Gaia Association and Ecovillage
PERMACULTURE
DESIGN
CERTIFICATE COURSE
With DAVID HOLMGREN,
Gustavo Ramírez
and guest teachers
from 3
to 15 September 2007
ECOVILLA GAIA, Navarro, Buenos Aires
- Instituto Argentino de Permacultura -
“Permaculture is about values and visions, designs and systems of management that are based on holistic understanding especially on our bio-ecological and psychosocial knowledge and wisdom. It is particularly about our relationship with, and the design and redesign of, natural resource management systems, so that they may support the health and well-being of all present and future generations” David Holmgren
The word permaculture was coined by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in the mid-1970s to describe integrated consciously designed landscapes which mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abundance of food, fiber and energy for provision of local needs. People, their buildings and the ways they organise themselves are central to permaculture.
The permaculture draws together the diverse ideas, skills and ways of living which need to be rediscovered and developed in order to empower us to move from being dependant consumers to becoming responsible and productive citizens.
In this more limited but important sense permaculture is not the landscape or even the skills of organic gardening, sustainable farming, energy efficient building or Ecovillage development as such. But it can be used to design, establish, manage and improve these and all other efforts made by individuals, households and communities towards a sustainable future.
Historically, permaculture has focused on land and nature stewardship as both a source for and an application of ethical and design principles. Those principles are now being applied to other domains dealing with physical and energetic resources as well as human organisation, often called invisible structures in permaculture teachings.
Permaculture
is also a network of individuals and groups spreading permaculture design
solutions in both rich and poor countries on all continents. Largely
unrecognized in academia and unsupported by government or business, permaculture
activist are contributing to a more sustainable future by reorganising their
lives and work around permaculture design principles. In this way they are
creating small local changes, but ones that are directly and indirectly
influencing action in the fields of sustainable development, natural
agriculture, appropriate technology and intentional community design for a more
sustainable world.
In many countries, only the relatively
small numbers of people who have done Permaculture Design Courses, or been
closely associated with permaculture projects, are familiar with the concept. In
Australia, however, a longer history of permaculture activism and influence
within large related environmental movements, as well as extensive media
exposure, has resulted in broader public appreciation of permaculture.
After 26 years permaculture may rank as one of Australia’s most significant
“intellectual exports”.
Most of the people involved in this network have completed the Permaculture
Design Course (PDC) which for 23 years has been the prime vehicle for
permaculture inspiration and training worldwide. The inspirational aspect of PDC
has acted as a social glue bonding participant to an extent that the world-wide
network could be described as a social movement. A curriculum was codified in
1984 but divergent evolution of both the form and content of these courses, as
presented by different permaculture teachers, has produced very varied and
localized experiences and understandings of permaculture.
The
course will have a good balance between
theory and practice. Trough theory presentations, audiovisual material, group
discussions, deep observation and design practice, the participants will acquire
basic skills and knowledge to design and implement sustainable systems in
harmony with natural world.
During part of the course in small groups the participants will create a permaculture design exercise at site, using their new skills.
This course covers the 72hs of the international permaculture curriculum. It has also been amplified to 90hs to include David Homgren´s new principles and proposals, and adapted to the Latin-American reality as well.
Topics
GLOBAL CRISIS - analysis of the cultural, social and ecological evidences. Climate change impact. Peak oil, strategies for the new post oil society. Searching for solutions within the change of paradigms. Holistic vision of the world as first step for planetary healing
PERMACULTURE PRINCIPLES AND ETHICS – evolution of permaculture’ ethics, synthesis and cultural renewal. Roots of permaculture knowledge, connection between science and spirituality
ECOSYSTEM –Listening and reconnecting with nature. Ecosystem principles. The natural systems, energy and entropy. Energy cycles and flows. Climate and biogeography applied to permaculture. Conservation, diversity, cooperation, niche and ecological succession applied to design. The forest as an organism and its hydrologic cycle. Deep analysis of the landscape. Natural patterns.
DESIGN
- detailed analysis
and
application of permaculture design principles. Steps to the development
of integrated ecological designs. Problems to be solved. Key elements for a good
design. The process of analysis and planning the place, distribution of the land
to optimize its use. Several tools for the designer. Methods and steps for the
presentation of a good design. Designs for small and large scale.
Site
and Landscape design methods
WATER in the surroundings. Water movements. Accumulation and purification. Water management, ponds, dams, lakes. Aquaculture. Water treatment and reutilization.
SOIL - Building a healthy soil. Bases of soil structure, PH, texture, etc. strategy for improving soil using cover crops, mulch, etc. Erosion control. Ethylene cycle and consequences of its alteration. Conditions of soil in tropics and templates climates.
NATURAL
AGRICULTURE –Establishing a permaculture agro-eco-system. Masanobu Fukuoka
principles. Forest garden concept. Bases for selecting, developing and
maintaining these systems. Ecological pest management’s strategies. Low cost
greenhouse design and maintenance. Seed production and care. Tree plantation
with low use of energy. Ecology of the forest, trees for firewood, for timber,
etc. Animals and their function in the ecosystem, efficient use and maintenance
of them.
NATURAL BUILDING – Shelter as a living organism and the relation with the environment. Bases for natural building, use of natural patterns. Design for an efficient use of energy. Non toxic materials.
