Ecovillage Training Center

The more people sign up and pay full tuitionfor these wonderful training courses, the more full scholarships they offer to Africans, South Americans, Asian participants, etc. and also the more courses they are able to offer in those places. Since 1995 they've given more than 100 free scholarships (some with paid airfares) which has magnified the effects of the courses. Many of these people are now teachers and some even have training centers (Brazil, Costa Rica, Senegal).

April 1- June 7, 2002
Ecovillage Apprenticeships http://www.thefarm.org/etc/courses.html 10-week apprenticeship program in organic food production, natural building, wastewater, ecological design. $2500 board and lodging, includes books, participation in most courses and training.

Mar 22-24
Natural Buildings (Straw, Cob, Bag, Round Pole) http://www.thefarm.org/etc/natural_building.html Construct a "Nebraska Style" cabin, basic techniques of cob construction, and visit post and beam and other examples locally. Wattle and daub. Mud and stone. Turf and timber. Build with straw, cob, earth bags, wood and other natural materials. Katey Culver, Howard Switzer, Albert Bates. $325 includes books meals and lodging, $25 discount for early registration or in multiple registrations.

April 22-27
Solar Installation Course http://www.thefarm.org/etc/courses.html Become a solar installer with this course from Solar Energy International, one of the leading solar installation companies. $550 plus food and lodging (Inn packages from $170). Sue Turtle, Ed Eaton and others.

May 15-19
Ecovillage Design http://www.thefarm.org/suscourse.html Site selection, design for Ecovillages, consensus and conflict resolution, financial aspects, work issues, best practices. Live and work in an ecovillage for a week and get a sense of the issues. Greg Ramsey, Albert Bates and guests. $600 includes meals and lodging.

May 24-June 1
Permaculture Fundamentals http://www.thefarm.org/permaculture/ The first half of the complete design certification course. Learn the low impact methodologies that are creating a holistic movement. Albert Bates, Patricia Allison, Sizwe Herring. The first half of the complete design certification course. Second half to be offered later in the year. Learn the low impact methodologies that are creating a holistic movement. $600 includes food and lodging, materials.

June 3-9
Permaculture Practicum http://www.thefarm.org/permaculture/ PC Fundamentals graduates return for the second half of the certification process. Work in teams to design homesites and neighborhoods. Combining the larger subjects of the permaculture curriculum presentations by experienced designers introduce mentored small group design projects. Albert Bates, Biko Casini, Sizwe Herring. $600 includes food and lodging, materials.

July 15-21
Natural Buildings Immersion http://www.thefarm.org/etc/courses.html A week-long intensive: wattle and daub; mud and stone; turf and timber. Build with straw, cob, wood and other natural materials. Architect and builders Howard Switzer, Katey Culver, Albert Bates. $800.

Wed, August 28, 2002, 6:00-10:00 pm,
Ecovillage Dinner, World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa http://www.ecovillage.org/wssd/
Dine with progressive leaders in sustainability while hearing from visionary speakers in the ecovillage movement: Ross and Hildur Jackson, Rashmi Mayur, Max O. Lindegger, Albert Bates, Lucilla Borio, Helena Norberg-Hodge, Liora Adler, Vinja Ariyaratne, Marti Mueller, Mete Hacaloglu and others. $50, e53, R535

Fri, August 30, 2002, 6:00-10:00 PM,
Ecovillage Dinner, World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg http://www.ecovillage.org/wssd/
It is our honor to invite Dr. J.T. Ross Jackson, author of And We Are Doing It: Building an Ecovillage Future to be our Keynote speaker. Dr. Jackson is founder of the Gaia Trust and creator of the Global Ecovillage Network. His distinguished career has spanned three decades as a currency analyst, philanthropist, and social innovator. $25, e26.50 R270

Sun, September 1, 2002, 6:00-10:00 PM,
Ecovillage Dinner, World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa http://www.ecovillage.org/wssd/ Dine with developing nation sustainability pioneers while hearing from visionary speakers in the ecovillage movement: Ross and Hildur Jackson, Rashmi Mayur, Marian Zeitlin, Souleye Ndiaye, Marti Mueller, Vinya Ariyaratne, Mete Hacaloglu and others.

