MVI Co-working Days
Dates
6-10 May 2025
Arrival: in the evening, 5 May
Departure: morning, 11 May
Place
MonViso Institute campus, Serre Lamboi, Ostana, Valle Po, Italy
Content
This is a co-working offer to gain practical work experience, learn embodied handcrafting skills out in the mountainous nature, and get in touch with the MVI system. The MVI campus is a terraced mixed forested and open grassland of about two hectares size. While there often is still snow to ski in the north-facing couloirs between 2300 and 3000m asl, seen from MVI, the southern terraced land of the MVI campus will be nicely warmed by the long days. The beginning of May is the micro season to prepare the land just before the vegetation period kicks in. Work types we plan are planting wild roses hedges around the campus perimeter, sowing hemp in the forest garden, working on the large natural swimming pond in construction, planting fruit trees i.e. fig, kiwi berry and apple on protected terraces, planting paulownia trees on the new syntropic agroforestry site, advancing the permaculture food gardens, building glamping platforms in the forest, building trails, and fencing off riparian zones from summer cattle grazing. There will be some maintenance of water springs, some fences and dry stone walls that need to be repaired, and other things that may come up. The land and season are full of exciting things to do, to see, to smell and to experience.
What you learn
You will enjoy spending some days out in nature on 1500m asl and deep-dive into regenerative land-use design. We have taken custodianship of this land since 2015 and are stepwise giving new life to this mountainscape as an experimental space. You will learn practical skills such as tree species recognition, tree planting, wetland restoration, dry stone wall building, pond building, wild herbs recognition, permaculture design, hedges planting, using chainsaws (electric and gas), cutting trees/making firewood, repair skills of various kinds, driving an excavator (5t), making fire and baking pizza, sharpening tools, and more. Experienced professionals of MVI will instruct the tasks and guide the learning. You will see what MVI is, the people, the system with the campus, the associations in Italy and Switzerland, the cooperation with ETH Zurich in the DRRS program, the hosted Grown design firm, and Systemic Cycles. You will meet people from the Ostana community.
Structure
We will work together 6 hours per day, usually from the morning, so there are another 4-6 hours in the afternoon with daylight for you to explore the area, go for a hike etc.
For whom?
You like physical, practical work and want to expand your skills. You like to be out in nature and connect with your inner nature. This is an opportunity to contribute to regeneration and to meet the MVI system.
Preconditions
Being capable of working physically outside in steep terrain, in any weather. Previous physical, similar work experience is a plus but not required. Proof of accident insurance, and personal liability insurance.
Costs
No participation costs. You cover your own accommodation, basic food and travel costs. Accommodation in the Forsteria costs about 25€/night. We can take you shopping for the week to have your own supplies.
MVI will offer day snacks and drinks, and a social campus dinner on the open fire and the wooden pizza oven one evening.
Accommodation and food
We reserve the Foresteria hostel for you, with spacey, private bunk beds and two bathrooms for two sleeping rooms (8 people max per room). It has a kitchen where you can cook. The Polifu Center is next to it and offers a cafe bistro bar with drinks and small dishes for fair costs. MVI will offer two social dinners on campus. Camping with our own tent is possible, but since we will work on the campus in most areas, we prefer to keep it free of tents this week.
Travel
We recommend traveling to Ostana by 1) Flixbus or train to Turin, then 2) a train to Savigliano, a 3) train to Saluzzo, from here we can organize a pick-up of luggage and offer an e-bike for rent to come to Ostana.
Application to participate
Please apply using this form by 15 April 2025.