
Gea Viva is a eco retreat camp and Permaculture small holding, where people can experience true and simple eco living. The site was designed to Permaculture principles.

| Member since | 02.2024 |
|---|---|
| Last updated | 07.2026 |
| Established in | 2020 |
| Size | 0.60 ha |
| Open days | Yes |
A project that includes an evolving forest garden for a family of eight people, a self-organized community garden, a demonstration and training site for ethical agroecology practices. The dynamics of the place rely on permaculture and syntropic techniques, and seek balance through an agro-sylvo-pastoral approach, at the appropriate scale.
There are multiple microclimates on the site, which have allowed the development of several small projects integrated into a holistic design, highlighting the varied sectors and the natural potential of the place.
This includes: forest gardens on swales and on berms, terraces, a half-buried greenhouse, fascines, agroforestry in the form of alley-cropping, a community garden, multiple hedges for biodiversity and windbreaks, small ponds, chickens and ducks.
Water management covers multiple low-tech techniques (swales, berms, boomerangs, terraces, ollas), mechanical systems (cisterns for rainwater storage and drip irrigation for crops), several small ponds and a well that supplies drinking water.
Multiple compost techniques (for a wide range of local organic resources) are employed in an integrated manner in the different growing areas.
Production: various fruits and vegetables, currently in development; aiming to achieve a rate of 80% perennial plants and 20% annual plants. Mushroom production was added in 2024 to the list of crops being grown on site, aiming for year-round production.
Compost toilets make it possible to recycle local resources to an even greater extent.
The sun exposure is South-East and South. Located near a natural wetland, the land is bordered by mature trees. The slopes are both convex and concave, with a gradient between 3-10%.
Multiple people (professionals, the resident family members and volunteer gardeners) are involved in various small-scale projects almost all year round.
Other elements included: sheltered working spaces (veranda, kiosk, greenhouse), a space for outdoor meetings in the shade of a bamboo grove, a solidarity fridge. The space also hosts meetings around well-being and human ecology.
Frameworks, process, stratgies and techniques used at Le Jardin d'un Notre Monde
Gea Viva is a eco retreat camp and Permaculture small holding, where people can experience true and simple eco living. The site was designed to Permaculture principles.
Our RaČitluk estate is located in the village of Čitluk, 10 km from Sokobanja, surrounded by the beautiful mountains of Devica, Ozren, Krstatac and Rtanj in Eastern Serbia. We moved to it in 2022 (it was purchased in February) and I must admit that it was extremely neglected.
Permaculture Pro offers diverses courses to become a permaculture professional.