Study integrated social and ecological design with some of the foremost instructors and practitioners in social and ecological design and permaculture.

To save the planet we may need to turn it
into an edible and socially just paradise…

Longevity. Abundance. Regeneration. Community. Beauty. Bounty.

Plant the Rain. Garden Like a Forest.
Design With Natural Patterns. Create Healty Communities

Brad Lancaster, Pandora Thomas, and Eric Toensmeier
with Woodbine staff and local guests

Understand the principles of social and ecological design while learning water harvesting and earthworks techniques, developing regenerative perennial food systems, and creating healthy groups and communities. Through case studies, hands-on work, and integrated design projects, this course will give participants an opportunity to delve into both foundational and advanced techniques and practices, and develop a thorough understanding of social and ecological design, and how to apply it for the benefit people and the earth. This course will also focus on climate change, social and environmental justice, carbon farming and carbon sequestration techniques, and indigenous management practices.

In this course, we will:

• Learn how to design more, work less
• Go from patterns to principles to strategies
• Create natural oases
• Utilize “waste” water for delicious landscaping
• Reduce our need for irrigation
• Utilize and assess our resources
• Create lower-maintenance longer-lived gardens and food systems
• Use more native, climatically-adapted plants
• Cultivate bigger harvests with less work
• Work with local climate, soil, and and precipitation
• Create perennial and sustainable systems, inspired by nature
• Design for resilient and regenerative communities
• Facilitate healthier group experiences
• Prepare for climate change and reduce our carbon footprint
• Learn about eco-cultural restoration and indigenous management techniques
• Develop a strong sense of place
• Understand broad and transferable principles of social ecological design
• Learn how to sequester carbon, restore degraded land, capture rainwater and more.
• Earn an Advanced Design Certificate*

*The participant must have earned a Permaculture Design Certificate prior to the beginning of this class in order to be eligible for an Advanced Design Certificate. Participants without a PDC are also welcomed to attend and can earn a certificate of completion. This course has no prerequisites other than a strong desire to learn how to design for healthier and stronger ecosystems and communities. The course is applicable to beginner as well as experienced designers and community activists and the skills developed can be applied in a small or a large scale, and in urban and rural settings.

Since 1993, Brad‘s turned water scarcity into water abundance & run a successful permaculture consulting, design, and education business focused on integrated and sustainable approaches to landscape design, planning, and living. He is the author of the Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond series.

Pandora co-founded Earthseed Consulting LLC, a holistic consulting firm whose work expands the opportunities for sustainable living for diverse communities. Her current projects include the Black Permaculture Network, Pathways to Resilience-a permaculture and social entrepreneur-training program for men returning home after incarceration, supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities in fostering environmental leadership for its students and creating a program for seniors to take leadership in engaging more people in the outdoors.

Eric has spent much of his adult life exploring edible and useful plants of the world and their use in perennial agroecosystems. He is the author of the forthcoming Carbon Farming: A Global Toolkit for Stabilizing the Climate with Tree Crops and Regenerative Agricultural Practices, Paradise Lot, Perennial Vegetables and co-author of Edible Forest Gardens with Dave Jacke. He has written and taught about carbon sequestration through agroforestry and is developing a book on Indigenous Plant Management techniques for Woodbine.

Instructors: Brad Lancaster, Pandora Thomas, Eric Toensmeier, with Woodbine staff and guests

Meals: Breakfast Saturday through lunch Sunday is included in the cost.

Lodging: Included. Dormitory style cabins, dorm rooms, or camping (with your own equipment). Dormitory space is first come, first serve. Please bring your own sheets, pillow, sleeping bag, blankets and towels.

Cost: $1575, Early Bird Rate: $1295 (by May 1st)
(Contact us for group discounts. Limited worktrade and scholarship opportunities are available. Please follow the links to the pages with the application process for worktrade and for scholarships)

REGISTRATION IS A TWO-PART process.  To be fully registered you must complete both parts of this 2-part process!  The parts are:

1. Click here to complete and submit your Registration Form

2. Make your payment.
You can pay by check or money order made out to Woodbine Ecology Center, and mailing it to Woodbine Ecology Center, PO Box 1253 Littleton CO 80160 USA

You can also pay via PayPal here. You may pay the full early bird amount, or a non-refundable deposit of $325.00. We cannot hold your place until we receive your registration and at least your non-refundable deposit.