One of the more disruptive influences on a permanent culture is the fluctuation of the economy.  Cycles of boom and bust affect migration and land use.  I have little doubt that the macroeconomy is manipulated by the rich, but everybody can contribute to an alternative, and in the long run it is in everybody's best interest.  Historically, changing land use is often the result of terrestrial rape, extraction without remediation.  Broken forests and abandoned subdivisions are both symptoms of disconnected economics without Community reinvestment.

I went to town this morning to hear my favorite permaculturalist, Brock Doleman, give a talk about water.  Brock is a brilliant and talanted orator.  He is humorous and insightful, and right on with his reverence for the journey of water.  I have him to thank for my permaculture baptism.  Again, I am inspired to put in my oar as an advocate for continued planning for long-term habitation.  Planning for sustainable use results in economic stability, but it requires community based planning.  We can't expect big government (Obama), or big business (Your employer), to give us jobs.

Land-use decisions are already in the hands of the local agency.  These are the everyday choices that are being made by the County Supervisors and the City Planning Commission.  They are governed by Zoning ordinances and a disparate electorate and by whoever shows up at the hearing.  Planning departments everywhere are trying to balance historical precedent with increased understanding of ecological and human needs.  Sustainability and soil, water or community enrichment all should be important aspects of these land-use decisions.

Maybe the biggest leap is for all of us, as members of our community, to evaluate our own contribution to a vibrant future.  It really comes down to my daily choices about what I eat, what I wear, and where I discard my waste, and then beyond that, what institutions I value and support. I would like to be supporting the folks who are helping to maintain and improve my watershed.  These are usually the people who live here or who understand that someone will always be living here, and who reinvest my contribution into a better world for all.

The Newts of 2010 are on the move.  I found my first "Red Dogs" lurking in the mushrumps.