Amala Forest Garden Nest
Below is a 45 minutes documentary to raise awareness of the need for support for an indoor education centre at Karuna Insight Design - the UK's largest, established, designed, Forest garden project. The project has gained planning approval from the local authority to build a small indoor facility. Once built, the facility will help members of the community, near and far, to access and develop a deep understanding of Low Impact living through Permaculture application, creative living and well-being.
'Karuna Insight Design' has gained full planning permission for a small education and well-being centre with glamping pods.
To view our application online
*Please do read the varied application support letters.
The ‘Amala Forest Garden Nest’ is the name of the new project.
It will cost around £100,000 to build.
We are presently exploring opportunities for funding the project.
Please contact us if you would like to offer any assistance with bringing the project forward by way of donation or information about potential funding opportunities from either individuals or organisations.
If you or a friend would like to make a donation, large or small, towards this indoor educational space please contact us directly or use the *Donate Page. http://www.karuna.org.uk/donate.html
'Insight design’ is a practice which carries forward a vision for a better future in the NOW. Like when you plant a tree and you feel the present moment and the future as one, in the now.
Through many years of application and direct experience upon the land and within our lives at Karuna, we have come to taste the fruits of our pioneering work on so many different levels. So we know it works.
Our work continues to resonate well with the general public , the local community and with people from all walks of life from across Britain and around the world. By engaging with others and sharing our vision, skills and experience, we offer hope, community, inspiration and practical, affordable solutions to the social and ecological crisis that we all face.
Many hundreds of inspired visitors, students and volunteers have had direct experience of the benefits of Insight design. Many have been inspired and influenced by what they have seen and learned from a distance via numerous Permaculture publications and the internet. How wonderful it will be to get this building up and running. 'Thousands more' people can then access this marvellous, unique Forest Garden demonstration site and Earth repair centre.
It's very exciting!
We are not-for-profit soul traders. As the project grows the profits go into maintaining and building upon the existing design. Let’s not lose this great opportunity to see a great little project flourish!
Thank you all so much for your kind attention-.... into the future!
Below are some pages from our Business Plan, submitted with the planning application, drawing and sketch of the proposed building.

Sketch of the Education Centre
Up to date Progress; New track and Centre foundations. As soon as this building is up ,more of the public will benefit and come to learn from what the site has to offer.

Laying of the new centre track.

Amala Forest Garden Nest (Education & Wellbeing Centre). Trench Foundations.

Amala Forest Garden Nest (Education & Wellbeing Centre). Trench Foundations.




Details of the courses planned in the new centre are listed below.
Course, Number of participants, Duration (days)
Vegan Permaculture, up to 20, 2
Living in community, up to 20, 2
Horticulture Skills, up to 20, 2
Permaculture Introduction, Up to 16, 3 day
Ecology, Up to 16, 2 day
Scything , Up to 8, 1 day
Hedge Laying , Up to 8, 2 day
Forest Gardening (intro), Up to 20, 2.5 day
Public Apple Day, Up to 80, 1 day
Apple Tree Grafting, Up to 16, 1 day
Natural building (various) - straw / clay / cordwood Up to 20, 2-10 day
Composting Toilets + Garden Composting, 6 to 10, 1 day
Earth Oven Building, 6 to 14, 2 day
Preserving The Harvest, Up to 10, 2 day
Earth Oven Cooking, Up to 14, 1 day
Full Permaculture Design (PDC) Up to 20, 14 day
Building Resilient Organisations + Conflict Resolution, 6 to 10, 2 day
Insight Design, Up to 20, 5 day
Wild Food weekend + Plant Identification Up to 30, 2 day
Horticultural Therapy Retreat, Up to 16, 3 days
Seminars, Up to 60, 1 day
Therapy treatment/retreat - hire of room by external specialists 3hrs- 2 day.
Forest Gardening seminar, Up to 20, 5 day
Yoga retreat, Up to 25, 2 day

Building Plan - Drawing