Greetings
Am sending you info on PLANET ORGANIC beginning next year in New Zealand 2002-
would love you to promote it a bit to Permaculture graduates in your area
and beyond..
warm regards
Robina


Permaculturre, Low-impact Agriculture & Natural Ecology Training

P.L.A.N.E.T. ORGANIC

- Practical Skills for Bioregional Sustainability


AIM
To offer professional regional scale training in organic agriculture, permaculture design and sustainable land-use management, to highly motivated students, with the intention that they use their acquired knowledge and skills to work towards the creation of a healthy, balanced ecosystem and the flourishing of a wholistic and prosperous culture.

COURSE ORGANISERS
A joint programme of Te Wharerangi Trust (oo-ordinator of the Golden Bay Community Gardens) and Earthcare Education Aotearoa Trust (working with Permaculture & community development).   Plans are under way to have a formal partnership with an existing NZQA permitted organisation, and are currently exploring this with the Christchurch Polytec through their Organic Growing unit, and the Golden Bay Work Centre Trust.

QUALITIES OF THE COURSE
* It utilises the entire bioregion of Golden Bay as a 'learning centre',
with the tutors being local, experienced, successful practitioners who are
actually 'doing it' on places that really 'show it'.

* It has a central 'home base' classroom within an environment
which demonstrates the very systems being taught about academically.

* Content will follow the seasonal cycles and the activities dictated by
them.  Each theme's timing is based on the significant change points in a
particular animial or plant species cycle, and therefore the most intensive
activity times for the farmer/gardener's work during the year.

* The amenable climate of Golden Bay offers the opportunity to experience
growing both temperate and subtropical species.

* It will have a strong community development component, including the skill practice sessions benefitting the wider community.

* It will have an academic base, coupled with a strong interactive and
practical learning methodology.

* For broad application of course content and methodology, we are
intentionally aiming for a culturally diverse mix of  16 to 24 students.

* To reduce student overheads and encourage a stronger connection with the
local community, we will be approaching local people to board students, with
an option of work exchange.

* Each student will be mentored to: support individual research projects;
network regarding further training, apprenticeship and employment placement; liason in the year following the course.

* The goal of the community development aspect is to train for leadership
and innovation.

* As a 'pilot programme', the style and content of this course should be
replicable by other bio-regions in New Zealand and other parts of the world.

ACCREDITATION
We are aiming to have this course certified several ways:
* NZQA (New Zealand); 
* Permaculture Institute certification (international, through Australia);
* 'Earthcare Education' certification (international, with interactive education & community development focus, currently Australia & NZ);
* also certifiable through the appropriate programmes of overseas tertiary institutions whose students train with us.

COURSE TIMING
A year long full time course, probably broken into three semesters, beginning in February 2002.

COURSE CONTENT

AT THE GOLDEN BAY ORGANIC GARDENS

* The Fundamentals of Organic Growing:  including working with nature, planting cycles, soils & soil fertility, worm farming, seeds, plant propagation, tool selection & use, water systems.

* The Fundamentals of Permaculture Design: permaculture design principles and 'tools'; broadscale design; permaculture design as a component of and interwoven with every practical subject taught, detailed design exercises.

* The Fundamentals of Biodynamic Agriculture

* The Basics of Business Practice & Marketing

* Bio-regional Scale Land Use Planning & Management

* Community Development
Interpersonal::  communiation skills,  group dynamics, meeting facilitation, holistic goal setting & visioning, conflict resolution.

Project Management: strategic planning, programme evaluation, peer support,  proposal writing.

IN THE WIDER BIO-REGION

Ongoing: vegetable, herb, flower production and tree crops (nuts, subtropical & temperate fruits), vine crops and berries.

Seasonal Basis:  sustainable forestry, animals (focus on dairy, goats & chickens) field crops, revegetation, landscaping, bees, aquaculture, seed saving, pruning/budding/grafting.


AFTER QUALIFICATION

Students will be equiped to initiate new projects or work within existing ones, in two main arenas: 

* commercial production

* community development  eg
- neighbourhood/community gardens
-  school programmes
- NGO programmes in 'developing' countries
- rehabilitation


PROGRAMME ORGANISATION FUNDING
This course is being organised by a small working group on a voluntary
basis.  In preparation for a quality programme, there are significant budget
items which need funding this year.  If you are interested in offering any
level of financial support for this establishment phase, please get in
touch.

STUDENT FUNDING
General:  Donations, gifts, bequests, (all tax deductable), government. 

New Zealand Students:  Studyright, student loans, corporate sponsorships.

Overseas Students: 
"1st World" Students: independent funding - through "University Transfer Funds", sought sponsorship from family, friends, organisations etc.

"3rd World" Students: fully sponsored - 50% through their own country (organisations, development aid etc) and 50% through general sponsorship, specifically sought for these purposes through bi-lateral support funding, corporate sponsorship, NZ Embassy, development agency funds.


FURTHER INFORMATION
Robina McCurdy, Earthcare Education Aotearoa, Tui Community, Wainui Bay, RD1, Takaka, Aotearoa/New Zealand. 
Email:  robina@win.co.nz  Phone 03-5258488;  Fax: 03-5258659