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The Fourteenth Annual Permaculture Design Course – Tucson, AZ
February 7, 2009 - March 22, 2009
Five Weekends, February 7th and 8th, February 14th and 15th, February 28th
and March 1st, March 14th and 15th, and a final weekend, March 21st and 22nd
(March 22nd will be morning only for final design project presentations, potluck, and
party).
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM each day.
Cost $650, $595 for early registration (by December 15th). There is also
a class book fee of $39 for a copy of Introduction to Permaculture by Bill Mollison. Also
highly recommended is Brad Lancaster’s Rainwater Harvesting for
Drylands and Beyond Vol 1 and Vol 2. For the last five years the course has
completely filled up, so early registration is encouraged. To give a high
quality educational experience, we limit the size of the class to
eighteen participants.
This course is one of the longest running Permaculture courses held each
year in the U.S. and leads to a Permaculture design certificate. It
covers all aspects of sustainable design and core Permaculture topics
with an emphasis on Southwest dry lands, including a balance of hands
on experience, classroom time, and design practicum. Dynamic exercises
encourage pattern recognition, noticing the links between plants and
animals, climate, and landforms that make up natural ecosystems. These
patterns are the basis for the Permaculture system of sustainable design.
The course focuses on dry land communities, addressing individual site
and neighborhood “problems” such as storm water flooding. Students learn
to read the landscape, to map and analyze energies flowing through a
site, and to develop integrated designs for sustainable systems. The
weekend format of the course makes it easier for people who hold a week
day job to attend and promotes better integration of the course material
into daily life.
and neighborhood “problems” such as storm water flooding. Students learn
to read the landscape, to map and analyze energies flowing through a
site, and to develop integrated designs for sustainable systems. The
weekend format of the course makes it easier for people who hold a week
day job to attend and promotes better integration of the course material
into daily life.
Course topics include agro forestry, appropriate technology, building
design, design principles and patterning, site analysis, dry land
gardening principles, ecosystem restoration, philosophy and ethics of
Permaculture, regenerative community economics, soils and erosion
control, village design, water harvesting, and many other topics.
We take field trips to working Permaculture sites around
Tucson, and you will have the chance throughout the course to design and
begin implementing Permaculture on a site of your choosing. This course
is challenging and fun, and it shows the whole big picture of
sustainable design in Southwest Dry lands and how sustainability and integrated design really
works!
design, design principles and patterning, site analysis, dry land
gardening principles, ecosystem restoration, philosophy and ethics of
Permaculture, regenerative community economics, soils and erosion
control, village design, water harvesting, and many other topics.
We take field trips to working Permaculture sites around
Tucson, and you will have the chance throughout the course to design and
begin implementing Permaculture on a site of your choosing. This course
is challenging and fun, and it shows the whole big picture of
sustainable design in Southwest Dry lands and how sustainability and integrated design really
works!
Site: The classroom will be in the Central Tucson area,
and at other Permaculture sites in the Tucson area.
Much of the class is held outdoors.
Taught and facilitated by Dan Dorsey, Brad Lancaster, Barbara Rose and other instructors from the Sonoran
Permaculture Guild, as well as professional guest instructors. For teacher profiles and other Permaculture
classes scheduled visit our website at:
and at other Permaculture sites in the Tucson area.
Much of the class is held outdoors.
Taught and facilitated by Dan Dorsey, Brad Lancaster, Barbara Rose and other instructors from the Sonoran
Permaculture Guild, as well as professional guest instructors. For teacher profiles and other Permaculture
classes scheduled visit our website at:
or to register and for more information contact Dan Dorsey, course
registrar, at (520) 624-8030 or dorsey@dakotacom.net
registrar, at (520) 624-8030 or dorsey@dakotacom.net
This list serve is a very once in awhile listing of
Permaculture and related classes in the Tucson area. E-mail Dan if you
want to be taken off the list.
frequently asked questions or the fine print…
How do I register for the course?
