[Sdpg] Jane Higginson permaculture cert class

Tue Apr 9 11:47:47 PDT 2013

Friends and Prospective Students,

I am happy to announce that I will be offering a Permaculture Basic Design 
Certification Course (PDC) this spring/summer.  Those who successfully 
complete the course will be awarded a Certificate of Permaculture Design form 
the original Permaculture Institute. The course will be based out of San Diego 
east county, with an extended field trip to Imperial Valley and Arizona. 

I have been teaching permaculture since 1999 and have a Diploma of 
Permaculture Design as well as the Design Certificate. I took my PDC from Bill 
Mollison and Scott Pittman in 1996. I have master's in environmental planning. I 
am also a wildlife ecologist and have a small farm/nursery/orchard/wildlife 
refuge, as well as being a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and Trainer. 
Experienced guest instructors will also teach  topics of their specialization.

Contents: Course contents will be based on the core permaculture teaching from Bill 
Mollison's "Permaculture: A Designers' Manual." The fourteen chapter topics included in the text are introduction, concepts and themes in design, methods of design, pattern understanding, climatic factors, trees and their energy transactions, water, soils, earthworking, humid tropics, dryland strategies, humid cool to cold climates, aquaculture, and strategies of an alternative global nation. We will include additional complimentary topics and literature, such as basic ecology, pollinator gardening, habitat and native species ID, sustainable building, renewable energy, ethnobotany, and bio-regional cooking. 

Time frame: The course protocol states that it needs to be at least 72 hours long, but this course will be 
an estimated 90 to 100 hours long (not consecutive!) 
Course dates are as follows: Sun. April 28, Fri. May 3, Sat. May 4, Sun. May 5 (big field trip to Imperial Valley and Arizona), 
Sat. May 11, Sat. May 18, Sun. June 2, Sat. June 8, Sun. June 9, Sat. June 15, Sat. June 22, Sun. June 23; 
note that there may be variations due to weather and unforeseen circumstances, 
therefore two “make-up days” are included -- Sat. June 29 and Sun. June 30.
A syllabus and detailed calendar will be provided to those who are serious about taking the course. 

Travel: There will be one out-of town field trip through southern California and 
parts of Arizona to visit wetland restoration, water recycling, natural 
building and agriculture projects. The field 
trip will be from May 3, returning Sun. May 5. There will be a mini-van for this trip. 

Cost: There will be an enrollment fee of $227.00, which is due to Jane Higginson via check 
or cash no later than April 22, 2013. In addition, there will be tuition of 
$420.00, (due by the first day of class, 4/28/13), OR 45 hours of worktrade (to be completed by July7).  
If you are selected to be in the class, the mailing address for course payment will be provided to you. 
The cost of the van, entrance fees and lodging will be paid for by the course enrollment fee fund. 
There will be additional costs to the students of food 
(which will NOT be provided by the course), housing (if you are attending from 
out of town), and it is recommended, although not required, that you purchase 
Mollison's Designers' Manual as a reference. If you do not already have durable 
outdoor clothing, a hat, work gloves, and a reusable/portable, water bottle, 
you will need to also get those.
There may be additional local field trips during the course, in which we 
will carpool, and students will pool money for gas.  

Instructional methods: In addition to field trips, there will be hands-on projects, 
nature observation, journal writing/sketching/photography,  lectures, and discussions. There will be guest 
instructors. The students will create a permaculture conceptual design as a 
final project, which will be presented to the class and a small audience. 

Physical challenges: Due to the hands-on nature of the course which includes 
some physical work, warm-to-hot weather, steep slopes, and bright sunlight, 
please consider your ability to safely participate in the course before 
enrolling. All students will be required to sign a liability waiver. We will be 
outdoors in places that are also occupied by  mountain lions, rattlesnakes, and 
ticks (we will likely not encounter the first species). 

Class size: The class will be limited to six students plus the instructor, so  
there will be an interview process for enrollment. 

Worktrade: Priority will be given to students who would financially not be able 
to take the class otherwise. Those wishing to do worktrade must actually be able 
to do the work, which will be primarily medium duty physical labor in hot 
weather in the sun on steep slopes with unstable footing. We will often be 
carrying chunks of urbanite, digging in hard ground, and pushing around 
wheelbarrows of soil. Most worktrade will take place OUTSIDE  OF the scheduled 
class times, so make sure you are ready for this commitment. Worktrade hours 
(maximum of 45 per student) must be completed no later than July 7, 
or the tuition balance will be due to the instructor in cash.

There may be up to eight hours of worktrade for one student for help with driving on the long field trip.
There will be an interview process for selecting worktrade students.

If you are interested in enrolling in this Permauculture Design Certification Course, please call or email Jane Higginson, 

Archelonia 
Ecological and Permaculture, 
(619) 219-9311 
archelonia at cox.net 

Please note that there is no website for the course at this time. 

Thank You! I hope to hear from you! 

Jane 