This is a call to all those interested in becoming certified in Permaculture Design.
Janet Millington, of Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre and Sunshine Coast Relocalisation- Noosa Eumundi and Districts (SCReNE) is running the 2-week intensive course at her Permaculture property in Eumundi this October. Janet has offered a substantial group discount for SustainaBundy members and she has only 5 vacancies left!

Details are as follows:

Permaculture Design Course
When: 6th-19th October, 2008 for 13 days (Class days are 8.30 am to 4.30 pm)
At the Bamboo Forest, Eumundi
Cost (including GST): usually $770.00 per person, down to $660.00 per person for our group!
Facilities for self catering campers are available, they include a caravan, tents, an outdoor kitchen and recreation area. Accommodation is $150 pp for the two weeks in the van or $88 for camping.

Sessions will be facilitated by Janet Millington who established the Permaculture Design Site using permaculture principles. Janet has designed properties and taught permaculture courses locally, nationally and internationally during the past 12 years. Janet has a long background in education and community development as well as her Permaculture Diploma. She has recently written a book with Carolyn Nuttall on School Gardens. Janet will be supported by Sonya Wallace who is currently working on Transition Towns and Chris Carroll who will share her skills in planning and urban permaculture with participants.

The course is designed
-To develop an understanding of the ethics and basic principles of Permaculture design and practice and its benefits for a sustainable future.
-To develop the knowledge necessary for Permaculture design and implementation in urban and rural settings and across all climatic zones.
-To explore strategies that will facilitate the production of clean food, create soils and modify weather extremes.
-To develop an appreciation of the effect of individual actions and their effects on the natural environment.
-To unfold the many ways each of us can reduce our footprint on the earth and repair damaged ecosystems.
-To develop skills in teamwork, co-operation and group planning.
-To develop an understanding of the need to obtain information about our physical and social world through observation, library research, interviewing experts, elders and practitioners, and will provide recommendations for further reading.
-To promote responsible human behaviour in the bioregion and to explore the potential for local action that will contribute to the certainty of sustainability.

Students will learn
-Permaculture design strategies of Sector and Zonal Planning.
-Using slope to move water and nutrient.
-Observation of nature and using natural patterns to increase yield.
-Permaculture Principles for both planning for sustainability and for creating a design.
-To design a home food production system.
-To design orchard, food forest and animal systems.
-To modify climate for both the growing and living spaces.
-To create good soils on a variety of difficult, or infertile sites.
-To site a dam and supervise earthworks for the best possible outcomes.
-The benefits of aquaculture and some basic strategies for using an aquatic growing medium.
-To create a design for a permaculture garden on a small suburban block, for a small or a larger acreage, community garden or school playground.
-The potential for sustainability in this bioregion.
-How to start a school garden or local permaculture group.

On successful completion of the course, students will receive the
Permaculture Design Certificate as bestowed by the Permaculture Institute.

So, who's interested? If you'd like more information on accommodation or camping, call 5442 7200 or email miltech@bigpond.com.

To register your interest, reply to this thread or email jacqui@sustainabundy.org by July 4th. First come, first served!