Subject: Permaculture Design Course in the DC/Baltimore/York Area

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 10:58:34 -0500

The Fifth Annual Permaculture Design Course 
Heathcote Center, Freeland, MD 
July 10–25, 1999

Hosted by The Greater Baltimore Permaculture Group

Sponsored by Heathcote Center, Dancing Green, Inc., and The School of Living

WHAT IS PERMACULTURE?
Permaculture is an approach to planning human settlements that uses
intelligent design to increase the abundance of natural systems and the
efficiency of human activities. It is rooted in the careful observation of the
natural patterns characteristic of a particular site. The integration of human
environments with natural cycles is key to Permaculture. 

Permaculture applies techniques and principles from ecology, cooperative
economics, appropriate technology, sustainable agriculture, and the wisdom of
indigenous people to create sustainable human environments, at home, at work,
at play, and in our communities.

WHY PERMACULTURE?
We are living on a planet in crisis. The political and economic systems that
have given rise to our modern lifestyles have created societies that consume
more than they produce. The products and by-products of this consumer culture
are polluting the Earth’s biosphere and destroying our fragile life support systems.

During the mid-1970s, Bill Mollison, an Australian ecologist, began the
development of the principles, philosophy, and methodologies of permaculture,
or “permanent agri/culture.” Since 1978, tens of thousands of people worldwide
have graduated from permaculture design courses and are continuing the
evolution and development of permaculture practices in their local bioregions
and communities.

To make the transition toward a sustainable society, it is imperative that we
take responsibility for our own lives and meet our basic needs for food,
shelter, energy, gainful employment, and supportive community. Permaculture is
an ethical and holistic technique for creating sustainable culture.

ABOUT THE COURSE
Our 5th annual Permaculture Design Course at Heathcote Center is a
comprehensive, 16-day residential program that covers the entire range of
permaculture topics, including hands-on implementation of permanent cultural
systems. The course culminates in the presentation of a student-created
design. Permaculture education is a synthesis of classroom and participatory
learning, interactive education, observation exercises, role-playing, guided
meditation, visioning, group sharing, and creative problem-solving.

Participants should read /Introduction to Permaculture/ by Bill Mollison prior
to beginning the course and come prepared for an active, outdoor, hands-on
experience in Maryland’s sultry summer weather.

FEATURED TOPICS
• Philosophy, principles and ethics of Permaculture 
• Ecosystem dynamics 
• Mapping and tool usage 
• Energy analysis and landscape design 
• Building and protecting soils 
• Conserving and managing water 
• Agroforestry and edible landscaping 
• Livestock and wildlife 
• Local useful and edible plants 
• Waste and nutrient cycling 
• Permaculture in an urban setting 
• Appropriate building technologies
• Alternative and cooperative economic systems
• Psychosocial sustainability, consensus and conflict resolution

Plus field trips, hands-on workshops, and more!

WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE?
This course will benefit gardeners, farmers, landscape architects, urban
planners, environmental engineers, developers, environmental activists,
homesteaders, teachers, and anyone with an interest in learning creative,
holistic solutions to the challenge of human sustainability. 

Design course graduates will become certified Permaculture Design Apprentices
upon completion of the design course. 

DESIGN COURSE CO-GUIDES
Tonya Boston-Sagar has a BA and an MS in Social Ecology (the study of the
interrelationship between culture and nature) with a concentration in
bioregional studies. She does organic gardening incorporating permaculture
principles and grows medicinal herbs.

Charles Curtiss enjoys discovering, practicing, and sharing ever more
sustainable ways of living. He has 22 years of experience as a Montessori
teacher and has assisted with three Permaculture design courses.

Linda Felch is a student in Environmental Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
She lives at Heathcote Community where she enjoys gardening and foraging.

dawn gifford helps foster urban sustainability by teaching organic gardening,
nutrient cycling and permaculture principles to public-housing residents,
inner-city high school students, and homeless people living in Washington,
D.C. She has formal education in soils, botany and landscape design and
drafting. Dawn grows and markets medicinal herbs and stewards a friendly hive
of orchard mason bees. 

Tom Hopkins is a small-scale organic farmer who incorporates permaculture
principles and has experience with community supported agriculture. He has an
MA in Environmental Planning and teaches college-level geography. He is also
an ex-manager of a multi-material recycling company, a musician, a poet, and a
cat lover.

John Irwin has an MA in Environmental Education and is the editor of the
American Permaculture Directory. He has completed two design courses, one
teacher training, and one practicum in Permaculture.

Karen Stupski is a graduate student in the History of Science, Medicine and
Technology at Johns Hopkins University and a caring communitarian.

dawn shiner, a permaculture designer, herbalist, and homeschooling mother,
will be present as our guiding elder. She began teaching Permaculture in 1987
at Slippery Rock University and has done numerous land consultations,
workshops, and design courses. Dawn and her family founded a non-profit
corporation, Dancing Green, to teach, demonstrate and design systems for the
general public—especially low-income people—to create bioregional
sustainability within our present culture.

ABOUT THE SITE
Located 30 miles north of Baltimore, MD, and 20 miles south of York, PA, the
Heathcote Center is nestled in a narrow valley on a 44-acre community land
trust that offers forest, stream, and hiking trails, as well as abundant
gardens and historic buildings. Heathcote Community is committed to providing
a working model of cooperative, sustainable living. For more information about
our site, please call 410-343-DIRT.

FOOD, LODGING AND OTHER AMENITIES
Vegetarian meals and lodging in the Conference Center bunkroom are included in
the design course fee. Tent sites are also available. Care for children age 5
and up is available with prior notification at an additional cost. With
advanced notice, special accommodations can be made for those with food
allergies, chemical sensitivity, or handicap.

Heathcote Community is committed to providing an allergen-free space for our
members and guests with chemical sensitivities and environmental illness. We
respectfully request that you neither smoke nor wear perfumed or
strongly-scented products while visiting Heathcote Center.

WHO IS GBPG?
The Greater Baltmore Permaculture Group (GBPG) is an organization that seeks
to demonstrate sustainable living and to educate the public and ourselves. We
are volunteers who serve as co-teachers for permaculture educational events.
Our main demonstration site is at the Heathcote Center. Our group is
developing demonstration sites at Cromwell Valley Park in Towson, Maryland,
and at River Pearl Farm in Glen Rock, Pennsylvania.

1999 PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE REGISTRATION
Preregistration is required. Enrollment is limited to 20 participants.

Name______________________________________________________

Phone______________________________________________________

Email_______________________________________________________

Address	____________________________________________________

_______ 1999 Permaculture Design Course  $775 ($100 minimum deposit required) 
		Work exchange or tuition assistance are available; please call.

_______ /Introduction to Permaculture/ by Bill Mollison (required reading)  $20

_______ /The Earth-User's Guide to Permaculture/ by Rosemary Morrow  $20

_______ My donation is enclosed to help make permaculture education accessible
to more 	people.

_______ Total (Please make checks payable to GBPG. Balances are due on July
10, 1999)

send to:
Heathcote Center
21300 Heathcote Road
Freeland, MD 21053
717-227-2783
[email-masked]
http://welch.jhu.edu/~lfelch/heathcote.html

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