Fundamentals of Permaculture Design @ UBC Farm

Presented by the Conscious Design Collective with support from the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems and UBC Farm.

I am pleased to announce that registration is open for a Permaculture Design Certification Course at UBC Farm this fall.

Please join us for a dynamic, internationally recognized certificate course on the principles and practice of Permaculture Design.  We will guide you to finding practical applications of sustainable design in urban and rural contexts through dynamic media presentations, guest lecturers from UBC and the greater community, and applied hands-on sessions.

Permaculture is a holistic method of design leading to establishing a “permanent culture” guided by grounded ethics, principles and design practises.  It considers the whole system at multiple levels of scale through the intelligent integration of social, economic, land, water, plants, and shelter sub-systems.  Using Permaculture can lead to the design and implementation of self-sustaining, regenerative human systems that “do good” for both human kind AND the Earth. 

This year we area trying to make the course more accessible to the student population and will make a course available on Saturdays OR Tuesdays.  Please choose the registration schedule appropriate for your timetable.  A preliminary schedule is described below.  While the locations and topics will likely change, the dates will remain the same.

Preliminary Schedule*:

* Schedule is tentative and is subject to evolution.  

** Note that the Sept. 10th weekend November 30th are on Saturday for BOTH cohorts, and that the Thanksgiving and Labour day weekend are "off".

*** Lunches and meals are not provided save for the Vancouver Island trip.  However, we will have several potluck lunches throughout the course.

Registration Process:

I am working towards a healthy mix of intergenerational learners, and have ten $300 bursaries available for UBC students.  These are available on a first come first serve basis.  UBC students will need to submit their student number upon registration.  UBC students are also welcome to purchase tickets at non-discounted rates.  Everyone will need sign up for TWO tickets on the eventbrite registration.  The first ticket reserves your rate (10 at discounted rate / 22 at full rate).  The second ticket reserves the cohort (Saturdays or Tuesdays).  Choose whichever cohort works for you.  You MUST get TWO tickets at $100 each for a total non-refundable deposit of $200.  PLEASE ... Do not buy one ticket, then wait to buy a second one later.  Note that there is some overlap in dates as seen in the schedule above.  

Ticket #1

UBC Student Discount Rate:  $950 (10 tickets available - $100 deposit)

Non-UBC Student OR UBC Student:  $1250 (22 tickets available - $100 deposit)

Ticket #2

Saturday Cohort (16 spaces available, min 10 - $100 deposit)

Tuesday Cohort (16 spaces available, min 10 - $100 deposit)

(I encourage students to attend the Tuesday cohort if at all possible)

Thus the non-refundable online deposit is $200.  

Registration:  

I will be in contact to confirm you're still on board on August 1st.  For this reason, please ensure you use your current email (I recommend a gmail account) and phone number when you register online and can be reached on the 1st of August.  If I cannot get in touch with you before the 15th of August, I will need to offer the course to others on the waiting list.  The remainder of the balance is due by check on Aug 15th (post dated if you wish) by mail (instructions to follow).  I will issue receipts on the 1st day of classes.   That is, UBC students owe an additional $750, and community members owe $1050 on August 15th.

Note that registration is limited and our programs sell out quickly, thus apply early to avoid disappointment.  If the course fills, please email (consciousdesigncollective@gmail.com) to be placed on the waiting list with your phone and email contact and "PDC UBC Farm 2010 waiting list" in the subject line.  The waiting list will be built on a first come (email), first serve basis.  There is often one or two folks who cannot attend the course, opening spaces for other individuals.  I'll be in touch with those on the waiting list if this is the case.

PDC for University Credit:

Several UBC students have been successful in gaining university credit for this course last year, usually as a 3-credit directed studies.  However students may need to pay additional UBC tuition to achieve this status.  Speak with your guidance counselor if you wish to pursue this option.

Refunds:  

Unfortunately, we cannot accept any refunds after the August 15th deposit.  