We need a minimum of a non-refundable $100 deposit by
December 15th to get the discount rate and to hold you a place in the
course. Full payment is due 21 days before the first weekend. Special
exceptions, like paying for the course weekend by weekend, can be made on a
case by case basis.
There are three ways to pay or register for the course…
1. Checks and money orders can be made out to our
non-profit: “NEST/Sonoran Permaculture Guild”.
non-profit: “NEST/Sonoran Permaculture Guild”.
Please mail only checks and money orders (no
cash) to: Dan Dorsey 221 E. Linden Tucson, AZ 85705. Include your
return address, e-mail, and phone number, and you will be sent an e-receipt confirming your
registration
cash) to: Dan Dorsey 221 E. Linden Tucson, AZ 85705. Include your
return address, e-mail, and phone number, and you will be sent an e-receipt confirming your
registration
2. Cash, money orders, or checks can also be handed directly to Dan Dorsey, the course registrar
in person, and a receipt will be issued to you at that time. Call 624-8030 to schedule a time
to meet at our central office north of downtown Tucson.
3. You can pay by major credit card as we are set up through PayPal
to handle those transactions, or if you already have a PayPal account you can pay from your
to handle those transactions, or if you already have a PayPal account you can pay from your
existing PayPal balance. E-mail for this PayPal option, and I will e-mail you on how
to use your major credit card or existing balance.
If after I register and pay, and the course starts, what
if I have an emergency and need to cancel out?
Our refund policy is as follows: If you have a serious
injury or illness, or if someone in your immediate family has a serious
injury or illness during the course, and you need to cancel out of the
entire course after it starts, we will refund to you a pro-rated amount
based on the weekends you have already taken.
What if I need to cancel before the course begins?
If you are cancelling out of the entire course after you
have already paid, we will refund your entire amount minus your $100
deposit up to 21 days before the course begins. If you cancel at least 10
days before the course begins we will refund 50% of what you have paid
over $100. You can then apply any remaining funds you have paid over the $100
deposit to next year’s course or future one day SPG classes.
to use your major credit card or existing balance.
If after I register and pay, and the course starts, what
if I have an emergency and need to cancel out?
Our refund policy is as follows: If you have a serious
injury or illness, or if someone in your immediate family has a serious
injury or illness during the course, and you need to cancel out of the
entire course after it starts, we will refund to you a pro-rated amount
based on the weekends you have already taken.
What if I need to cancel before the course begins?
If you are cancelling out of the entire course after you
have already paid, we will refund your entire amount minus your $100
deposit up to 21 days before the course begins. If you cancel at least 10
days before the course begins we will refund 50% of what you have paid
over $100. You can then apply any remaining funds you have paid over the $100
deposit to next year’s course or future one day SPG classes.
If the class if full and a person can be found to take your place you will receive a full refund minus your $100
deposit.
deposit.
In the unlikely event the entire course is cancelled for any reason you will receive a full
refund for any deposit or other funds you have payed.
What if I drop out of the course due to a non-emergency
after the course begins?
We decide refunds or credit in non-emergency situations on a case
by case basis.
What if I have to miss a whole day or a weekend of the
course?
We expect each participant to attend all the scheduled
weekends and classes, and you will get the most out of the course if you
do. But we understand unexpected events come up. It is up to you if you
have to miss part of the course, but if you want your Permaculture
design certificate at the end, you might have to pay something extra to
meet with the instructor who was teaching during the missed period if he
or she is willing to go over the material. In some cases you may even
have to wait until next year’s course to make up the material and get
your certificate.
Are there scholarships and work-trade exchange
possibilities available?
There will be six scholarships of $100 to hand out
this year. If you want to apply for one send a one half to one page either
typewritten or legibly printed or hand written sheet saying why you need
the scholarship (financial reasons) and what you plan to do with the
course after you finish taking it. Please don’t apply for a scholarship
if you don’t need the reduction in cost, as we would like this additional discount
to go to those who really want to take the course but need the extra
financial help.
There might also be a limited amount of work trade. We
don’t have the resources to offer a full work trade or a full
scholarship. If you really want to take the course and don’t have the
full amount available at the start of the course we will work with you.
