Discovery Park

The Purdue University Center for the Environment and Ecological Sciences and Engineering Graduate Program is partnering with Midwest Permaculture to offer its first permaculture course June 4-7.

The four-day intensive course offers a foundation in suburban and urban permaculture design and will be led by Bill Wilson, lead instructor for Midwest Permaculture.

Permaculture, which was developed in Australia during the 1970s, is an approach to designing human living environments and agriculture systems that mimic the relationships found in nature, says Brent Ladd, learning and engagement program coordinator for the Center for the Environment.

"The concept of permaculture involves infusing multiple sciences such as ecology, agriculture, landscape design, horticulture, hydrology, and sustainable building and environmental engineering techniques," Ladd says. "The art of applying all of these sciences holistically to design sustainable, self-sufficient environments is what makes permaculture unique."

Subjects covered will include raising and preserving half of one's food; gardening on concrete, roofs and in apartments; techniques for cutting energy use in half; generating income from one's home or lot; effective rainwater harvesting methods; and simple neighborhood projects that promote community.

The fee for the course is $495 before May 4 and $575 after. The Purdue student rate is $300 before May 4 and $380 after. More information and registration is available online at www.purdue.edu/DP/environment/permaculture.php. You can listen to a short interview about Permaculture and the upcoming course: www.purdue.edu/DP/environment/news/local-wbaa-835105.mp3