Contact details:  

Please direct all questions to James Richardson:  consciousdesigncollective@gmail.com

Learning topics:

-         Permaculture philosophy and design methodology

-         Observational and analysis skills to read the needs and opportunities of a landscape

-         Recognize natural patterns and cycles and their use in settlements

-         Water systems including ponds, swales, keyline systems, water catchment

-         Soil building, amendments, erosion control, and planning for productive harvest

-         Animals in urban and rural environments

-         Food-scaping – perennial and annual edible landscaping

-         Integrated Pest management

-         Perennial food forests, guilds & agroforestry

-         Appropriate technologies, natural building (cob, earthen plaster), designing for energy conservation.

-         Small and large scale site design (room, home, village, region)

-         The environment and economics

-         Drafting and Communicating design with landscape graphics (hand and computer assisted design)

-         Community consultation and charette design processes

-         Horticultural techniques (propagation, grafting, efficient weeding and planting)

-         Personal and community sufficiency

-         And much more…

Learning Environment:

We teach using Experiential Education, or learning by doing and active reflection. The intergenerational nature of the course enables an exceptional learning experience that can be structured around YOUR learning goals.  The course will also be supported by a series of media rich presentations, online dialogue, and readings to dig deeper into the art, science and culture of sustainability.  

Prerequisites:

- 18 or older

-  Prepared to work outdoors in challenging conditions

- No prior biological or design knowledge is required.  This course will be designed to appropriately challenge participants to meet their learning goals.  Progress is based on your own learning style and discovery guides will support you in this process.  Consider the learning topics to assess whether the material seems a good fit for you.

Graduation requirements:

- Attend all mandatory sessions.  Some flexibility is available for studio time and typically students can make up some sessions if missed.  However, it is difficult to complete all requirements if more than one day of the course is missed. 

- Produce a Permaculture Design Project for a local community group or client.  Some studio time is provided in class.  The design project will be introduced on the 3rd or 4th week.

- Spend some meeting time with group members to complete the community based design project and in completion of individual readings / micro-assignments. (1hr/wk)

* This course can be demanding and deserves a solid day of energy per week.  The experience will challenge your head, heart and hands, and is both exhausting and rejuvenating.  This course is not for everyone and some folks simply don't have the time or energy to dedicate to this kind of learning.  Further, the style of learning is wildly different from traditional classroom lecture format.  Be prepared, and do consider these challenges / opportunities before making your decision.

** Some students choose to attend the PDC without intending to achieve the Permaculture Design Certification.  This course is designed to support students to be active and competent Permaculture designers following graduation, however is also intended to support individual learning goals - thus this option is available if needed.

Past Participants:

Natural builders, gardeners, farmers, planners, engineers, and friends of the Earth.  This is a course for ALL folk.  Participants range from folks just completing their undergraduate degrees to current professionals looking to tweak the way they approach their work, to post professionals entering a new phase of life entirely.  

Possible application of this course in YOUR life:

Upon completion of the course, you should be confident in:

-         Designing elements of your home that support your living system and a healthy community.

-         Making design recommendations for community or backyard gardens and communicating these in a professional way.

-         Planning and managing an efficient and profitable market garden.  

-         Effectively managing food, shelter, energy and transport systems in your life.

We hope to re-energize you with a set of tools and attitudes that will help you design for a sustainable future.  The course provides broad perspectives for integrating the built, agroecological and social aspects of society.  We focus on design and action - two elements of Permaculture that distinguish this work from other "disciplines".  Experience through internships, work, volunteering, or personal practice are necessary for really integrating Permaculture into your life.

Discovery Guide:

James Richardson, UBC Farm, School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (Lead Discovery Guide & Course Director)

James Richardson is currently engaged in a Masters of Advance Studies of Landscape Architecture at UBC exploring urban form and sustainable food systems.  He has co-taught Permaculture workshops at OUR Ecovillage, B.C., Lost Valley Education Centre, OR, University of Northern British Columbia and University of Victoria.  James brings an experiential flare to his teachings, following a teaching career in Canada, New  Zealand, and the United States, and teacher training at Queen’s University in Outdoor and Experiential Education.  James has studied Permaculture, natural building, biodynamic farming and community and brings to UBC Farm a deep understanding of the art and science of sustainability.

Special Guests:

Holgar Laerad (Native Plants & Medicinal Herbs)

Having recently come over to the mainland from ALM Farm on Vancouver Island, Holgar has a wealth of knowledge on native plants, medicinal herbs, and natural building.  For the past 20 years Holger has been learning and practicing various aspects of sustainable living. Currently he teaches and works independently on diverse subjects including bread ovens and baking, building with stone, clay, and wood, and herbal beer making.

