August 2025 Permaculture Newsletter
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As we begin this month’s newsletter, we invite you to reflect on this simple question: what first drew you to permaculture? Chances are, it wasn’t a desire to sit still while the world burns. More likely, it was a call to action, a drive to find real solutions and take part in creating a better future. At PINA, we believe it is our job to inspire and empower you to act. We’re here to connect you with the tools, opportunities, and community to help you be the change you wish to see. That’s why this month is packed with powerful ways to engage. From events to initiatives, there’s no shortage of opportunities to dig in and make a difference. Let’s dive in. 2025 Permaculture Design Contest Begins August 15
Mark your calendars—on August 15, the submission window opens for PINA’s 2025 Permaculture Design Contest, and this year’s call is louder, bolder, and backed by our largest prize pool ever: $10,000. We’re inviting visionaries from all walks—seasoned designers and fresh graduates alike—to bring their regenerative ideas to life in two exciting tracks: 🌱 Design with Biochar – Showcase how this ancient soil amendment can power modern solutions across water, waste, and climate resilience and get the chance of winning $7500. 🌟 Best New Designer – Just completed your PDC? Submit your final design project—no extra work required—and compete for national recognition and $2500. Are you a teacher? Encourage your students to enter and gain recognition as the instructor behind a winning design in one of permaculture’s most prestigious contests. Don’t sit this one out. Let’s turn bold ideas into real-world impact—together.
Join Us for the Disaster Regeneration Summit
From August 18–23, join us at the FREE 2025 Disaster Regeneration Summit, where permaculture experts like David Holmgren, Andrew Millison, and Brock Dolman, alongside a host of community leaders and practitioners, will come together to address the escalating environmental crises of our time. As summer heatwaves intensify, the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Texas endure catastrophic floods, and the West suffers relentless fires and drought, inaction is no longer an option. Resilience isn’t optional—it’s essential. Through immersive talks, real life experiences, and permaculture based disaster design, this summit will equip you with practical strategies to build adaptive systems, safeguard communities, and regenerate landscapes. Learn how to respond before disaster strikes and rebuild better when it does. Let’s transform crisis into opportunity, become part of the solution this August. Secure your spot, and help forge a regenerative future.
Intro to Permaculture Series Begins
Hosted by long-time educator and food forest evangelist Greg Peterson, and co-sponsored by PINA and The Urban Farm, this new Intro to Permaculture series invites you into the living matrix of regenerative design. Starting August 11th, join us every 2nd Monday for a free, live session featuring diverse voices from across the permaculture landscape. Each month, a new teacher will share 30–35 minutes of core concepts—rooted in ethics, principles, and practical action—followed by lively Q&A and a few parting seeds to plant in your own life. Whether you’re just discovering permaculture or seeking to reconnect with its deeper patterns, these sessions are an ideal mycelial touchpoint to local PDCs and global movements alike.
BE FEATURED IN THE NEWSLETTER Members, we want to highlight your work in our newsletter. Please email a project you’re proud of to communications@pina.in. PINA invites you to share content for a future edition of our newsletter! See an article or news item you think we should feature? Contact us to let us know. A Growing Movement: Permaculture Teachers on the Rise
The Colorado Permaculture Guild just wrapped up its largest Teacher Training in years, proudly graduating 18 new permaculture educators! These freshly certified teachers are now equipped to bring regenerative design, ecological literacy, and hands-on skills to communities across Colorado and beyond. This milestone reflects a growing momentum in the region—proof that people are ready to learn, lead, and live more resiliently. As the climate and cultural landscapes shift, this new wave of teachers will be vital voices in guiding the transition. Curious about what’s next? The Colorado Permaculture Guild offers a rich calendar of events, workshops, and courses to keep your permaculture journey growing. 🌱 Check them out at coloradopermaculture.com and support a thriving local movement!
PINA Diplomate Training the Next Generation of Permaculture Leaders
“The most important application of permaculture design is looking at nature and using it as a template, as a guide, for us to create our sustainable cultures.” – Larry Santoyo Learning and growing together is at the heart of permaculture. In Canada, PINA member Delvin Solkinson and his wife Grace lead the Permaculture Design and Resilient Ecosystems Diploma at Tiny Tree Herb and Flower Farm, a rural campus of Pacific Rim College, a PINA Allied Organization. Students gain hands-on experience: raising quail, building composting toilets, practicing herbalism, and learning from Indigenous Knowledge Keepers and leading teachers like Andrew Millison. The program prepares students to step confidently into the world with practical skills. It’s one of many advanced permaculture programs worldwide helping people build local learning pathways and join the global movement for a regenerative future. Learn more about Pacific Rim College and Delvin and Grace Solkinson’s work: https://www.pacificrimcollege.com/faculties-programs/school-of-permaculture-design/ Seeking Rural Permaculture & Agroforestry Practitioners for Research StudyCaroline Wiesner is conducting a study at CU Boulder on Pathways for Sustainability Transitions in Agriculture and is seeking permaculture and agroforestry practitioners in rural areas. The research explores how these practices influence food access in rural communities, including their benefits, challenges, and connections to broader community well-being. Participants must be 18 or older and identify as a practitioner or decision-maker in agroforestry or permaculture. Interviews will take approximately 45–60 minutes. Reach out to Caroline directly through her email at caroline.wiesner@colorado.edu Permaculture Events
Permaculture Job Opportunities
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