Summary
A Permaculture Design Certificate has at its heart a design project where you apply the theory from the topics explored to the detailed design of a system you intend to create. The most common permaculture design project is a food-production system that expresses how the inter-connection of compatible elements can create a balanced, fertile and productive system. However, this same concept can be applied to other types of systems – such as a life plan, business or social project. The key to a permaculture design is that the design of the system results in regenerative outcomes – where the elements interact in ways that improve the health and resiliency of that system over time.
This design project involves the following components that are embedded as design tasks within the course.
This design project involves the following components that are embedded as design tasks within the course.
- Introduction: Here you introduce the context of your design project, perform a self-analysis of your own strengths and personality traits and identify the needs of the end-user.
- Background: This section summarises your exploration of the intention of permaculture design and translates that into a working interpretation that can guide your design.
- Site Analysis: Involves assessing the dynamics relevant to the context of your design that may include a description of the soil, topography, climate, socio-political factors, previous land uses and market forces.
- Base Maps: Before starting the design of your system it pays to capture good base maps that act as a template to explore different design possibilities. These base maps should reflect existing features on the site, contour, access, different zones of production and wet areas.
- Sector Analysis: This map expresses the energies that impact upon your site, showing the direction and angle of sun, direction of wind, impact of noise, good views etc. These factors will impact the design of your site.
- Concept Sketches: Using a simplified base map, come up with a number of different design possibilities – exploring different ways production systems within different zones can interact to recycle resources and nutrients and make best use of on-site resources and sources of fertility.
- Final Plan: This is a working plan for the development of your system. It reflects the best way the ideas explored within your concept sketches can interact to best effect to create a balanced and regenerative system.
- Description: Here you capture how you have attempted to apply your interpretation of permaculture to the design of your system and explain the different elements of the system you have created.
- Implementation: Lastly, you explain how you can make best use of successional changes in the development of your system, manage finances and other resources and slowly develop your system over time. Part of this process is your method for capturing observations of changes within the system - so that you can make suitable adjustments to your design.
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Assignment Tasks
This PDC course is broken into a number of modules and topics, each with an associated design task that (when combined) created a detailed analysis of the system you will design in association with this course. Each design task is submitted onto the Moodle platform and detailed feedback provided on each as a framework for providing support and guidance on navigating through the course and the sequential development of your system.
The following outlines the tasks associated with each topic of the course.
Module 1 - Context is Everything:
The first module focuses on capturing key information from the system, designer and end-user that influence the system you will design. By being aware of your key strengths and personality, how social influences impact your design and what the needs and values of your end user are you can create a system that harmonises more effectively with these dynamics.
Module 2 - Regenerative Design:
The second module explores how the permaculture design framework can be used to provide direction and context to the design of a regenerative system - one that increases in health and resiliency over time. The assignmnet task in this module act as a background to your report, capturing your understanding of permaculture design
Module 3 - Understanding Site Dynamics:
This module investigates different aspects of your site that will help develop a site-specific design approach.
Module 4 - Site Analysis: Within this module you will create some maps to interpret some Within this module you design and describe the systems you will create. We explore the function and three types of systems (annual gardens, perennial orchards and holistic grazing), some (or none or which) may be incorporated into your own design.
Module 5 - Site Development
In this module we explore a series of possible design approaches within the different zones of production at your site. For the particular zones present at your site you will create 3 different concept sketches of possible design. From this resource you then pull together the best of your ideas for the final design.
Module 6 - Support Structures:
This module explores how resources can be harnessed to best support the development of your system and explores understanding finance and financial markets, utilising technology appropriately and harnessing collaborative relationships focused on mutual and uplifting goals.
The following outlines the tasks associated with each topic of the course.
Module 1 - Context is Everything:
The first module focuses on capturing key information from the system, designer and end-user that influence the system you will design. By being aware of your key strengths and personality, how social influences impact your design and what the needs and values of your end user are you can create a system that harmonises more effectively with these dynamics.
- Self-Assessment: Identify your key personality traits, strengths and vision for what you want to create.
- Environmental Analysis: Determine the factors from you socio-political environment that impact upon your design plans.
- End User: Identify the key needs for the end-user your system and how those needs can be targeted within your design.
Module 2 - Regenerative Design:
The second module explores how the permaculture design framework can be used to provide direction and context to the design of a regenerative system - one that increases in health and resiliency over time. The assignmnet task in this module act as a background to your report, capturing your understanding of permaculture design
- Patterns: As you explore the patterns topic you will become more familiar with a wide variety of patterns exporessed within natural systems. Identify and describe a series of patterns within the system you are designing that provide an indication of a healthy balance occurring.
- Principles: Identify and describe the how principles can be developed within the system you are designing that guide actions taken towards healthy outcomes.
- Design: Identify and describe measurable healthy outcomes that provide an indication that your system is producing regenerative outcomes.
Module 3 - Understanding Site Dynamics:
This module investigates different aspects of your site that will help develop a site-specific design approach.
- Climate: Describe the seasonal changes in climate at your site and the force
- Topography: Create a topographical map of your site to act as a base map.
- Water: Describe the seasonal changes in the impact of water at your site, the size of the catchment that impacts your site and how prone the site is to various water-related impacts such as flood and drought
- Soil: Describe the different soil compositions at your site and what considerations are required to build soil fertility at these sites and their risk for nutrient leaching, flooding or drought.
