Permaculture Institute of North America
PINA supports professional development for PDC graduates through continuing education, mentorship, diploma recognition, and employment. We identify, fund, and staff critically important projects in land, community, and climate regeneration.
What’s New at PINA
Design Contest Opens
The PINA Board has announced a new Design Contest with a submission deadline of January 17, 2022. PINA seeks to showcase the talent of its members and stimulate critical thinking about cultural and environmental regeneration.
We will award $5,000 towards implementing the best overall permaculture design. Your thoughtful proposal could come to life! We will, in addition, make five special awards of lesser amounts in the areas of best community/social design, income-producing opportunity, ecological benefits, drawing/visuals, and the best from a recent PDC graduate. Some of these prizes may be combined. PINA judges will sort and select the semi-finalists and finalists; PINA members will award the prizes by vote. Read more.
Fire Ecology Restoration Project funded.
In June, 2021 PINA received a $75,000 grant to research improved methods of wildfire risk mitigation in relation to forest health. Our restoration forestry practices will be used to treat four sites in southwest Oregon while training a cadre of practitioners and documenting impacts. Forest thinning to reduce fuel loads will be followed by making biochar in portable kilns, contour placement of larger logs, return of the char to the forest, and finally prescribed burning.
PINA is currently offering paid work, internships and research opportunities in connection with this project. Read more.
Embers of Hope: Embracing Life in an Age of Ecological Destruction and Climate Chaos.
Bonita Eloise Ford weaves a pathway with permaculture, energy healing, the Indigenous wisdom of her teachers, and her own life experience. Read more.
Please support our fundraiser. 20% of profits from the sale of this e-book will be donated to PINA from now until December 31.
Enter this donation code when you purchase: PINA83
The PINA-organized 4 session webinar with Zev Friedman reviews the heritage of mutual aid in the US and internationally and works through an emerging pattern language to see how it applies to a wide range of projects that can generate economic self-governance. A particular juicy area for exploration is how regional mutual aid initiatives might form the basis for PINA hubs. This webinar provides Continuing Education Credit for PINA diplomates. More information and recorded webinar purchase. Members $20, non-members $30.
MEMBERSHIP
Our members are graduates of the Design Course who seek to advance the standing of permaculture in North American societies. Through PINA, they enjoy access to training, mentorship, work exchange, and professional networking.
DIPLOMAS
Through a program of self-directed action learning, mentorship, and peer review, the PINA diploma recognizes post-PDC accomplishment and excellence in a growing number of specializations. Diplomas are affordable, flexible, compatible with working careers, and available for individuals at all levels of experience.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
PINA diplomates renew their professional qualifications by obtaining credit for continuing education at least every three years. PINA sponsors convergences, webinars, and short courses that fulfill this requirement. Advanced or specialty courses in permaculture disciplines may also qualify. PINA sponsored events that qualify for CCE in 2019-2020 include the Global Earth Repair Conference; Integrated Water Harvesting, a 2 part hands-on workshop at Aprovecho Institute in Oregon in June and Fall 2019 for implementing the winner contest design; a 4-session fall 2019 webinar on Mutual Aid with Zev Friedman, and a Spring 2020 Urban Permaculture Convergence in New York.
FUND FOR REGENERATION
Permaculture has answers for the urgent problems facing humanity. Help us mobilize talent and apply it for maximum leverage by donating to build resilient communities, vibrant landscapes, and a cooler planet.
MISSION
The Permaculture Institute of North America (PINA) supports students and experienced practitioners of permaculture in North America and Hawaiʻi.
North American Leadership Summit
The North American Leadership Summit (NALS) was a co-creative learning process culminating in a unique event that helped define the next steps in our evolution as continental leaders of Turtle Island. We aim to build a great people’s movement that can regenerate climate, land, and communities across the continent. Recordings of the Summit are available for purchase and include lifetime access.
Congratulations to Jocotenango Garden of Hope for winning the Community Development award!
Congratulations also to Delvin Solkinson and Salina Duncan, who will divide the Media & Communications prizes to make a variety of short films!
Thanks to all who submitted design projects and to all who voted to help PINA make this momentous choice. Check out the winning designs as well as the top finalists here.
If these designs have inspired in you a desire for more muddy boots and shovels on the ground putting permaculture into practice, consider donating to PINA’s Fund for Regeneration.
Interpeter teaches permaculture basics in Kakchiquel an indigenous Mesoamerican language. This film was created by the Garden of Hope to further the goal of providing permaculture information in underserved languages.
Integrated Water Harvesting Earthworks, Restoring Ecosystems with Permaculture Design
PINA 2018 Design Contest winner Tao Orion’s Integrated Water-Harvesting Earthworks provide access, water harvesting potential and fire resilience by developing a pond using Keyline design principles. PINA hired Stories of Regeneration to document the process in this detailed film presentation. See a full report on the project in the January 2020 PINA Newsletter.
Forty-two amazing permaculture designs were submitted for the 2018 PINA Design Contest. A selection of the designs have been posted and archived for all to see.
The film presenting a detailed description of the implementation of this keyline pond building project was premiered at the North American Leadership Summit in August, 2020 receiving great acclaim.