Taranaki

Environment Centre

Permaculture courses

Permaculture Design Certificate 2010-2011

This Permaculture Design Certificate is run over 8 weekends.

To receive your Certificate you need to attend at least 7 weekends, including Philosophy and Design, and finishing with Design Project.

Or, you can attend any weekends you are interested in, without receiving a Certificate.

Practical hands-on emphasis:
Each weekend will include at least one hands-on project to build peoples' practical skills, enhance learning, and have fun !

Cost:
For Certificate participants: $80 per weekend.
For others:  $100 per weekend.

Venue:
Most of the weekends will be held at our venue at 20 Kauri Street in Inglewood.
Participants are encouraged to stay overnight on Saturday night, to develop the sense of community within the course, and to reduce vehicle travel. A bed will cost $10.

Meals:
Bring a dish for a shared potluck lunch.  Morning & afternoon tea are provided. The food provided is organic and locally grown as much as possible.

1. Permaculture Philosophy & Design - 18 & 19 September 2010
with Kama Burwell

We will explore ecology, and the ethics and design principles of permaculture. We’ll learn to read & apply landscape patterns, and practice permaculture design in the sandpit.

2. Energy, Appropriate Technology, & Water  - 9 & 10 October 2010
with Richard Lee, Michael Lawley, & Kama Burwell

We’ll explore ecological energy dynamics, nutrient cycles, and appropriate technology with Richard Lee (Chair of Permaculture in NZ). On Saturday afternoon we’ll visit Eco-Innovation with Michael Lawley to explore renewable energy.  On Sunday we’ll explore how water moves through the landscape, rainwater harvesting, and strategies for utilising wastewater.

3. Soils & Gardening - 13 & 14 November 2010
with Kama Burwell & Jodi Roebuck

We’ll explore the importance of food production, designing your backyard, and the ecology of soils.
On Sunday, we’ll visit Jodi Roebuck’s Seed Keeper property and learn about bio-intensive mini-farming, make some compost, and explore seed saving.

4. Urban Ecology & Community Facilitation - 11 & 12 December 2010
with Lisa Talbot & Peter Heard

With Lisa Talbot, we’ll explore strategies for designing and living in urban areas.  On Sunday, we will engage in community facilitation tools with Peter Heard - empowering us to make a difference.

5. Eco-logical Building - 15 & 16 January 2011
with Richard Morrison

We’ll explore the ecology of buildings, natural materials (local earth, straw, timber etc), passive solar design, and building health.  We’ll get our hands dirty in a practical building project.

We’ll explore the farming and cultural patterns imposed on the landscape. We’ll visit John Earney’s farm and explore pastoral farming strategies. Then we’ll visit Jeremy Thomson’s farm to learn about forestry & integrated farm livelihoods.  On Sunday we’ll explore the design of shelter, food forests, orchards, and the integration of small animals.

7. Resilience, Invisible Structures, & Nutrition - 26 & 27 March 2011
with Kama Burwell & Ruth Cohen

We’ll explore designing to cope with natural disasters.  We’ll also explore legal structures & ownership, banking & financial systems, and co-operative enterprises.  Ruth Cohen will address seasonal and local food, ferments, preserving your yields, and maximising the nutritional value of your food. We’ll preserve and make some tasty fare.

8. Design Project - 14 & 15 May 2011
with Kama Burwell & friends

In small groups or solo, we will complete and present a design project. The aim of the project is to apply permaculture design to a specific site or proposal, while making use of the knowledge and processes learnt during the course.

Registration Form
Printer-friendly Course Information

This course is run by Green Cloak in partnership with the Taranaki Environment Centre.

Contact us:

Kama Burwell,  Ph 06 756-9100
Email kamaburwell@iconz.co.nz