Perma Atlas Phase 3 Strategic Plan
Introduction:
Perma Atlas is a social-ecological development project located in the Atlas mountains of Morocco. It was founded by Latifa Sousia, a Dutch-Moroccan social worker who grew up in the village of Anguelez and relocated with her family to Amsterdam at age 10 leaving behind family, community and a traditional way of life. Latifa is unique to the field of Social ecological development in that she was born in the regions she works in, speaks the traditional Tamazight language and has remained connected to family throughout the region. Due to her education in social work as well as natural talent Latifa possesses a unique ability to elevate the disempowered and mobilize social movements. It is because of Latifa’s deep understanding of both European and Berber cultures that the project has evolved so holistically in addressing the feedback between social and ecological regeneration and to empower the communities to take control of their own destinies.
The origin of Perma Atlas took place during a visit to her village Anguelz in 2015 where Latifa witnessed the aftermath of monumental floods which destroyed houses, roads and farmlands. As she mobilized to meet basic needs for the community she was also learning about permaculture and how improved land management can mitigate flooding and improve the livelihoods of Villagers. She came to learn that many of the techniques utilized in permaculture are traditional practices of Berber communities, only recently going out of use due to recent urban work migration patterns which have moved economic means away from local lands. Perma Atlas has evolved to integrate local economic opportunities alongside regenerative ecological systems. Perma Atlas envisions a green, ecologically resilient Atlas mountains managed by a network of empowered, ecologically sustainable villages across the region.
Project Phases: Overview
To achieve a green, ecologically resilient Atlas mountains managed by a network of empowered, ecologically sustainable villages across the region, Perma Atlas has developed a bottom-up strategy designed to scale in time. At present phase phase 1 and 2 have been achieved.
Phase 1: Demonstration site (2017 - 2019)
Phase 2: Village scale regeneration (2019 - 2020)
Phase 3: Multi-Village (6 villages) scale regeneration (2021 - 2023)
phase 4: Multi-Village led Watershed (Ounila Valley) scale regeneration
phase 5: Multi-Watershed scale regeneration
phase 6: Bioregional Scale regeneration
Phase 1 and 2 achievements:
Successfully trained over 60 villagers in ecological regeneration
Conducted over 40 training workshops with villagers
Built 1.5 ha demonstration site featuring natural built classroom, water harvesting tank, drip irrigation, plantings and a variety of regeneration techniques
Provided local employment for 50 people for 4 years
Re-stimulated native seed-bank resulting in increased plant cover and diversity
Organized women’s cooperative and developed a bakery and weaving cooperative
Built over 400 gabions, across the village of Anguelez
facilitated first aid course
Hosted academic research on regional shepherd history and culture
Repaired village drinking water system
Built relationships with key stakeholders including forest service, municipal government, leaders of nearby villages and key NGOs.
Grew the professional capacity of the board of directors
Lessons Learned from Phases 1 and 2:
Perma Atlas subscribes to an iterative approach to project development. We prioritize communication across all stakeholders and evolving our methodology based on lessons learned from past success and failures. As we understand more about the dynamics underpinning our works we shift and evolve our strategy to address root causes. What follows is a brief reflection on key learnings we have made which we will bring forward onto phase 3.
Start slow, have lots of conversations and inform everyone when beginning a project in a new village. Make sure to especially include those who hold traditional power and might be threatened by the project.
From the beginning find individuals who are intrinsically motivated by the project mission. Cultivate these people to be project leaders.
Regarding women of the village:
take time to educate them on the project. If they understand how the project’s success will improve the own and their communities livelihood they will be a powerful motivating factor leading towards village wide support.
Provide education around sustainable stewardship.
provide competency training for developing their own associations: planning, decision making, identifying problems and developing solutions.
Design workshops for action learning. Because many of our team members have very little formal education their propensity for abstraction is low. Workshops should be designed for quick iterations around learning, doing, and reflecting.
Design workshops to be democratic. By developing skills around consensus decision making our team is more equipped to operate independently.
Theory of Change:
After a great deal of reflection and review of the project over the last 4 years, looking at the root causes of the problems and systemic solutions, an overarching framework has been developed to describe the areas of focus as we move forward into phase 3. The framework describes 4 areas of focus moving forward:
Individual Empowerment
Shared vision of the future within the village
A collaborative network across villages
A regenerating ecological system
This framework can be thought of as a nested system where empowered individuals exist within a village with a vision within a collaborative network of villages within a regenerating ecological system. We can see that an intact ecosystem can exist without a village, but a village cannot exist for long without an ecosystem to provide resources such as food, water and air. However, when the ecosystem is degrading, it requires the development of individuals, villages and intervillage networks to regenerate it back to a state of abundance. Based both on the success and failures over the last 3 years we believe that empowering individuals, villages and intervillage networks are essential strategies to large scale landscape restoration. Moving forward, Perma Atlas will evaluate the change it makes within this lens.
