Upcoming courses:

• Peacemaking and Permaculture: Design Certification Intensive, Sept 3–18, 2010
• Four Seasons Permaculture Design Certification, Oct 2010–Sept, 2011, Bolinas

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Re-design your life, re-envision the world!

Are you looking for an empowering and sustainable way to create change in yourself, the land you live on, and your community?

Permaculture is a design science rooted in the observation of natural systems. The principles of permaculture teach us how to design ways of living that have the stability and resiliency of natural ecosystems — they show us positive solutions for creating and managing systems for food, medicine, and building materials, as well as relationships with ourselves,  animals, and our communities. Permaculture always keeps in sight three ethics: care of the Earth, care of people, and sharing the surplus.

Permaculture is good news! We have solutions that are available on any scale, and we can make a change that will reach out to future generations.

See our new permaculture design video: Permaculture Design
See Penny Livingston-Stark in the video: Permaculture 101
Find out more about permaculture: What Is Permaculture?

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RDI's Permaculture Design Courses

In our permaculture design certification courses, you will learn how to observe and use the same principles that make ecological systems self-sustaining and apply them to integrated homes and gardens. In addition, you will learn how to apply these principles to energy systems and water supplies, healthy communities, meaningful and fulfilling work, ecological economies and global political movements for change.

The course also weaves together the principles and practices of permaculture with nature awareness — participate in activities that deepen your awareness and intimacy with the rest of the natural world. Our program is founded on the reality that we are nature and have an amazing role in our watershed ecosystems.

Throughout it all, you'll be engaged in learning and experiencing an empowering way of living in the world, surrounded and supported by like-minded people and instructors. Our goal is to make you a part of our farm community, incorporating our seasonal activities into your permaculture experience as time permits. Activities may include spring and fall pruning, seed planting, plant propagation, bed preparation, compost pile making, water harvesting techniques, natural building and other activities.

Each of our permaculture design certification courses includes the following:

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Courses Offered

We offer the internationally recognized permaculture design certification in two formats: a 2-week intensive course and a year-long course that meets one Saturday or Sunday each month. Following are our upcoming courses – click on the titles for more details and registration:

2-week Intensive Courses

Peacemaking and Permaculture Design Certification
Offered: September 3-18, 2010
Location: DQ University, Davis, CA

12-month Four Seasons Courses

Course starts with a 2-day introductory weekend and continues one Saturday or Sunday day per month.

Bolinas: Four Seasons Permaculture Design Certification
Offered: October 2010 - September 2011
Location: Commonweal Garden, Bolinas

Santa Cruz: Four Seasons Permaculture Design Certificaiton
Next Offered: September 2011
Location: Santa Cruz Waldorf School, Santa Cruz

Four Seasons Santa Cruz is offered as part of a weekend series with Jon Young:
Creating Community Resilience – Weaving the Village through Nature Connection and Permaculture Design

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Testimonials

Read what others have said about these courses

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Recommended Reading

We provide a DVD workbook with excellent resources and reading material that we ask you to read as part of the coursework. In addition, we have an ongoing list of recommended reading that includes everything from foundational manuels by Bill Mollison to magazine articles on new applications of solar power. The list is not required reading for the course, but available to you as a resource as you continue your permaculture explorations.

The following three books are highly recommended:

Permaculture: A Designer's Manual, Bill Mollison
Introduction to Permaculture, Bill Mollison
Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-scale Permaculture, Toby Hemenway

For questions or additional information, contact:
415-868-9681 voicemail or email us