(Below is content from the 2025 Community Development Summit.
You can choose to watch each presentation on Youtube, download the audio version or read the transcript. Enjoy!)

Key points:

• Permaculture as a tool for solving social, ecological, and community issues.

• Community gardens (180 in Houston) boost food access and resilience.

• Equity: Scholarships and stipends support young, diverse leaders.

• Succession: Like a forest garden, leadership blends elders and new voices.

• Partnerships: Schools, civic groups, and grants sustain the work.

Carol emphasizes that lasting resilience comes from community-rooted leadership—especially in the face of climate, economic, and social challenges.

Daily Acts: Pathways to Scale

Trathen Heckman

At PINA’s Community Development Summit, Trathen Heckman of Daily Acts shares how small actions spark massive change. From backyard gardens to city hall food forests, his talk, “Daily Acts: Pathways to Scale,” shows how permaculture principles can shape policy, unlock funding, and build equity.

In 20+ years, Daily Acts helped pass climate resolutions, reform graywater laws, and plant 600+ gardens in one weekend—all through partnerships, purpose, and persistence.

Want to know how to scale grassroots change into statewide impact? 
Watch this and get inspired to ripple out your own Daily Acts.

From Local Action to Global Impact through Passion, Purpose and Play

Matt Bibeau

At PINA’s Community Development Summit, Matt Bibeau shares how passion, purpose, and play turn local action into global change. From painting intersections to building community tea houses, his work with City Repair and Mother Earth School shows how placemaking builds social resilience.

Permaculture isn’t just about gardens—it’s about justice, connection, and reclaiming public space. Murals, potlucks, and play become powerful tools for healing and community building.

What started in Portland has rippled across the world—from Taiwan to Japan—proving that grassroots joy can scale.

🎨 Curious how play creates power?
Watch Matt’s talk and get inspired.

Growing Further & Faster: Building Scalable Community Permaculture Orchards

Chris Smyth

At PINA’s Community Development Summit, Chris Smyth explores how permaculture is cultural work—not just growing food, but healing people, places, and systems.

His talk reveals how gardens and food forests can address trauma, build resilience, and reconnect communities. Chris uplifts intergenerational mentorship, cultural rituals, and ethical foundations as key to long-term change.

From youth leadership to neighborhood food systems, he shows how care and connection are the roots of regeneration.

🌿 Want to see how permaculture becomes a path to healing and belonging?
Watch Chris’s talk and feel the shift.

Perennial Propagation and Honing in on Regionally Appropriate Plants

Taryn Koerker

At PINA’s Community Development Summit, Taryn Koerker shares how she helped transform an abandoned baseball field into The Shark Garden—a thriving 1.6-acre hub for food, culture, education, and community.

What started as a youth program grew into a nonprofit with 76 garden plots, food bank beds, solar infrastructure, and 20+ partners.

Using data, diverse partnerships, and good old-fashioned bake sales, Taryn shows how gardens can do more than grow food—they grow connection, resilience, and hope.

🌱 Want to see what a truly inclusive urban garden looks like?
Watch her talk now.

100 Garden Challenge

Sean Jennings

At PINA’s Community Development Summit, Homesteadinʻ Hawaiiʻs Sean Jennings shares how a simple idea became the 100 Garden Challenge—100 edible gardens installed across LA in one weekend with 800 volunteers… and zero budget.

His story shows how community, creativity, and collaboration can transform neighborhoods and lives.

It wasn’t just about food—it was about connection, joy, and proving that abundance doesn’t require money. Sean’s takeaway? Start small, build a team, and take action. The magic follows.

🌻 Ready to launch your own grassroots movement?
Watch Sean’s talk and get inspired.

How to Run for Local Office

Lois Drumheller

At PINA’s Community Development Summit, Lois Drumheller shares how she went from environmental advocate to elected official—proving that you don’t need money to run, just a message and a mission.

Her grassroots campaign led to real impact: the Monroeville People’s Garden, which used permaculture to grow up to 800 lbs of food a year for local food banks.

Lois offers a clear roadmap to civic leadership—focused on authenticity, accountability, and action—and reminds us: real change starts with showing up.

🌻 Thinking of running for office?
Watch Lois’ talk and get inspired.

Bioregional Economies

Andrew Faust

At PINA’s Community Development Summit, Andrew Faust calls us to think bigger—way bigger. His talk explores how permaculture can guide bioregional planning for food, energy, water, and land use.

From backyard gardens to regional economies, Andrew lays out a bold vision: design resilience into our communities by aligning with ecosystems, not political lines.

He shares tools like watershed-based planning, compost heat, and partnerships with land trusts to turn waste into wealth.

🌎 Ready to scale up from garden beds to bioregional blueprints?
Watch Andrew’s talk and get inspired to design for the long haul.