PERMACULTURE DESIGN CERTIFICATE
This program is offered in the Winter/Spring semester only.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Become a permaculture designer! Learn the secrets of nature’s success by studying ecological design. Apply this learning to the design of your home, garden, passion project, livelihood or anything in your life. Skill up and become a more effective decision maker. Save time, energy and money while living in alignment with your values.
Course Topics include design methods, patterns in nature, soils and composting, water, trees, animals, design strategies, hands-on homesteading skills and applying permaculture to people systems like group decision making, economics and business. Learn how to map and design land and life to become more self-sufficient, resilient and abundant. Study strategies for growing organic food and medicine in all four seasons, raise animals, make medicine, preserve food and save seeds.
This experiential outdoor education program welcomes participants to meet up at a diversity of permaculture design informed gardens, farms and forest locations throughout the lower mainland. It is an adventure in learning spent mostly outside with indoor backup locations for inclement weather.
The feature project includes doing a design for where you live to apply the course in a practical way to take your life to the next level.
Taught by a dynamic female-male facilitation team, this class caters to anyone wanting to learn regenerative design in a creative way while observing working examples of permaculture in action.
This flexible course offers a weekend class schedule. Catering to the busyness of modern life, if you miss a class, you can jump in on the same module in a future class at no extra cost (through the instructors) and there is no time limit to complete the certification. One on One make up classes are also available for an additional fee.
Successful completion of this course offers graduates their choice of legitimate and formal certificate through Permaculture Institute (www.permaculture.org), Permaculture Association (www.permaculture.org.uk), Permaculture Institute of North America (www.pina.in) Permaculture Research Institute (www.permaculturenews.org)
Working toward certification is not a requirement. You can take the course for your own learning without having to meet attendance and project requirements for the certification.
For more information about this program, email the instructors at
PREREQUISITES
Students should meet all the following prerequisites before registering:
- Proficiency in English
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Students who are not working toward certification do not have to complete any certification requirements.
Students working toward certification will be assessed on the following requirements:
- Participation
- Individual map and design for an area of your choice
- Questions/written work
100% attendance is required – Students who miss classes can (1) make arrangements with the instructors to make up missed classes with other groups at no extra cost or (2) take private instruction to make up missed classes with the instructors at additional cost.
FUTURE EMPLOYMENT
This certificate course empowers participants to become permaculture designers, consultants and teachers. Graduates will be able to use the word ‘permaculture’ legally in their practice, business or project.
By having this formal sustainability certification you will have a green edge when applying for jobs, grants or school programs.
This eco-training certificate is a practical path for greening your life, resume and portfolio.
PROGRAM CURRICULUM
See the attached file for the course schedule and curriculum.
INSTRUCTOR BIOS
Delvin Solkinson is a community gardener, student and teacher from British Columbia, Canada. Collaborating with his wife Grace, a homesteader, herbalist and creative cook, he co-facilitates introductory days, Permaculture Design Certificates, Advanced Courses and Permaculture Diplomas while co-creating free learning and teaching tools, writing articles and making videos.
Extensive study in permaculture includes completing a Permaculture Design Certificate, Diploma and Masters Degree with Bill Mollison, the co-originator of Permaculture along with 13 advanced courses and 14 teacher trainings with Permaculture elders across the planet like David Holmgren, Robin Clayfield, Geoff Lawton and Looby Macnamara. Life long learning includes a Permaculture Design Certificate with Rosemary Morrow in Greece and with Toby Hemenway in Portland. A second Diploma through the Permaculture Institute, a third Diploma through Permaculture Association and a fourth diploma through Permaculture Institute North America reflect his commitment to life long learning. Delvin completed a five year experimental Doctoral Degree under Larry Santoyo and currently pursues a pilot project Post-Doc with the Permaculture Academy. Delvin does ongoing Diploma Tutor training and Continuing Professional Development through the Permaculture Association. Co-facilitating the Group Diploma Adventure with Looby Macnamara, Delvin serves as a Diploma Tutor supporting many people through their Permaculture Association UK Diploma journey. Delvin also serves as the Diploma Program Co-ordinator with the Permaculture Institute. He recently collaborated with Dr. Elaine Ingham and the Soil Food Web School to co-create an online permaculture design certificate featuring 74 teachers from 22 countries. Delvin currently serves as Dean and Lead Instructor with his wife Grace for the Permaculture School at Pacific Rim College on it’s Permaculture Design and Resilient Ecosystems Diploma. Together they serve as social media managers for Permaculture Magazine which they write for regularly and Permanent Publications who are producing a book with them scheduled for release in 2027.
