Sesssion 2

Date: 2 May

Speaker: Alfred Decker

topic: The Social Microclimate: A Social Permaculture Perspective

  • The concept of the social microclimate
  • Applying permaculture principles to groups and organizations
  • Different ways permaculture enters society
  • Scaling up social permaculture practices

 

 

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Content

In the second session, Permaculture will be presented by Alfred as a holistic design system that works on social as well as ecological structures. It is like a pair of glasses through which previously unseen possibilities can be recognized: that rubble-filled urban lot as a food forest; the neighbourhood as a vibrant and resilient community; and oneself as part of a hugely complex web of life and the societal structures that form the world around us.

While Permaculture originated primarily as an ecological methodology, the design principles have more recently been applied in urban, social, and group contexts in order to organize, communicate, and cooperate more effectively, while rethinking existing social and economic structures – what is referred to as Social Permaculture.

For Alfred, Social Permaculture is about the connection between people, economies, and governing structures, and about creating the conditions for humans to flourish on a societal level. In this session, the application of permaculture to what could be called the “Social Microclimate” will be explored.

Bio of the speaker

Alfred is an award-winning permaculture designer, a leading voice in Social Permaculture, the Education Coordinator of Permaculture For Refugees, and one of Europe’s innovative ecosocial change-makers. His journey into ecological design began in 1998 when he completed his first Permaculture Design Course in California. Since then, Alfred has been involved with social movements and projects across many borders. He is the founder of the 12P Permaculture Design consultancy,  Permacultura Barcelona and the Forest Gardens project at Can Masdeu; is a co-founder of the Spanish Permaculture Academy (Academia de Permacultura Íbera); and was a member of the European Permaculture Teachers Partnership and the Permaculture Council of Europe.  Alfred holds a postgraduate diploma in sustainable architecture and renewable energy (Centre for Alternative Technology).

After taking a “Permaculture Teacher Training” (PTT) course with Rosemary Morrow in 2011, he undertook a two year mentorship and later co-facilitated six courses as her assistant, ultimately earning a Diploma in Permaculture Education & Community Development in 2013 through the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute (Australia). Committed to furthering the PTT course that Rosemary developed in over four decades of teaching experience around the world, Alfred facilitated over 20 PTT courses as lead facilitator and co-edited all three versions of the PTT Manual (free download of the third edition HERE). Rosemary has asked him to organise the PTT trainings in Europe, and he has also developed an online version of the course on the Permaculture Association of Britain’s online educational platform. 

In 2024 Alfred joined the Global Council of Permaculture For Refugees. He is passionate about how permaculture can be useful to refugees and migrants, and how permaculture education can be designed for them as learners.. and how they in turn can best share their valuable knowledge and experience with others. He also works closely with Starhawk and her organisation Earth Activist Training as part of the EAT teaching team. 

Alfred lives in the old town centre of Berga, Catalunya (Spanish Territory), and is available for educational activities, design work and consulting.