Hi All,

We have a few more spaces in this summer's course and would love to have some folks from the permies community.

Its June 13-25.

Burlington, VT was just ranked one of the 10 best cities for the next decade in terms of economic growth- based primarily on our local food system!

Anyway- this course is set in the most expansive natural area in the city of Burlington, hidden on the shores of Lake Champlain, and touring some of the areas most innovative farms, homesteads, nurseries, and more, this course combines wild ecology, radical urban sustainability, and hands-on design and co-creation of vibrant, wholly nourishing human landscapes.

Permaculture is an evolving and expanding system of design for ecological living: integrating plants, animals, buildings, people, communities, economies, and the landscapes that surround us.

This intensive introduces and develops permaculture concepts and principles to help us create beautiful, sustainable, productive, and regenerative human environments using natural ecosystems as models.

This two week residential Permaculture Design Certification course goes above and beyond the standard curriculum, led by a group of some of the most experienced designers, farmers, and educators in Vermont and the Northeast. Together, we'll design and implement permaculture solutions for a multi-use community center and nature preserve, and each student will also be guided in generating a whole systems design for space of their own choosing.

We focus on permaculture as a framework for understanding and integrating the vast diversity of technologies and trends in the movement for "sustainability", and advance permaculture ethics and skills as a new cultural paradigm. Our two week intensive introduces:

in-depth site analysis and assessment, mapping skills, design practice, soils, ecology and ecological interpretation, ecological agriculture, edible forest gardening, swales, keylines, carbon-negative farming, integrated poultry and livestock systems, urban agriculture and homesteading techniques, ecoforestry, coppice management, holistic beekeeping, beneficial insect and pollinator support, plant ID, natural building techniques and skills, ecological restoration, seed saving, bioremediation, urban permaculture and 'renter's permaculture' skills, fermentation, root cellars, passive solar greenhouses, plant propagation, perennial vegetables, and more!

As we acknowledge the convergent crises of Peak Oil, Climate Change, and economic 'uncertainty', we can listen to the apocalyptic visions of 'doomers', or embrace one of the greatest opportunities in generations to restructure society with ecological and ethical sanity, and local resilience- learn how by taking part!

Overnight trips and Local Organic Meals all included in the affordable tuition, a variety of lodging options are available at very reasonable rates at the conference center- from camping to private suites. Scholarships and financial aid may be available through VSAC. Discounts for Transition Town members, group registrations, and recruiting friends, are available for early registrants.

Space is limited-and last year's course filled very quickly, reserve your space by registering now.

This course is presented in partnership with Burlington Permaculture, Prospect Rock Permaculture, Rivenwood Crafts, Keyline Vermont, Rock Point School, The Episcopal Diocese of Vermont, The Bishop Booth Conference Center, Round River Designs, Whole Farms Services, and is Accredited by the International Permaculture Institute and the Permaculture Institute of the Northeast (P.I.N.E.).

For More information:

http://burlingtonpermaculture.googlepages.com/summerpdc

Experienced permaculture designers and alumni are welcome to present, review students designs, network, or just join us for a local organic meal!

Many sessions will be open to interested public.

Please PM or reply if you have any questions.

Feel free to pass to any folks, lists, or networks that might be interested.

Hope you are all having a productive spring!

Keith