August 26, 2010

DAVIS--More than 70 Native and non-Native Americans will gather at D-Q University September 3-18 for a two-week course in permaculture and regenerative design. Presented by the Regenerative Design Institute and taught by Native and non-Native American instructors, the course is intended to begin revitalizing the 640-acre campus. Twenty scholarships have been awarded to Native American students.

Former Sub-Chief of the Mohawk Nation Jake Swamp and his wife Judy, a lifelong activist for Native rights, will be honored guest teachers at the course. "My work at D-Q University will address our disconnection from the natural world and from each other," Swamp said. “We need to make peace with our natural environment.” Jake Swamp is the founder of the Tree of Peace Society and has served as a representative on the Grand Council of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) for 30 years.

Course organizers and guests hope that transforming the physical landscape will be a step toward peace for the troubled university, which had its accreditation revoked in 2005.

"Permaculture is a tool for healing places, people and communities," said Penny Livingston-Stark, renowned permaculture teacher and director of the Regenerative Design Institute. The Institute, based in Bolinas, CA, is coordinating the course at the invitation of D-Q University's Board of Trustees.

The course will feature hands-on training in permaculture skills, including agroforestry, food system development, soil and water management, composting and bioremediation, and sustainable community development. The course will also include education in the Peacemaker Principles and traditional environmental knowledge. Over a dozen veteran teachers are slated to participate, including Penny Livingston-Stark, Brock Dolman, Jon Young, Carla Perez and James Stark.

The Regenerative Design Institute (RDI) raised funds for 18 of the scholarships. The Kalliopeia Foundation funded two more. RDI is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and a regional center for Gaia University. The Institute is dedicated to cultivating sustainable living by teaching practical skills that blend traditional wisdom with green solutions.

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For more information about permaculture design and the D-Q University course, or to schedule an interview with Penny Livingston-Stark, please contact Sheila Carder at (415) 868-9681 or sheila@regenerativedesign.org. Details on the D-Q University Permaculture Design Certification course "Peacemaking and Permaculture" are available at: http://regenerativedesign.org/peacemaking-permaculture-d-q-university-september-3-–-18