Sustainability - Permaculture Design

The University of Texas - Pan American's Office of Sustainability (led by Marianella Franklin and her staff) offered Part One of a two part series - Permaculture Design Intensive Workshop - October 30th through November 2nd.  Mata+Garcia's own Hector Rene Garcia attended this fascinating workshop.

The course covered sustainable living systems for a wide variety of landscapes and climates. It included the application of permaculture principles to food production, home design & construction, energy conservation and generation, and explored the social and economic structures that support a culture that cares for the planet and all its inhabitants. Part I: October 30th to November 2nd, 2014. Part II: January 8th to 12th, 2015.

Topics included in the first workshop were:  Permaculture Ethics and Principles; Observation and Pattern Understanding; Concepts, Themes and Methods of Design; Climate; Landform and Earthworks; Measuring Tools, The Backyard Farmer; Water  & Keyline, Access and Circulation; Vegetation & Wildlife; Plants, Gardening and Farming; Seed Saving; Plant Propagation, Grafting; Gardening & Farming Systems; Plants and Trees; Plant Walk, Plant Guilds; Health use of Animals in Permaculture Systems. 

The funding for this workshop was provided by an anonymous donor. Many thanks to the foundation and the Office of Sustainability for offering this workshop, course material and meals at no cost to the attendees. Garcia said: "Everything was top notch and I met some incredible people that are practicing a sustainable lifestyle right here in the Rio Grande Valley."