Next Course starts June 2022 (payment plans also available via regenpreneur@gmail.com)
What to expect from a PDC
A Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) takes you on a design journey for creating your own regenerative system for producing a sustainable yield of resources. In the Regenpreneur PDC we also explore the application of this design philosophy to enhancing your life and business outcomes.
From the course you can expect the following:
The goal of the PDC programme is to develop a new way of seeing the world - often called the 'permaculture lens'. This new perspective positions you as the creative agent in charge of the outcomes you get from life and empowers you the skillset to achieve your mission and goals.
Upon graduation from the course you will have a functional permaculture design and implementation strategy to create your small farm or backyard garden. You also have the opportunity of developing a business plan, pitch canvas and marketing strategy to explore the application of your mission to a viable business opportunity.
Enrolment in the course introduces you to a like-minded learning community, to explore concepts involved in the application of permaculture design.
From the course you can expect the following:
- How to design ecologically balanced food producing systems.
- Expertly designed online course with professional learning resources.
- How to design a small farm or garden.
- Practical techniques for propagating plants, saving seeds, creating compost, managing pests and much more.
- How to create balanced systems that integrate animals and utilise their functions to maximum benefit.
- Creating a regenerative agriculture type farm.
- Developing skills to enhance your productivity and achieving your goals.
- Identifying market opportunities and developing a marketable product to obtain a viable income.
The goal of the PDC programme is to develop a new way of seeing the world - often called the 'permaculture lens'. This new perspective positions you as the creative agent in charge of the outcomes you get from life and empowers you the skillset to achieve your mission and goals.
Upon graduation from the course you will have a functional permaculture design and implementation strategy to create your small farm or backyard garden. You also have the opportunity of developing a business plan, pitch canvas and marketing strategy to explore the application of your mission to a viable business opportunity.
Enrolment in the course introduces you to a like-minded learning community, to explore concepts involved in the application of permaculture design.
Welcome regenerative changemaker - I invite you to become the change you seek in the world
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Outline of Course
The course is taught by Richard Pedley – with 25 years of teaching and research experience.
The course is broken into 17 modules topics (2-3 per month). Each topic explores the philosophy and application of permaculture design.
These topics are explored within an interactive online learning platform - where you will have the opportunity to collaborate with other learners to extend and deepen your learning. Each topic has an eBook, explanation videos, additional resources, a summary quiz, discussion forum and research task to guide your learning.
The following topics are explored in this course (follow the links below for further information on each).
Permaculture Design
Site Analysis
The Creative Agent
Value Proposition
Site Dynamics
Social Permaculture
EcoHomes
Aquaponics
Building Soil
Annual Garden
Perennial Orchard
Regenerative Agriculture
Restoring Natural Systems
Design Portfolio
Reporting Outcomes:
Business Plan
Graduation
Completion of the PDC course depends upon the submission of the design portfolio in November. Further details of this task will become available once that topic is available in November.
Upon successful completion, you will be awarded a Permaculture Design Certificate from Regenpreneur - recognised by Permaculture in New Zealand.
- 6 months part time (5 hours a week study)
- Interactive online forums
- Online research tasks
- Final design portfolio submission (to obtain PDC)
- Bonus regenerative agriculture topics
- Bonus regenerative business topics
- Permaculture in NZ recognised PDC
The course is broken into 17 modules topics (2-3 per month). Each topic explores the philosophy and application of permaculture design.
These topics are explored within an interactive online learning platform - where you will have the opportunity to collaborate with other learners to extend and deepen your learning. Each topic has an eBook, explanation videos, additional resources, a summary quiz, discussion forum and research task to guide your learning.
The following topics are explored in this course (follow the links below for further information on each).
Permaculture Design
- Patterns: Understanding the patterns of natural systems and how they can be applied to agricultural and urban settings.
- Principles: Exploring the principles at the heart of permaculture design philosophy that guide you towards successful outcomes.
