Course Content

Introductory:

Permaculture ethics;
Approaches to design
Guiding principles of Permaculture
Biodiversity
Learning and study strategies
Pattern in design
Wilderness and wildlife
Evidence / why we need Permaculture.

Cultivated Ecology:

Permanent pasture
Forest gardens
Horticultural techniques
No-till cultivation
Biological pest control.

Climates:

Strategies for different climates
Microclimates; buildings and structures
Urban Permaculture
Appropriate technology
Waste reduction in the home and workplace
Energy efficient planning
Waste recycling and disposal.

Soils:

What is Living Soil?
Soil regeneration techniques and soil conservation.

Water in Landscape:

What is living water?
Water conservation, collection and storage
Wastewater and sewage treatment
Aquaculture

Forests and Trees:

Energy transactions of trees
Woodland establishment
Types of forest
Woodland management.

Invisible Structures:

Real wealth
Land access
Formal/informal economy
Community development strategies.

Design Workshop:

Design process and presentation skills
Maps and overlays; surveying
Project planning.

And much more…

First Module: An Introduction to Permaculture

During this one day introduction to permaculture design, we take our first steps on our woodland journey, folding back the leaves as we demystify permaculture and start to gain greater understanding of how mother nature functions:

How we can work with nature to create ecologically productive landscapes, social systems and infrastructure.
How to turn our impact on the earth from negative to positive, from destructive to regenerative as we rediscover our place of harmony with nature.

In this module we will give you an introduction to permaculture.

You will learn about:

its history, its ethics and attitudinal principals,
how we can integrate it into all aspects of our life.
Why permaculture is important at this time in our Evidence session.

We will also look at different learning strategies.

We will delve deeper into the wilderness, as we look at the importance and benefits of wildlife and what it has to teach us.

Second Module: Permaculture design Methodologies

In this module we will explore all aspects and methods of permaculture design:

From design processes to design tools,
From system thinking to system functions.

We will go through all the permaculture design principles and expand on the knowledge you gained from module 1.

We will be taking you through each step of the design process, from observation all the way to implementation.

In this module we will also cover permaculture design tools such as :

random assembly,
output / input analysis
zones and sectors
and much more !

Third Module: Patterns in Nature and in Design

In this module we will look at the fascinating world of natural pattern and we will cover:

Patterns in nature
Patterns in design
World climates as a pattern
Landscape profiles
Climate and landscape strategies

No matter where in the world you find yourself designing for, this module aims to give you a pattern eye, all the tools, techniques and understanding, necessary to formulate an appropriate strategy.

Forth Module: Bio intensive Permaculture

Small is beautiful, and there is nothing more attractive and bio diverse than a bio-intensive garden. In this module we will look at:

Permaculture Home kitchen gardening / zone 1
Urban permaculture
Guerrilla gardening
The urban eco-agronomists tool kit
Insync with nature gardening.

Alongside this we will be discussing a wide range of topic such as:

The advantages and disadvantages of the urban lifestyle
How to retrofit cities to become permaculture havens of wildlife and natural abundance
Community gardens
And educational school kitchen gardens.

Fifth Module: Edible Forest Gardening

Working with nature can become a near effortless pleasure when we forest garden.

In this module we look at productive perrenal multi layered agroforestry systems.

The lessons we will be covering in the module are:

Food forest gardening / zone 2
The many functions of a tree
Regenerative woodland management / zone 4

We will also be looking at:

Forest gardens’ arrangement and individual layers
How they function
How to assemble them and where to start

We will also be looking at useful tools and techniques within both the establishment and the maintenance of a food forest garden.

Sixth Module: Permaculture Living Soil

“There are those that merely concern themselves in the growing of plants, and there are those who grow the life in the soil”

In this module we will be covering:

The history of Soil and soil science
What is living soil ?
Soil ecology and the soil food web
Classifying your soil and the pH scale
Composting and worm composting
Many other ways to build soil.

We will also be looking at both no till and no dig food production as well as soil cultivation on a broad scale farms and more!

Seventh Module: Permaculture Living Water

“Mulch more and water less. Increase your organic humus layer by just 2% is equal to 80% less watering needs ”

In this module we will be covering:

Living water
Wise water living
Sewage / dry compost toilets
Black and Gray water treatment solutions
Hydrology/ rainwater harvesting in the land and on the land
Irrigation (passive and active)
Aquaculture / aquaponics

We will also be looking at earthworks, swales, surveying contour lines and finding water sources on the land.

Eighth Module: Permaculture Living Animal Systems

“From large to small, from furry to feathered, from webbed to hoofed, whether trotting or waddling, there is a beneficial place and function for every animal within a permaculture system.”

In this module we will cover:

The power of animals, small to large livestock, individual consideration and beneficial function within an ecosystem.
Wild vs domestic livestock
Rotational planned grazing - holistic management
Natural Beekeeping
and Aquaculture systems

Whether you are looking to manage a large acreage with livestock, or just wanting to have a few chooks in your backyard, there is much to learn from this module of the course.

Nineth Module: People and Permaculture

“With People systems, we find both our greatest challenge and our greatest potential for positive change. The more we look, the more that we realise that we are our most crucial resource.”

In this module we will cover:

Ecobuilding vs natural building / zone 0
Biological and renewable resources
Appropriate technology and it’s heros!
Building Living economy and an abundant community
Bioregional development and the transition movement

Alongside these sessions we will be looking at green technologies, localised currencies and financing community projects and more!

Tenth Module: Permaculture Design Course Review and Presentation Preparation

This module is ONLY for students who have completed all the other modules and are wanting to graduate and receive their Permaculture design certificate.

In this module we will briefly review:

All the design methods,
Design process and tools
Basemap theory
Mapping and surveying
Presentation skills
And more!

This module will prepare you to start your design practice workshop.

We will also cover anything that still remains unclear to any of the students, as well as giving each of the students a chance to give their feedback.

Students will be presenting any of their completed personal self reflection exercises that they have done during the other modules.

At the end of the module, all attendees will be going into design practice time, to prepare for their final designs presentation in the next module.