Nordic Permaculture Academy: Regenerating Resources

Our Story: The Permaculture Diploma Learning Pathway

The Nordic Permaculture Academy supports you as a Permaculture Designer on your pathway to a Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design with mentoring and accreditation. 

The Nordic Permaculture Academy is run sociocratically. 

Let's design ourselves into a better tomorrow

At the Nordic Permaculture Academy, our purpose is to cultivate a vibrant community of skilled permaculture designers who are equipped to tackle the environmental  and social challenges of today and tomorrow. We aim to inspire and empower individuals through hands-on learning experiences and a supportive network of mentors and apprentices. By fostering creativity and innovation, we strive to make permaculture a fun and integral part of everyday life.

Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in every aspect of our curriculum, which emphasizes practical skills and real-world applications. We believe that by nurturing a deep connection with nature, our apprenticies will lead the way in creating resilient ecosystems and thriving communities.

Milestones in Our Journey

Since its inception, the Nordic Permaculture Academy has been dedicated to fostering a community of skilled permaculture designers. Our journey is marked by significant milestones that reflect our commitment to sustainable living and education.

2020

Foundation of the Academy

The Nordic Permaculture Academy, was started in 2020 by four Nordic diploma holders and trainers in permaculture. Andreas Jonsson and Maria Svennbeck from Sweden, as well as Cathrine Dolleris and Karoline Nolsø Aaen from Denmark. 

 

2022

The 1st NPA Diploma gathering

The 1st NPA Diploma gathering was arranged in March 2022 at Holma Folkhögskola in Sweden. 

2023

Foundation of a FMBA under Danish law

Around the turn of the year to 2023 we decided to consolidate the NPA as its own entity. You can look at the bylaws here.

 

2024

First NPA Diploma holders accredited

In the November 2024 NPA gathering Mette Madvig and Marie Cox presented their Diploma Portfolios and were accredited as the first NPA-accredited Diploma holders.  

History of NPA

The Nordic Permaculture Academy, was started in 2020 by four Nordic diploma holders and trainers in permaculture. Andreas Jonsson and Maria Svennbeck from Sweden, as well as Cathrine Dolleris and Karoline Nolsø Aaen from Denmark.

We started this work based on similar experiences. We had all worked our way through a Permaculture diploma process over the past 10 years, and we had all spoken to many others who had entered the diploma process after completing a PDC. From this we could observe a very clear challenge:

The step from being a certified permaculture designer with a completed PDC, to obtaining a diploma in applied permaculture design, is huge. And the path to obtaining a diploma was unclear. Very few of those who start the diploma process, complete it.

We just can’t have it like that! The planet needs several thousand Nordic motivated and driven advocates and living examples of permaculture, if we are to succeed in turning this tide!

The Nordic Permaculture Academy was therefore created with the goal of clarifying the learning processes for diploma students and to produce a designed Nordic diploma process that will meet the above deficiency in an effective way.

There are many who want to learn more and work further after completing a PDC. We can choose many paths within permaculture. One such path is to work towards a diploma in applied permaculture design. The purpose of a diploma is precisely that through conscious design we create the permaculture lifestyle that we and the planet around us need. It is an extensive learning process and solid practical work that often takes several years. In the end, the hope is that you stand as a diploma holder and have a lifestyle that builds up planetary and human resources according to the permaculture ethics.

For several years now, we have taken inspiration from various international permaculture movements and organizations, and several of us diploma holders have regular exchanges with other diploma holders and permaculturists mainly in Europe and the USA. We have a great inspiration in the way we work in the exchange with the British Permaculture Association, who are active and good at supporting people further along various permaculture paths.

The Permaculture Academy does some other things as well, but the main focus right now is on creating clarity and a greater awareness among diploma students, about their own possibilities for designing their own permaculture paths forward. Today, the permaculture academy has around 70 active diploma students from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Estonia. Most have chosen to be part of various diploma guilds, where they learn from each other in the various processes going forward. We meet at least every month, and have decided to have two larger annual meetings to exchange experiences, learn from each other and develop our Nordic way of working in permaculture. There is a great deal to be learned in the similarities and differences between the Nordic countries.

A meeting was held at Holma in Skåne, where around twenty people from Sweden, Denmark and Finland worked intensively over a weekend, developing and giving feedback on each other’s permaculture work. At the same time, we created new conditions for cooperation and connections for the future. A powerful co-creative way of working is emerging! We repeated this event and had fun learning moments at Makvärket later in the year while creating a solid community of practice.

Around the turn of the year to 2023 we decided to consolidate the NPA as its own entity. You can look at the bylaws here.

 

 

Join Our Growing Community

Become a part of the Nordic Permaculture Academy and immerse yourself in a transformative learning pathway. The Diploma pathway is designed to equip you with the skills needed to excel in applied permaculture design. Embrace the opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with like-minded individuals dedicated to sustainable living.