2025 Permaculture Design Certificate Course

Permaculture Design Course

This course is held over 10 Modules, each module will cover a design stage through a series of activities that use different tools & techniques to help filter the research & information gained. This will grow your experience and confidence in creating a land-based or social-focused permaculture design, beyond the end of the course. 

The design can be conceptual or a real life project, that by the end of the course, if timing is right, can be ready for an implementation plan* to aid the actioning of it into life. Your design project is presented on your final weekend of the course where you graduate, receive your course certification and celebrate your achievements.

Please read through the information on the PDC page for more details.

Course Date & Topics *subject to change 

March 7th & 8th - M1 Philosophy & Design 

1. Intro the course and each other, learning expectations, tools 

2. Why Permaculture 

3. Ethics & Principles 

4. Group Culture 

5. Ecosystems 

6. Design Process 

7. Design Method#1 Define & DM#2 Survey 

8. Design Project Directive for home 

April 4th & 5th - M2 Design for Regeneration 

1. Design Principles & DM#3 Analysis 

2. Ecological Restoration - with Di Lucas

3. Ribbonwood, Little River  - with Luke Bird

4. Hinewai Reserve, Akaroa - with Hugh Wilson

5. Koru Kai Herb Farm, Port Levy -  with Cornelia Holt

May 2nd & 3rd - M3 Natural & Built Environment  - with Dana Dopleach

1. Patterns in Nature 

2. Macroclimates & Weather Patterns 

3. Microclimates & Micrometeorology 

4. Hardiness Zones, Biomes & Biome Shifting 

5. Patterns of Natural Building Design 

6. Appropriate Technology 

7. Energy Efficiency 

8. Building Activity 

June 5th & 6th - M4 Invisible Structures 

1. What is Social Permaculture 

2. Belief Systems 

3. Health and Well-being 

4. Personal/Groups/Community Efficiency 

5. NonViolent Communication - with Meagan Rutherford

6. Economic Spectrum  - with Robina McCurdy

7. Legalese and Land Ownership - with Robina McCurdy

8.  DM#4 Concepts

July 4th & 5th - M5 Cultural Strengthening 

1. Regenerative Culture 

2. Cultural Patterns

3. Seasonal Living 

4. Preserving: food, seeds, knowledge, skills 

5. Community Eco-Village - with Robina McCurdy

6. Tool Maintenance - with Douglas Horrel

7. DM#5 Planning

8. Activity: Social Permaculture Design

August 1st & 2nd - M6 Soil & Water - with Dana Dopleach

1. The Nature of Water 

2. The Journey of Water 

3. Earthworks & landforms for catchement

4. Infiltration & Soil Substrates

5. Soil Structure & Pedogenesis

6. The Soil Food Web

7. Soil Cycles under microscopes

8. Soil Cycles & Succession

September 5th & 6th - M7 Growing Soil & Food - with Lily White & Roz Rolls

1. Growing Soil 

2. Wormaries 

3. Inoculates 

4. No-Dig-Beds 

5. Plant Antimony 

6. Nursery Activities 

7. Seed Saving

8. Pests & Diseases 

October 3rd & 4th - M8 Integrated Growing Systems - with Roz Rolls

1. Edible Gardens/Landscapes 

2. Urban Agriculture 

3. FoodForest 

4. Agroforestry 

5. Wild Harvest 

6. Mushroom Inoculation

7. Design Activities: Guild, planting plan 

8.DM#6 Implementation & Maintenance 

November 7th & 8th- M9 Design Project Wkd 

1. Project Brief, Design Methods in Process and Presentation Logistics: 

2. Define 

3. Survey 

4. Analysis 

5. Planning 

6. Concepts 

7. Implementation & Maintenance 

8. Evaluation & Tweaking 

December 5th & 6th  - December M10 Presentation WKD

Certificates, Celebratory Meal/Drinks