14th Annual Permaculture Design Course in Winlaw, BC
By Contributor
The Kootenay Permaculture Institute in partnership with Selkirk College is offering the 14th annual Permaculture Design Course in Winlaw, August 16-29, 2015.
Permaculture is a holistic approach to land-use planning.
The permaculture concept originated in Australia in the late 70s and now many people, organizations and companies around the world are using permaculture design principles to plan and create more ecological and resilient projects.
Permaculture is the conscious use of ecological principles in designing self-sustaining food, fibre and energy producing ecosystems. The idea is to set up regenerative systems that work with nature — using a diverse number of species and activities, interdependence, recycling and conservation — with perennial plants including trees to produce a stable and self-reliant dynamic system.
Permaculture design evolved from the observation of natural ecosystems that are usually abundant, resilient and often very diverse in species and in the relationship between species.
You can create an abundance and diversity of food in your own backyard by using permaculture design principles and techniques while using only a small amount of energy, resources and time to implement and maintain the design.
Permaculture systems can be developed in any climate and on any scale. Some Permaculture designs have been implemented across Canada & around the world for balconies, urban backyards, small farms and for entire village.
The Permaculture Design Course will cover the principles of permaculture design and the different techniques that can be used on your land or in your small urban backyard. It will include many hands-on activities at the farm in the Slocan Valley.
The farm where the course is being held was started in 1993 using permaculture principles. It now produces a diversity of perennial vegetables, berries, fruits and nuts as well as many medicinal herbs and other useful plants. The participants will also work on a permaculture design exercise. Some of the topics covered during the course will include: Permaculture principles and techniques, site analysis, soil fertility, organic gardening, edible landscaping, fruit and nut trees, agroforestry, microclimate, water uses, forest ecosystems, land restoration, ecological building and urban permaculture.
The instructor Gregoire Lamoureux has been living in the West Kootenay for over 25 years and is one of the most experienced Permaculture teachers in Canada. His knowledge and experience with local plant including edible plants that are well adapted to the climate of the region will guide the participants in their choices of plants for their project.
Gregoire’s work experience includes market garden, greenhouse production, orcharding, ecological restoration, landscaping and forestry work.
Guest speakers will include Barb Hazenveld who grew up in Alberta and traveled to Australia where she learned permaculture with Bill Mollison. Barb holds a horticulture diploma from Olds College, a Permaculture diploma from the Permaculture Institute of Australia, a Bachelor of Music and a post-graduate Education diploma.
Barb has taught Permaculture in Australia, Canada, Palestine & China. She has been living in Alberta since 2008 with her husband and two children. Shanoon Bennett who is an environmental educator and founder of Huckleberry Adventures which is a program dedicated to instilling appreciation for the wonders found in the wilds of our backyards.
She is also an avid wildcrafter and loves to share her knowledge, passion and experience of the botanical treasures found from valley bottom to mountain top with diverse experience in ecological and sustainable living.