- Healthy ecosystems: How an understanding of the healthy function o f ecosystems can guide our approach to design.
Site Analysis
- Mapping: How to create base maps for your design work and understanding your site.
- Sector analysis: Looking at how energy dynamics (light, views, wind etc.) impact what elements to place where on your site.
- Zone maps: Dividing up the property into different production unit types.
The Creative Agent
- Goals and Mission: Clarifying your vision and associated STETCH and SMART goals.
- Strengths: Identifying personality type and personal strengths
- Planning: How to break down goals into 12 week action cycles to keep accelerate progress.
Value Proposition
- Market analysis: Guides you through a PESTEL analysis of market dynamics and a 5-forces model of competition, t0 identify market opportunities.
- Value proposition canvas: Identifying the needs of the ideal target customer and how you provide value to them.
- Differentiation from competition: Looking at serving emerging industries with less competition.
Site Dynamics
- Topography: The impact of slope, aspect and catchment dynamics on your site.
- Water: Investigating the dynamics of water flow and how it can be harnessed to support production.
- Micro-climates: Utilising and optimising site characteristics to create beneficial micro-climates.
Social Permaculture
- Community: Forming intentional communities around a shared purpose.
- Partnerships: Working to strengths to achieve joint goals.
- Trade: Supporting local trade and alternative currencies.
EcoHomes
- Passive solar: Creating warm and light filled homes.
- Natural materials: Utilising the most appropriate natural materials for your site and design.
- Earth homes: Exploring examples and legislation around building earth homes in NZ.
Aquaponics
- How to set up a small-scale backyard aquaponics system.
- The range of nutrients required for healthy plant growth
- Aquaculture fish species
Building Soil
- Properties: Exploring the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil.
- Soil life: Investigating the diversity and function of soil living things.
- Soil building: Tools and techniques for creating healthy soil.
Annual Garden
- Seed saving: Selecting beneficial, collecting and preserving seeds to create your own cultivars.
- Garden calendar: Month by month planting guide for 2022 - including moon planting and planting according to maramataka
- Design options: Exploring the permaculture approach to biointensive vegetable production.
Perennial Orchard
- Plant guilds: Companion planting of mutually beneficial species and good examples for NZ conditions.
- Incorporating animals: Successfully incorporating small fowl into an orchard.
- Propagation techniques: Methods to produce cheap trees, shrubs, herbs and other perennials at home.
Regenerative Agriculture
- Holistic grazing: Management of pastures to promote soil and livestock health
- Nutrition: Looking at livestock condition scoring and planning feed strategies to keep livestock in good health.
- Calf health: Improving the outcome of calves through feeding, shelter and care.
Restoring Natural Systems
- Protecting water health: The impact of farm production on eutrophication of natural waterways and methods to minimise this impact through whole-farm catchment management.
- Planting and fencing: Identifying key habitats to protect and restore through fencing and planting.
- Pest control: Supporting sensitive native species through pest control.
Design Portfolio
- Site analysis: Organising your data collected from the course on details of your site.
- Concept sketches: exploring design possibilities within each zone type.
- Final design and implementation: Guide to making final detailed site map and strategy to bring it to life.
Reporting Outcomes:
- Financial: Looks at the three gauges of financial economic output to ensure you make good investments and maintain good cashflow.
- Social: How to keep track of workplace culture aspirations and dynamics to ensure your vision and mission uplifts and inspires others.
- Environmental: How to identify healthy and resilient outcomes of production that are measurable and can authentically portray your business strategy towards regenerative outcomes.
Business Plan
- Marketing plan: Creating a plan to reach your target audience and convert sales that gives you feedback to make corrections.
- Reporting: Guides you through applying a template to report upon financial, social and environmental outcomes that align to the values and mission of your business.
- Pitch deck: Communicating your business goals and value clearly through a pitch deck presentation.
