Food and Energy Security Through Design with Nature on Individual and Community Levels: How does Urban and Regional Planning React?

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Issues on the table are rising food and energy prices. Climate change and the anticipated disruption of weather patterns which could put food production in jeopardy. This paper will be looking at possible responses on individual and community level by designing with nature to secure food production and reduce energy consumption. A home garden and a community project to harvest stormwater will be discussed. South Africa is an arid area and water should be treated as a scarce commodity. A stormwater drainage system could be emended as a community asset by producing herbs, food, a recycling centre and playground for children.
A neighbourhood garden with flowers and lawn is transformed to a herb and food haven with composting, water harvesting and recycling.
How will climate change and the design with nature affect urban and regional planning?

Stream: Technical, Political and Social Responses

Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Dienie was born and grew up in the Kalahari. Tertiary education include a Baccelours degree in Social work at Potchefstroom, a nursing degree at Pretoria University and Masters in Urban and Regional Planning at University of Free State. Work for 12 years in private practice with B.C. Steenkamp a Land Surveyor. From 1998 at the University of the Free State, the department of Urban and Regional Planning. Teaching environmental planning as module from 2000. At the moment programme director for the programme Honours in Spatial Planning and Masters in Urban and Regrional Planning. Published 4 articles in accredited journals, presented lectures at conferences in RSA and Italy.