I have taught Permaculture in University and college settings, in 1987,
1988. 1997, 1998, and 2005. And I have worked on design teams with
Architects, Engineers, Landscape Architects, and various other
professionals. Folks from many of these professions have been my
students ( though I prefer the phrase "course participants"). I have
met with permaculture designers making big money consulting on big
projects, and permaculture designers working for nothing on small
projects. I have worked with many permaculture teachers and designers
on various projects.
Everyone I have worked with and interacted with have brought a high
level of ethics and standards to their work. I have always been
received as a full team member with professional respect. But it has
been a long slow curve for permaculture to be more widely recognized.
We are finally coming into our own as a profession.
When , in 1987, I asked Bill Mollison permission to teach
permaculture he said it was time to open up to more teachers and that
we would sink or swim as per our merits as teachers. The same is true
about maintaining the standards of permaculture. There is much work to
be done, and we are starting to be in demand. Those of us who do good
work and maintain high permaculture ethics and good work ethics will
ride the wave to success. Those who do not will fade away.
There are efforts underway to keep the format of permaculture courses
and diploma processes fairly consistant, especially folks working on
the Permaculture Institute of North America. I believe this is a great
idea. After folks take a certificate course and perhaps a receive
diploma, It is market forces and their own work that determine their
success. Only those with high permaculture standards will prevail.
Darrell E. Frey
Three Sisters Farm
defrey@bioshelter.com
www.bioshelter.com
Author; Bioshelter Market Garden: A Permaculture Farm. New Society
Publishing, 2011