Graduation
- Feedback and revisions on submission
- PDC certificate awarded
Completion of the PDC course depends upon the submission of the design portfolio in November. Further details of this task will become available once that topic is available in November.
Upon successful completion, you will be awarded a Permaculture Design Certificate from Regenpreneur - recognised by Permaculture in New Zealand.
"Permaculture is the conscious design and maintenance of cultivated ecosystems which have the diversity, stability & resilience of natural ecosystems. It is the harmonious integration of landscape, people & appropriate technologies, providing good, shelter, energy & other needs in a sustainable way. Permaculture is a philosophy and an approach to land use which works with natural rhythms & patterns, weaving together the elements of micro climate, annual & perennial plants, animals, water & soil management, & human needs into intricately connected & productive communities"
Bill Mollison
Testimonials
"The Regenpreneur Online Permaculture Design Certificate is wonderfully comprehensive. I was impressed with the scope and depth of the topics and the ability to learn more through links to further resources – this lead to going down some great rabbit-holes as one idea lead to another. I’m well armed with lots of great material I will use again and again. The online format was great. I was able to do it in my own time and pace to suit my lifestyle and workload, yet had great support available. Richard has really good in-depth knowledge as a practitioner, but also as a teacher – his lectures were well structured and clear. Richard was very responsive to my questions and the Zoom sessions were useful for consolidating the learning, as well as getting to know the other participants and their amazing projects. If you want to do a PDC but don’t want a residential course, want to have a NZ focus to your learning, and have access to a great teacher, this is the PDC for you. I’m glad I chose this course over any other." Jackie 2021
"Richard has constructed this assignments in a way that requires deep thought, research, foresight and imagination. There is a lot of "intention" in permaculture, which I feel is the opposite of what I've experienced in my western, white, culture where it's all about speed, on-timeness, productivity, profit, not to mention forcing our will on Mother Nature. With the PDC we're being challenged to change our mode of thinking, to consider the future, to work with Nature, learn from her, assist and enhance what she knows and what we're only just beginning to understand. Permaculture is making me something of an outlier as I even find myself at odds with what in America are called "Master Gardeners." There are touches of permaculture in their methods but not to the extent that Richard has introduced us to. So take heart. We are venturing into uncharted waters and that cannot be a fast, superficial or even friendly process. I find I have to constantly let go my expectations, remember that knowledge is fluid, and that I need to stay open to change. Our practice is to slow down, observe (and persuade others working with us to do the same!) and really see what is there and what possibilities and potential that "there" presents in the now and in terms of a legacy." Jane 2021
"My interest in permaculture was sparked at a Transition Towns presentation over a decade ago. The ethics and lens through which to view the world, resonated with my own sense of ‘appropriate living’. I have thoroughly enjoyed working through the Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) modules and being challenged to learn and deepen my knowledge. I am particularly interested in how permaculture principles can be applied to all aspects of life and society, beyond the aspects of gardening and farming". Ruth 2021
"I too am fairly new to Permaculture and I completely understand when you say the possibilities can feel very overwhelming at first! I also suffered a bit from a reluctance to start anything in case I somehow 'got it wrong'. This was before I realised there is always the opportunity to adapt. Try something that feels right and then observe the outcomes. You can always amend as you go. I also decided to start with very small areas of my property (which is already small I think as a suburban garden!) but this really helped me to focus on one area/thing at a time. I do also find the idea of putting together a full scale plan a bit daunting... but like Richard says, take all the learning and ideas from the individual modules and weave them together. It doesn't have to be perfect... Permaculture is more about evolution and patterns I think anyway... well for me it is. I think we can take a deep breath and we will journey there. The intentions are good and so I believe the outcome will also be so." - Saskia 2021
