Permaculture Design Course
What is a Permaculture Design Certificate Course?
This course lets you develop a broad understanding of permaculture and design that uses whole systems thinking, which looks at how everything works together as a part of a larger whole. This can apply to the environment, our internal state of being and our organizations and social systems. In this PINA-recognized Permaculture Design Certificate course, participants learn a standard 72-hour permaculture curriculum toward certification that is recognized around the world. Participants will also gain hands-on experience in designing and transforming a local landscape using design principles and incorporating the use of captured rainwater and greywater systems.
Sustainable Solano PDC 2025 with Lydia Neilsen and Anne Freiwald
Registration now open! Click here to register
The 2025 PDC program (August 2025-December 2025) combines online Zoom classes with five hands-on, two-day weekends and a final presentation. Participants will work in small groups.
This is a great way to build permaculture knowledge for a variety of interests and fields of experience. Past PDC participants included landscaping professionals, educators, sustainability program managers, and community members wanting to bring permaculture practices to their property and permaculture principles to their communities.
Registration and Tuition
Tuition will be offered on a sliding scale of $1,000-$1,200
Limited scholarships available based on enrollment. To learn more, contact Nicole Newell at nicole@sustainablesolano.org
Learn more about the basics of permaculture, the interconnection of soil, water, plants and climate, and what you’ll explore in this year’s PDC in the video below.
Watch these introductory permaculture talks with instructors Lydia Neilsen and Anne Freiwald:
PDC Schedule
August 2025-December 2025
Aug. 23-24: On-site weekend: Introduction to Permaculture, Design & Global Context of Permaculture
Sept. 12: Friday Focus: Bring Your Soil to Life! (online)
Sept. 13-14: On-site weekend: Design and Soil
Oct. 3: Friday Focus: DIY Water Harvesting (online)
Oct. 4-5: On-site weekend: Water
Oct. 17: Friday Focus: Plant it and They will Hum (online)
Oct. 18-19: On-site weekend: Plants and Agroforestry
Nov. 7: Friday Focus: Finding the Heart in Your Community (online)
Nov. 8-9: On-site weekend: Invisible Structures
Dec. 6: On-site Design Presentations and Graduation
Online classes will be over Zoom from 5:30-7:30 pm. Weekend classes will be from 9 am-6 pm Saturdays and 9 am-5 pm Sundays.
*Participants should expect to spend a significant amount of time out of class hours researching, studying and preparing the final project with their teams.
Meet the Instructors
About Lydia Neilsen
PINA certified permaculture educator, landscape and habitat designer, specializing in water cycle restoration and passionate polyculture.
About Anne Freiwald, MPH
Community health and earth activist, permaculture educator and regenerative life and landscape designer, with 29+ years specializing in human ecology & community resilience.
