Economic Renewal Priorities

Economic Renewal Priorities are well-known strategies for promoting economic prosperity in local communities. While they are designed to be implemented in the order presented, often more than one can be promoted simultaneously, especially if there are opportunities that may be lost due to poor timing or other reasons. In order of priority, the strategies are:

1. Plugging the Leaks – This strategy usually begins with a community meeting where members discuss and decide where money or other resources are leaving the community and what the best way(s) are to retain those resources within the community. 

Here’s an example from the high mountains of Asia:
When some permaculture designers visited a village high in a mountain valley, and the village was asked what resources were leaving the village and how, they responded that the men left their village to walk down their valley to another village where each man paid for a haircut. The village decided to buy a pair of scissors and to get two of the men trained to cut others’ hair. The understanding was that the whole village had invested in the project and that the whole village would benefit by deciding on how the retained money would be allocated to their next project.    

2. Support Existing, Local Businesses – This is often done with government and non-profit partners, expanding what is already working, emphasizing the uniqueness of each community and building on local traditions.

3. Create New, Compatible, Local Businesses – The best example we know about is Ken’s own transition from his, now closed, Yosemite Close Up Tours, to this Frog Face Farm business that is based on environmental planning, including permaculture design, wildfire prevention, intentional burning to reduce fuels and other benefits, and habitat restoration. With the ever-increasing threat from wildfires and the ability of intentional burning to reduce those threats, this is certainly a compatible and perhaps much needed business.

4. Recruit Compatible Businesses – While recruiting outside businesses is often attempted, often communities have to give too much of their own resources, in hopes that the recruited business(es) will rescue a faltering economy. Often the community finds that the new business hasn’t lived up to the community’s dreams.
Nancy McKeown, a long-time friend of Ken’s, began making pine needle baskets several years ago while living in Santa Cruz. Her modern designs expand on the tribal traditions, yet they utilize similar local resources and techniques, so her recent move to Mariposa brings a new, compatible business to Mariposa. Actually, since she’s also a graphic artist, she brings two compatible businesses to the Mariposa area. Another example of a recently opened compatible business here is the Yosemite Climbing Association’s recent establishment of its Climbing Museum in downtown Mariposa.  With the presence of the rock-climbing displays at our Mariposa Museum and History Center, this addition to our community is an excellent complement to the growing interest in Yosemite (and world-wide) rock-climbing and mountaineering. Ken is trying to recruit another complementary climbing business to this area, but that possibility remains to be seen.

Here are some examples of Nancy’s basketry. Further details of her work will appear soon on our Media – Photo Gallery

Nancy continues to create new, innovative designs using a variety of materials. While these particular baskets are unavailable, if you would like to acquire one of hers, please send us an  email us at yosemitecloseup@gmail.com, and we will forward it to Nancy.