You can pay by the weekend if you assure us you are taking the whole
course. In the past participants have approached organizations or
individuals and ask them for sponsorship in exchange for doing
Permaculture design and/ or implementation after they graduate. Or ask
a parent or friend to loan or give you the money at no or little
interest. The Permaculture Credit Union in Santé Fe may make loans (not
grants) to take the course. Or maybe approach an organization that might
use this type of work and ask them to sponsor you.
Can I get college credit for taking this class?
This course leads to Design Course Certification in
Permaculture. While this certificate is not recognized directly by most
universities, many of our students have been university or college
students, and have worked with their departments at the University of
Arizona, Prescott College, and Pima Community College to obtain
independent study credit for taking this course. It is up to the
individual student to work out arrangements with his/her college and
his/her department. Prescott College students have often taken this
course for credit. This Permaculture Design Course is a standardized
course (with additional emphasis here in Tucson on Southwest Dry lands) given around the world
since 1981, and there are currently over 300,000 graduates working in
over 100 countries on sustainability issues. Our seasoned team of
teachers has been giving this course for fourteen years in Tucson, and
together the teaching team has decades of experience in core
Permaculture topics and other specialized subjects in the sustainability
field.
What if I have additional questions about what to expect
in the course?
Call or e-mail Dan Dorsey, course registrar, at 624-8030
or dorsey@dakotacom.net
What if I drop out of the course due to a non-emergency
after the course begins?
We decide refunds or credit in non-emergency situations on a case
by case basis.
What if I have to miss a whole day or a weekend of the
course?
We expect each participant to attend all the scheduled
weekends and classes, and you will get the most out of the course if you
do. But we understand unexpected events come up. It is up to you if you
have to miss part of the course, but if you want your Permaculture
design certificate at the end, you might have to pay something extra to
meet with the instructor who was teaching during the missed period if he
or she is willing to go over the material. In some cases you may even
have to wait until next year’s course to make up the material and get
your certificate.
Are there scholarships and work-trade exchange
possibilities available?
There will be six scholarships of $100 to hand out
this year. If you want to apply for one send a one half to one page either
typewritten or legibly printed or hand written sheet saying why you need
the scholarship (financial reasons) and what you plan to do with the
course after you finish taking it. Please don’t apply for a scholarship
if you don’t need the reduction in cost, as we would like this additional discount
to go to those who really want to take the course but need the extra
financial help.
There might also be a limited amount of work trade. We
don’t have the resources to offer a full work trade or a full
scholarship. If you really want to take the course and don’t have the
full amount available at the start of the course we will work with you.
You can pay by the weekend if you assure us you are taking the whole
course. In the past participants have approached organizations or
individuals and ask them for sponsorship in exchange for doing
Permaculture design and/ or implementation after they graduate. Or ask
a parent or friend to loan or give you the money at no or little
interest. The Permaculture Credit Union in Santé Fe may make loans (not
grants) to take the course. Or maybe approach an organization that might
use this type of work and ask them to sponsor you.
Can I get college credit for taking this class?
This course leads to Design Course Certification in
Permaculture. While this certificate is not recognized directly by most
universities, many of our students have been university or college
students, and have worked with their departments at the University of
Arizona, Prescott College, and Pima Community College to obtain
independent study credit for taking this course. It is up to the
individual student to work out arrangements with his/her college and
his/her department. Prescott College students have often taken this
course for credit. This Permaculture Design Course is a standardized
course (with additional emphasis here in Tucson on Southwest Dry lands) given around the world
since 1981, and there are currently over 300,000 graduates working in
over 100 countries on sustainability issues. Our seasoned team of
teachers has been giving this course for fourteen years in Tucson, and
together the teaching team has decades of experience in core
Permaculture topics and other specialized subjects in the sustainability
field.
What if I have additional questions about what to expect
in the course?
Call or e-mail Dan Dorsey, course registrar, at 624-8030
or dorsey@dakotacom.net