May 5, 2010 - Posted by admin - 3 Comments
Who Are We?
The ” Ecological Research Group” was founded by Max and Trudi Lindegger in 2008 as an international group interested in spreading news on Ecovillages and related subjects.
Our Committee: Bal Kumar Aryal (Nepal), Boniface Gomes(Bangladesh) , Penelope Reyes Velasco (Philippines), MichiyoFuruhashi(Japan) Hugh Collett (Indonesia) Nhov Narn (Cambodia) and Dr Vinya Ariyaratne (Sri Lanka).
Our Aims:
A Network for the sharing of design and technical expertise to create Ecovillage living and working environments in Urban, Suburban and Rural areas where people can live together sustainably with dignity in harmony and with nature.”
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May 5, 2010 - Posted by Max - 3 Comments
Max Lindegger on “Managing Small Hive Beetle”
The small hive beetle (SHB) was detected in Australia in October 2002. It is not known how it entered the country, but it may have been present for over a year before being identified. It has been found in bee hives over a large area in New South Wales and movement of infested hives has spread it to Queensland. (1)
While initially it was considered possible to eradicate the pest the focus has changed to management. We still hope that some magic cure will eventually be found.
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Information from Beekeepers around the Sunshine Coast Indicates that coastal Beekeepers are possibly worst affected. With a number of Beekeepers telling me an increasing number of ‘ slime-outs” (loss of a hive) increasing.
A recent survey has shown that small Beekeepers had suffered quite extreme losses on average losing nearly 50% of hives. This is a serious situation and has made it more difficult for all of us to keep bees.
I have read the literature and spoken to professional Beekeepers and many hobbyists. There is no simple answer and not one solution. As one apiarist told me ” Ten years ago you could leave a hive for months and everything would be Ok, now you have to keep on your toes all the time”.
Numerous traps are being advertised and in the US some chemicals are also available ” Checkmite” as well as ” GardStar” are advertised in the ” Dadant” catalogue). In Australia ( as far as I’m aware) no chemicals have been approved for in hive treatment of the pest
A beekeeper sent me some concoction ( most likely containing some chemical) which was suggested as being very successful if used as an attractant in the AJ Beetle trap ( an Australian invention). I decided to do a comparison of a number of treatments to help me make a decision how I may best manage the beetles.
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I have total of 12 hives. These are arranged in 3 rows each with 4 hives. The Northern row is in the open ( pretty well full sun) and the middle and southern rows are in a semi shaded environment and surrounded by chickens (which I hoped would interrupt the life cycle of the beetles)
In each row I put a mix of the magic compound and Diatomaceous earth into a AJ trap ( 2) in hives 1 and 4.
Hive 2 in each row received only the compound in a AJ trap. Hive 3 in each row was set-up with only Diatomaceous earth in a AJ trap
The experiment was set-up on the 17th Jan 2010 .
The first count of the number of beetles killed in each trap was made on the 24. Jan. The second count was made on the 3rd Feb. I was away overseas from the 11th Feb to the 10th March and we experienced a lot of wet weather which made it impossible to check the traps until the 19th March. Knowing that I would be absent for an extended period I placed two AJ traps into each hive on the 3rd Feb and the count on the 19th March is for the two traps.
It is worth to note that at each inspections some beetles where observed but at no time did I feel like there where an unusually large number of beetles present and the hives looked healthy and active.
Results
Comments:
The indication is that the traps with a mix of the magic compound and the Diatomaceous earth performed best ( highest numbers trapped in 9 out of 10 cases)
The lowest number of beetles killed was in traps using the Magic compound only in 5 out of 9 cases and in traps with Diatomaceous earth and the mix twice each .
The Magic Compound on it’s own performed poorly for the last sampling and I assume that the ” active ingredient” lost it’s power after a few weeks. Indeed the liquid had dried up in all traps.
Conclusions:
I doubt that the Magic Compound will be available again. It seems mostly effective if the traps can be checked very regularly. The diatomaceous earth is available (3), cheap, safe and seems to work very well.
I will need to empty and maintain my AJ traps probably at least monthly ( I keep two sets which make switching traps a quick job) – more often in hives which produce a large amount of propolis and glue -up the traps)
Having hives in the poultry yard seems to have a positive effect. Full exposure to the sun did not seem to reduce beetle numbers
Please note: This a field experiment done with minimal equipment. The outcome should be seen as an indication only.
April 25, 2010 - Posted by admin - 2 Comments
NEWS Release Alert: The Australian based ‘EcoVillage Research Group’; led by Max Lindegger have launched a new Information Service for all those interested in EcoVillage living, Permaculture and sustainability in current times.
Being one of the early proponents of Permaculture and EcoVillage living, Max has over 25 years experience in education and consultancy in Permaculture and EcoVillage design.
EcoVillage Research Group was founded to provide up-to-date and timely information for people seeking better solutions in a time when many are meeting significant challenges to their way of life. Max and his wife Trudi also have the advantage of the experience of 20 years living within Crystal Waters; an established EcoVillage designed along Permaculture principles. They try to understand what works and what doesn’t, passing on experiences and anecdotes to help people achieve sustainability in living, reduce impact on the environment, lower Carbon footprint and create a more balanced lifestyle.
The EcoVillage Research Group are pulling together practical Authors and Contributors from around the world to provide readers with a regular Newsletter on a whole gamut of interesting and practical information.
