September 2025 Permaculture Newsletter
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As we open this month’s newsletter, we ask: are you a solutionary? Permaculture has always been about more than critique—it’s about solutions. Where others see problems, we see opportunities to regenerate soils, restore watersheds, rebuild communities, and reimagine economies. Every garden, every design, every act of care is a seed of resilience. At PINA, we know that solutions already exist within our networks of practitioners, teachers, and allies. Our role is to uplift them, spread them, and empower you to bring them to life in your own context. Whether you’re just starting out or already leading projects, remember: permaculture equips us all to be solutionaries. Let’s dig into what’s possible—together. The 2025 Permaculture Design Contest
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With $7,500 up for grabs in the Grand Prize Biochar Track and $2,500 in the New Designer Track, now’s the time to start shaping your design idea.
You’ve got until October 15th to pull your concept together, and here’s a tip that can make the process much smoother:
💡 Design Tip: Start with layered base maps instead of trying to capture everything in one drawing. Print or trace 3–4 copies of your site map at scale, and dedicate each to a single layer of analysis: one for water flows, one for sun and shade, one for soils and vegetation, one for access and structures. By isolating each factor first, you avoid clutter, see clear patterns, and can later overlay them to reveal the best design opportunities.
This simple method not only saves time but also makes your final submission much easier for contest judges to follow.
We’re excited to see what you got!
| Learn More About the Design Contest Today |
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Disaster Regeneration Summit
Replay + One-Week Membership Bonus
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What an incredible gathering we just shared at the Disaster Regeneration Summit!
With 100+ attendees joining from across the continent, we explored solutions for resilience and regeneration alongside visionary teachers like David Holmgren, Andrew Millison, and Brock Dolman.
If you couldn’t make it live—or want to revisit the wisdom shared—you can still catch every session for a limited time:
👉 Watch the Replay
And here’s something special: for one more week only, you can become a PINA member at 20% off. Membership connects you to the job kiosk, design contest, exclusive discounts, and—at the Practitioner & Professional levels—full access to all Summit recordings.
🎁 Use code RESIL25 at checkout to claim your discount.
Don’t miss this chance to stay connected and empowered as we continue building resilient communities together.
| Sign Up Now |
Intro to Permaculture Series Continues
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Our Intro to Permaculture series, hosted by Greg Peterson of the Urban Farm, is off to a strong start! Last month, Darrell Frey kicked things off by sharing insights from decades of experience in permaculture design, farming, and teaching.
Up next, we’re excited to welcome David Jannotta, a Permaculture designer and Agroforester based in Asheville, NC. David first encountered permaculture during his 2019 PDC at the Greening the Desert project in Jordan, where he saw firsthand its power to regenerate even the most degraded soils.
Since then, he’s dedicated his life to regenerative design, earning a Masters in Agroforestry and Food Security and working with Contour Lines Corp. to design and install agroforestry systems across the Eastern U.S.
📅 Next session: September 8 at 3 PM ET
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how agroforestry can revitalize communities and reshape agriculture.
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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.
From Smoke to Soap:
Biochar That Heals and Empowers
In northern Thailand’s Chiang Mai region, open-field burning of crop residues has long choked the air and harmed community health. But Aom Kwanpiromtara of Biochar Life flipped the script—literally turning smog into solution.
Starting in 2016, she worked with farmers to convert residue burning into biochar production, drastically reducing pollution while improving soil quality and carbon capture.
The innovation didn’t stop there. Aom pioneered the production of biochar-infused soap, harnessing its natural detoxifying and antibacterial properties. The result? Skincare products that help reduce acne and prevent infections, bringing both health and livelihood benefits to local communities.
This is the kind of creative, regenerative design we love—where one sustainable intervention multiplies, generating environmental, economic, and social returns. A perfect design for this year’s Permaculture Design Contest.
| Read More Here |
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Permaculture Challenge of the Month
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This month, try the “Soil Sponge Test”!
Pick a small garden bed or even a planter box, and add a handful of compost, mulch, or biochar (if you have it). Then water the area and notice how much longer the soil holds moisture compared to untreated soil nearby.
Snap a before-and-after pic, or track how often you need to water.
It’s a quick experiment that shows how simple additions can boost resilience—and it only takes 10 minutes!
| Share Your Results |
*Share your results and we’ll share them in our next newsletter
PINA Recommends: Practical Biochar Course
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At PINA, we’re always looking to highlight resources that empower our community with real solutions. This month, we’re excited to share a self-paced Practical Biochar course from biochar expert Kelpie Wilson.
With over 20 hours of expert-led training and 9 bonus resources, this course will guide you through the full process: how to make high-quality biochar, choose the best feedstocks, build simple kilns, and integrate biochar into compost, animal systems, and soils.
Why do we recommend it? Because biochar is a game-changing tool for regenerating soil, conserving water, reducing wildfire risk, and locking carbon safely back into the earth. This course gives you the knowledge to do it right, with the confidence to apply it in your own projects.
| Explore the Course |
PINA is Hiring: A New Executive Director
We’re still searching for the right person to step into the role of Executive Director and help lead the next chapter of the Permaculture Institute of North America. If you’re a visionary organizer passionate about regenerative solutions—or know someone who is—now’s the time to apply!
🗓️ Application deadline: September 15
👉 Executive Director Posting
Permaculture Events
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Permaculture Job Opportunities
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