permaculture

["L.Santoyo Designs" <santoyo@earthflow.com>]

Friends,

Many design course formats have indeed sprung up through the years... 
especially (or primarily?) in the US.

I have been a full time Permaculture Designer since 1989.  I've 
taught many times with Scott Pittman and, years and years ago, with 
Bill Mollison.  I have also had the pleasure to teach with other 
respected American teachers including Tim Murphy, Jude Hobbs, Toby 
Hemenway and Penny Livingston-Stark.  Seems that we have all managed 
to "get" and deliver the same information -but of course with 
different styles, expertise and opinions.

I must confess -I am an "invisible structures" kind-a-guy -that is 
what most fascinated me about Bill Mollison's courses... But I must 
say that -as much as I cry to my students that "Permaculture Design 
is not just about plants!" -even I couldn't agree that one could 
teach a Certificate Course and not include "issues such as water, 
climate, trees, soils, etc..."

I do agree that Permaculture is about design, but I think that 
Michael Kramer fails to point out that the design THEORY is deeply 
rooted in an understanding of the natural world... and that that 
theory is what most separates Permaculture Design from all other 
design disciplines -and could never be left out.

I agree with Scott Pittman that the standardized curriculum has been 
set and has been worked out for some time already -and works very 
well for many.

Now, as everyone has pointed out, there are so many variations on the 
theme. In addition to two-week residential courses, I've taught at 
two-week non-residential courses... good, but not as good... Back in 
1991 -we taught one of the very first "neighborhood courses" where we 
broke the mold and cut up the same two-week-intensive -over a series 
of weekends, in an urban environment... Since then I've seen on-line 
courses (that one I don't get at all?) and now micro-courses... 
(what's next 12-step courses? The Permaculture Patch?) I will defend 
a certain amount of variation and go so far as to insist, as Toby 
Hemenway pointed out, that there are merits to many of them -but not 
all of them...

IMO -the two-week residential course is still the best (and is my 
most preferred).  But let me qualify that to say: I teach at least 
one two-week residential course a year and I teach at least one 
six-weekend format course every year too. -trying to fit the pattern 
of a new emerging EcoUrban demographic...

With respect,


Larry

Larry Santoyo, Director
EarthFlow Design Works &
The Center of Natural Design
San Luis Obispo, CA
805.459.0452

see my work:
http://www.earthflow.com/consulting.html

see my upcoming course:
EcoUrbanism and the Future of Sustainability,  Los Angeles, CA
http://www.earthflow.com/courses2004/index.shtml

see my teaching and design associates:
http://www.earthflow.com/courses2004/courseinstructors.shtml



> L.F.London wrote:
>
> > Michael Kramer wrote:
> >
> > > I could very easily design a certification course that is different from the
> > > current model which focused on the design of a business, a political party,
> > > or a school.
> >
> > > It is possible to cover the permaculture design process without
> > > needing to cover issues such as water, climate, trees, soils, etc. For
> >
> > I can't believe anyone could write such a thing. I am totally 
> > nonplussed by this.
> >
> > > permaculture is not about these things, it is about design, and design
> > > covers numerous aspects of human existence. I love the certification course,
> > > but it is narrow in focus.
> > >
> > > Regarding the issue of consistency, I used to think we had that, but there
> > > are too many people who are unaware of the so-called rules, which is why
> > > more and more educational offerings don't reflect the earlier versions of
> > > the design course. There's a lot more diversity now than I think we are all
> > > aware.
> >
> > Unbelievable.
> >
> > --
> > L.F.London