Site icon Greening The Desert Project

Permaculture Design Certificate Course (PDC) 5th – 16th of November 2023

Ahmad Sameer
COURSE DURATION
10 Days
DAILY STUDY TIME
8 Hours 8.30am-5.30pm
TOTAL LECTURE TIME
72 hours PDC

Become a Certified Permaculture Designer

Gain life-changing skills and a holistic world view

By taking this course you will gain fundamental understanding of permaculture design.
You will be able to design integrated productive ecosystems that are capable of meeting all our human needs, whilst benefiting the environment.

Permaculture design is applicable to any climate, landscape or situation. It Can be Applied from the micro spaces of urban balconies, backyards, tiny homes, to suburban gardens, and produce high yields of organic fresh food for any family. Permaculture can also be applied to homesteads small scale farms to broad acre farming and ultimately global ecosystem restoration projects.

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.

An Example of a Permaculture design site plan

What you will learn in this course?

  • To effectively design productive Permaculture systems.
  • How to read the landscape and understand energy flows.
  • This course changes the way you perceive the world through a new solution based lens
  • Gain a understanding of what it takes to run a permaculture demonstration site.

Where can this lead you ?

  • Start a new career as a Permaculture Designer & Consultant
  • Design your own property for maximum sustainable efficiency and minimise your carbon footprint
  • Teach permaculture design to others and provide permaculture design certificate courses.
  • Humanitarian and aid and sustainable development in community and Land Restoration

What is included in this course?

72 Hours of Course Lectures
With geoff lawton as your main teacher and supported by his skilful teacher assistants.
Extra Curriculum Practical Permaculture Morning Sessions
Each morning you will be invited to participate in practical arid permaculture farm activities
On Site Accommodation
Camping sites, hot showers and toilet facilities will be available to you.
Traditional Jordanian Lunch Made With Food Grown On Site.
As well as some organic food products brought in locally
Final Design Exercise
You will get the chance to put your new skills to the test and produce a permaculture design.
PDC Permaculture Design Certificate
Upon Successful course completion. you will receive your PDC, Approved and Signed by Geoff Lawton.
Eco lodge accommodation available to book separately Book Here

About the Teachers

GEOFF LAWTON


Geoff Lawton is the main facilitator for this PDC course. He is a Permaculture consultant, designer and teacher. He first took his Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) Course with Bill Mollison in 1983. He holds a Diploma in Permaculture Education, Design, Implementation, System Establishment, Administration and Community Development given by the founder of Permaculture, Bill Mollison. Read More

Geoff has undertaken hundreads of jobs teaching, consulting, designing, administrating and implementing, in 6 continents and close to 50 countries around the world. Clients have included private individuals, groups, communities, governments, aid organizations, non-government organisations and multinational companies.

He has currently educated over 15,000 students in Permaculture worldwide. These include graduates of the Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) Course and courses focused on the practical design of sustainable soil, water, plant, and legal and economic systems.

Course Outline

DAY 1
  • - Introductions by participants
  • - Brief background and course expectations.
  • - Course administration, timetable and scheduling.
  • - Using the Design Manual as a text-book and other available references.
  • - Definition of permaculture
  • - History and philosophy of permaculture.
  • - The Ethics and The Principles.
  • - Permaculture in landscape, society and community context.
  • - The evidence of why we need to act, key global challenges.
  • - The Bill of Human Rights.
  • - Principle summary.
    - References.

DAY 2

- Tradition, culture and belief systems.
- Life principles and natural laws stated.
- The methods of design, resources, yields, cycles, food webs, growth.
- Vegetarianism and dietary 'isms.
- Complexity, connections, order and chaos, permitted and forced functions.
- Inter-active diversity, stability, fertility, sustainable productivity and profitability, time and yield.
- Functional Design Development - Analysis, Observation and Deductions from nature
- Sector Planning - Slope, Key Points, orientation, aspect, data overlay - Zones and their placement,
- Designing in zones 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
- Random assembly of element lists and subsets cross referenced.
- Flow diagrams, options and decisions, incremental design and guilds.
- Succession, evolution, establishment and maintenance.
- Principle summary and summary of design methods.
- The cultivated ecology, practical procedures of property design.
- References.

DAY 3

- The humid, temperate, cold, arid, continental climates plus variations.
- Global weather patterns, the engines of atmosphere.
- Humid, arid and minor landscape profiles and orthographic effects. Latitude and altitude.
- Precipitation, radiation and wind.
- References.
- Designers checklist.

DAY 4

- Definition of forest and the biomass of a tree.
- Temperature, wind, total precipitation, snow and melt water effect.
- Root, mineral and rain interactions.
- Implications for design,
- The many types of forest.
- Establishing forest.
- Maintaining extending and enhancing forest.
- Establishing a nursery seed collection and in ground plant stock.
- References.
- Summary

DAY 5
- The humid, temperate, cold, arid, continental climates plus variations.
- Global weather patterns, the engines of atmosphere.
- Humid, arid and minor landscape profiles and orthographic affects. Latitude and altitude.
- Precipitation, radiation and wind.
- References.
- Designers checklist.

