● Permaculture: History, Ethics, Design Principles ● Design methodologies: Observation, pattern language in culture and landscape, element and sector analysis, zoning, site evaluation, map reading and more. Climate and microclimates. ● Water: Cycles, catchment, ecology, conservation and treatment. Gray and black water systems. Erosion, earth movements. ● Soils: Biology, ecology and fertility strategies (biochar, bioferments, cultivation of MM's, biomass, compost). ● Plants and animals: Propagation of plants, seed banks, orchards, urban agriculture, minor species, etc. ● Built environments and appropriate technologies: renewable energy, ecological construction. ● Invisible structures: Social, legal and economic aspects.

There are many permaculture design courses offered around the world, but you are a good candidate for our PDC if: • You want to learn from instructors who have many years of experience teaching and practicing permaculture on a daily basis through your own garden, kitchen, community, and habits. • You want to experience an established permaculture site, largely designed to connect permaculture and food systems with hospitality and tourism. • You want to be inspired by seeing many practical examples of highly functional systems that were guided by the principles and ethics of permaculture. • You want to immerse yourself in the famous Monteverde cloud forest, with access to miles of hiking trails and a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean. • You are ready for an intensive learning experience. As a theory & practice course, there will be a significant amount of lectures and discussions on a daily basis. • You want to be part of a diverse group of students, in a course that focuses on connecting with Costa Rica and its culture.

The course will be taught in Spanish.

Valle Escondido is a living playground for sustainable design and natural experimentation. Offering different examples of regenerative systems and techniques that reduce human impact and support natural environments, visitors leave Valle Escondido inspired to support a greener world. On-site projects include land management (15-hectare Valle Escondido nature reserve), agroforestry, aquaculture, animal husbandry, gray water management, soil construction, biofertilizers, microorganism cultivation, and more. Valle Escondido presents these projects in a simple and accessible way to reach the wide international audience of guests who visit it. Recognized as a family hotel providing these examples of sustainable living seeks to create awareness for both children and adults. In Monteverde, where the climate can be very extreme, Valle Escondido creates and experiments with culturally appropriate technology design systems to identify pathways to food security and sustainable design that are now necessary to address global climate change. To date, Valle Escondido has presented in person to more than 42,000 travelers the method of permaculture and regenerative systems, in its continuous effort to use tourism as a means of transmission to advocate for a better world.