Water is life and the ability to hold water in the landscape is crucial to ecosystem health. Learning how and where to use earthworks to hold and move water in the landscape is an important skill for large and small scale land regeneration. When applied correctly earthworks can greatly increase landscape fertility and reinvigorate degraded landscapes.

During this course we will be looking at using earthworks from within a permaculture framework, however you will not need previous permaculture experience to attend. This 5 day intensive workshop will give you the basic skills needed to start implementing earthworks on yours or others land. The course will be a mix of theoretical and practical components and will coincide with the resealing and expansion of a dam at Dalpura farm. This will give students insights into the process of creating a dam in real-time.

Theory components:

Different types of earthworks (dams, swales ect.)
Earthmoving machines
Slope angles
Assessing a site
Choosing an operator

Practical components:

Directing an operator
Soil assessment
Site surveying
Planting after earthworks

Who is this course for:

Landholders
Farmers
Agricultural consultants
Permaculture designers
Anyone with an interest in storing water in the landscape!

Cost:

$1200 for early bird tickets. Be quick before these sell out!

Tickets include onsite camping and breakfast and lunch will be catered for. Students will be responsible for their own dinners and cooking facilities are available on site. If you do not wish to camp onsite there are other accommodation options in the surrounding areas.

In the spirit of the permaculture ethic “Fair Share” we are offering a full paid scholarship for this workshop. For more information please contact Ivan at ivanblacket@gmail.com

We acknowledge this workshop will take place on the unceded lands of the Wadawurrung people.

About the facilitator:

Sam Parker-Davies

Sam has worked in every climate across the world, with billionaires and refugees, governments and individuals, in deserts and forests. Working as an educator, designer, aid-worker, project manager and farmer, he is on the front line in planetary regeneration with the absolute best in Permaculture Design. Working closely with Geoff Lawton for over half a decade, Sam has a primary residence at Zaytuna Farm, (the Permaculture Research Institute of Australia), and currently lives at the Greening the Desert Site in Jordan. He has practiced permaculture as his sole profession for almost a full decade, coming from a family of farmers, gardeners, and eco-village builders. He has worked around the world on large farm projects, residential living, refugee camps, and eco-villages.