Life ChanYuan Sustainability Audit

Brecht and Nick were asked to do a full permaculture evaluation of all the systems in the three branches of the Chinese Ecovillage Life ChanYuan. The sites equal 600 hundred acres, spread out over three branches, each having distinctly different microclimates. They spent one day at the first two sites and seven days at the third. During that time, they performed three site observations and have written 56 page long “Life Chanyuan Permaculture Manual” specifically adapted to the site and its resources.
During their stay in each branch, they gave introductory classes on Permaculture ethics and strategies. Over the nine days they were there, they were able to introduce Permaculture to 165 Chinese people ranging from children, age 8, to elderly in their eighties.

In the months after the audit, the community has finished implementing a high temperature incinerator, blackwater treatment system (three tank fermentation) and a renewed compost system.