Sustainable Communities
Network Case StudiesSustainable Communities
Network Case Studies
Contact: Belden Paulson
Center for Urban Community Development
UW-Milwaukee Outreach and Continuing Education Extension
929 North Sixth Street
Milwaukee, WI 53203
Tel: (414) 227-3270
Scope: Rural & Urban
Project type: Eco-community and rural education/demonstration center
What happened when a group of people with common concerns, a deep commitment
to a balance between humans and nature on this earth, and a vision for a
better, more sustainable future got together? In Wisconsin, the result was
the formation of High Wind , an intentional community that
in recent years has expanded into an education, retreat and research and
development center which seeks to create models for sustainable living.
High Wind is located on 128 acres of meadows and woodlands, with dramatic
views, and, of course, a strong wind. The founders of High Wind initially
united through common concerns over the disintegration of community and
a desire to restore and promote people's relationships to nature. This original
group began High Wind by building a passive solar "bioshelter"
which produced rather than consumed energy. High Wind soon evolved into
a location for seminars, workshops, gatherings and discussions centered
around future-oriented thinking, renewable energy, environmental and quality
of life issues, and the dynamics of interdependent community living. High
Wind Books was established in the city of Milwaukee and quickly became a
leading alternative bookstore in the region, giving the community an urban
presence and providing revenue for the other work, which in great part has
been volunteer. Several years ago High Wind changed from an intentional
community to simply a small village of people with shared ecological values.
The last day of 1991 a half dozen people long associated with High Wind
and also affiliated with several midwestern colleges and universities acquired
144 additional acres of land contiguous to the High Wind property. This
property, known as Silver Springs because of the two million gallons of
spring water which flow through it each day, is a natural treasure, with
extensive wetlands, woods, and open fields. Combined with the High Wind
property, it constitutes a unique ecosystem that should be protected from
conventional development. Along with the springs, there are ponds for raising
fish, a fish hatchery, a conference center/inn, and cedar chalets located
on the edge of a pine forest. The joining of High Wind and Silver Springs
led to the founding of Plymouth Institute, a nonprofit consortium of environmental
designers and builders, learning facilitators, artists, scientists, farmers,
futurists and entrepreneurs.
Today, the purpose of the Plymouth Institute is to define, demonstrate and
communicate values and practices of sustainability; promote whole system
thinking and global perspectives; advocate ecological stewardship; and build
multicultural, interdependent communities of life-long learners. The Institute's
activities facilitate the mission of serving as a local-to-global scale
think-tank on technical, cultural, spiritual and policy aspects of sustainable
development.
To maximize organizational flexibility, there are three corporations: the
nonprofit High Wind Association and Plymouth Institute, and the for-profit
Silver Springs of Plymouth. While the nonprofits focus on education and
research and development, the for-profit efforts of Silver Springs of Plymouth
are dedicated to business development with sustainability characteristics.
The two major business areas currently in evolution are the fish industry
and the sale of the pure spring water. The overall long term goal is to
create economic underpinnings whereby businesses can support the education
and research and development of the nonprofits, the High Wind Association
and the Plymouth Institute.
Educational programs range from summits on advanced learning models of public
school educators and university-sponsored seminars on Sustainable Futures
Learning to retreat gatherings on Celtic Christianity and workshops on designing
and building solar homes. A unique pilot program during the last two years
has involved 700 inner-city middle school students from Milwaukee participating
in hands-on experiential learning at the Plymouth Institute. These youth
often spend three days on-site, engaging in introductory sessions with aquaculture,
sustainable food production, solar building, and working with nature. Emphasis
is placed on cultivating a mind-set which encourages personal responsibility,
critical thinking and entrepreneurial initiative, seeking to interrelate
these experiences with curricula back in their school, and utilizing learning
techniques based on advanced brain-mind research. This "sustainable
futures field learning center" has been funded by the Milwaukee Public
Schools. The school system has also often subsidized tuition for teachers
who enroll in the sustainability-oriented futures seminar that is offered
by the Plymouth Institute.
A newly emerging project which integrates the nonprofit research and development
function with for-profit business development is the creation of an eco-village.
This sustainable land condominium, called SpringLedge, is based on 70 acres
at Silver Springs. Now moving from the planning stage to implementation,
it uses state-of-the-art technologies in renewable energy, nontoxic building
materials and waste system biological conversion of sewage into clean water.
The eco-village is also based on a Covenent which assures stewardship of
common lands to which every resident has access while it protects individual
private property.
The Plymouth Institute is merely one small example of efforts to create
models for sustainable living on 272 acres in Wisconsin, yet it relates
also to a larger orbit. Its Board and other associates have linkages with
many organizations, including three institutions of higher education (the
University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Cardinal
Stritch College). Its members helped to organize Sustainable Wisconsin,
a statewide initiative to promote a public agenda for sustainable development,
and they also participate in global counterpart efforts in areas such as
China and Scotland. Finally they join colleagues nationally and internationally
in projects related to learning systems and in explorations about what living
on earth in a sustainable manner really means.
Together, High Wind Village, the Plymouth Institute, and Silver Springs
of Plymouth continue to work to promote sustainability in thought and action.
The successful work over the past twenty years and the unique characteristics
of the High Wind Village, the Plymouth Institute, and Silver Springs of
Plymouth will likely continue to serve as a dynamic example for rural development
that is based at a local level, and naturally expands to impact and influence
surrounding urban and regional initiatives.
We wish to extend our sincere thanks to Belden and Lisa Paulson for providing
materials and assisting in compiling this case study.
Case Study Source: Sustainability
in Action: Profiles of Community Initiatives Across the United States--
American Forum for Global Education. 1995
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URL: http://www.sustainable.org/