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY – Bases for technology selection. Conscious and efficient use of energy. Compost toilet. Grey water treatment systems. Masonry mud stoves and ovens. Solar cookers. Alternative energy, wind generators and photovoltaic.
URBAN PERMACULTURE – Different strategies and examples. Community gardens, CSA, Local currencies,
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES – Bases for
community design, appropriate scale for sustainability. Language patterns for
human settlements. Selecting land criteria. Infrastructure needs regarding
community and individual spaces. Ecovillage life components. Bases for conflict
resolution and decision making.
Human scale economy. Permaculture productive systems development. Local economy
development and ethical basis for complementary currency.
Bioregionalism.
GLOBAL PERMACULTURE NETWORK
David
Holmgren was born in Fremantle, Western
Australia, in 1955. As a child of working class political activists, he was
greatly influenced by the social revolution of the late 60s and early 70s. While
travelling around Australia in 1973 he fell in love with the Tasmanian landscape
and joined the innovative Environmental Design School in Hobart. An intense
working relationship with his mentor Bill Mollison, over the following three
years, led to the permaculture concept and set the course of his later life.As
the young co-author of Permaculture One in 1978, David shunne the limelight and
focused on further developing his practical and design skills for a self-reliant
lifestyle.
Since then he has written many other books, developed several properties using permaculture principles, conducted workshops and courses in Australia, New Zealand, Israel and Europe. For the last 27 years he has lived and worked in Hepburn Springs, central Victoria. As a consultant designer he has developed a great expertise to the temperate landscapes of south-eastern Australia with a strong bioregional focus on his home territory. With his partner Su Dennet and their son Oliver he maintains his property Melliodora as one of the Australia’s best known permaculture demonstration sites. Over the last 12 years he has been a driving force in the design and development of the Fryer’s Forest Ecovillage. Within the international permaculture movement, David is respected for his commitment to presenting permaculture ideas through practical projects. He teaches by personal example that a sustainable lifestyle is a realistic, atractive and powerful alternative to dependant consumerism.
As well as his constant involvement in the practical side of permaculture, David is passionate about the philosophical and conceptual foundations for sustainability, the focus of his seminal book ”Permaculture, Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability”
Gustavo
Ramirez, graduated as a veterinarian in
1983, since then he has participated in several wildlife projects and
development of agro-ecological systems.
He got interested in the health of the planet as a whole and started working towards the protection of two wild areas near Buenos Aires City. Whilst working there he created and developed an environmental education program based on the deep connection with nature.
With Permaculture he found the synthesis
of many areas in which he has been working separately, which has opened new
paths in his work with nature. He received his initial training in Permaculture
Design Course with Max Lindegger in 1996, and has continue his training on
Permaculture Advanced Courses but mainly applying his knowledge in permaculture
practice. He has received his Permaculture Diploma by the Italian Academy of
Permaculture. He has a great experience in natural building. One of his passions
is Natural Agriculture based on Masanobu Fukuoka principles. He has offered
several courses among which the Permaculture Design Courses are the most
outstanding where 260 people from 35 countries have been graduated during the
last 10 years.
He is also a Permaculture consultant.
He is founder member of Gaia Association. He has lived together with his family
in Gaia Ecovillage for 11 years, and has played a leading role in the general
design of the site. He has created and coordinates Instituto Argentino de
Permacultura. He is also an active member since the creation of GEN (Global
Ecovillage Network) and ENA (Ecovillage Network of Americas)
One of his main interests at the moment is the adaptation of Permaculture systems to the Latin-American reality, and the inclusion of art, native flora, and popular knowledge to his designs.
THE SITE
Gaia
Ecovillage Project, is located in Navarro 110km.
southwest of Buenos Aires City, on the Argentine
pampas. Built as a milk-processing plant 50 years
ago, Gaia has been extensively rehabilitated as a
Living and Learning Center, with sleeping facilities,
classrooms, library, community Center, etc. Power at
Gaia is generated by wind turbines, and good
examples of reforestation, forest garden, natural
building, appropriate
technology, waste water treatment, composting
toilets, solar showers, solar
ovens and several sustainable systems in different
stage of development may be seen at the site. All of
this in the context of a small pioneer
community in evolving process.
Gaia hosts the regional office of ENA (Ecovillage
Network of the Americas), and the Argentine
Permaculture Institute (IAP), as a space for
experimenting, implementing and teaching
Permaculture systems. It offers an updated library
covering a wide range of topics based on
sustainability, as well as interesting videos (most
in english).
FEES AND REGISTRATION
Vacancies are limited. If you are interested, please send your application form, and once you are accepted, ypu can send a deposit of 30% to confirm your place on the course. The deposit is non-refundable unless your programme is fully booked or cancelled. You can pay the balance of your fee at your arrival, before the start of the course.
The proposal is to live in the site during the entire course. The lodge is in dormies, and the meals are vegetarian
The fee of the course is us$1050,
include accommodation and vegetarian meals.
There are some scollarships available for local participants.
There will be translation Spanish - English available
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
Asociación GAIA - Argentine Permaculture Institute
www.gaia.org.ar
/ Email: gaia@gaia.org.ar
Postal Address: Almafuerte 1732 - San Martin -
(1650) Buenos Aires - Argentina
Phone (+54-2272) 492072
Celular (+54-2227) 15552554
Fax (+54-11) 47522197