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December 18, 2009 - Posted by admin - 3 Comments
From: <http://www.sarvodayausa.org>
Dear EcoLogical Solutions Office,
In late August, I accompanied a group of high school students in Kathmandu to a shramadana (gift of labor) program that Sarvodaya Nepal had organized. The students travelled to a small rural community with the paints and brushes and painted a village school. In the process, not only did they give, they also received, learnt and grew. Brahma Jung Pandey, a student on the team summed the experience, “there has been a candle lit inside us, that will keep burning.”
I compiled a video of the day.
click here to watch the video: Color of Compassion <http://cts.vresp.com/c/?SarvodayaUSA/d7b9944dda/cda35a997c/6baac6e7ba/v=jWe77y9v1WE>
*Here’s your chance to make $50,000 difference*
Year after year, only a handful of students passed secondary school from the public school in Chapagaun, a community near Kathmandu, Nepal. That was in mid 1990s. Tired of the low quality of education, a group of young people in the decided to seek a solution. They knew private schools are really good alternative but realized that not all in the village could afford to pay the private school’s tuition.
Donate now. Help us win $50,000 <https://www.causes.com/fb/donations/new?ts=1257211846&cause_id=368553&recruiter_id=2556265>
*Innovative Solution*
A middle path emerged. A community run co-operative school. Jyotidaya Community Co-operative, in Chapagaun, is the only publicly managed co-operative school in Nepal.
*Its promise: affordable quality education.* Run largely on volunteer efforts for many years, currently 300 children study at the school. 1 in 8 children study for free. The tuition fee is 40% lower than comparable private school. And, 100% of students who have taken passed secondary school education, mostly in the first division. About 22 young people in the community find employment opportunity in their own village. This locally inspired Jyotidaya offers an alternative solution to ailing public schools in Nepal.
*Your $10 could help us win $50,000*
So here’s how this works. An organization that attract most unique donors using online tools for non-profit causes will be awarded $50,000. That’s the “America’s Giving Challenge.” <http://www.causes.org/school>
With your support, we can help Sarvodaya USA win the challenge and $50,000 and build a school in Nepal.
Learn more at: http://www.causes.org/school
Donate Now! Build a School <http://cts.vresp.com/c/?SarvodayaUSA/d7b9944dda/cda35a997c/b3fda48d49/ts=1257211846&cause_id=368553&recruiter_id=2556265>
*Image <http://cts.vresp.com/c/?SarvodayaUSA/d7b9944dda/cda35a997c/b3fda48d49/ts=1257211846&cause_id=368553&recruiter_id=2556265>*
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Shisir Khanal
P.S.: America’s Giving Challenge ends on Nov 6, 2009. Donate now. Help us build a school. <https://www.causes.com/fb/donations/new?ts=1257211846&cause_id=368553&recruiter_id=2556265>
November 5, 2009 - Posted by Max - 4 Comments
GENOA Inc is moving forward.
Max Lindegger:
I have just returned from GENOA’s Annual General Meeting which was held in the Philippines, a few hours outside Manila, at Center for Ecozoic Living and learning (C.E.L.L.) We met at the same place last year.
There will be a number of articles and photos in the next edition of “Ecovillage Musings” but I would like to use this opportunity to give a little summary.
Manila was very different this time – the Typhoons which have devastated large areas of the Philippines and resulted in the loss of many lives only happened days before. The bigger streets of Manila had been cleaned up but some of the low laying areas are still under water (early November). Manila Bay is a mess and obviously is not a high priority.
But the meeting was an event with many positives.
Penelope’s own Ecovillage in the Philippines is just starting construction. The buildings will look very much like the buildings at CELL (pictured below) and will be constructed mostly from Bamboo.
Michiyo (pictured below) gave a great presentation about her village in Japan – Kohohana Family. It is very impressive what they are doing and we all could learn from their commitment and their food production is simply amazing.
We also heard about the aftermath of the floods in Bangladesh (by Boniface Gomes) and members would have received a report by him.
Wongsanit Ashram will be holding celebrations towards the end of this year and Sunisa (pictured here)
pointed out that it will have a strong focus in Youth.
For the first time we had a representative from China, Ana (below) who was born in Mexico, but it was beneficial to have an up-date.
Nharn (pictured below) and Savoein from Cambodia gave us the latest information about the projects in the North East of the Country. You had a chance to read a lot about there activities in a recent “Ecovillage Musings”.
Nandana and BK Aryal whom we have known for many years and it is always satisfying to hear of the steady progress they are making in their respective Countries (Sri Lanka and Nepal).
The Ecovillage movement in Asia is definitely growing at a steady pace. In our part of the world more emphasis needs to be devoted to what we may call ” retrofits” – villages which are looking for a better lifestyle without making a turn away from traditions.
Many parts of Asia have been tested by weather extremes, the economic downturn the never ending pressure of growing populations.
It is a privilege to share a few days with such committed people.
Max Lindegger
Nov 2009
May 17, 2009 - Posted by admin - 1 Comment
With the pressures of the global economic downturn, global warming and the need to reduce our carbon footprint, it is possible for individuals at a grass roots level to adopt simple strategies that will make a difference.
Ecovillage Musings is a monthly newsletter filled with informative and practical stories to help you achieve that difference. Whether you reside in suburbia with limited space or the rural countryside, we hope that you find these interesting and practical stories featuring tips and tricks to lessen our impacts on the environment helpful to achieve a more satisfying and rewarding lifestyle.
