Engage Heart, Head, and Hands in Sustainable Living

A comprehensive two-week course blending theory, practical skills, and community wisdom.

Permaculture is a holistic design system for sustainable living, creating systems for minimum effort and maximum effect. The permaculture philosophy is one of working with rather than against nature, and the permaculture principles are a lens through which to see the world and make our key decisions. That’s how we can sustain human activities for many generations to come. The Permaculture Design Course enables you to become a certified Permaculture Designer, capable of creating and implementing designs aligned with the ethics of Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share.

Join us at Ecovillage Findhorn, one of the biggest and oldest ecovillages in Europe, for a hands-on two-week certificate course on permaculture principles and design practices, with a focus on permaculture in community and methods that will engage the heart, head and hands.

The Ecovillage Findhorn PDC will take place Aug 3rd-16th 2026
in The Park, Findhorn, Scotland.

Accredited by The Permaculture Association

and taught by expert certified educators: Lusi Alderslowe, Maria Cooper, Craig Gibsone
and guest speakers who have years of experience living in Ecovillage Findhorn.

Register Here

 WHY CHOOSE OUR PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE IN FINDHORN? 

The Findhorn Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) includes:

• Training in Permaculture Design, covering the full Permaculture Association curriculum (which is based upon Bill Mollison’s curriculum, with updates bringing it to the modern day), tailored to the unique people and place of our course;
• Guest speakers who have years of experience living in Ecovillage Findhorn;
• Diverse learning methods: including facilitated group discussion, practicals (e.g. gardening, fermenting), meditation, song, site visits, students sharing their knowledge, group design projects and more – covering holistic learning through eyes, heart, hands and head;
• Observing permaculture principles in action, and experiencing how these processes influence systems and site development.

You will gain knowledge and practical skills on:

• Soil management: soil food web, macro/microorganisms, mulching, composting, no-dig gardening, soil tests, erosion, mycorrhizal and bacterial associations;
• Water use and conservation: Hydrology cycle, rainwater harvesting, wastewater systems (including a tour of the Living Machine, the ecovillage’s ecological wastewater treatment system), drainage, water as energy store and water use;
• Plants and Trees: Tree species and their gifts, energy transactions, forest gardening, food forests, windbreaks and shelter belts, riparian buffers, indicator plants and orchards;
• Growing and sourcing your food: Polycultures, organic farming/ horticulture, bed creation, food preservation, ethical choices, ecological footprints, input-output cycles of food;
• Built Environment: Ecological buildings, retrofitting, transport, renewable energy, and urban permaculture;
• Resource Use: Ecological and carbon footprints, asset assessments;
• Social Systems: Personal and community resilience, communication skills, economics, land tenure, governance, and decision-making.

 WHAT TO EXPECT 

The course package includes:

• 14 days of immersive tuition with hands-on practical learning, formal sessions with the main facilitator and guest trainers from the Findhorn ecovillage community;
• A day trip to a working permaculture smallholding;
• Experiencing one of the biggest and oldest ecovillages in Europe;
• Welcome dinner on arrival and a closing dinner celebration;
• Lunch every day of the course;
• Mid-morning and afternoon refreshments;
• A rest day in the middle to explore the area at your own pace;
• Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) on completion of the full course.
  

ACCOMMODATION

You can choose from 3 accommodation options:

• Bed in a shared room (shared bathroom and shower, access to basic kitchenette to prepare your own breakfasts and simpler evening meals included). Bedrooms are in the same house as the main teaching venue. Limited Availability.
• Camping in Cullerne Gardens, adjacent to the main teaching venue. Access to compost toilet (nearby) and outside shower and hot tub (5 min walk away) included. You will need to bring all of your own camping gear.
• Organise your own accommodation in the the Park Ecovillage, or Findhorn village nearby. Options include camping, hostel, ecopods and B&Bs. Please see www.visitecovillagefindhorn.uk for more info and see below for suggestions.

