The following topics are included in The Resilience Hub PDC via a combination of educational formats (field trips, guest professionals, reading, video, lecture, practicum, individual study, group exercises, etc.).
Important – This course includes hands-on DESIGN practice as well as hands-on SKILLS practice (i.e. implementation techniques) as part of the learning approach. This course takes the “design” part of “permaculture design course” very seriously and will use a robust and flexible design process as a touchstone theme throughout the curriculum.
Permaculture in General
- Context, Big Picture
- History & Origins of permaculture
- Indigenous, traditional origins
- Ethics & Principles
- Pattern Literacy
- Permaculture toolkits & network resources
Topical Categories
- Ecological systems in general
- Climatic factors (sun, wind, etc.)
- Hydrological cycle and water systems
- River, Riparian Systems
- Soils, soil food web, soil-building
- Tree Ecology / Woodland Ecology
- Regenerative Agriculture
- Agroforestry
- Landform/Topography
- Earthworks
- Plant knowledge and functions
- Polyculture design
- Green & natural building
- Energy Systems
- Waste systems (solid, human, water, etc)
- Social & Financial Permaculture
- Animals in Permaculture
- Humid Tropics / Dryland Applications
Observational / Data Collection Skills
- Scatter vision, fox walk, directional hearing or similar
- Sit spot and/or journaling
- Site Survey Techniques
- Reading the Forested Landscape
- Historical/Cultural context
- Reading elevation changes and contour lines
- Finding keypoints and keylines
- Reading weather pulse events (i.e. rain, snow)
- Reading flow and movement (wildlife, human desire lines, traffic patterns)
- Zones of accumulation, use patterns
- Reading viewsheds & other sector influences
- Reading current zones of use
- Client listening / consultation skills
- Site documentation skills & conventions
Design Techniques and Skills
- Permaculture Design Process(es)
- Design Questionnaire or Interview
- Goals articulation
- Reading architectural drawings
- Zone & Sector Analysis
- Input / Output Analysis
- Asset / Challenge Analysis
- Use Case Analysis
- Design for resilience, design for change (i.e. climate adaptation)
Design “Products” Creation
- Basemap creation (different techniques)
- Scale of Permanence data collection
- Summary Analysis & Assessment
- Draft Concept Drawings
- Drawing to scale
- Triangulation & offsets
- Understanding plan, section and axonometric drawings
- Basic drawing tools
- Basic drawing conventions, symbology
- Basic report or design narrative
- Presentation of ideas
Hands-on Applied Permaculture Exercises
These vary according to season and location.
- A-frame (and bunyip) levels
- Marking contour lines
- Cutting swales
- Appropriate tool choice and use (i.e. scything)
- Sheet mulching
- Hugel construction
- Planting techniques
- Finding keypoints & keylines
Some of the above may be substituted with some of the following: Pruning, mushroom inoculation, compost bins/worm bins, polyculture planting, plant propagation, seed saving, food preservation, cob projects, foraging, pond construction, herb spiral, espalier install, arbor construction, chicken tractor/coop, rain barrel construction, etc.