Permaculturists as Time Scouts

When we design, we are always building for future floods, future fires, future droughts, and planting a tree a few inches tall that will be future forest giants, throw future shadows. Future populations will need future soils and forest resources, shelter, security. So somebody needs to range ahead in time, scout out the next century. We are not daydreaming. We are time scouts. – Bill Mollison

Time scouts eh? I like that. We are looking to the future. Note that this implies that others are not, even worse they’re pretty good at it. 

It seems our culture needs a change. We need many time scouts to create a future worth living as opposed to where we’re heading now.   Will you be a time scout?

We need many people to plant trees, the shade of which they will never see…

Published by Milton

C. Milton Dixon is an permaculturist, forager, educator, and computer wizard. He is co-manager at the emergent Cooperative at Dawn Farm and teaches with Three Waters Permaculture. You can reach him at or 773.789.8887.

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