The Art Of Permaculture

The Art of Permaculture is a current workshop open for interactive discussion. for the Full workshop presentation: click here.
You can join the discussion here in these documents. You may edit and contribute to the files before, during or after the workshops.
Here are the INTERACTIVE SPACES:
1. A collection of art-form ideas that could help our efforts to communicate better the very complex concepts and holistic nature of Permaculture.
2. How to work with an artist to create a great artwork with a clear message.
These workshops will be held in Bega Australia at the South Coast Permaculture Convergence and then at Harmony Park, MI USA at North American Permaculture Convergence

Permaculture Is…?

Natural Lifestyle Make-Over

“The real systems that are beginning to fail are the soils, forests, the atmosphere, and nutrient cycles. It is we who are responsible for that. We haven’t evolved anywhere in the west (and I doubt very much elsewhere except in tribal areas) any sustainable systems in agriculture or forestry. We don’t have a system.”  [Mollison] Permaculture is about designing systems.
Permaculture is a design method.
It uses natural energies to meet the needs and process the waste of our lifestyles. Essentially, we can apply permaculture design thinking to the design of a single tool as easily to the re-design of a farm or a huge corporation.
The designs we create are not static, they move with time but working structure, goals and principles stay intact.  Using a Permaculture system is like riding a bike, we can maneuver around and over obstacles because we understand how it works, we can ‘ride the system’. Permaculture Designs are flexible and allow for evolution of ideas and adapt to the likely changes such as ageing. The system ages but it renews itself because it is modelled on natural systems such as forests.
“Initiatives that are taken tend to evolve from strategies that focus on efficiency (for example, more accurate and controlled uses of inputs and minimisation of waste) to substitution (for example, from more to less disruptive interventions, such as from biocides to more specific biological controls and other more benign alternatives) to redesign — fundamental changes in the design and management”. (Hill & MacRae 1995, Hill et al 1999)

Global search for sustainable solutions

Today a lot of people are searching for sustainable solutions.  They realise that climate change will not have a gradual impact on some distant land, it will have some dramatic storms, serious losses and the effect will ripple around the globe. For some people it may only mean at first that bananas become very expensive, over time they will wonder why.  Most people are aware of their impact and want to do something positive. Substituting a harmful product for a less harmful one is their first step. Another step is to focus on efficiency (value for their effort) their actions include choices to support public transport and libraries, hired equipment, and green government initiatives.
The most sustainable choice is for people to consider their ‘whole-of-life’ and see the value in redesign for their lifestyle.

Work Local Think Global

Permaculture is about helping people make redesign choices: set new goals and a shift in thinking that effects not only their home but their actions in the workplace, borrowings and investments.
“Examples include the design and employment of complex transport solutions, optimum use of natural resources such as sun light, radical design of information-rich, multi-storey polyculture systems.” (Mollison & Slay 1991)

Shift in the nature of one’s dependence

“This progression generally involves a shift in the nature of one’s dependence — from relying primarily on universal, purchased, imported, technology-based interventions to more specific locally available knowledge and skill-based ones. This usually eventually also involves fundamental shifts in world-views, senses of meaning, and associated lifestyles“.. “My experience is that although efficiency and substitution initiatives can make significant contributions to sustainability over the short term, much greater longer-term improvements can only be achieved by redesign strategies; and, furthermore, that Steps need to be taken at the outset to ensure that efficiency and substitution strategies can serve as stepping stones and not barriers to redesign.””
Professor Stuart B. Hill ([991].

Permaculture teaches some basic Principles based on nature.

We aim to observe nature and design human systems that utilise natural energies.  The Bear hibernates in a naturally stable environment, a cave underground. We too can use a cave for food preservation. The termite creates a stable environment above ground by building insulated walls, we can too. The Sunflower’s head turns with the sun and bends in the wind. So does the simple but effective clothes hoist: wind and sun, spin. It is the ultimate model for efficient clothes drying equipment.


