There is an awesome opportunity coming up in the Winter & Spring of 2009 from the Blue Ridge Permaculture Institute. They are offering a Permaculture Design Course for five weekends, in February, March and April near Charlottesville, Virginia. The cost is $895 before January 15 and $995 after that.
The course will provide tools to help design and develop urban or rural properties or neighborhoods in a sustainable manner, revitalize local communities and restore ecological balance. Participants will learn how to design and build gardens, homes and communities that model living ecosystems as well as techniques to grow food, manage water catchment and storage and utilize renewable energy sources. The 72 hour certificat course will cover themes which include natural soil improvement, native medicinal plants, natural habitat restoration, local economics and community and consensus building strategies, among others. Some of the best teachers in the permaculture movement will lead classes including Ted Butchart, Christine Gyovai, Dave Jacke, Dave O’Neill and Joel Salatin.
Check out www.blueridgepermaculture.net for more info!
Simply, permaculture is a design system which works to create ecologically sound and economically sustainable environments and human settlements. By drawing from patterns in nature, the most biodiverse and efficient systems are achieved, which will regenerate over time, saving energy and resources. More broadly speaking, permaculture is a way of living, thinking and acting; it carries a set of ethical principles for relating to each other and the Earth. First, care of the Earth (the land, water, air, plants, and animals) Second, care of the People. Permaculture seeks to develop a responsible community which is self-reliant and provides access to resources necessary for existence. Finally, it aims to set limits on consumption and population, giving back to the Earth the surplus time and materials to achieve the first two ethics.
