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 Ari Ariyaratne, has been awarded the Ghandi 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: Tel: +61 7 5494 4741 Fax: +61 7 5494 4578

Website: ABN 48 003 023 667.