Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center Consulting Services for: Sustainable Land Use Management Sustainable Lifestyle Skills Sustainability Planning What is a Sustainable Habitat? Sustainability is about meeting our present needs without compromising the needs of other people and ecosystems- whether they be obviously present or in other places and other generations. The task of creating a sustainable society must be a group effort. No one can be fully sustainable themselves, but we can learn how to create sustainable relationships as part of a movement towards a healthier society. Individually, we can explore redefining 'progress' and 'success' to include honest and reciprocal relationships with our resources. Your habitat is the place you live; the land which harbors you, the structures which shelter you, and the support systems like power and water developed to make your life comfortable. A sustainable habitat reflects these values of care and respect for ecosystems and the people within it. Creating a sustainable habitat is an exploration in achieving human and ecosystem well-being together. Our approach to sustainability at Ampersand is through discovering a deeper connection with the land and its resources. The land has a great deal to offer: food, medicine, shelter, natural and cultural history, and geological features for starters. A careful assessment of the resources available on your property can inform us how land, water, sun, and wind can more fully provide for nearly all your daily needs. We will explore your relationship with the basic elements of life through your particular spot on the earth. What does your property provide naturally? How can you more fully develop these resources? How can your home embody and support your sustainability values? The process of analyzing and planning for a sustainable habitat becomes a joyful communion that bonds you with the long term health of your property. Is Sustainable Habitat Consultation right for you? This service is for anyone who would like to understand their property better, survey their options for making sustainable lifestyle choices, or craft a sustainable development plan. Ampersand Consulting will help you understand your resident resources; the soil, the plants, and the water drainages, and how they may be enhanced. We will also examine those resources that visit your property; the sun, shade, wind and rain. Finally we will examine the all important nexus between the residents and the visitors. This consultation process is for people who have recently become interested in sustainability as well as for old hands in this growing movement. Whether you have no idea where to start, don't feel you have the time to make these changes, or just need some technical advice, sustainable habitat consulting informs your decision to make durable changes in your life or develop a sustainable relationship with your home and property. This is an especially appropriate service if you: Just bought a property or moved to the Northern New Mexico region Want to deepen your relationship with a certain place. Want to know which plants you can make use of and how of your natural environment will interact with them. Are interested in making changes in your home or on your property, and you want to make sure that you are working with natural processes in the design. Want to be informed as to how to maintain your property in a way that is consistent with your values. Common Habitat Topics: Seed saving and Land Restoration Organic Gardening, Wild food harvesting and Sustainable food storage Herbs for medicine, beauty, and food Greywater use in the landscape Rainwater collection and use Sustainable garden rehabilitation design Composting and worms Solar ovens and dehydrators Creating outdoor environments to support sustainable practices Permaculture Native plants and their historical and contemporary uses Nurturing the Soil Harvesting Sunlight for heating Gifts from the Land Passive Solar design Ecological microclimates Natural Building How do you benefit from a Sustainable Habitat? This creation of a sustainable habitat gives you a deeper understanding of your relationship to your land. You will learn about the plants and land formations that are indicators of the natural history and elemental cycles on your property. You will learn how to preserve and enhance the special qualities of your place. You will learn new lifestyle options that will help you sustain a way of being that is congruent with your values. When relevant, we explore the important nexus of indoor and outdoor environments. The Ampersand consulting process can help you: Develop a lifestyle that fosters rewarding interactions with your property. Make your home more in harmony with your natural environment. Redefine abundance in your life to reflect what the earth and the elements can sustainably provide. Make your environment support both the person you want to be as well as the world you want to create. Increase your skills and technical knowledge of sustainable systems. Experience yourself as a proactive contributor for the creation of a sustainable world. Contact us for more details.