Phase 3:
In phase 3 we are applying the project methodology developed in Anguelez including earthworks and supporting women’s initiatives to the 6 surrounding villages. Additionally we will develop an inter-village governance structures through developing a shephard associations, support cultural customs as well as provide financing for local eco businesses. Guiding questions we are holding moving into phase 3 include:
How de we leverage what we have already accomplished to expedite learning across the 6 villages?
How can we engage new villages from the beginning in such a way that we invite collaboration with existing leadership?
How might we support individuals and associations towards equitable economic development?
How might we introduce the practice of inter-village collaboration while honoring a healthy competition across villages?
Phase 3 Targets:
In each of the 6 surrounding villages……
Implement erosion control and water harvesting earthworks surrounding each 6 villages
Gain the support of women, train them in stewardship and support women specific initiatives
Develop a native plant nursery
Develop a permaculture garden demonstration site
Native plantings and indigenous microorganisms to be added around earthwork sites
Provide micro finances for Perma Atlas team members to build small ecological businesses
Support traditional culture and practices
Across all villages….
Organize shepherds association, reinstate traditional grazing practices and develop cooperative strategies to improve lifestyles
Phase 3 Strategic Plan:
Earthworks:
Fundamental to the Perma Atlas’s approach to greening the Atlas is capturing and slowing stormwater. Because water is such a limiting resource in the Atlas mountains, earthworks is a foundation piece to revegetation. Our plan to implement earthwork across the 6 village is described as follows:
Build Relationships with project leaders from each village
Strategy: Informal trust building dialogues with key stakeholders in each of the 6 villages:
# of Workshops: approximately 3
Materials: food, tea
Perma Atlas has already held preliminary dialogues with youth association leaders across our 6 targeted villages where leaders from our pilot village, Anguelz described the project and methods we utilize. We will continue having several more of these conversations with youth leaders in order to deepen trust and understanding of the specific needs of their villages and what Perma Atlas can provide. Youth association leaders from the 6 villages are then tasked with organizing a core team of people interested in hosting a Perma Atlas project in their village. When each village team is ready to proceed, they will invite Perma Atlas to meet.
Introductory meetings with core teams
Strategy: Assess teams preparedness and provide in depth exposure to existing projects
# of Workshops: approximately 6
Materials: food, tea
For each of the 6 villages, meetings will be held only when the hosting team is deemed ready to move forward with the project. To be ready they need to have demonstrated a proficient understanding of the Perma Atlas project and a motivation for the project based in community service. If they have demonstrated such and have built a core team of people committed to the project, we will accept their invitation to meet with their team. In this meeting they will explain to us what their wishes are for their villages and their goals in developing their own Perma Atlas project. Advisors from Perma Atlas will provide feedback regarding how to proceed.
A follow up meeting will be held in Anguelz where teams will be given tours of the work that has been done in phases 1 and 2 and where they can meet with the Anguelz team to learn more about their work.
2. Village wide conversations
Strategy: Host a series of public meetings in order to present the project to each village and allow for feedback and dialogue.
# of Workshops: approximately 6
Materials: food, tea,
Public informational meetings will take place at each village where the intent to begin a Perma Atlas project will be announced and clarifying conversations will take place. Project leaders from Anguelz will provide a powerpoint overview of the project. Conversations will be facilitated to address concerns and clarify misconceptions.
3. Training phase
Strategy: At the most critical site in the village commence an iterative work training program
# of Workshops: 36
Materials: facilitation fees, food, tea, gabion cages, tools
A series of training workshops will take place focussed on most the most critical shaba in the village and will be facilitated my Fredric Scholl. Workshops will take place during weekends where a design strategy will be collectively made and various earthwork techniques will be taught. Work will be assigned, executed by the team during the week and will be reviewed at following weekend workshops.
4. Draft village scale earthwork design
Strategy: Design a comprehensive plan for earthworks across the entire village
# of Workshops: 18
Materials: facilitation fees, food, tea, 3D printed materials
Once a technical proficiency has been demonstrated by the team a village scale design will be undertaken. The land surrounding the village will be surveyed and collectively designed. Surveying will be achieved using online mapping, 3D printed maps and in person assessments. Villiger knowledge of the terrain will be utilized, surveying techniques and principles taught then earthwork plans will be overlaid over maps.
5. Carry out village scale design
Strategy: Execute village scale design
# of Workshops: 18
Materials: facilitation fees, food, tea, gabion cages
A comprehensive design for a village, teams will be subdivided to carry out the desired earthwork structures. Because BerOnce thereber communities have a long tradition in collective land management projects this sort of work requires very minimal management. It has been the experience of Perma Atlas that allowing for self management has allowed for exceptional success in these communities. Three times throughout this process Perma Atlas will host workshops for each village to review the work being done.
