Intermountain West Permaculture Design Certificate
This course will introduce you to the ethics, principles, and practices of permaculture design following the internationally recognized permaculture design course certificate curriculum.
Permaculture is a design approach that uses an understanding of natural and social systems to generate holistic design solutions that create mutually beneficial synergies. This way of approaching change is rooted in Indigenous knowledge, empirical science, and the design processes. In the intermountain west, this approach can reshape how we exist within a limited water environment and change the way we think about our homes, our neighborhoods, and our communities.
This course will introduce you to the principles and ethics that form the foundation for making permaculture design decisions, as well as an overview of the dynamics of natural systems. The class culminates in an applied permaculture design project.
Join a unique opportunity to engage in a communal setting to learn permaculture from seasoned practitioners Ros McCann, Jeff Adams, Jake Powell, and guests. The in-person part of the course takes place in Moab, Utah, which showcases a plethora of incredible natural buildings, mature food forests, desert watershed repair, and excellent examples of passive and active water harvesting. Come learn permaculture in a dynamic and thriving urban/wildland community surrounded by jaw dropping canyons and mountain vistas.
Date: Online April-May/In-Person May 19th-25th 2025
Cost: $1500
Modality: Part Online/Part In-Person
What you will learn:
- Ethics, principles, and practices of permaculture.
- Making ecological design decisions.
- Applying permaculture to all scales and places.
- Permaculture for arid climates.
Course Details
The course is a hybrid online and in-person permaculture design course. The online portion will be made available in April and the in-person portion will be held May 19-25th in Moab, Utah. Participants are required to participate in both portions. A Permaculture Design Course Certificate will be given to students who complete the course.
Your registration provides you access to the online content, the in-person instruction, free lodging at the Community Rebuilds campus in Moab, and breakfast and dinner meals each day with boxed lunches provided on field trip days. Meals will be prepared vegetarian using local vegetables when possible with meat provided on the side if desired.
Travel
Travel to the course location must be arranged by oneself for attendance. Parking is available for those who can drive to Moab. Moab does have an airport with connecting flights from Denver and Salt Lake City. Moab is a very walkable and pedestrian community, but transportation from the airport would need to be coordinated.
Lodging
The in-person portion of the course will be held at the Community Rebuilds campus in beautiful downtown Moab, Utah. Moab is a vibrant gateway community nestled into some the most iconic red rock landscapes in Utah. Moab is located near two National Parks, home to hundreds of miles of world famous mountain bike and hiking trails, and adjacent to the mighty Colorado River.
The bunkhouse hosts up to 20 people across 10 private rooms. Each room has two individual beds and the rooms have access to multiple private bathrooms with adjoining private showers. The bunkhouse has a communal kitchen and living room spaces that will be available for your use. The entire bunkhouse is reserved for course participants only. It is not a requirement to stay in the Community Rebuilds Bunkhouse, however, hotel rates in Moab are expensive and the camaraderie of learning and working together outside of the course structure is synergistic.
Meals
Breakfast and dinner are provided each day with boxed lunches provided on field trip days. Meals will be prepared vegetarian using local vegetables when possible with meat provided on the side if desired.
Setting & Weather
Moab is usually a dry, sunny, and warm climate in the month of May, with the possibility of cool mornings and nights. Be prepared to dress in layers to stay comfortable throughout the day. Classes will take place outside when possible. Sun protection is desirable.
This course is being run by, hosted, and organized through Utah State University Extension's Permaculture Initiative, with the Permaculture Institute, Inc. serving solely as the issuer of Permaculture Design Course Certificates and assisting with promotion.
For further questions about registration/payment/accommodations/policy, please visit the linked website below.
