The Forest Gardens have created educational and training opportunities for people and food for the local community to harvest. Most of the Naturewise work, however, is done on a voluntary basis. And to fund material costs over the years, for instance, plants, trees and tools, Naturewise has received small amounts of funding from London Borough of Islington, Islington Community Environmental Trust, Elthorne Park LBI Neighbourhood Forum, The Tree Council, Hanley Crouch Neighbourhood Forum and Archway Neighbourhood Forum. The other major aspect of Naturewise's work is education. The PermacuIture courses, which operate a policy of not turning anyone away, charge negotiable fees according to people's means or circumstances.
Tutors also take cuts in wages in order that the courses go ahead.
As Alpai explained, the main purpose is to guide people in ways to get activated. The Permaculture courses are basically for people to find their confidence to start doing something. Students learn ideas and practices to do with sustainability. Permaculture as a design system contains nothing new. A Designers Manual.