Greening The Desert Project

The Middle East Arid Climate Permaculture Demonstration Site

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Upcoming Permaculture Courses & Events

Permaculture Design Certificate Course

1st - 12th OF NOVEMBER 2020

The course covers sustainable living systems for a wide variety of landscapes and climates. It includes the application of permaculture principles to food production, home design, construction, energy conservation and generation, and explores alternative economic structures and legal strategies supporting permaculture solutions.

Geoff Lawton
10
Days
CAMPING
+LUNCH
$1,620
BOOK NOW

4 Week Permaculture Internship

15th NOVEMBER TO 10th OF DECEMBER 2020

Learn hands-on practical permaculture skills whilst creating, building, gardening and implementing permaculture techniques and principles. You will gain arid climate permaculture experience such as drought proofing and water conservation, and be able to observe a functioning permaculture demonstration site.

Geoff Lawton
4
WEEKS
CAMPING
+LUNCH
$3240
BOOK NOW

Visit The Project

PERMACULTURE CAFE AND GIFT SHOP

Enjoy an organic coffee and tasty lunch when you visit our permaculture project.

ACCOMODATION OPTIONS

Experience a relaxing stay at our eco-lodge

GROUP TOURS & PRIVATE TOURS

Come and see how you can grow organic food in the desert.

Become a Volunteer

Volunteer your time to gain practical permaculture skills in a hyper arid climate.

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Support Our Permaculture Aid Projects

Latest Updates From Our Projects

Behind the Scenes 2019 Project Summary

On his final day at the Greening the Desert Project (https://www.greeningthedesertproject.org) this year in Jordan, Geoff takes us on a unique tour of the property. Rather than showcasing its renowned living systems, he’s excited about how the … Read More

About The Greening The Desert Project

How it all got started...

Geoff and Nadia Lawton first got involved in the original Greening the Desert project site in 2000, when they were a part of a permaculture design and consultancy team for three years funded by a Japanese aid organisation. During this time the original site flourished, the tree systems that were introduced started to regenerate their own soil, even soil microbes and fungi had returned to the site.
However, after three years the funding stopped and with no funds for local staff the project site was abandoned. Nevertheless the site kept on regenerating itself…

Geoff and Nadia did not want their efforts to go to waste and they knew that the only way to prevent projects like this from being discontinued was to create and manage the projects themselves, hence Nadia Lawton founded the local NGO the Jordanian Association for Environment and Soil and in 2008 initiated the second Greening The Desert Project site that you can visit today.

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Our Mission

To empower people to create sustainable livelihoods through permaculture design education and practical permaculture aid initiatives

10+ years and still going strong!

Over the past 10 years, Greening The Desert demonstration site and education centre, located between the villages of Al Jawfa and Al Jawasreh in the Jordan River Valley, has exemplified the imperative impact of a permaculture integrated approach in an arid climate. Incorporating organic agricultural production, water and waste management, soil amelioration, renewable energies, environmental sustainability and ecosystem diversity, it provides a unique model for self-sustainable farming. Hit play to se a slideshow timeline of how it all happened.

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