Village Design Charrette
Friday, August 23 to Sunday August 25, 2002 Tlholego Ecovillage, South Africa http://www.ecovillage.org/wssd/
Participants will travel by bus to Tlholego Ecovillage Training Center near Rustenburg where they will stay in village group lodging. The charrette provides a multidisciplinary exercise with developers, architects, engineers and others to create a truly integrated zero energy, free standing design, emphasizing sustainable practices. Take an actual village project from site to materials selection to energy and water considerations, conflicts and governance. Instructors include Max O. Lindegger, Albert Bates, Lucilla Borio, and Liora Adler. $400, e425, R4275

Urban Ecology and Sustainable Communities
Saturday August 24 to Sunday August 25, 2002 Johannesburg, South Africa http://www.ecovillage.org/wssd/ Learn how to balance urban development and natural systems to maximize community livability. Progressive practitioners will discuss resource management and revitalization of human dominated landscapes. Discover how to rework urban infrastructure to preserve and restore green space, water supplies and other resources. Hear about cutting-edge projects and technologies: site selection, the market for sustainable community, why people chose to live in urban ecovillages, financial aspects, work issues, design process, restoring old sites, decisionmaking process, conflict and communications. Participants will travel by bus to Tlholego Ecovillage Training Center near Rustenburg where they will stay in village group lodging and eat traditional African meals with the Tlholego Ecovillagers. $150, e160, R1600 inclusive.

Creating Democratic Networks
Monday August 26 to Tuesday, August 27, 2002, Johannesburg, South Africa http://www.ecovillage.org/wssd/ Theory and case studies about organizing sustainable development from the ground up. Lucilla Borio, Liora Adler, Marian Zeitlin, Souleye Ndiaye, Marti Mueller, Vinya Ariyaratne, Mete Hacaloglu. $150, e160, R1600 inclusive.

Introduction to Consensus
Wed-Thur, August 28-29, 2002, Johannesburg http://www.ecovillage.org/wssd/ Consensus decisionmaking can be a powerful tool for building group unity and strength and for choosing wise, creative courses of action. However, if attempted in the wrong circumstances or without good understanding of the technique, the consensus process can result in confusion and frustration. This course will lead the way for your group to smooth process work, structures and techniques. Meetings can be fun! Instructors include Liora Adler, Lucilla Borio, and others. $150, e160, R1600 includes tuition, two lunches and course materials.

Ecovillages and Poverty Alleviation
Fri-Sat, August 30-31, 2002, Johannesburg http://www.ecovillage.org/wssd/. Economic disequality undercuts environmental sustainability. Ecovillages and their supporting networks can reverse the downward spiral of poverty and create success in business while building community. Instructors include Paul and Stephanie Cohen, Marian Zeitlin, Souleye Ndiaye, Marti Mueller, Vinya Ariyaratne, Mete Hacaloglu and others. $150, e160, R1600 includes tuition, two lunches and course materials.

Introduction to Permaculture
Sun-Mon Sept. 1-2, 2002, Johannesburg http://www.ecovillage.org/wssd/ "Permanent agriculture" or "permanent culture," terms coined by Australians David Holmgren and Bill Mollison in the 1970s, describe a design system for creating human settlements that function in harmony with nature. Incorporating traditional knowledge, modern science, and the ecological patterns of the living world, permaculture design is applicable to farms, gardens, organizations, housing developments, towns and villages, or city neighborhoods. Since 1978, tens of thousands of individuals on all continents have learned and taught to others the principles of energy flow and materials cycling, and the simple appropriate technologies of self-reliant living: gardening, shelter, water and waste management, aquaculture, forestry, and how to organize supportive local economies. The aim of this grassroots international movement is to liberate people everywhere to provide for their own and their communities' needs for food, energy, shelter, and a decent life without exploitation or pollution and from the smallest practical area of land. Max O. Lindegger, Albert Bates, Lucilla Borio, and Liora Adler. $150, e160, R1600 inclusive.

African Eco-tours and Thlolego Day Visits
African Ecotours: Aug 26, 28, 31, 2002. DAY 1: leave Johannesburg at 10.30 am, arrival in Thlolego at lunch time, afternoon visit of ecovillage, slideshow and video, photo exhibit, traditional African dinner, cultural event (concert, performance, etc.). DAY2: Rise at 5.00 am, light breakfast at 5.30, leave for Pilanesberg Game Reserve, lunch catered in picnic area, get back to Johannesburg by 2.30 PM $200, e215, R2140 includes local transportation from NGO Forum, meals, admission fees and lodging. Maximum capacity 40

Thlolego Day Visits: Aug 27, 29, 31
DAY 1: leave Johannesburg at 1 PM, arrival in Thlolego at lunch time, afternoon visit of ecovillage, slideshow and video, photo exhibit, traditional African dinner, cultural event (concert, performance, etc.); $150, e160, R1600 includes local transportation from NGO Forum, meals and lodging. Maximum capacity 80.