In 1991, Robert Gilman set out a definition of an ecovillage that was to become a standard. Gilman defined an ecovillage as a:
Let's take each line in order. Raccoon Creek will definitely be "human-scale." We are expecting no more than fifty residents at the most, though events held at the community might boost the population from time to time.
- human-scale
- full-featured settlement
- in which human activities are harmlessly integrated into the natural world
- in a way that is supportive of healthy human development and can be successfully continued into the indefinite future. "The Eco-village Challenge" by Robert Gilman, One of the articles in Living Together (IC#29), Summer 1991, Page 10
"Full-featured." Hmm... We expect to have everything on site that a person would want at their own residence, and we expect some residents will be able to run small businesses from the community, but it is not likely we will every be full-featured. To me that term implies at least a few small businesses that won't likely ever be on the site, like a grocery store. On the other hand, we expect many things one would "go into town for" will be available in the community, but, if we accept "full-featured" as a requirement, and my definition of having most of what one would need from town on the site, then we fail this test.
"Human activities are harmlessly integrated into the natural world." We should get an A-Plus on this qualifier. I doubt anyone can build any significant building without some harm to the natural world. The questiion is, what will be done to compensate nature for the damage. We hope our "mitigation" will more than compensate for any damage done.
"Supportive of healthy human development and can be successfully continued into the indefinite future." The first part of this one is easy, and goes without saying. Continuity, thouigh, is something we just won't know for some time to come. Clearly it is a goal that has been accepted by all participants.
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