Author: Geoff Wells
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4 Slow community: thinking together
The idea of thinking together is not much in vogue at present. Thinking, if it’s done well, happens over time, and of time we don’t seem to have much to spare. The value of thinking rests on the experience that not everything is obvious and simply has to be stated, as one’s settled view; that…
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3 Slow community: the ethics of care
In one way or another, I want to propose, a community worthy of the name is made of care. It’s possible to call a collection of people a community because they live in the same place, or because they interact with each other in some particular ways. We don’t seem to hesitate to use the…
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ISEE Systems RCA piece
We have been approached by ISEE Systems, the developer of the Stella modelling software, to work with them on a piece about the way in which we have used the platform. Here is the piece they put up in their collection of case studies, based on an extended online account we provided them with. We…
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2 Slow community: Face to face
I have some good men friends, greatly valued. I have coffee with them most mornings in the local cafe. I often think of the group of African American men of much the same older age in south Chicago whom Mitchell Duneier wrote about, in 1992, with much affection and sympathy, in his Slim’s Table; they…
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1 Slow Community: Walking with our people
By Geoff Wells Every morning, unless the westerlies are coming in wild, I walk the path around the boat harbour in the small Australian coastal town where I live. The path moves through native trees and shrubs which grow right down to the water’s edge, salt-tolerant. The first section of it is gravelled; then, without…
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Recent submissions on state lands & vegetation legislation
RCA has recently made submissions on state legislation governing public lands, and the clearing of native vegetation. On public lands, our view is that the proposed amendments would make it easier for the state to sell public lands, either to private interests or to local governments. We don’t support this direction. Public lands should remain…
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Community-based ageing in place
Our place, being a beautiful little town on the Limestone Coast, is a favoured location for retired people. Many of them are farmers who have moved in from their farms in the district. Others are people who have lived their lives and worked here, in fishing, construction, and now retail. Generally speaking their preference is…
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Sustainable tourism
A local couple, long-term residents of our place, returned recently from a 6-week stay on two of the Greek Islands, Kythera and Ithaka. From these bases they explored the islands and found ways to connect with their local peoples. This is an example of what is coming to be called sustainable tourism: extended stays, respecting…
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SE Coastal Lakes proposal
We’ve been working through a new proposal for organising and managing the SE Coastal Lakes. The main thrust of it is to place substantial parts of them under conservation protection. Nominally the proposal is under the state Department of Environment and Water, who commissioned a consultant to carry out an engagement process designed to open…
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Systems analysis: community fire management
Systems analysis in community work: Little Dip Conservation Park Community challenges are always multi-dimensional. Although we would like them to be simple in structure and process, so that we can see and apply simple solutions to them—we all like a silver bullet—that is rarely open. More often there are multiple levels and many connections to…