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  • From: MARTHA ANNE BOYD <boyd@students.wisc.edu>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [permaculture] Re: more on Sri Lanka course
  • Date: Thu, 03 Jul 2003 13:49:58 -0500

Sorry, the attachments didn't travel - here's more of the info - M

Permaculture Design Certificate & Cultural Immersion Programme, Sri Lanka
At the Sarvodaya Living & Learning Centre, Sri Lanka
DATES
18-29 November 2003
VENUE
The programme will be held in Sarvodaya’s Living & Learning Centre in Sri
Lanka, one of the Global Ecovillage Network’s approved Living & Learning
Centres. Approximately 40km from the beautiful coastal town of Hambantota in
Sri Lanka’s South East, the Living & Learning Centre is situated on 500 acres
of fertile agricultural and forest land. The property is home to 20 farming
families, who work their own small farms as well as communal areas such as
the rice paddies and water buffalo pastures. These families practice
traditional agricultural and water harvesting techniques, and many examples
of permaculture principles can be seen applied. The property is bounded on
one side by the Kirindi River, and the other boundaries are forest and
National Park. The Living & Learning Centre, where accommodation and
classroom are situated, is approximately 10 minutes walk to the township of
Thanamalwila.
COURSE OUTLINE
This 12 day course provides a full Permaculture Design Certificate in a
traditional village environment. The culture of sustainability has been
practiced in Sri Lanka for thousands of years. The course also provides an
opportunity for participants to experience life as a member of a community
which practices sustainability as a way of life. Interaction with the
community, tours to coastal fishing villages and the lush central highlands
are included in the programme.

This is a full Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course, which qualifies
successful graduates to work as Permaculture Designers around the world.

You will learn Permaculture whilst living in a traditional Sri Lankan
community which has been using sustainable farming practices for generations.
Many permaculture principles can be seen applied, and these examples will be
highlighted during the programme.

As part of the programme, you will have a day trip to the beautiful coastal
town of Hambantota, and a full day exploration and overnight stay in the
Central Highland area, which is an extraordinarily stunning area, full of
waterfalls, tea plantations and lush forest. You will then stay overnight in
Kandy before being driven to Colombo airport on the last day.

COURSE THEMES
Reading the Landscape: observation skills – how to look at a piece of land
and “read” its history, problems and advantages; site planning and analysis;
land assessment for optimal use; observation of patterns and cycles of nature.
Water in the Landscape: water storage and management with dams and swales;
aquaculture and edible water plants; waste water treatment and use; edge
plantings, habitat establishment; irrigation.
Building A Healthy Soil: basics of soil structure, texture and pH; strategies
for improving your soil using green manures and intercrops; mulching and
compost; erosion control; mechanical and mineral rehabilitation; soil
testing; liming; inoculating; spreading seed.
Cultivated Ecosystem: establishment of organic vegetable gardens; how-to
basics of selection, establishment and maintenance of orchards; ecological
pest management; free range poultry systems, chicken house design;
integrating animals into backyards and farms, forage systems; rotation system
(cell grazing) for cattle and sheep; animal work, harvesting.
Forests: forest ecology; design of windbreaks; trees for firewood, timber and
other yields; wildlife corridors and habitat creation; succession;
maintenance - pruning, fertilising, thinning; riverine plantings; diversity.
Shelter: selecting a house site; energy efficient design and least toxic
materials; appropriate technologies, ‘organic’ paints.
Community Support Systems: urban strategies; village and community design;
community economics; what you can do, co-operatives; LETS (local energy
transfer systems); body corporate and other community structures.
Presentation Skills: presenting a design, and how to attract attention.
Design: developing a design for a specific piece of land, according to a
client’s brief.
Sri Lanka Cultural Immersion: communal work times, where you will work
alongside Sarvodaya’s farming families, will provide an insight into Sri
Lankan traditional life not available to the average tourist. The people
have an extraordinary range of skills to share, including the traditional
crafts of batik, thatching, weaving and pottery.

COURSE STRUCTURE
• Live at the Thanamalwila Living & Learning Centre for 12 days.
• 8 hours of formal tuition a day.
• There will be some evening sessions.
• Opportunities to experience local culture.
• The course will be presented in English.