Learn more about Permaculture in a Permaculture Course

Walk the talk

Walking The Talk

Permaculture Visions is the brainchild, dedicated homesite and teaching project of the Mother Goose Of Permaculture – April Sampson-Kelly.  She has been researching, designing, nurturing, planting, writing, photographing, painting and teaching permaculture worldwide since 1993.
April was trained by Jude and Michel Fanton and Rosemary Morrow. Her early supporters were few: Bill Mollison and Janet Millington. In the early days most people argued you couldn’t teach a practical skill such as permaculture online, now everyone wants to do it. Teaching online is a very specialist skill and the standard of our graduates is exceptional. This has been a testament to what we can do together and makes our efforts worthwhile.
Permaculture Visions is now a family business spanning 3 generations. We are based in the outer fringes of a small coastal Australian city called Wollongong. Our home and office for our worldwide teaching project is based within our beautiful Demonstration Site.
We cherish our close contact with the bushland and have a strong appreciation of our surrounding forests and animals. 20 years ago we wanted to raise our children close to nature and in a caring community so we decided to dedicate a significant part of our professional
off-site incomes and personal energy to building a small food forest which is now starting to mature, has won some awards and has always offered us sanctuary, education, entertainment and food in return.  Our personal interests lie in growing unusual food plants especially berries.

how to enrol

Permaculture Course – Enrol Me

Pay in American Dollars | Pay in Australian Dollars | Pay in New Zealand Dollars

• Tell us a little about yourself:

  There are just a few steps for enroling in your course of a lifetime. We would like to know 1. your name & country 2. your email so we can answer you, 3. please choose which course and 4. advise us how you wish to pay. 5. There is a Captcha at the end sorry, but that is to prove you are person and not a robot. (yes, Robots could benefit from this course too)
• Name:*
• Country of Residence
• Email:*
  Enter EmailConfirm Email

• Which course would you like?

  Select the course you want to enroll in. Discounted rates for couples and groups. Options for full or part payment. Course is delivered by downloads. You are permitted to print for personal use.
• Introductory Course [1st Module of Permaculture Design Course] $225pp or Couple Rate $300
  (12 hours) This is the first module of 3 modules of the full PDC more info on TopicsCouple Rate explained here
• 
  
• Full Permaculture Design Course [PDC] $620pp or Couples or Group Rates
• Name of Study Group
  If you are enrolling as part of a group please write name of group

• Other courses

• PDC Refresher Course for Graduates of any other Permaculture Design Course
  Price: $ 300.00 Quantity:
  PDC Refresher Course. Have you already got a PDC? Want to renew and develop your skills? Want to be able to work toward our Diploma?
• Ethical Small Business Course
  Price: $ 195.00 Quantity:
• Permaculture Diploma ~ Our Graduates Only
• Total
  $ 0.00
• Address (optional)
  Street AddressCityState / Province / RegionZIP / Postal CodeCountry
• Phone Number.
  This is entirely OPTIONAL but often enables us to help you if you have difficulties enrolling
• payment by:
  • Paypal - Pay now
  • Cheque or Postal Money Order
  • Direct Deposit/Internet Transfer

When you apply to study with us you get immediate access to the start of the course. If, for the unlikely reason we cannot enrol you at this time, we ask that you accept our gift of free access to the first files. Thank you for being part of our world-wide effort to create a better future for all.  You can call us for help about how to enrol.  Phone  61 2 42285774 Australian Business Hours or you can contact us by email.
We have special fee options to help people get skilled in permaculture. We offer Individual, Couple or Group Rates, Pay-as-you-learn or pay in full. You can check out our Course Outlines and below is a little diagram of how we work.
write to us for details.
CLICK HERE IF YOU WISH TO START THE COURSE NOW
We hope you are able to download your course files  and you have been able to start your studies.  Access to the first files was offered when you apply to enrol. If this didn’t work for you, you can now go to http://www.permaculturevisions.org/1-1-AboutTheCourse.pdf

