What is Permaculture & Whole Systems Design?
Permaculture is an ethically based whole-systems design approach that uses concepts, principles, and methods derived from ecosystems, nature connected communities, and other time-tested systems to create human settlements and institutions. It’s also been called “saving the planet while throwing a better party.” Learn more about permaculture.
Grounded in the context of Permaculture & Whole Systems Design, this course covers a wide range of topics, including:
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Food Forests
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Fruit Tree Pruning and Care
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Agroforestry
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Nature Awareness
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Rehydrating the Earth
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Creating Water Retention Landscapes
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Rainwater Catchment
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Gabions
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Berms and Swales
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Greywater
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No-Till Agriculture & Carbon Farming
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Preparing Garden Beds for Planting
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Cover Cropping
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Mycorrhizal Network & Fungi
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Soil Ecology
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Composting
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Natural Building & Cob Construction
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Plant Guilds
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Crop Planning
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School Gardens
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Urban Gardens & Orchards
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Sudden Oak Life
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Integrated Animal Husbandry
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Holistic Management & Rotational Grazing
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Local Food Systems
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Designing to Mitigate Disaster
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Bioregional Networks
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The World Café
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The Work That Reconnects
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Nonviolent Communication
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Financial Permaculture
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Alternative Currencies
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Economic Permaculture
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Public Banking
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Community Development
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City Repair
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Transition Towns
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Social Permaculture
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Intentional Communities & Ecovillages
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Neighborhood Resilience
Our Approach
The Santa Cruz Permaculture Design Certificate course, certified by PINA, the Permaculture Institute of North America, includes the internationally recognized 72-hour curriculum, augmented by an additional 38-hours of hands on practice and field trips. Plus, folks have the option to camp on site, and build community around the fire!
Our course brings in leading designers and teachers from around the region, each experts in different areas of permaculture. The Santa Cruz Permaculture network of instructors, alumni, community partners, and resources continues to grow each season, and by participating in our course, you become part of this network! Read interviews with our alumni here to learn how folks use the skills and knowledge they gain in this course.
Additionally, course participants work in teams throughout the program to design a holistic permaculture plan for a real-life site in the community. The hands-on learning, workshops, and readings throughout the course prepare students with knowledge and whole systems thinking strategies that allow them to create detailed and thoughtful designs.
Permaculture Design Course 6-Month Fall/Winter Program (PDC-23)
Individual Weekend Attendance Available
Class typically runs 9am – 5:30pm both days, with a lunch break.
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October 7 & 8, 2023 – Regenerative Design & Nature Awareness
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November 4 & 5, 2023 – Regenerating Watersheds & Soils
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December 2 & 3, 2023 – Personal & Economic Permaculture
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January 6 & 7, 2024 – Home Scale Permaculture: Creating Natural Homes & Edible Landscapes
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February 3 & 4, 2024 – Broad Scale Permaculture for Ecosystem Regeneration: Integrated Animal Husbandry & Forest Management
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March 2 & 3, 2024 – Social Permaculture, Community Development, & Design Presentations
Permaculture Design Course Summer Intensive (PDC-25)
July 12-25, 2024
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Our 2-week intensive covers the same curriculum as our 6-month course.
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The 2-week intensive is followed by our 8-day Advanced Permaculture Design Course. Please consider joining us for both courses.
Permaculture Design Course 6-Month Spring/Summer Program (PDC-24)
Class typically runs 9am – 5:30pm both days, with a lunch break.
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April 13 & 14, 2024 – Regenerative Design & Nature Awareness
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May 4 & 5, 2024 – Regenerating Watersheds & Soils
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June 1 & 2, 2024 – Personal & Economic Permaculture
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July 6 & 7, 2024 – Home Scale Permaculture: Creating Natural Homes & Edible Landscapes
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August 3 & 4, 2024 – Broad Scale Permaculture for Ecosystem Regeneration: Integrated Animal Husbandry & Forest Management
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September 7 & 8, 2024 – Social Permaculture, Community Development, & Design Presentations

Session Descriptions
Regenerative Design & Nature Awareness
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Explore the principles and ethics of permaculture
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Learn design processes and methods for articulating client goals and desired outcomes, and site analysis
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Study ecology and employ natural patterns as a design tool
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Participate in a World Cafe with fellow students to access the collective intelligence of the community
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Practice nature awareness and observation
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Learn to add value to current systems and practices through the lens of regenerative design