DAY 6
- Definition of forest and the biomass of a tree.
- Temperature, wind, total precipitation, snow and melt water effect.
- Root, mineral and rain interactions.
- Implications for design,
- The many types of forest.
- Establishing forest.
- Maintaining extending and enhancing forest.
- Establishing a nursery seed collection and in ground plant stock.
- References.
- Summary

DAY 7
- Chemical & structural properties of water
- Regional interventions and the water cycle.
- Water harvesting earthworks for conservation and storage.
- Rain water harvesting, biological water cleaning systems, irrigation and gravity designs.
- Water reduction in sewage systems.
- Water in design.

- Soils direct link to health,
- Traditional methods of investigating soils.
- The pH, organic matter content and primary nutrients,
- Soil pores and crumb structure importance.
- Soil structure and its relationship to life elements, water and base rocks.
- Legumes as nitrogen fixers and the phosphate accumulating plants.
- Plants and biological elements as deficiency indicators and mineral accumulators.
- Difficult soils.
- Composting as an easily understood art form of humus creation.
- Seed pelleting, soil erosion and rehabilitation.
- Establishing a worm farm.
- Soils in house foundations.
- Designing for catastrophe, fire, flood, drought, earthquake, landslip and tsunami.

- Earthwork design concept planning.
- Planting after earthworks.
- Types of earthworks, earth constructions and earth resources.
- Understanding the surveying of basic levels and slope measurement.
-Using a farmer's level, dumpy level, A-frame and water levels
- Technique of building a dam, swales, earth banks, terraces, roads and drains.
-Using the right machine for the job.
- References. Note: Design exercise presented to students on a real piece of land with realistic design brief for the local area.
- Teacher takes on the role as the land owner (if land owner not available) Students are split up into working groups, each with different design briefs.

- Climate types, tropical soils and earth-shaping,
- House design and home garden.
- Integrated land management, elements of a village complex in the tropics.
- Evolving a polyculture, themes on a palm dominant polyculture.
- Pioneering, animal tractor systems and grassland and rangeland management.
- Humid tropical coast stabilisation and shelterbelts.
- Low islands and coral cay strategies.

- Precipitation, temperature, soils.
- Landscape features in deserts, harvesting water in arid lands.
- The desert house, the desert garden, garden irrigation systems.
- Desert settlement and broad strategies.
- Plant themes for drylands, desertification and the salting of soils.
- Cold montane deserts.

- Characteristics of a humid cool climate, soils, landform and water conservation.
- Settlement and house design, the home garden, berry fruits, glasshouse growing.
- Orchards, farm forestry, free range forage systems, the lawn.
- Grasslands, rangelands, cold climates, wildfire.

  • The case for aquaculture,
    - History and cultural variations.
    - Implementing an aquaculture design, species selection and yield.
    - Aquaculture as part of design and food supply.
    - Aquaculture plant and animal species.
    - Farming invertebrates for fish food.
    - Appropriate techniques, channel, canal and chinampa.
    - Polyculture traditional and new.
    - Designers check list. - References.

- The invisible structures.
- Alternative global nation. Right livelihood.
- Setting up a local permaculture group and working network.
- Community gardens, establishing city farms, urban strategies and land access.
- LETS, alternative money, bioregional organization, village development, ethical investment.
- Working in different cultures with sensitivity, effective aid.

 

You will work in groups together with other class mates to create and design a permaculture design as your final design exercise to put the theory you have just learned into practice.

- Diploma information.
- Permaculture academy. Certification and student intention affirmations.
- Feedback opportunity on course materials/teaching/activities
- Photographs and goodbyes.

Some variations in the outline may occur. Please be ready to be flexible, thank you. Please contact us if you have any questions on: education@perrnaculturenews.org 

chengie Sudavora
Ben Horne

Reviews

Greening The Desert Project
5 Stars - Based on 21 User Reviews
Ann-Britt Sternfeldt

  A great tool for survival on a planet that is facing a very unpredictible future. - 7/16/2019 

Josefine Demelbauer

  We have to plant trees. It's hurry!!!!! - 6/22/2019 

Matt Moose

  Here's a living blueprint for transforming no end of damaged landscapes into productive polycultures. - 3/23/2019 

Aida Iturregui

  Amazing project!! Loved the visit, the people, the dates and the smoothie at the Cafe!! Thanks for having us!! - 3/18/2019 

John Pennington

  it is amazing what can be accomplished with applied knowledge! - 1/17/2019 

Edi Albert

  A truly impressive achievement! - 1/17/2019 

Alejandro Al Waheidi

  it's amazing place , everyone should visit it - 12/23/2018 

Marion Parsons

  Helping change things for the better for all - 12/23/2018 

Ian Samson

  Transforming desert into green - 11/07/2018 

Permaculture Jordan Amman

  one of the most Pioneer projects that gives hope for better future - 9/22/2018 

About The Location

This is a truly eye-opening location to earn your PDC. You will be studying on the lowest point of the earth in one of the most testing climates to practice Permaculture. With arid soil and very little rainfall, you will be viewing permaculture practices at their maximum potential.