Grace Solkinson grew up on a small family farm on the edge of the woods in the wilds of Washington State, where an early immersion in the rhythms of the natural world sparked a lifelong love of nature and its many gifts.
From a young age, she was drawn to the care and study of animals, a passion that shaped much of her life. With decades of hands-on experience in animal husbandry, Grace specializes in regenerative grazing and foraging systems, optimized and enriched animal care, and the stewardship of heritage breeds.
Her curiosity about the natural world soon extended to plants and their healing properties. Over the years, she has developed and sold her own natural skincare line, studied herbalism extensively, and apprenticed with renowned plant medicine teachers Susun Weed and Dina Falconi. Grace’s work centers on the practical, everyday uses of plant medicine to enhance nourishment, wellness, and daily living.
An international educator, she has taught and studied permaculture across the USA, Canada, and the UK with her husband, Delvin Solkinson. Her contributions to The Permaculture Design Notes book, including chapters on Animal Husbandry, Fermentation & Food Preservation, and Natural Building practices reflect her passion and expertise in practical, hands on skills.. Rooted in a deep respect for the land and guided by a spirit of stewardship, Grace’s work continues to weave together the living threads of ecology, tradition, and sustainable design.
Rooted in a deep respect for the land and guided by a spirit of stewardship, Grace’s work continues to weave together the living threads of ecology, tradition, and sustainable design.
Delvin & Grace’s book, cards and game along with a host of other free resources, tools, downloads, videos and podcasts can be found at www.pemaculturedesign.earth
STUDENT FEEDBACK
“I would recommend this course to any friend interested and committed to leaving this world a better place.” – S. Holden
“The instructors provides an excellent introduction to the ethics, principles, and techniques of Permaculture. The instruction is more than I could have hoped for. Between the curriculum, and personal experiences of the instructors, the course offers a brilliant education and a profound experience.” – S. Funk
“I quite enjoyed the permaculture design course, I always looked forward to attending every class because there was something different to learn each time. It also nicely tied in well with the Gaia College studies. Having different locations is a brilliant way to immerse ourselves in the natural learning of ecological design. It was never boring! The lessons were engaging and very interactive, I quite miss it!” – M. Constant
“Three years of University and a debt I’m still paying off today and I learnt more about the real world on this course than during that whole time. If you are interested in the natural world, sustainability, healthy living or just think the current way we do things in society is a little strange I’d recommend checking out Permaculture in some way or another.” – J. Davis
“Continuing education in permaculture studies, with the amazing teacher Devlin Solkinson in Vancouver BC. I’m deeply inspired by the course and highly recommend this to anyone interested in next level Earth stewardship and gardening.” – B. McGruff
“This program was fantastic! The instructors created a welcoming learning environment , encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and enabled me to grasp and learn the Permaculture ethics and principles in a way that was conducive to my learning stye. I left this program with the confidence and knowledge to further pursue my education and career in Permaculture. I have and will continue to recommend this program to others who are interested in Permaculture and look forward to the opportunity to learn with the instructors again.” – M. Gravel
If you feel any inclination to take this course, i encourage you to do it. Do it now. The instructors have the ability to meet you where you are and guide you with active and inspirational instruction. Harness the information and apply it personally to your business and to your garden no matter the size. Start now.” – H., Craig
“I really like this course and how the Instructors and my classmates were greatly responsive of my needs as a differently abled person. I am going to carry what i have learned in this course throughout my life.” – M. McKenzie
“I am constantly amazed at how much i have learned about everything. I feel I should have already known how it changed my perspective on my gardens, my life, family, nature, the world! I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to open their mind to a beautiful concept or simply broaden their knowledge of what our future will be made of, at least i hope. Thank you for sharing your love, passion and knowledge of something i had never heard of and will never forget.” – B., Marie-Eve
“Your teaching has changed the way I observe the world. Observing with curiosity rather than judgement. I recommend this course again and again because of the multi faceted teaching style and the dynamic changing venues and continual student involvement and gentle challenges.” – M. Witney
“Delvin is truly a great facilitator of permaculture education. In every class his intention is focused and he is deeply engaged. He gets all the curriculum across clearly and provides time for deeper hands-on education at each of the sites we visit. He takes the time to engage directly with each of his students and shows that he cares about each of their own development and growth. He is a great role model and embodies many permaculture ethics and principles in his own life. He makes every class a fun adventure and it becomes a joy to learn permaculture.” – C. Peters
