The Permaculture Design Course
Experience
by Kathryn and Larry Santoyo
"What Permaculturalists
are doing is the most important activity that any group is doing on the
planet " David Suzuki"
What do you call 12 days spent
learning to use ecological principles and contemplating how the world
works? And during those 12 days, something else happens You begin
to remember how you once saw the world as a child, and you see again how
beautifully every part of life fits together, every part playing a
role.
What would you call this? Some people call it just plain common sense,
others call it clear-seeing and visionary. Some call it Permaculture.
People practiced Permaculture long before the term was invented, and many
people practice it today without ever having heard of it. But if you
haven't experienced that sense of recognition yet, that sense of
seeing how the pieces fit together in the world, then a permaculture
design course experience may be the thing for you.
The word "Permaculture" was coined by Australian ecologists
Bill Mollison and David Holmgren. It is a contraction of the words
"permanence and culture." A Permaculture Design
Certificate Course is a 72 hour long curriculum that introduces the
student to using patterns and principles, found in nature, for improving
their life and the lives around them.
The course has transformed the lives of thousands of people around the
world: architects, teachers, farmers, gardeners, homeowners, business
owners...
Patterns, Patterns Everywhere
The training starts with an ethic of earthcare and an in-depth look
at the natural world. You will gain an understanding of ecological
factors and natural patterns and learn to recognize indicators of
sustainability. Some of these indicators in natural systems are that all
things multi-task , cooperate and work in relationship with each other-
nothing ever exists or functions on its own. Patterning and
observation skills through space and time are perhaps the most
important aspects of a permaculture designer's training. The choice
of techniques, practice and elements used in a design is a direct result
of you understanding where you are and "when" you are in the
landscape and the entire watershed .
From its foundation of natural patterns , the course moves on to their
application to practical solutions. You learn to solve food production,
water, housing, energy and waste issues using the most ecologically
practical and socially responsible methods. "Low-tech and
No-tech" become the priority.
The course culminates with those same principals applied to personal
empowerment and community development. Seeking right livelihood?
Look around you- what is missing in your community? That is your
opportunity-provide those goods or services. No money? Link up with
others and form your own money system, your own trade economy.
Permaculture strategies include barter, simple hours banks and more
sophisticated alternative currency systems. Even a federally
insured credit union was formed last year to provide loans for
earth-friendly projects and investment opportunity for its members.
Permaculture designers learn to re-think how to participate in the world.
To turn problems into solutions. Permaculture Design Consultants evaluate
property and land practices and design renewable energy and biological
systems for residential, agricultural and industrial land use.
On a visit to the central coast, Bill Mollison said "though the
problems of the world are increasingly complex the solutions remain
embarrassingly simple..."
Central and South Coast Permaculture
The issues of the Central and South Coast are increasingly complex
(sewer systems in South SLO county and Los Osos, water quality along the
entire coast, traffic and transportation problems) but can all be
addressed and solved by Permaculture Design methods. The Permaculture
Design Course curriculum also provides solutions to wilderness and open
space preservation, fisheries and watershed management, affordable
housing, population pressures, waste and landfill issues, potable water
supply and meaningful and profitable enterprise.
Practical Solutions
Permaculture Design is simple. It is common sense, yet profound in
its application. It has helped thousands of people and
hundreds of villages around the world and is also starting to influence
planning and building department around the US. Permaculture is
about fulfilling our basic human needs, as well as our cultural needs,
through the use of a protocol that holds at its highest, Do No Harm to
the Earth, Do No Harm to Each Other.
What would you call agreeing to that protocol? What would you call
being awakened to all of this? Some call it Permaculture.
What matters is, are you willing to experience it....
Kathryn and Larry Santoyo manage Temenos Teaching Gardens in Los Osos,
California and host Permaculture Training Programs throughout the year.
Contact them at info@earthflow.com or 800.469.5857.
Check out
www.earthflow.com
In cooperation with Earthflow Design Works and the Terra
Foundation
The Permaculture Design
Course Certificate Program
community - ecology -
education
-Fall
2002-
"Permaculture
is the art and science that applies patterns found in nature to the
design and construction of human and natural environments... Permaculture
Design is now being adapted to all systems and disciplines that human
settlement requires... Architects, planners, farmers, economists, social
scientists, as well as students, homeowners and gardeners can all utilize
the principles of Permaculture Design."
6 Weekend
Sessions:
Los Osos, California,
Saturdays & Sundays, 9am to
5pm
PART
1
Introduction to
Permaculture, Natural Pattern Understanding &
More...
September 14 &
15
September 21 &
22
PART
2
Sustainable Resource
Management, Building the Home Ecosystem &
More...
October 5 &
6
October 12 &
13
PART
3
EcoVillage Design,
Community Celebration &
More...
October 26 &
27
November 2 &
3
Instructors
Teaching Team led by
Larry Santoyo and includes Local Experts and Special
Guests
Student Teachers
(design course graduates) can also contact us to schedule a
session
Curriculum Includes
Inspiring Examples of Sustainability from Around the
World
-Lecture, Videos, Field
Trip and Hands-on Learning
Opportunities.
-Successful completion
of all six weekend includes Permaculture
Certification.
Tuition
Costs
-$550.00 for all 6
Weekend Sessions -includes, materials, field trip, 12 lunches and
certification
( * $50.00 discount
before September 1st)
-$100.00 per weekend
-includes materials and
lunch.
-$55.00 per day
-includes materials and
lunch.
-SLO HOURS
accepted
Discounts
Available
-Work Trade- Labor at
$10 per hr. credited for up to half of
tuition.
( All work trades must
be completed before first day of class
)
-Trade Goods- Contact
us with trade proposals
-Groups of 5 or more
receive 25% discount
-Payment Plans
Available
-email for more
information
Marketing
Representative Positions Also
Available
-Recruit other students
to earn cash or credit
-Contact us for
details
Recommended
Reading:
-Permaculture: a
Designers Manual by Bill
Mollison
-Gaia's Garden by Toby
Hemmenway
-Course Syllabus
available upon request.
To Register
Contact
santoyo@earthflow.com
800.469.5857
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