Agr, Lndscp & Envir: Permaculture

Design of agriculturally productive environments that have the diversity, stability, and resilience of the natural biosphere to harmoniously integrate landscape and people. Prerequisites: ALE 1100, ALE 1210, BIOL 1450, NR 2030, BCOR 1450, BCOR 2100, another basic ecology course, or Instructor permission. Cross-listed with: ENVS 2654.

Online asynchronous course

Permaculture is an ethically based, whole-systems design approach to creating sustainable landscapes and human settlements. It strives to create agriculturally productive environments that have the diversity, stability, and resiliency of the natural biosphere while harmoniously integrating people and landscapes. As an interdisciplinary design method, permaculture is rooted in horticulture and agriculture, but also spans into regional planning, ecology, animal husbandry, technology, architecture, and international development. This introductory permaculture course explores the fundamentals of permaculture science and design. Throughout the course, students will work individually to create a permaculture design plan for a site of their choosing.

The course is comprised of 12 self-paced online learning modules, covering the following topics: Ethics & Principles, The Garden as an Ecosystem, The Design Process, Soil Building, Water Management, Plants of Many Uses, Habitat Restoration, Polycultures & Guilds, Food Forests, Urban Permaculture, Structure & Greenhouses, and Social Equity. Each module includes assigned reading, a video-recorded lecture, supplemental videos, a journal/design prompt and an open-book content quiz. Students will be expected to complete three modules per week during the four-week summer session. Students will also complete a permaculture design plan for their own site or an assigned site. During the course, students will have the option of visiting and working in the newly established permaculture education garden at UVM's Horticulture Research and Education Center. This in-person opportunity is supplemental to the course and is not required.

Grades are based on journal/design prompts, open-book content quizzes, and a final design project.