The course is broken into 14 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
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.
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 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.
Value Proposition
- Market analysis: Guides you through a PESTEL analysis of market dynamics and a 5-forces model of competition, to identify market opportunities.
- Target Customer: Identifying the needs of the ideal target customer and how you provide value to them through a value proposition canvas.
- Growth Strategy: Looking at your strategy around lean development, converting prospects and effective communication serving.
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.
EcoHomes
- Passive solar: Creating warm and light filled homes.
- Natural materials: Utilising the most appropriate natural materials for your site and design.
- Earth ships: Exploring the design and function of self-contained earth ships.
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.
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.
- Livestock health: Improving the outcome of calves through feeding, shelter and care.
Restoring Natural Systems
- Native biodiversity: Explores the unique and distinctive biodiversity of New Zealand and strategies to protect and restore habitat in areas next to farmland.
- Pest control: Investigating strategies to reduce or eliminate harmful invasive species that threaten native wildlife.
- Rewilding nature: Global strategies to bring nature back and re-connect with it.
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 Plan: Guides you through the final design presentation and plan drawing.
- Business Plan: Optional topic on developing a business plan, marketing strategy and pitch canvas for developing a business opportunity from your design.
- Implementation Strategy: Guides you through outlining a growth and development strategy to bring your plan to life.
- Reporting Outcomes: Investigates financial record keeping, measuring farm health and reporting upon financial, social and environmental outcomes to stake holders invested in your project.
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.