Enroll above for next course starting Feb 2023
- (payment plans also available via regenpreneur@gmail.com)
A Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) takes you on a design journey for creating regenerative systems. 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 with 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. Enrolment in the course introduces you to a like-minded learning community, to explore concepts involved in the application of permaculture design.
The course is broken into 10 online modules, each exploring the philosophy and application of permaculture design. Within each module you will have the opportunity to collaborate with other learners to extend and deepen your learning. Topics are explored within eBooks, explanation videos, quizzes, discussion forums and online classroom chats. You also have the opportunity to explore topics deeper through research tasks.
The following topics are explored in this course (follow the links below for further information on each).
Permaculture Design
Site Analysis
The Creative Agent
Site Dynamics
Social Permaculture
Aquaponics
Building Soil
Annual Garden
Perennial Orchard
Design Portfolio
Graduation
Completion of the PDC course depends upon the submission of the design portfolio.
Upon successful completion, you will be awarded a Permaculture Design Certificate from Regenpreneur - recognised by Permaculture in New Zealand.
Upon graduation from the course you will have a functional permaculture design and implementation strategy to create your small farm or backyard garden. Enrolment in the course introduces you to a like-minded learning community, to explore concepts involved in the application of permaculture design.
The course is broken into 10 online modules, each exploring the philosophy and application of permaculture design. Within each module you will have the opportunity to collaborate with other learners to extend and deepen your learning. Topics are explored within eBooks, explanation videos, quizzes, discussion forums and online classroom chats. You also have the opportunity to explore topics deeper through research tasks.
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 of 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
- Clarity of purpose: What are your goals and mission.
- Identifying your strengths: What strengths and resources can you leverage to achieve a successful outcome.
- Developing Mastery: What skill sets do you need to develop and what practices will lead you to achieve them.
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
- Finding your Tribe: Describes the evolutionary disposition we have to form secure attachment with small group of trusted people from which we derive a sense of connection, fulfill our esteem needs
- Building Community: Explores some of the strategies around forming intentional communities around a shared purpose and navigate some of the challenges to doing this.
- Community Trade: Explores examples of local trade and finance as examples of sharing resources within a community.
Aquaponics
- System Designs: Covers the design of ponds, glasshouses and the hardware and strategy to create an integrated aquaponics system
- Health of fish: Looks at the requirements of fish to thrive in your aquaponics system
- Health of Plants: Looks at how to optimise plant growth in an aquaponics system.
Building Soil
- Soil building: Tools and techniques for creating healthy soil
- Properties: Exploring the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil.
- Protecting Soil: Looking at techniques to minimise soil compaction and erosion.
Annual Garden
- Garden Design: Looking at the philosophy and application of permaculture in the home garden.
- Managing Practices: Explores the management of pests and weeds and optimising soil fertility through biological controls, organic sprays, companion planting and rotation of plants.
- Collecting seeds: Techniques to select for beneficial traits, collect seeds and propagate plants.
Perennial Orchard
- Orchard design: 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.
Design Portfolio
- Concept sketches: exploring design possibilities within each zone type.
- Final Plan: Guides you through the final design presentation and plan drawing.
- Implementation Strategy: Guides you through outlining a growth and development strategy to bring your plan to life.
Graduation
- Feedback and revisions on submission
- PDC certificate awarded
Completion of the PDC course depends upon the submission of the design portfolio.
Upon successful completion, you will be awarded a Permaculture Design Certificate from Regenpreneur - recognised by Permaculture in New Zealand.
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
Examples of Student Work
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