TYRONE LaFAY

 Biographical Summary

February 2003

PRIMARY SPECIALIZATION AND INTERESTS

 Organic gardening, permaculture and eco-village design, sacred geometry and eco-building, bioregionalism and local food self-reliance, seed saving, WWOOFing, traveling.  Objective is to act as an agent of positive change for the world while enhancing community development and fostering a more sustainable life-style by way of:  creating community participatory and consultation processes; innovative ecological design solutions; and educating others for self-empowerment and self-reliance.  Life-style goal is to live in a sustainable human settlement co-designed by its inhabitants. 

EDUCATION AND COURSE CERTIFICATES

BSc Environmental Science:  Sustainable Ecological Design.  Huxley College of Environmental Studies at Western Washington University (WWU), Bellingham, WA USA - 2000

 Permaculture Design Certificate:  Permaculture Institute of Australia and Friends of the Trees Society, USA - Michael Pilarski at Herb 'N Relief Farm, Methow Valley, Twisp, WA USA - July 1999

 Associates of Arts & Science Degree:  Shoreline Community College, Seattle, WA USA - 1997

CERTIFICATES FROM ABROAD

Eco-Village Design Course & Practicum Certificate:  EcoLogicalSolutions Ltd. and Global Eco-Village Network Inc. - Max Lindegger at Crystal Waters Permaculture Village, Maleny QLD, Australia - November 2002

 Eco-Village & Sustainable Community Design Course Certificate:  ERDA Institute - Robyn Francis and Peter Cuming at Djanbung Gardens Permaculture Education Centre, Nimbin NSW, Australia - September 2002

 Diploma in Sustainable Land-Use Design & Management, and Certificates in:  Organic Production; Applied Permaculture Design & Sustainable Resource Management; and Sustainable Community Development & Land based Project Management.  P.L.A.N.E.T. Organic (Permaculture, Low-impact Agriculture, and Natural Ecology Training) - a year long course in bioregional sustainability through the Institute of Earthcare Education Aotearoa (EEA) - Robina McCurdy in Golden Bay, New Zealand - 2002

PERSONAL PROJECTS

 Director of Earthcare Design Solutions, a small business offering such services as permaculture, sustainablesettlement and ecological design education and consultation based in Bellingham, Washington USA.

 Currently working as an Associate Faculty member with the Village Design Institute based in Bellingham, Washington, USA developing curriculum for a fully residential course titled Fundamentals of Village Design to be held at Pragtri Farm (Evergreen Land Trust) in July 2003.  Also, working with VDI to develop A Pattern Language for Eco-Villages to be published in a few years as an invaluable resource for human settlement designers.

 Nimbin Eco-Village Project.  Applied research for, and prepared the Nimbin Eco-Village Draft Strategy for Stage II: Community Consultation document for Nimbin Eco-Village Pty. Ltd. - Robyn Francis: Djanbung Gardens Permaculture Education Centre, Nimbin NSW, Australia ~ October - November 2002.

 The Outback Farm (OELS - Outdoor Experiential Learning Site) on campus at WWU, Bellingham, Washington, USA:

·          Co-founded & co-directed the Outback Farm Renewable Energy Project ~ 1999-2000

·          Co-facilitated 'Applied Human Ecology: Sustainable Systems' class to university students using the Outback Farm as the classroom - Fairhaven College at WWU ~ 1999

·          Co-ordinated an Outback Farm Fall Harvest Benefit Concert to raise money and awareness in keeping threatening campus development away from the farm ~ 1999

·            Founding member and president of the WWU Associated Students Club 'Sustainable Futures' who helped to direct and assist the programs at the Outback Farm ~ 1998-2000