"Studying for a PDC online with Regenpreneur was the only way for me, as working from home, raising a family and living in rural isolation on a tight budget has meant doing a residential course was always going to be difficult. I have been a student of permaculture and organic practices for over 20 years but the level of the Agrifutures PDC was academic, wide-ranging and professional. The modular system is well thought out, allowing a logical progression at your own pace. Highly recommended." Lee 2018
"Richard has constructed this assignments in a way that requires deep thought, research, foresight and imagination. There is a lot of "intention" in permaculture, which I feel is the opposite of what I've experienced in my western, white, culture where it's all about speed, on-timeness, productivity, profit, not to mention forcing our will on Mother Nature. With the PDC we're being challenged to change our mode of thinking, to consider the future, to work with Nature, learn from her, assist and enhance what she knows and what we're only just beginning to understand. Permaculture is making me something of an outlier as I even find myself at odds with what in America are called "Master Gardeners." There are touches of permaculture in their methods but not to the extent that Richard has introduced us to. So take heart. We are venturing into uncharted waters and that cannot be a fast, superficial or even friendly process. I find I have to constantly let go my expectations, remember that knowledge is fluid, and that I need to stay open to change. Our practice is to slow down, observe (and persuade others working with us to do the same!) and really see what is there and what possibilities and potential that "there" presents in the now and in terms of a legacy." Jane 2021
"My interest in permaculture was sparked at a Transition Towns presentation over a decade ago. The ethics and lens through which to view the world, resonated with my own sense of ‘appropriate living’. I have thoroughly enjoyed working through the Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) modules and being challenged to learn and deepen my knowledge. I am particularly interested in how permaculture principles can be applied to all aspects of life and society, beyond the aspects of gardening and farming". Ruth 2021
"I too am fairly new to Permaculture and I completely understand when you say the possibilities can feel very overwhelming at first! I also suffered a bit from a reluctance to start anything in case I somehow 'got it wrong'. This was before I realised there is always the opportunity to adapt. Try something that feels right and then observe the outcomes. You can always amend as you go. I also decided to start with very small areas of my property (which is already small I think as a suburban garden!) but this really helped me to focus on one area/thing at a time. I do also find the idea of putting together a full scale plan a bit daunting... but like Richard says, take all the learning and ideas from the individual modules and weave them together. It doesn't have to be perfect... Permaculture is more about evolution and patterns I think anyway... well for me it is. I think we can take a deep breath and we will journey there. The intentions are good and so I believe the outcome will also be so." - Saskia 2021
"Studying for a PDC online with Regenpreneur was the only way for me, as working from home, raising a family and living in rural isolation on a tight budget has meant doing a residential course was always going to be difficult. I have been a student of permaculture and organic practices for over 20 years but the level of the Agrifutures PDC was academic, wide-ranging and professional. The modular system is well thought out, allowing a logical progression at your own pace. Highly recommended." Lee 2018
What is Permaculture
Permaculture is a philosophical approach to the design of productive systems modelled upon the harmony seen in natural systems. Permaculture designs aim to create resilient and healthy systems that harmonise with the patterns expressed in nature. Elements of that systems are positioned to take advantage of their natural functions and aligned in ways to create synergy.
The Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) is an internationally recognised curriculum based on the pioneering work of Bill Mollison, that outlines the integration of a diverse range of topics from climate, soil, topography, ecosystems, design and mapping to understand the functioning of regenerative systems.
The PDC is taught by Richard Pedley, an affiliated teacher of the Permaculture Educators Guild within PiNZ. Oncompletion of thecourse you obtain a PDC from Regenpreneur that is also recognised by the PiNZ body in New Zealand. The course provides a gateway to a career in permaculture design, creating an abundant and balanced food-producing system, understanding the design of regenerative systems and provides a self-empowering life philosophy with the tools and techniques to create a positive difference in the world.
Our courses explore the elements fundamental to the design of a permaculture systems and how this is expressed within different types of systems. The resources within the courses are based around a project that applies concepts directly to measurable outcomes - that support you in achieving your goals.
