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Kootenay Permaculture Institute

Teaching Permaculture in the Kootenays and across Canada since 1991.



The Kootenay Permaculture Institute is a centre for research and education in Permaculture & ecological living in British Columbia, Canada.

Mandala Garden at Spiral Farm
Mandala Garden at Spiral Farm

The Kootenay Permaculture Institute was started in 1991 with the vision to develop more research and education in Permaculture and ecological living in British Columbia and across Canada. The Institute is designing and implementing Permaculture principles and techniques on a ten acre farm in the Slocan Valley situated in the West Kootenay in British Columbia, Canada since 1993. The Forest Garden was also started in 1993, it is one of the oldest forest gardens in Canada. It already produces a diversity of fruits, berries, nuts, medicinal herbs, and fibre crops such as basket willows and bamboos.  It is an ideal site for people to come to learn and practice Permaculture. The Institute keeps in touch with the local, national and the international networks of people working with various approaches to Permaculture & ecological living.




Pond in mandala garden


Kootenay Permaculture

Teaching Permaculture in the Kootenays and across Canada since 1991.



Schedule 2012



March 31 & April 1st, 2012
in Nelson, BC

Dates: March 31 & April 1st (Sat-Sun) 9am -4pm
Venue: Selkirk College Silver King Campus, Nelson, BC
Instructor: Gregoire Lamoureux
Tuition fee: $65 (for the first day) or 
$125 (for both days)



April 16 - May 11, 2012 (4 weeks full time)
Permaculture Training Program
in Nelson & Winlaw, BC

Description: Learn the basic Permaculture design principles and techniques and develop the practical skills to design and implements sustainable designs for ecological landscape and backyard. This four week intensive training program combines theory with practical hands-on activities. Course graduates will receive the Permaculture Design Course Certificate.

Dates: 

April 16 - May 11, 2012 (Monday - Friday)  9am – 4:00pm

Venue: Selkirk College Silver King Campus, Nelson & Spiral Farm Winlaw, BC
Instructor: Gregoire Lamoureux & guests.
Gregoire Lamoureux is a permaculture designer, consultant and teacher with 20 years of experience with permaculture systems across Canada. He has taught the Permaculture Design Course for the last 10 years with Selkirk College.

Registration Deadline is March 16, 2012.




Permaculture Design Courses in Canada

June 3 - 16, 2012
in Winlaw, BC
Early registration deadline: May 4th 2012.

July 22 - August 4th 2012 in Caledon, Ontario

August 19 - September 1st, 2012
in Winlaw, BC
Early registration deadline:  July 20th 2012


Description: This intensive 13 day course combines theory with practical hands-on learning & design exercises.
The participants who complete the course will receive the Permaculture Design Course Certificate.
Topics includes: permaculture design techniques & principles, site analysis, soil fertility, organic gardening techniques, herbs & medicinal plants, fruit & nut trees, water uses, ecological buildings & urban permaculture.
Instructors: Gregoire Lamoureux & guests


For more information or to register contact:
Kootenay Permaculture
S12, C2, RR#1
Winlaw, BC
V0G 2J0
Email: spiralfarm@yahoo.com
http://www3.telus.net/permaculture



Permaculture Design Course

Spring Course:
June 3 -16, 2012

Summer Course:
August 19 - September 1st, 2012

at Spiral Farm

in Winlaw, British Columbia

This 13 day intensive course is the basic Permaculture Design Course covering the principles & techniques of permaculture design. The course includes lectures, discussions, hands-on, slide shows, field trips & design projects. 

This course is presented in cooperation with Selkirk College in Nelson, BC

Topics:

Permaculture principles & techniques
Pattern understanding
Soils
Water
Microclimate
Organic Gardening
Plant diversity
Forest Garden
Fruit & Nut trees
Animals
Plant Propagation
Agroforestry
Forests
Earthworks
Building Design
Alternative Energy
Waste treatment
Tools
 Urban Permaculture
Alternative economics
& more.

Instructor:

Grégoire Lamoureux:

Gregoire Lamoureux is the director of the Kootenay Permaculture Institute. He is a permaculture designer, consultant and teacher. He is one of the most experience permaculture teacher in Canada.
He has worked with permaculture systems for 20 years and taught courses in many parts of the country. Gregoire taught the Permaculture Design Course as a Summer Session at the University of Manitoba in 2005. He has also been teaching the Permaculture Design Course with Selkirk College in Nelson, BC for the last 10 years. He has served on the Board of Directors of Slocan River Streamkeepers and on the Board of Directors of Seeds of Diversity Canada for seven years. He is a founding member of Kootenay Organic Growers Society and was on the Certifying Committee for three years.

His work experience includes market gardening, greenhouse production, orcharding, ecological land restoration using bio-engineering techniques, small-scale nursery management, landscaping, aquaculture and forestry work. He has written articles for Natural Life and Eco Farm & Garden magazines, a contributor in The Organic Companion, Gleanings from Canadian Organic Growers published in 2005. Gregoire has also studied alternative building and worked on straw-bale and cob house buildings. He has been a guest lecturer at many conferences including the BC Organic Agriculture Conference and the Guelph Organic Agriculture Conference. He is a mentor for the permaculture apprenticeship program.

Guest speakers to be confirmed.

For more information or to register:

spiralfarm@yahoo.com 



What is Permaculture?

Permaculture is the design & implementation of sustainable & ecological human habitat.

“Permaculture” - or “permanent agriculture” - was originally conceived over 30 years ago by Australian ecologist Bill Mollison.  Observing aboriginal culture and forest ecosystems, he concluded that we could deliberately design agriculturally productive ecosystems, echoing the diversity, stability and resilience of natural ecosystems.

Permaculture is a holistic approach to land use, which works with nature’s rhythm and patterns, weaving together the elements of microclimate, annual and perennial
plants, animals, water and soil management, and human needs into intricately connected and productive communities.

Permaculture designs provide food, energy, and shelter for people and animal inhabitants while linking the needs and outputs of each element.  The result is a
dynamic yet stable system that sustains itself.

Permaculture systems can be developed in any climate and on any scale. Designs have been developed on balconies, in backyards and for entire villages and urban communities.


Ethics:

Care for the Earth & all living & non-living systems.

Care for the People & all living beings.

Sharing surplus including information & limiting our consumptions of energy & resources.

Protecting all undisturbed ecosystems & restoring damaged ecosystems.

Some of the Principles that we like to work with:

Observation:

Observe Nature.

PLANT MORE TREES.

Mulch, mulch, mulch.

Grow some plant guilds. (groups of plants that grow well together)

Water is precious: limit our uses of fresh water, conserve & recycle, return it clean to nature.

Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Upcycle, Recycle... and bicycle!

& plant more trees, more guilds & mulch, mulch, mulch!


SERVICES AVAILABLE:

Permaculture Design

Consulting

Implementation

Permaculture Design Course

Permaculture Workshops

Articles

 
Apprenticeship Program

Books & Information

Nursery Plants 

Seeds & Plants Search

Research

Links

Please contact us:

Kootenay Permaculture Institute
S12, C2
RR#1
Winlaw, BC
Canada
V0G 2J0

spiralfarm@yahoo.com