Introduction Permaculture is an agricultural system, intended to be sustainable and self- sufficient, that uses natural ecosystems as a model. Permaculture is relevant on a global stage as the world’s population is expected to grow to 10.5 billion people by 2050 (Reid 2017), creating an urgency for effective and sustainable agriculture. Beyond investigating how The Island School produces its food, this Permaculture study concentrates on food insecurity in the immediate vicinity of the Island School campus. At present, The Island School imports about 89% of the food. Permaculture practices seek to address the economic, environmental, and social issues prevalent in South Eleuthera and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). By finding possible solutions to Food insecurity and instability within The Island School’s campus, Permaculture feeds into the larger global conversation regarding the negative environmental impacts of the global food system, the widespread food insecurity and instability, and the future of food in society. Permaculture: Planting Seeds of Sustainability on The Island School Campus Susanna Cabot, Isabel Cullen, Maeve Goodrich, Kelvin Monje, Kate Pausic, Ezra Stern, Nora Verdier Research Advisors: Joseph Plant, Leigh Schmitt Citations Garnett, T. 2013. Food Sustainability: problems perspectives and solutions. Proceedings of the nutrition society. 72,29- 39. Reid, J. 2017. Carbon Narrative. Waterfield Farms. Robards, C. 2017. Survey outlines food insecurity on Eleuthera. The Nassau Guardian. Tilman, D & Balzer, C & Hill, J & Befort, B. 2011. Global food demand and the sustainable intensification of agriculture. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 108; 50. Viviano, F. 2017. “This Tiny Country Feeds the World.” National Geographic. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/09/ho lland-agriculture-sustainable-farming.html. Methods The semester’s research is focused around campus design and planning. The Permaculture Research Cohort cultivated and planted crops, added soil amendments, conducted animal husbandry, and informed the outside community through social media and a research blog. The Permaculture Team also collaborated with the dining hall and the Aquaponics team to prepare and serve a local meal for Parent’s Weekend. Data and Results Throughout the semester, the Permaculture research cohort studied how to best communicate their scientific findings through social outreach. In addition, the group has been working on harvesting crops on the Island School farm that was then a part of the “locavore” Parent’s Weekend meal. Campus Planning: Local Meal: Social Media and Outreach: Acknowledgements: We would like to acknowledge all those who have assisted us in our research, mainly the Permaculture research advisors: Leigh Schmitt and Joseph Plant, as well as the Farm Team, the Kitchen Team, and the Communications Team. We would also like to acknowledge the Aquaponics Research Group. Figure 8: A map of the United States shows the frequency of visits from each state to the Permaculture blog. Figure 4: Permaculture students clear a plot of land for agricultural use. Figure 6: The aquaponics system on campus produces leafy greens throughout the year for The Island School dinning services. Figure 1: The Island School has a model farm on campus designed with permaculture principles. Figure 3: The orchard near the CSD will be split up into sectors for a crop rotation. Figure 5: Radishes collected from Permaculture Research farm plots harvested in preparation for the Parents Weekend local meal. Figure 7: This graph shows the daily views of the Permaculture Research blog throughout the course of a week. Figure 2: Students filet tilapia from the Aquaponics system in preparation for the local meal. Permaculture Essential Questions • How do we feed ourselves? • What are the true costs (economic, social, environmental) to successfully growing food on campus? • For the long-term, what are the best and most logi