ADVANTAGES
• The advantage in doing a Permaculture Design Certificate programme at
Thanamalwila is that you see the principles of permaculture and sustainable
living applied, and applied in a traditional village context. By seeing
permaculture principles applied in reality – where people cannot afford for
it to be just a ‘hobby’ — you see what really works, and can recognise the
patterns and concepts that have been explained in the ‘theory’ part of the
programme in practical applications.
• We expect participants to come from throughout many countries in the
Oceania/Asia region as well as participants from the “North” – countries such
as the USA, Australia and the UK. This will be a multicultural experience
where participants will learn much from each other.
• The programme is an immersion experience, where you are involved with
the local farming community, working alongside them on some projects, and
learning from them what it means to be a traditional farmer in Sri Lanka.
• There are a wide range of skills amongst the local people, and you
will have the opportunity to learn from them. Traditional craft skills, such
as weaving, batik and pottery, are especially impressive.
• Sarvodaya’s core belief system is Buddhist, and there will be
opportunities (if you wish) to participate in guided meditations and Buddhist
practices.
• This is a unique opportunity to experience Sri Lanka at a depth not
available to the average visitor, in a comfortable and unthreatening fashion.
• Sri Lanka is a stunningly beautiful country, and you will be able to
see many of its natural and manmade glories during your visit.
• Sarvodaya is incredibly well respected in Sri Lanka and throughout
the world. Sarvodaya’s programmes in rural Sri Lankan villages are held up
as inspirational examples around the world. The founder of Sarvodaya, Dr
A.T. Ariyaratne, has been awarded the Gandhi Prize for his work. His son, Dr
Vinya Ariyaratne, is now continuing the good work.
• EcoLogical Solutions and its faculty are world leaders in the field
of sustainable development. This is an opportunity to learn from them in a
unique course environment. Max Lindegger is well known throughout the world
for his theoretical knowledge and hands on experience, as well as being a
much-lauded inspirational teacher. He has received several awards, and in
2003 was awarded the Australian Government’s Centenary Medal in recognition
of his work. Lloyd Williams, as co-director of Ecological Solutions, is a
project manager with many years experience. Both Max and Lloyd have been
involved with Nandana Jayasinghe in the development of the Thanamalwila
Living & Learning Centre.
• Thanamalwila township is only 10 minutes walk from the Living &
Learning Centre, allowing participants easy access to Sri Lankan markets,
shops and other facilities.
• Bounded by a river and National Park, Thanamalwila attracts wildlife
of all sizes – from monkeys to elephants. For those working in similar
countries or situations, local solutions to the issue of coexisting with
wildlife will be of interest. For those from the Northern Hemisphere,
perhaps the challenges of pest control in home gardens will pale into
insignificance when confronted with the issue of “elephants in the vegie
garden”!
• Only 40 km away from stunning coastal area of Hambantota, where
students will be taken on tour.
• Full day trip through the extraordinary Central Highlands of Sri
Lanka, and an overnight stay in Kandy.
COURSE PRESENTERS
The core course presenters for this programme will be Max Lindegger and Lloyd
Williams from EcoLogical Solutions, and Nandana Jayasinghe from Sarvodaya.
Max was trained as a mechanical design engineer in Switzerland, and has also
worked in civil engineering. He has been teaching Permaculture and the
theory and practice of sustainability for over 20 years. A much sought-after
teacher, he has taught in 24 countries. He is one of the designers and
developers of the UN World Habitat Award winning ecovillage of Crystal
Waters, in Australia, and Founding Director of the international NGO, the
Global Ecovillage Network. He has received several personal awards, and in
2003 was awarded the Australian Government’s Centenary Medal in recognition
of his work.
Lloyd works with Max in the provision of education and international
consultancy services. He specialises in project planning and team management
principles.
Nandana has worked for Sarvodaya for many years and has been responsible for
the development of Sarvodaya’s GEN-accredited Living & Learning Centre in
Thanamalwila. He has also implemented modern sustainable practices within
the context of traditional Sri Lankan agriculture and lifestyle. He has a BSc
in Agriculture.

FEE AND INCLUSIONS
The fee of AU$1400 (approx US$920) includes:
• The programme as outlined above. Students will complete a full
Permaculture Design Certificate course.
• Full and extensive printed course notes.
• All tuition.
• Course excursions to Hambantota, NuwaraEliya and Kandy.
• Overnight stay in Kandy.
• Guided tours of Thanamalwila and the Sarvodaya property.
• 3 meals a day, catered (except on tours).
• Comfortable accommodation, including modern bathroom facilities.
• Transfers Colombo airport-Thanamalwila return

OPTIONAL EXTRAS
• A variety of traditional Sri Lankan arts, crafts and foods are for
sale in the shop at the Sarvodaya Living & Learning Centre, and of course
also in the communities of Thanamalwila, Hambantota, NuwaraEliya and Kandy.

FURTHER INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION
This course is being offered by EcoLogical Solutions in association with
Sarvodaya and the Global Ecovillage Network.
To ensure a place on this course, please return the REGISTRATION FORM to
EcoLogical Solutions with your deposit of AU$200*. Confirmation of your
successful application will be sent with a receipt, information about what to
bring and how to get here. This course is limited to the first people who
register with a deposit of AU$200, so please book early to avoid
disappointment. We appreciate early registrations as it assists greatly with
our planning. Thank you!
*Please note that all prices are quoted in Australian Dollars and that all
payments need to be made in AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS.
Deposit Policy
While the deposit is not refundable, if you cancel before 2 months of the
course start date, you can transfer it to another course offered by
EcoLogical Solutions . In the event that the course is cancelled by us, your
full deposit will be returned.
For more information, please contact us at EcoLogical Solutions:
EcoLogical Solutions, 59 Crystal Waters, 65 Kilcoy Lane, Conondale QLD 4552,
Australia.
Email: study@ecologicalsolutions.com.au Tel: +61 7 5494 4741 Fax: +61 7
5494 4578
Website: www.ecologicalsolutions.com.au ABN 48 003 023 667.




  • [permaculture] Re: more on Sri Lanka course, MARTHA ANNE BOYD, 07/03/2003

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