Module 4 - Site Analysis: Within this module you will create some maps to interpret some Within this module you design and describe the systems you will create. We explore the function and three types of systems (annual gardens, perennial orchards and holistic grazing), some (or none or which) may be incorporated into your own design.
- Sector maps: Create a series of map to reflect the impact of existing features on your site and the impact of energies such as light, sound and wind.
- Zone maps: Show the layout of different identifiable zones on your site, to form the basis of your design.
- Synergy: Describe how you will harness the placement of elements within your design to mitigate negative sector factors, enhance positive factors and orientate elements in time and space within your zones to best effect.
Module 5 - Site Development
In this module we explore a series of possible design approaches within the different zones of production at your site. For the particular zones present at your site you will create 3 different concept sketches of possible design. From this resource you then pull together the best of your ideas for the final design.
Module 6 - Support Structures:
This module explores how resources can be harnessed to best support the development of your system and explores understanding finance and financial markets, utilising technology appropriately and harnessing collaborative relationships focused on mutual and uplifting goals.
- Network: Identifying proactive steps that can be made to build a support network that includes a community of like-minded enthusiasts, an inspired following and utilising mentors to fast track progress.
- Technology: Identifying the most appropriate and efficient technology to support growth of system to produce a sustainable yield.
- Finances: Creating a financial statement to capture expected costs and revenues associated with the development of your system.
Outline Of Final Report
Below is an outline of the what should be included in you final submission, once all the design tasks in the modules above are brought together.
Context: Explain the factors of the designer, socio-environment and end user requirements which provide the context for your design.
Design Philosophy: Describe your design intention that will guide your design.
Site Analysis: Describe climate, soil, topography of site.
User Requirements: Determine the goals of land owner and resources of time, money and expertise to support farming activities.
Site Maps: (some of these could be combined).
Concept Sketches: 3 different ideas for each of the relevant zones on site; with a focus on a functional diversity of plants and animals with complementary functions. Aim to design production systems modelled on the structure and function of natural ecosystems (aquaculture -ponds;bio-intensive - fertile clearings; food forest - forest edges; pastures - grasslands; forestry - woodlands). Also consider selection of species appropriate to site characteristics, needs of owner and market factors (what owner wants to eat, the public wants to eat or can be farmed as a business and sold locally or exported).
Final Plan: This is the final detailed site plan which will guide how you will position elements relating to the production systems you want to establish.
Management Plan: The management plan is an overview of how you intend to manage the site and blend a permaculture approach into your practices. Include the following aspects in your plan.
Implementation Strategy: In many situations it is not possible to set up all areas of your intended production systems at once due to time and financial constraints. Many production systems will also be more successful when the site is restored in health and fertility by transitioning through other ecosystem types first.
The implementation strategy is your intention around what stages you anticipate you will work through to arrive at your final design. This will help you identify the most appropriate use of resources and time, identify short and long term food and income sources and expenses and hopefully bring more success to your project.
Context: Explain the factors of the designer, socio-environment and end user requirements which provide the context for your design.
Design Philosophy: Describe your design intention that will guide your design.
Site Analysis: Describe climate, soil, topography of site.
User Requirements: Determine the goals of land owner and resources of time, money and expertise to support farming activities.
Site Maps: (some of these could be combined).
- Topography (topographical lines to show changes in elevation).
- Soil type in different areas (composition of sand/silt/clay using soil pyramid and fertile or degraded soil areas).
- Water dynamics (water bodies, wet areas, dry areas, flow of water)
- Sector analysis (sun path, prevailing winds, good views, contaminated areas),
- Existing features (roads, plantings, fences, buildings, contaminated areas, wetlands, natural areas)
- Zones of production
Concept Sketches: 3 different ideas for each of the relevant zones on site; with a focus on a functional diversity of plants and animals with complementary functions. Aim to design production systems modelled on the structure and function of natural ecosystems (aquaculture -ponds;bio-intensive - fertile clearings; food forest - forest edges; pastures - grasslands; forestry - woodlands). Also consider selection of species appropriate to site characteristics, needs of owner and market factors (what owner wants to eat, the public wants to eat or can be farmed as a business and sold locally or exported).
Final Plan: This is the final detailed site plan which will guide how you will position elements relating to the production systems you want to establish.
- Step 1. Review concept sketches and consider which ideas would result in production systems that would blend well together between the different zones of your site blending together. Consider how resources from one production system might help support other production systems, to create where possible closed loop recycling of resources on site. Being guided by practices that build soil fertility a good point of reference as management practices to enhance productivity can always be refined with experience.
- Step 2. In the final plan include topographical lines, existing features, new features, orientation north, a scale and key to identify features on your map.
Management Plan: The management plan is an overview of how you intend to manage the site and blend a permaculture approach into your practices. Include the following aspects in your plan.
- How you plan to run production systems in each zone.
- How you intend to recycle resources within and between zones of production.
- What natural systems your production systems are based upon and what natural patterns and permaculture principles have you incorporated into your design.
- Your intentions around managing natural areas.
- How your plan meets the needs of the client, market, or business goals.
- How your management practices will improve soil health and the health of the production systems over time.
Implementation Strategy: In many situations it is not possible to set up all areas of your intended production systems at once due to time and financial constraints. Many production systems will also be more successful when the site is restored in health and fertility by transitioning through other ecosystem types first.
The implementation strategy is your intention around what stages you anticipate you will work through to arrive at your final design. This will help you identify the most appropriate use of resources and time, identify short and long term food and income sources and expenses and hopefully bring more success to your project.
Useful Resources
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