Regenerating Watersheds & Soils
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Learn about watersheds, climate, and the importance of slowing, spreading, and sinking rainfall to rehydrate the earth
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Study simple water harvesting systems from home to broadacre scale, including rainwater catchment methods and greywater design
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Explore the characteristics and management of healthy soil ecology with hands-on lessons and time in the garden
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Build a compost pile and prepare the garden soil for planting
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Find contour by making a-frame levels and build a berm and swale to slow and sink water into the soil

Personal & Economic Permaculture
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Learn and practice nonviolent communication
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Participate in a Work that Reconnects workshop and learn about the Spiral of the Work That Reconnects
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Discuss and reflect on Right Livelihood and your role in the Great Turning
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Explore strategies for mitigating disaster through community resilience, permaculture design, and creating disaster plans
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Gain an understanding of financial permaculture, challenges with our current economic system, and concepts like money and banking
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Learn about topics like alternative currencies, public banking, and ways to align your investments with your values
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Discuss how to translate ecological principles to a variety of social, economic, and educational settings
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Discuss public placemaking examples like City Repair in Portland

Home Scale Permaculture: Creating Natural Homes & Edible Landscapes
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Learn about natural building techniques
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Gain hands-on experience building a small structure with cob
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Learn about crop planning strategies
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Tour the UC Santa Cruz Farm and Chadwick Garden
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Explore the application of permaculture methods to educational curriculum design and the creation of school garden programs
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Study food forests and fruit trees
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Define and design “guilds” or constructed plant communities
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Discuss local food issues and the importance of localization

Broad Scale Permaculture for Ecosystem Regeneration: Integrated Animal Husbandry & Forest Management
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Tour local gardens and broadacre ranches that are applying permaculture principles to their animal husbandry practices, such as holistic grazing
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Learn about forest management practices, including Sudden Oak Life
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Implement Sudden Oak Life strategies
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Study and practice fruit tree pruning

Social Permaculture, Community Development & Design Presentations
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Explore the principles of social permaculture
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Learn about community designs and programs that foster resilient neighborhoods
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Explore best practices for starting and sustaining intentional communities and Ecovillages
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Visit urban gardens and orchards in Santa Cruz
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Present final permaculture design projects

Guides
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John Valenzuela – Agroforestry & Tropical Permaculture
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David Shaw – Sustainable Agriculture & Social Permaculture
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Lydia Neilsen – Watershed Restoration
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Janine Björnson and Miles Taylor – Natural Building
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Lee Klinger – Sudden Oak Life
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Della Duncan – Economics for Transition
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Kanyon Sayers-Roods – Traditional Ecological and Cultural Knowledge
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Doniga Markegard and Greg Richardson – Broadacre Permaculture
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And More!

Registration for 6-month Permaculture Courses
Tuition Rates – Please select the appropriate rate from the dropdown menu under “Payment Options.”
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$1,295 – Full 6-Month Tuition
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$1,195 – Early-Bird Discount – Register Before September 7, 2023 and Save $100
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$1,095 – Super Early-Bird Discount – Register Before August 7, 2023 and Save $200
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$995 – Partner / Spouse Discount – When one partner registers for the full course, the second gets a discount
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$995 – Teacher Discount – For K-12, College and University Teachers
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$795 – Youth Discount – When an adult registers for the full course, their youth gets a discount (ages 13-18)
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$325 – One Weekend Only
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Give someone the gift of permaculture! Purchase a gift card.
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Please Inquire about Payment Plans, Low-income and Youth POC Discounts
Registration for 2-week Permaculture Course, June 2024
July 12-25, 2024
Price includes meals during the entire duration of the course.
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$1,895 – Full 2-Week Tuition
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$1,795 – Early-Bird Discount – Register Before June 10, 2024 and Save $100
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$1,695 – Super Early-Bird Discount – Register Before May 10, 2024 and Save $200
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$1,695 – Partner / Spouse Discount – When one partner registers for the full course, the second gets a discount
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$1,695 – Teacher Discount – For K-12, College and University Teachers
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$1,395 – Youth Discount – When an adult registers for the full course, their youth gets a discount (ages 13-18)
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Give someone the gift of permaculture! Purchase a gift card.
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Please Inquire about Payment Plans, Low-income and Youth POC Discounts

