Related galleries
The Landmatters Community has ‘permaculture ethics, principles and design methods’ as the primary point of its mission statement. A group of land activists used a cooperative structure to raise funds and buy their site, near Totnes, Devon, in 2003 and have lived there since 2005. 42 acres of land include semi-natural ancient woodlands, pasture, hedgerows and scrub; ponies, goats, chickens and bees are kept on-site as well as gardens (and one polypod), which provide vegetables, and a small income for the majority of the year.
As recipients of funding from the pioneering Transition Town Totnes programme, Landmatters installed 15 photo-voltaic panels on the roof of the self-built barn; a wind turbine generates the remainder of the electricity, enabling the site to make use of some appliances as well as maintain its connection to a broader community online. Together with the on-site harvesting of firewood, Landmatters is proudly ‘off-grid,’ and is continuing to work towards further reduction of its carbon footprint.
The community has a dedicated commitment to educational programmes, both for its 7 young members (aged 3-15) but also through engagement with universities, extensive volunteering opportunities, permaculture courses and use of the on-site facilities to offer additional services to the local community, such as yoga tuition and activist group meetings.