Women:
A primary lesson learned in phases 1 and 2 is that having the support of women is key to a project’s success. However the region Perma Atlas works in is one of the most conservative places in morocco for women’s rights including education and economic autonomy. If women understand the mission of the project and how success will improve their quality of life and that of the village, they become strong motivating factors to push the project forward. Also, women are largely responsible for harvesting cooking fuel, waste disposal, and gardens-all of which have immense ecological effects. Providing a framework for women to understand these challenges and organize to solve them has proven critical to the project. Our plan for working with women is described as follows:
Project presentations with women leaders from each village
Strategy: Informal trust building dialogues with key women in each of the 6 villages:
# of Meetings: approximately 3
Materials: food, tea
A series of meetings will be held specifically with women leaders from villages. In meetings the project will be presented and explained how project success will save women time, money and gain them more freedom.
Perma Atlas will offer to do training sessions on ecological management for women. Women leaders will also be asked to discuss with the women of their village if there is specific projects they would like to work on. If so they are asked to reach out to Perma Atlas for support.
2. Ecological training programs
Strategy: Provide training for women of the village on ecological management
# of workshops: approximately 12
Materials: food, tea, tools
Women leaders of their village will contact Perma Atlas once they have built a team. Perma Atlas will provide a series of workshops training them on ecological ecological fuel, feed and herb harvesting and will describe to them mission of Perma Atlas and how its success will effect their lives. Women will also have the opportunity to voice any projects they would like to work on. Project development meeting will be scheduled.
3. Project development meeting
Strategy: Provide project specific training for women
# of meetings: approximately 18
Materials: food, tea, project specific materials
Perma Atlas will facilitate a planning process for accomplishing the goals developed by the women’s team and will offer to provide support for their projects over the course of three workshops per village. Workshops will provide a structure for defining problems, developing solutions and creating a plan to achieve solutions. Because women in this region have limited access to education and little experience in organized groups specific emphasis will be put on teamwork and organizational proficiency.
Shepherds:
One of the key factors limiting plant growth and causing erosion in the Atlas is pressure due to domesticated animals. The overgrazing by sheep and goats prevents plant maturation, limiting plant populations to increase resulting in decreased erosion control. In 2019 a Utrecht University research project was conducted in partnership with Perma Atlas investigating current pressures facing shepherds and traditional practices no longer in use. It was found that due in part to ecological change and urbanization, occupational challenges have increased and social status has diminished for shepherds in the region. It was also found that traditional commons management practices had recently been abandoned by shepherds in the region leading to overgrazing characteristic of ‘tragedy of the commons.’
Domesticated animals, if managed properly, have the potential to be beneficial to their ecosystem. Planned grazing can stimulate increased plant growth. Manure provides more bioavailable nutrients to plants and hoof prints create micro-divots in the landscape to concentrate morning due leading to increased seed germination. Traditionally shepherds built erosion control structures while tending to their sheep. Furthermore shepherds could potentially direct Perma Atlas teams to disturbed areas far from villages.
With better organization shepherds could solve many of the problems they currently face which are factors leading to lowered social capital. Better organization could lead to cooperative food delivery, elevating pressure on shepherd wives, cooperative rural shelter construction, rural cellphone charging station which would allow shepherds to stay connected to their families and shared veterinary visits which should save money.
Looking forward to phase 4, a multi-village led restoration effort across the Ounila Valley, there will be a need to innovate and coordinate inter-village governance structures. Because shepherds come from different villages but share the same commons, an association of shepherds is a natural foundation for innovating such a governance body. Our plan for working with shephards is described as follows:
Conduct preliminary interviews with shepherds and former shepherds
Strategy: Identifying shared goals and leaders for shepherd association
# of interviews: approximately 8
Materials: food, tea
Much of the work for this phase has already been accomplished during the Utrecht University research project. More interviews will be conducted, however in order to catalogue shepherd needs and identify key goals for a shepherd association.
2. Invite shepherds to join in a newly forming association
Strategy: Hold a series of meetings to facilitate development of shepherd association
# of meetings: approximately 8
Materials: food, tea, project materials
Association meetings will be held where shepherds will identify shared goals and develop a practice around planned meetings. Perma Atlas will present on its mission and explain how the mission would benefit shepherds.
Projects will be planned and resources will be provided to achieve goals planned by the association..
Re-vegetation:
While earthworks have provided water to stimulate native seed banks, Perma Atlas has the goal to re-establish rapid succession of native tree and shrub species across the Atlas. Presently there are two major barriers to re-vegetation. First, poorly managed domesticated animals apply too much pressure to young plantings. Second, there is a belief held in Berber communities that once trees are planted in the commons that area becomes private property. If Perma Atlas were to plant trees it could be seen as a land grab and could threaten the project’s credibility in the region.