Sarah Belanger, UBC Farm and LFS (Orchard and Perennial Systems)

Sarah Belanger is a graduate of both the UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems (GRS 2008) and the Linnaea Farm Ecological Gardening Programme (2004), and in 2005 she apprenticed with Dan Jason and Salt Spring Seeds/Seed Sanctuary of Canada. Sarah worked at the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm from 2006-2010, coordinating the Sowing Seeds for the Future Practicum, working in field production, and organizing the Growing Season Workshops series.  In 2006 Sarah established the UBC Farm Heritage Orchard, which contains ~70 varieties of apple cultivars and serves as a living classroom to UBC students and the general public.  Sarah is passionate about apple culture, sustainable agriculture, and community health.  Sarah is a certificate student in Conflict Resolution at the Justice Institute of British Columbia, and is beginning graduate studies in Counselling Psychology at UBC in September 2010.

Brandy Gallagher, OUR Ecovillage, Vancouver Island. (Invisible Structures) (see: http://ourecovillage.org/our-community/people/)

With a deep compassion for people and place, Brandy is naturally drawn and adept to working with and within communities.  She is dedicated to furthering the regulatory and legal development of legitimate models of land use, alternative building, socially responsible financing, food security practices, ownership, and governance, while aiding others in finding their way through such challenging areas.  As one of the main proponents behind the Canadian precedent setting rezoning and with her work in sustainable land management planning and ecological design, Brandy has helped manifest multi-use allowances for ecovillages and shared land projects that encompass a framework of legal, political, and community integration.

Elke Cole, OUR Ecovillage, (Natural Building) (see: http://www.elkecole.com/)

Elke has been involved in Natural Building since 1994 both independently and with the Cob Cottage Company, Down to Earth Building Bee, Cobworks, and O.U.R. Ecovillage. She has dedicated herself to teaching and developing the Natural Building Skillbuilder program at O.U.R. since 2000, while also remaining active in the field of Architectural Design.  Integrating group process and various design courses, Elke has designed the Healing Sanctuary, Chillage, Art Studio, Freya’s House and the Residential Zoning Plan at O.U.R. Her work in designing, building, and teaching of Natural Building has taken her to many places, including recent projects in Africa and India.

Brandon Bauer, Blue Raven Farm, Saltspring Island (Plants and plant systems) 

Brandon is the founder of Blue Raven Farm on Saltspring Island where he dabbles in plants and propagation and small farm design and management having immersed himself in the world of Permaculture for the last several years.  He has a talent for energizing his participants with his vast knowledge of native and non-native plant systems and will surely leave you inspired if you let him.

Danny is entering a Masters program with the faculty of Land and Food Systems at UBC. His specialty is beer: making it; drinking it; and talking about it.  He has some profound things to say about soil as well.  We're delighted to have him on the guest list.

Jordan Maynard, Southlands Farms (Small-scale Urban Farm Strategies.)

Jordan is the manager of Southlands Farms, an urban farming project seeking to advance the presence of chickens in the city following Vancouver’s imminent acceptance of backyard chickens.  He brings some key insights into ways that an urban farmer can make it in the big city.

In addition, we will host other guest professors, teachers, elders and friends from the University of British Columbia, the Musqueam Nation and the greater Vancouver community.

What to bring:  Writing materials and good outdoor clothing.  We kindly ask you bring a potluck lunch item to share for the launch date and will organize meals for the remainder of the course at this date.  A more detailed materials list and course outline will be sent your way following registration.

Recommended texts:  

Introduction to Permaculture.  By Bill Mollison, Reny Mia Slay, Andrew Jeeves.  Illustrated by Andrew Jeeves Published by Tagari Publications, 1997 ISBN 0908228082, 9780908228089.

Building Green.  A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods.  Clarke Snell and Tim Callahan. (2005).  ISBN 978-1-57990-532-3 (If you're really into Natural Building this is a fantastic text.  However, experience is really the only teacher of this material)

I look forward to drawing, creating, building, consulting, dancing, weeding, growing, planting, eating and living, laughing and learning with you all soon!

Sincerely, 

James Richardson.