See below for full announcement. Enrollment, payment, and refund policy appears below course announcement.
This course may fill up rapidly. Please enroll early to avoid disappointment.
Call or email Darren Butler to sign up:
allnet@pobox.com
818.271.0963
Come Home to Ecosystems: Practical Urban Permaculture
How can permaculture help us reduce expenses and make our homes and landscapes more sustainable? Is permaculture mighty enough to affect dogs and their traffic patterns? Where is the best place on a residential lot to grow herbs or veggies? How to manage mulch and compost so that it doesn’t become daunting or take too much time? What can permaculture do to help minimize water use in landscapes? Is it possible to use natural processes rather than labor to replace a lawn? Can labor gardeners and their blowers be designed out of an established landscape?
Permaculture attempts to create sustainable human systems. It has most often been applied to design of landscapes and dwellings for human use, and for food production or "gardening" by working with and imitating ecosystems, but has nearly limitless potential for application in all areas of human endeavor.
In the first of three sessions, we’ll cover the basics of permaculture and how it can be used to address energy, resource, and pollution problems that we face as individuals and communities. Topics are expected to include understanding energy paths and how they relate to sustainability, resource and feedback cycles, permaculture approaches to water use and soil building, basic permaculture design principles, and natural patterning.
In the second two sessions we’ll explore practical urban permaculture in particular and permaculture design possibilities for the host residence in West LA.
I expect to leave students with immediately useable ideas that can be applied to their urban living spaces and lives; new ways of thinking and solving problems; broadened imagination about their personal potentials and the potentials of human groups; practical ideas for increased sustainability in their communities and individual lives; positive vision for both personal and global futures; and a renewed sense of the wonders of human existence.
Note: This course parallels my One Sunny Wall course, and will have significant overlap of material (estimated 70%). Students who have taken One Sunny Wall may attend at half price (the total number of reduced-tuition enrollments may be limited).
Course difficulty: 4 out of 10. This course will be conceptually and philosophically challenging. Gardening experience, basic understanding of local and global issues related to sustainability, and basic knowledge of biology and ecology are recommended but not required. All attendees not well-versed in permaculture should expect to be challenged. Those with permaculture experience or a permaculture design certificate should expect that basics will be covered.
Course dates: May 31, June 7, 14 (Saturdays) from 3:00 to 6:30 PM with short breaks only (arrival encouraged by 2:30 PM).
Course location: Rancho Park near Pico and Overland, between Century City and the Westwood Pavillion. Not far from the 405 and 10 freeways.
Course fee: $150 for early registration through May 23. Special bring-a-friend early-registration price of $280 per couple making a combined payment. $185 per person after May 23 or on the day of. There will be an additional $50 fee and additional requirements to receive a course certificate.
Reading List (required for a certificate only): Core book is Gaia’s Garden by Toby Hemenway. Other books will be recommended throughout the course based upon the day's topics of discussion.
Darren Butler is a Consulting Arborist, Ecological Designer, and Landscape Specialist. His recent projects include designing and developing food forests in residential landscapes, which are forest-like systems that produce food with minimal maintenance once established. He has appeared on several episodes of "Weekend Gardening" for a large international television audience as an expert horticulturist and landscaper, on NPR radio, in newspapers, and other media. He has taught Sustainable Landscape Design and Diagnosing Plant Problems for the University of California Master Gardener Program in Los Angeles, Small-Space Food Gardening at Descanso Botanic Gardens, and is working with the Getty Villa to develop and teach gardening-related workshops. He holds many landscape- and plant-related certifications and licenses. In 2007 and 2008 he developed curriculum for and taught certification programs in Sustainable Biointensive Gardening and in Edible Landscaping. He currently serves on a statewide advisory committee for all University of California Master Gardener programs, and is a speaker at the upcoming 2008 University of California Master Gardener Conference. He has been gardening since childhood, and developing expertise in Southern California gardening since 1996.
Comments from prior students:
"I have been profoundly influenced and very inspired by everything you said throughout your lessons. In particular, I’ve learned and gained so much, especially in such a short period of time! Not only can I use the knowledge I’ve taken away from your courses in all areas of my garden, but many aspects of my life as well!"
"Darren is just so knowledgable. This is a crucial part of the
owner's manual for Planet Earth."
"Darren is an outstanding teacher. He integrates real life to
gardening. He's down to earth, full of laughs and personality. His
enthusiasm is infectious."
"Wow! The idea that so many things are just soil in another temporary
format is pretty powerful. Darren has thought more than any other
person I have ever met. The class was awesome."
"I got so much out of this! Packed full of information that was
immediately usable to me. I love listening to this guy! He knows so
much and is so humble about sharing what he knows. He knocks my socks
off."
"If you want to change your perspective on the world and get deeply
in touch with the Earth, come to this class!"
Enrollment, payment, and refund policy:
Half tuition must be sent to reserve enrollment, with the remaining half due by the first day of class. If full tuition is not paid by the first class, attendance is expected to stop until payment is completed. Full refunds less $50 will be available until seven days before the first session. No refunds thereafter except for cancellation by the instructor. If tentative details change after enrollment has been paid, full refund is available until three days before the first class if cancellation is based upon the change(s).
Payment is by check, cash, or money order and should be sent to Darren Butler, PO Box 920434, Sylmar CA 91392-0434. Contact me if you prefer to pay with a credit card via the internet.
Courses are rated as to my best guess about difficulty from 1 to 10
with 1 being appropriate for absolute beginners and 10 for
accomplished experts.
Courses not guaranteed to carry. Some courses fill up quickly. To avoid
disappointment, please do not delay.
A certificate in Urban Permaculture is available. Specific requirements for
completion will include required reading, minimum attendance of
two of the three sessions with makeup for the missed session, a
project, and additional fee of $50.