IMPORTANT:
Registration includes lunches but does not include breakfasts and evening meals (apart from the welcome and closing dinners). 
- The course starts at 3pm on Monday, Aug 3rd, 2026.
- The course ends at 5pm on Sunday, August 16, 2026. This is followed by dinner and campfire celebration (included). Please arrange for departure on Monday 17th.

FACILITATORS

PDC TRAINER: Lusi Alderslowe

Lead Faculty for the PDC , Lusi is registered to award Permaculture Association Permaculture Design Course certificates.

Lusi is a permaculture teacher from Scotland with 15 years’ of experience designing, coordinating and teaching permaculture courses of different durations. She’s taught in many locations in various countries, including Scotland, England, Ireland, Turkey and online.

The theoretical basis of her permaculture work comes from studying Development Management and Human Ecology, for which she received a MSc with Distinction.

She is experienced in both rural and urban permaculture, having studied her Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design while living in Glasgow for seven years, and then living in rural Galloway for the last thirteen years.

She is co-chair of Dumfries and Galloway Outdoor and Woodland Learning Group, through which she has taught thousands of children, a director of Propagate (a sustainable food CIC), co-founder of Permaculture Children, and an author of Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share in Education: The Children in Permaculture Manual.

Lusi loves sharing permaculture with children and adults using fun, creative and inspiring methods.

Lusi Alderslowe | Permaculture Association

Craig Gibsone

Originally from Australia, Craig has been a central figure in the development of Permaculture and Ecovillage education at Findhorn and has lived at Findhorn for over 50 years.

YouTube: Permaculture at Findhorn with Craig Gibsone

Life in My Whisky Barrel House, Craig Gibsone - Voices of the Findhorn Foundation

Maria Cooper

Originally from Sweden, Maria is deeply involved in the Transition Towns and Permaculture movements locally and internationally, and runs the Permaculture Design Courses and Ecovillage Design programmes in Findhorn, where she has been living for years.

YouTube: Permaculture at Findhorn. Maria Cooper, Craig Gibsone and Morag Gamble - *Maria starting at 5:35

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

Findhorn Hinterland Trust rustic camping: https://www.findhornhinterland.org – rustic camping in the woods adjacent to The Park (from £12 per night). Please email landsteward@findhornhinterland.org

B&Bs in the Park - www.findhorn.cc/our-services/bed-breakfast-list/ – run by community members in The Park, with a range of single and double rooms (from £45 single, £65-85 double).

Findhorn Village Hostel – www.findhornvillagehostel.com - hostel an easy walk away (about 1 mile) in Findhorn Village (from £25 per person in a dormitory, also private rooms from £50 sleeping 2, 4 and 6).

Important Registration Details

• Meals: All prices include daily lunch during training and welcome and celebration dinner on the first and last day of the course. You will be responsible for organising your own breakfasts and evening meals. There is a shop and a cafe in the ecovillage where you can buy food, and pubs within walking distance (1 mile) open for evening meals.

• Accommodation: Limited on-site shared bedrooms are available as an optional add-on. We strongly recommend booking this or other accommodation in advance, as finding accommodation in the Findhorn ecovillage can be challenging.

• Discounts: We offer special rates for Global South and Group bookings. Please email us at info@gaiaeducation.org to apply.

• Cancellations: Before booking, please review our Face-to-Face Cancellation Policy here.

2.3 Cancellation and refund policy of face to face programmes

Cancellations made at least 30 days prior to the start of a course or programme are eligible for either a 100% credit to the participant's Gaia Education account or an 80% refund of the amount paid. Cancellations after the mentioned timeline won't be open for refund, but please contact Gaia Education team for the proper assessment. In programmes with higher attendance rate than expected refunds can be issued extraordinarily.

In the event that the programme is cancelled, registered participants will receive a full refund of the programme fee.

Accommodation Refund Policy

Please note that accommodation bookings for this programme are generally non-refundable. However, if you cancel, Gaia Education will attempt to resell your spot. If we are successful in filling your vacancy, you will receive a full reimbursement of the accommodation fee.