Regarding domesticated animals, shepherds, once organized into an association, can make collective agreements to mitigate pressure on native plantings. Regarding commons, we believe that it is likely attitudes could change. If there was one village who would be willing to make agreements for collective management of trees in the commons, it is likely that other villages would emulate the model. Revegetation will commence once a village is identified that has the will to perform commons tree plantings. Our revegetation plan is described as follows:
Native plant nursery
Preliminary meetings with village leadership
Strategy: establish agreements with village leadership for planting in commons
# of Workshops: approximately 3
Materials: food, tea
In informal meeting, establish a shared vision for greening mountains. Make agreements about ownership.
2. Hold propagation workshop
Strategy: Hold a series of workshops to establish a native plant nursery
# of workshops: approximately 6
Materials: food, tea, genetic material, pots, perlite,
Cost:
Facilitated by partners at the Hortus in Amsterdam, a series of workshops will be presented to establish a native plant nursery. Participants will be trained in soil mediums, seed and cutting prorogation, nursery irrigation and lighting. Furthermore participants will be given an overview lesson in native plants and the natural history of the Atlas mountains.
Compost facility
Hold Compost workshops to establish compost facility
Strategy: Hold a series of workshops to establish a compost facility
# of workshops: approximately 3
Materials: food, tea, solar water pump, plumbing supplies compost thermometer, wire fencing
Critical to the establishment of native flora is an established soil microbiome. Compost and the application of compost tea is critical to establishing a healthy plant systems. A series of workshops based on the work of Elaine Ingham’s ‘Soil Food Web’ will be given providing instruction on compost making and application techniques. These workshops will be located adjacent to the native plant nursery with the goal of establishing a large scale composting facility to utilize alongside native plantings.
Permaculture garden demonstration site
Establish a permaculture garden demonstration site
Strategy: Hold a series of workshops to establish a permaculture garden
# of workshops: approximately 8
Materials: food, tea, seeds, plant starts
Due to urban economic migrations Berber villages predominantly purchase vegetables and other foods from more industrial farms, leaving gardens in villages under utilized. Re-establishing localized food production will create new local economic opportunities and re-establish the fertility of local gardens. A series of workshops will be conducted to design and implement a demonstration permaculture garden. Presently there is a plot which a villager has already volunteered for this project and there is a lot of interest in the project. Workshops will cover soil nutrient cycling, biochar, seed saving, cover cropping, companion planting, and mixed perennial and annual garden design.
Micro-financing local ecological businesses:
A major contributor to eroding ecological function in the area is due to economic migration to urban centers. When income ceases to be land based the structures and traditions based around sustainable land management become abandoned. Developing local economic opportunity is an important factor for re-establishing regenerative land management practices. For that reason Perma Atlas will provide micro-financing for individuals interested in making their own businesses. Our plan for doing so is as follows:
Announce micro financing initiative
Strategy: Announce micro-financing initiative during other Perma Atlas meetings and workshops
# of workshops: N/A
Materials:
During various meetings and workshops announce and describe the micro financing initiative. Villagers interested in establishing their own eco are invited to approach Perma Atlas with proposals.
2. Provide resources and training by experts
Strategy: provide material and intellectual resources for individuals
# of workshops: N/A
Materials: Business dependent
Perma Atlas will provide resources and training with professionals to build the foundation for small businesses. As of present there have been several individuals who have proposed small businesses including bee keeping, vegetable farming and ecotourism.
Traditional culture and practices:
A further symptom of non-localized economy is that many of the traditional cultural practices are loosing favor within villages. Celebrations and ceremonies which were once important for seasonal rhythm and community cohesion are losing support. Perma Atlas sees these traditions as critical to sustaining a place based culture. What we have seen in phase 1 and 2 is that supporting these practices brings self esteem back to the community and more generally acts as a ‘glue’ which reminds villagers that they are part of one community. We will support culture as described bellow:
Announce cultural enrichment initiative
Strategy: Announce cultural enrichment initiative during other Perma Atlas meetings and workshops
# of workshops: N/A
Materials:
During various meetings and workshops announce and describe the cultural enrichment initiative. Village teams interested in establishing traditional celebrations are invited to approach Perma Atlas with proposals.
2. Provide resources
Strategy: provide material and intellectual resources for individuals
# of workshops: N/A
Materials: Business dependent
Perma Atlas will provide resources for teams to conduct traditional cultural activities.
Conclusion
The most critical lesson learned from phase 1 and 2 is that a bottom-up approach to greening that Atlas is indeed possible. As we bring our lessons learned forward towards phase 3 there will be specific attention put towards the factors which lead towards the development of inter-village collaboration. Important patterns will be applied to subsequent phases in order to mobilize many villages at once.