichment of sharing knowledge and experiences with people and plants from all around the world.
  
  We are currently going into the winter season, the deciduous Roble forest is losing the last of its golden coloured leaves, the mountains have a good coating of snow and the rains are arriving. These next few months will be dedicated to an array of land based initiatives. The biggest projects we will be doing this season are naturally clay lining one of the ponds in our rainwater harvesting system, finishing the excavation of, and clay lining and planting a new pond, excavating and lining a natural swimming pool , creating a grey water filter bed system for our greenhouse bathroom and installing Toa system toilet.
  
  We will also be doing other land based planting, clearing and agroforestry management, and a few small building projects such as a new toilet room, bodega and a bit of fine clay as well as lime plastering.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We can offer english and spanish practice, water cycle restoration, rainwater and regeneration through rehydration systems, sintropic agriculture (we are constant aprendices), permaculture, earthen building, appropriate technology systems, understanding wild edible plants and native flora and fauna, regenerative living practices, plant and tree propagation experience, theory and practice.
  
  We live in an awesome environment with stunning waterfalls, volcanos and rich bio-diverse forests. We also have some great neighboours, the Santuary for the Naturaleza Maitenes and organic agroecological demonstration project, Project Origin, as well as a Hare Krishna Sanctuary and project.
  
  Plus a great library of really good books to read!

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  Help

  Our projects for this winter include:
  
  * Natural clay lining of one of our existing ponds
  * Earth moving - the adjustment and maintenance of some aspects of our rainwater retention landscape system
  * Detailing the excavation of, naturally clay lining and planting a new pond,
  * Stabilising and planting out the banks of this new pond
  * Creating a natural swimming pool - at least the excavation and lining of.
  * Creating the greywater garden system for our greenhouse shower
  * Creating a system Toa toilet.
  * Management and renewal of some of our sintropic SAF (Successional Agroforestry System) lines
  * Tree planting
  * A few small building projects

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
  You can contact them directly for more information.
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  Accommodation

  The Ruka, our earthen roundhouse is our centre of operations, communal kitchen and living space during the day. It is equipped with an earthen Rocket mass heater for chilly winter days. For sleeping its a 5min walk to an (almost finished) earthen home, which is cosy and warm from design but doesn't yet have all the comforts - water tap is outside and the electricity is not yet set up.
  
  We have abundant water, hot showers, composting toilets, fridge, freezer, washing machine, outdoor fireplace, rocket mass heater (fire) inside the Ruka, gas oven, wifi and most general use ¨comfort¨ items. (When we arrived here we had only our backpacks and a tent!).
  
  We ask for 5 hours per day, 5 days a week in exchange for accommodation, food and knowledge exchange.
  
  The daily living and food preparation, maintaining the spaces tidy, emptying the compost toilets, and turning on the pump is shared. These are the tasks of life and are outside of the daily exchange.
  
  We will always be working together either with Ayun, Myself (lucia). Generally In the mornings from 9am - 2pm (or in the afternoons if that suits best.) Generally the afternoons are free and there are many great places to explore nearby (many within walking distance).
  
  Note: We have 2 cats that rule and look after us and the property.

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  What else ...

  Localidad: Siete Tazas National Park, Parque Ingles, Salto la Leona, Rio Claro, La Pláceta, Cumpeo, Molina

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  We have a stable wifi connection via a signal Amplifier modem, however during storms or electricity shortages this can cut.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  We can happily receive travelers in campervans and have various great parking spaces under some of our grandfather Roble trees.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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