Permaculture Design Certification

What is Permaculture?

Permaculture is a set of values and principles conducive to the harmonious integration of people, plants, and animals within an ecosystem. It is the conscious design of cultivated ecosystems that have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural systems. “Permaculture is a design discipline based on the foundational ecological principles of nature.” It’s a process of taking one’s observations of natural systems and applying the lessons learned to the human-based environment. Permaculture is something we “use” to discover what to “do”. It is a road map to finding our small place in the world as an integral part of the whole planetary system. Permaculture is a harmonious integration of the natural landscape design with human culture, providing food, energy, shelter, and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable, resilient, diverse and stable way.  Permaculture works with, rather than against nature.

What is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity is the term given to the variety of life on Earth. It is the variety within and between all species of plants, animals, and microorganisms and the ecosystems within which they live and interact. It also refers to the multitude of different ecosystems in which species form unique communities, interacting with one another and the air, water, and soil. All species depend on other species for survival. Ecosystems vary in size. A large stand of forest or a small pond can each be described as an ecosystem. Ecosystem diversity refers to the variety of ecosystems in a given place. Within any broader landscape, there is a mosaic of interconnected ecosystems. To conserve biodiversity, conservation at the landscape level is critical. This enables the protection of a representative array of interacting ecosystems and their associated species and genetic diversity.

What is a Shift to An Ecological, Regenerative New Paradigm?

Environmental Sociology advocates for a shift to an ecological paradigm that recognizes human-ecosystem interdependence and biological limits to societal phenomena. Many people around the world see great danger in our current social paradigm’s desire for constant unconstrained growth. It is clear there is not an endless bounty of resources and that growth should not be the driving force. Through “development” and globalization, people around the world are using more resources than the earth can renew, and therefore it is becoming clear that if we continue at current rates we will expend all our natural resources in trying to sustain our overpopulated world. Many environmentalists and activists see the current crisis we face in overpopulation and environmental destruction of land and want large-scale changes in countries’ policies and institutions. Consumers are identifying that they must take responsibility for their consumer choices and buy only what they truly need, recognizing that the process of manufacturing, products brought into the store and then quickly thrown away must change. In short, we need to shift to a new paradigm where we give back more than we take. Permaculture offers a scalable system of personal empowerment for individuals, organizations, communities, cities, provinces, countries, etc. to shift to an ecological, regenerative paradigm.