Here is our procedure for enrollments.
1. If you have elected to pay electronically, or by cheque or mail order please go ahead with your payment.  When we receive your fees we send you a welcome letter with instructions including your student number shortly after you enrol.  The letter includes an invitation to apply to join our mailing list. Our moderator is Megan.  If you have elected to pay via credit card, we send you a request for payment through paypal or another secure system of your choosing.
You can start sending homework now so please just use the date of your enrolment as your temporary number until you receive your receipt with an official student number.
2. Passwords to the subsequent files and your official student number are sent upon receipt of payment of your course fees.If you have paid and not received your passwords, please let us know.
If you are unable to pay, please let us know so we can discuss options to defer.
Here is a quick sketch illustrating how our system works. Your enrolment is online and automatically sent to us from the webpage. We approve and process this enrolment during our next business day, we request or check payments, then we email you the passwords when paid, then you download the course notes, and send homework as emails. Within a week or two we send you a formal receipt containing your student number and inviting you to join our exclusive graduate and student mailing list.

contact us

Permaculture Designs A Better Future

We are celebrating 20 years and service in 60 countries. We are the little pioneers of online permaculture training and mentorship.  We proudly specialise in personally mentored, affordable online courses in Permaculture.
You can Enrol online with us and start right now.  Ours is the longest running permaculture webpage and award winning best practice permaculture course online of the world.
How did we survive so long?.. grow such a broad reach?.. and become so experienced? It was simple. We listened and responded to our students needs. We have built a huge course database that showcases excellent work by international projects and students worldwide.
We are not controlled by funding bodies or governed by other school curriculum but we do follow the advice of the Permaculture Australia Association.  We are inspired by the vision of permaculture pioneers such as Bill Mollison, David Holmgren, Rosmary Morrow, Jude and Michel Fanton, Robyn Francis and many other great innovators in the Permaculture worldwide. We have always supplied tailored tuition on a personal basis. This allowed us to listen closely to student needs.
Now with decades of experience we have developed unique methods to teach permaculture online. In 1993, with the support of Bill Mollison and Geoff Lawton we pioneered Online Permaculture Courses and continually develop our easy-to-use correspondence courses, taken at your own pace and place. Permaculture Visions provide online certificates and diplomas in permaculture. Our permaculture students are  in Australia & New Zealand, USA, Canada, UK, South America, across Europe, Asia, India and many remote places such as Tropical Islands and Desert Outposts. Our unique participants have always been the focus of our research and our low fees enable people of diverse cultures to participate.  We are proud of our graduates work.
We offer a free ethics course that gives you the first chapter of the 20 chapters of our traditional PDC plus lots of free information.   We regularly generate free information, commentary, photos, illustrations, cartoons and designs to celebrate permaculture.  Permaculture designs healthy living systems based on natural solutions. Our organic and productive Demonstration site has developed several happy innovations.  We are a carbon-negative eco-business and uphold ISO and EMS standards.  Our vision is a better future for everyone by working sustainably with nature.

Here is a testimonial from one of our customers: “Thank you for a wonderful experience at Permaculture Visions.  I was pleasantly surprised to see the tremendous amount of information you provide and the level of detail you offer in your modules. At first I wondered how a hands-on subject such as Permaculture would work in an online format, but I quickly found that you provided so much information and guidance that I was able to successfully implement the concepts in my own living space and really make the most of my experience. Your feedback on my assignments was always helpful and your thought-provoking questions made me think things through where I needed to. All in all a great experience. Thanks again. Blyth McManus Maryland, US”
“This subject changed the course of my life” Belinda P
All of the work at Permaculture Visions is carried out without grants or external supports. If you find the information on this site useful consider ordering one of the Courses or make a donation to ensure our work can continue. We value your support and encouragement.

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