The local population is made up of traditional Bedouin tribes and long-term refugees stemming from displacement of local populations from within Palestine. The project site is typical of the area – a marginal arid land low-income settlement.

At the project site you will see examples of energy-efficient appropriate housing with natural cooling systems, arid climate plant nursery, solar electricity, solar hot water, biological waste water treatment recycling, dry compost toilets, rain water harvesting earthworks and diverse interactive plant, animal and tree systems for local food production and processing.

The course will be taught in the lecture room at the project's demonstration house which also features: eco-lodge accommodation options, permaculture cafe and gift shop,  administration office for the project and the local permaculture group.

The project permaculture gardens are designed as a model that can be replicated within the local village, throughout Jordan and other countries in the region.

Getting Here From The Airport

Airport Taxi to the site is JD$40 approximately. Upon request,
The farm is in the South Shouna region, in al Jawfa-Jawasreh Village, second right turn
behind the Jawasreh School for girls. Farm Manager, Hayel : +962 79 534 4376
The Coordinates for the location is: 31.871754,35.631470 or 31°52'18.3"N 35°37'53.3"E
You can find it on Google Maps here.

Here is the Adress in Arabic to show to your taxi driver:

الجمعیة الاردنیة للبیئة النوعي
الشونة الجنوبیة , الجوفة , الجواسرة, ثاني دخلة
على الیمین خلف مدرسة الجواسرة الثانویة
.للبنات
الرجاء الاتصال على الرقم التالي للاست فسار

+962 79 534 4376 هایل

What You Will Need to bring with you?

  • Sun hat and sunglasses
  • Good walking or working shoes
  • Casual and comfortable clothing – natural fabrics recommended for coolness
  • Sunscreen
  • Water bottle
  • Flashlight/headlamp
  • Your own bedding (sheets etc.)
  • Ample supply of any needed medications
  • Tent if needed (depending on accommodation option)
  • Sleeping bag and hiking mattress if needed
  • Sandals
  • Personal toiletries

Course Times

8.30am to 5.30pm.

Future Studies and Opportunities

The Permaculture Design Course at the Greening The Desert Project PRI Jordan (PDC) serves as a foundation for further permaculture work and study and is a prerequisite for the Diploma in Permaculture Design, offered through The Permaculture Institute. Credit for this course is now accepted by a growing number of universities around the world. To date, thousands of permaculture designers worldwide have been certified through this course, and now comprise a global network of educators, ecological activists who influence major corporations, individuals creating new business alternatives and groups of committed people working together to change the way we view and design into our landscapes.

All prices are in Australian dollars, including GST. An early bird discount is available if the course fee is paid 21 days prior to the course start date.

Refund Policy

Refunds Policy

Sometimes circumstances change and you may be unable to attend a course you have paid for. If so, there are a few options available;

If you notify us at least 14 days prior to the course commencement, PRI will refund your course fee but will deduct an
administration fee of 30%, deposits are not refundable, OR you can apply the full amount as credit towards a future course.

If you notify us less than 14 days prior to the course commencement PRI cannot provide a refund OR you can send
someone else in your place.

The Greening The Desert Project reserves the right to cancel or discontinue advertised courses, if an insufficient number of attendees/ low attendance or due to unforeseen circumstances on the behalf of the GTDP requires us to not proceed with the advertised offer, you will immediately receive a full refund. All other refunds can take between 7-30 days to process.

Please strongly note, that travel to and from the Greening the Desert Project site is the attendee’s responsibility. You are encouraged to liaise with the GTDP about numbers of attendees and the potential of course cancellation prior to booking travel. The PRI/GTDP is not responsible for any loss or travel reimbursement, should the course be discontinued.

Cultural Sensitivity

The Jordan Valley is home to an ancient and classical civilisation that has had many cultures, traditions, and peoples cross through its land and also settle within it. International students are requested to be culturally sensitive to the Islamic traditions and Muslim social protocol. A full orientation will be provided.

General Guidelines for all Participants

  1. Showing respect for oneself.
  2. Open and receptive attitude toward cross cultural communication.
  3. Willingness to ask questions whenever necessary.
  4. Conservative attire is recommended.
  5. Wearing shirts at all times.
  6. For women - Long skirts or pants (Shorts considered offensive).
  7. For men -  Shorts are acceptable (but must be at least to the knee).
  8. Sobriety at all times during the PDC course.
  9. Respect for elders, religious traditions and practice, and community leaders.
  10. Not photographing locals without permission, especially not  local women and children.
  11. Respecting Muslim gender relation etiquette.
  12. Not touching or shaking hands of Muslim adults of the opposite gender without permission.
  13. Not displaying overly intimate affection in public with wife/husband or partner.
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