Permaculture Design Certificate Course at Cloughjordan Ecovillage

Course details

The permaculture design course has become one of the benchmark accredited courses in sustainability and, as such, is an essential part of the toolkit of real and practical ways to face the difficult challenges of our times. Whether your area is community or business development, horticulture or engineering the principles of permaculture are equally relevant and will bring new direction to your work.

No prior knowledge is necessary to take the course, although, as permaculture is such a wide ranging discipline, it is recommended that participants do some basic research.

Course Highlights

The permaculture course in Cloughjordan aims to be as fully comprehensive and up to date as possible. Through a balanced mix of theory and practice participants will learn how to apply the principles of permaculture to many aspects of their own life and that of their community. The Cloughjordan course includes focused sessions on natural building, local economics, forest gardening, renewable energy, ponds and aquaculture, ecovillage and bioregional design along with specialist knowledge from our local expert on digitial fabrication, permafacture and open source distributed production (and the indoor sessions are held in one of Ireland's only FabLabs).

Ecovillage Setting & Course Venue

The Ecovillage is a unique and innovative project that is striving to create a fresh blueprint for modern sustainable living. Created on beautiful land in Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, the ecovillage already has more than 53 low energy homes and work units to date, with planning permission for a total of 132 units, renewable energy for heating and a productive farm supplying much of the residents' food needs.

The venue for indoor sessions is the Enterprise Centre (home to a FabLab called WeCreate), situated in the ecovillage.

Materials

Participants should bring their own stationery. We will supply course notes and all equipment needed for practical work.

Tutors

Each section of this course, with its diverse range of subject matters, is taught by someone expert in that particular field.

More About Permaculture

Permaculture is about creating sustainable human habitats by following nature's patterns. It uses the diversity, stability and resilience of natural ecosystems to provide a framework and guidance for people to develop their own sustainable solutions to the problems facing their world, on a local, national or global scale. It is based on the philosophy of co-operation with nature and caring for the earth and its people. Permaculture is not a set of rules; it is a process of design based around principles found in the natural world, of co-operation and mutually beneficial relationships, and translating these principles into actions.

A Typical Experience of the Course

“As a permaculture novice I had little idea of what to expect at Cultivate's Permaculture Course in Cloughjordan. I was thoroughly engaged from the outset as the course carefully blended theory and practice to give me a rich overview of the principles of permaculture design.” - Niamh Brannigan, Communications Manager, Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative