Online Permaculture Course

To develop the student’s understanding of how to plan and develop a self sustaining, environmentally stable productive garden based on the patterns which occur in nature.

Permaculture means Permanent Agriculture.  As the name reflects Permaculture is a philosophy and a practical approach to developing and designed sustainable human settlements.  Permaculture brings together many different disciplines such as biology, agriculture, plants, animals, humans, ecology, soils, microclimates together to form a unique and visionary approach to many of our current global issues.  Developed by Bill Mollison, permaculture is the way of the future and brings many timely answers to those searching for a better way to live.

There are 5 lessons in this course:

1. Concepts
   • The basic theory and ethics of Permaculture
2. The Environment
   • Ecosystems, the web of life and interactions between living organisms
3. Soils
   • Soil management, fertilisers, nitrogen, cultivation, gas and nutrient cycles
4. Climate and Water
   • The hydrological cycle, infiltration, microclimates, the Greenhouse
   • Effect, water and plants
5. Forest Systems
   • Biomass, how natural systems relate to agricultural systems

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims:

• Discuss the nature and scope of Permaculture.
• Apply an understanding of environmental systems to considerations given to how a Permaculture system is designed.
• Describe soils and the impact their characteristics have upon natural and man made environments.
• Explain the application of this knowledge to Permaculture.
• Describe characteristics of climate and water, and the impact their characteristics have upon natural and man made environments.
• Explain the application of this knowledge to Permaculture.
• Describe forest systems and their relevance to Permaculture design.

For more information on this course, please request your free course information pack.