In the last 18 months, and especially since May 2021, NELN, like many organisations, have had to wind back our activities due to the pandemic. One highlight of the year was Sustainable House Day at Narara Ecovillage, held in Sept 2020, which was sparsely but enthusiastically attended, and included guided and self-guided tours, high-calibre presentations online, open permaculture garden, coffee cart and networking opportunities.
Highlights of the year include:
In this issue
Activities
In 2020-21, NELN ran a number of events and activities in partnership with Collective Know-How (CKH), Narara Ecovillage’s research and education group.
- May 2021: Mushrooms workshop (with CKH)
- May: Forest Aliveness Day, “Yoga, Birds and Nature”
- Feb: Sociocracy in Action: Picture Forming (with CKH)
- Jan: Guided birdwalk
- Jan 2021: Sociocracy in Action: Decision Making (with CKH)
- Nov 2020: Foundations of Sociocracy (with CKH)
- Sept: Living with Wildlife at Narara Ecovillage
- Sept Energy Freedom Home Workshop – Save Money on Heating and Cooling (with CKH & Beyond Zero Emissions)
- Sept: Guided birdwalk
- Sept: Taste of Sociocracy (with CKH)
- Sept 2020: Festival: Sustainable House Day at NEV 2020 COVID-style! (c70 attendees + hundreds online)
- Sustainable House Day Tours & Talks
- Narara Ecovillage Discovery
- Natural building
- Sustainable building design
- Food growing/permaculture
- Collaborative living
- Retrofitting Bellbird House
- Tiny Houses
- Jan-Aug: Sociocracy in Action workshops (with CKH)
Grants
- Sustainable House Day at NEV 2020 – to write & publish guide book & purchase AV equipment -Central Coast Council
- Damp-proofing the Grafting Shed (heritage grant) -Central Coast Council
Publications
- Self-guided tour of Narara Ecovillage
- Monthly Network News
Membership numbers
- at 30 June 2018 – 224
- at 30 June 2019 – 208
- at 30 June 2020 – 189
- at 30 June 2021 – 191