This is a truly eye opening location to earn your PDC
This PDC is hosted by Geoff Lawton at the award-winning Greening the Desert Site in the Dead Sea Valley, Jordan, just 10km north of the Dead Sea and 6 km east of the Jordanian-Palestinian border, directly east of the West Bank.
ABOUT THE LOCATION
This is a truly eye-opening location to earn your PDC. You will be studying on the lowest point of the earth in one of the most testing climates’ to practice Permaculture. With arid soil and very little rainfall, you will be viewing Permaculture practices at their maximum potential.
The local population is made up of traditional Bedouin tribes and long-term refugees stemming from displacement of local populations from within Palestine. The project site is typical of the area – a marginal arid land low-income settlement. It is currently still under development and upon completion it will demonstrate energy-efficient appropriate housing with natural cooling systems and a plant nursery attachment, solar electricity, solar hot water, biological waste water treatment recycling, dry compost toilets, rain water harvesting earthworks and diverse interactive plant, animal and tree systems for local food production and processing. The demonstration house will function as a classroom and administration office for the project and local Permaculture group. Once established, the project will serve as a model that can be replicated within the village, throughout Jordan and other countries in the region.
The project started in 2008, has already seen significant progress. The first trees were planted and are growing well and the first garden is producing some vegetables. Now, the water tank needs to be expanded, the fence and gate improved and the rest of the project started. The current focus is to set up basic living accommodations for volunteers coming to work on the project. PRI has the people power in place to move on this project but is in great need of funds to purchase supplies. Any financial support is greatly appreciated. In this heightened time of great tragedy for the Palestinian people, this is something positive we can all do to directly affect their survival.
ABOUT THE TEACHERS
Geoff Lawton
Geoff Lawton is the main facilitator for this course. He a Permaculture consultant, designer and teacher. He first took his Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) Course with Bill Mollison in 1983. He holds a Diploma in Permaculture Education, Design, Implementation, System Establishment, Administration and Community Development given by the founder of Permaculture, Bill Mollison.
Geoff has undertaken thousands of jobs teaching, consulting, designing, administrating and implementing, in 6 continents and close to 50 countries around the world. Clients have included private individuals, groups, communities, governments, aid organizations, non-government organizations and multinational companies.
He has currently educated over 13,000 students in Permaculture worldwide. These include graduates of the Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) Course and courses focused on the practical design of sustainable soil, water, plant, and legal and economic systems.
Future Studies and Opportunities
This Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course serves as a foundation for further permaculture work and study and is a prerequisite for the Diploma in Permaculture Design, offered through The Permaculture Institute. Credit for this course is now accepted by a growing number of universities around the world. To date, thousands of permaculture designers worldwide have been certified through this course, and now comprise a global network of educators, ecological activists who influence major corporations, individuals creating new business alternatives and groups of committed people working together to change the way we view and design into our landscapes.
The course covers sustainable living systems for a wide variety of landscapes and climates. It includes the application of permaculture principles to food production, home design, construction, energy conservation and generation, and explores alternative economic structures and legal strategies supporting permaculture solutions.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course covers sustainable living systems for a wide variety of landscapes and climates. It includes the application of permaculture principles to food production, home design, construction, energy conservation and generation, and explores alternative economic structures and legal strategies supporting permaculture solutions.
Specific topics include:
- Theory and principles of permaculture
- Eco-friendly house placement and design
- Energy conservation techniques for all climates with specific focus on arid hot regions
- Recycling and sustainable waste management
- Organic food production
- Water harvesting and management
- Ecological pest control
- Drought-proofing landscapes
- Soil rehabilitation and soil erosion control
- Livestock
- Aquaculture
- Catastrophe preparedness and prevention
- Windbreaks and fire control
The foundation for this course is the Permaculture Designer’s Manual by Bill Mollison. Students are invited to bring details of their own sites or potential sites to consider during the course.