The term permaculture, meaning "permanent agriculture" was coined in the 1970's by two Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren working jointly at the Environmental Design School in Tasmania on developing a systems-thinking approach to developing a model of sustainable agriculture. The original focus of permaculture was developing a beneficial assembly of plants and animals in relation to human settlements, mostly aimed towards household and community self-reliance, and perhaps as a "commercial endeavour" only arising from a surplus from the system. This original focus has broadened to encompass more aspects of social permaculture, business structures, strategies to acquire land and as a systems thinking tool that can applied to strengthen a wide variety of endeavours.
Permaculture is a design system that encompasses both "permanent agriculture" and "permanent culture." It recognizes, first, that all living systems are organized around energy flows. It teaches people to analyse existing energy flows (sun, rain, money, human energy) through such a system (a garden, a household, a business). Then it teaches them to position and interconnect all the elements in the system (whether existing or desired) in beneficial relationship to each other and to those energy flows. When correctly designed such a system will, like a natural ecosystem, become increasingly diverse and self-sustaining.
All permaculture design is based on three ethics: Care of the Earth (because all living things have intrinsic worth); care of the people; and reinvest all surplus, whether it be information, money, or labour, to support the first two ethics.
A distinctive feature of permaculture designs is that each element included in a system has multiple benefits, that each resource is supplied in multiple ways for resiliency and that each element is inter-connected with other elements. In this way a permaculture design imitates some of the functional complexity found within a natural ecosystem and by so doing becomes more stables, requires less input and has a more diverse output that conventional agricultural systems.
The Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) is an internationally recognised curriculum based on the pioneering work of Bill Mollison, that outlines the integration of a diverse range of topics from climate, soil, topography, ecosystems, design and mapping to understand the functioning of regenerative systems.
The PDC is taught by Richard Pedley, an affiliated teacher of the Permaculture Educators Guild within PiNZ. Oncompletion of thecourse you obtain a PDC from Regenpreneur that is also recognised by the PiNZ body in New Zealand. The course provides a gateway to a career in permaculture design, creating an abundant and balanced food-producing system, understanding the design of regenerative systems and provides a self-empowering life philosophy with the tools and techniques to create a positive difference in the world.
Our courses explore the elements fundamental to the design of a permaculture systems and how this is expressed within different types of systems. The resources within the courses are based around a project that applies concepts directly to measurable outcomes - that support you in achieving your goals.
The term permaculture, meaning "permanent agriculture" was coined in the 1970's by two Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren working jointly at the Environmental Design School in Tasmania on developing a systems-thinking approach to developing a model of sustainable agriculture. The original focus of permaculture was developing a beneficial assembly of plants and animals in relation to human settlements, mostly aimed towards household and community self-reliance, and perhaps as a "commercial endeavour" only arising from a surplus from the system. This original focus has broadened to encompass more aspects of social permaculture, business structures, strategies to acquire land and as a systems thinking tool that can applied to strengthen a wide variety of endeavours.
Permaculture is a design system that encompasses both "permanent agriculture" and "permanent culture." It recognizes, first, that all living systems are organized around energy flows. It teaches people to analyse existing energy flows (sun, rain, money, human energy) through such a system (a garden, a household, a business). Then it teaches them to position and interconnect all the elements in the system (whether existing or desired) in beneficial relationship to each other and to those energy flows. When correctly designed such a system will, like a natural ecosystem, become increasingly diverse and self-sustaining.
All permaculture design is based on three ethics: Care of the Earth (because all living things have intrinsic worth); care of the people; and reinvest all surplus, whether it be information, money, or labour, to support the first two ethics.
A distinctive feature of permaculture designs is that each element included in a system has multiple benefits, that each resource is supplied in multiple ways for resiliency and that each element is inter-connected with other elements. In this way a permaculture design imitates some of the functional complexity found within a natural ecosystem and by so doing becomes more stables, requires less input and has a more diverse output that conventional agricultural systems.