As part of a larger sustainable community development drive by Statia's people Aardwerk has started work on a programme of workshops and courses. The first of which takes place in July 2012. Wich the friendlij co-operation of local people and organisations like STENAPA, Joshua Spanner's Congo Preserve, GreenBlend's Laurens Duiveman and LVV (agriculture department).

The view from a distance
There's nothing like going far away to get a better view of your own situation. Getting away from the everyday routing liberates the senses and opens you up to new experiences. Returning home then allows you to see your familiar world from a completely fresh perspective. Permaculture encourages careful observation from different perspective and developing creative and responsive solutions to common challenges in life.

The Dutch Caribbean islands of Bonaire, St. Eustatius (Statia) and Saba are the latest and furthers removed parts of the Netherlands. You can't get much further away and still be technically in the Netherlands (or Europe). Doing our permaculture course allows this unique view from a distance while being able to recognize familiar Western issues of environment, resources, economy and community.

Leveraging Nature's genius
Permaculture taps into the genius of place and people. John Button, one of our co-teachers of the course, calls it "a marriage of people and place".
For more than 30 years since its originators David Holmgren and his mentor Bill Mollison launched the concept in Australia, PDC courses have been life-changing events for students around the world. Participants learn to see and experience the limits of our physical world as opportunities to generate 'unlimited' prosperity. Leveraging local resources, both in terms of material resources, human talents and captured energy, permaculture can create resilient economic systems that benefit communities, organisations and enterprises in the dynamic world we live in.

Benefits
Permaculture's aim is to provide everyone with more enjoyment and fulfillment, leveraging the limited resources of our physical world. Permaculture is the language of prosperity and abundance in this world of physical boundaries, building a world of limitless opportunities for self-realisation. Permaculture goes well beyond bare survival and simple sustainability of the economy of scarcity that is propped up by the idea of unlimited growth. Permaculture is about relationship John Button wonderfully expresses with his "marriage of people and place". It goes beyond self-sufficiency: co-sufficiency, communities and enterprises that find their "power" in being able to take care of their collective selves. From that position of strength they are able to lift up their head, see further, widen their horizon, welcome strangers as new friends and approach the world with a sense of confidence and wonder of the unexpected.

In Permaculture "growth" is about increasing connections, complexity, folding of "edge", creating more interface and interaction. In ecological terms: its about creating and occupying more diverse niches for prosperity. It's about regenerating the place where we live, enriching our life and the life of our world.

As leaders or professionals in a local community, enterprise or organisation interested in sustainable development, energy / water & food security and sovereignty, New Economy, biodiversity, 'Green' responsible enterprise or community development participants will be able to analyse challenges, effectively survey their local assets and design resilient systems for optimal productivity and prosperity. E.g. identify sources of easily available energy, harvest and store it and apply that energy with more efficiency than using conventional approaches. Identify and develop multiple uses for readily available material and human resources. Diversify and provide essential (ecosystem) services through multiple local elements. Connect with local and regional communities and resources.

Benefits to Statia: participants will contribute substantially to the development of local co-sufficiency, the roll-out of the local reforestation project and stimulate the local economy with their extended visit. They will also enrich and be enriched by the cultural exchange with this island's friendly population. 

Golden Rock Experience
Our three-week format in a tropical location provides you with in-depth learning an a unique holiday experience. 
In the Golden Age of economic growth in Europe, Africa and the America's, Statia was known as the Golden Rock. It played a pivotal role in the Dutch West Indian Company's triangle trade route between Europe (manufactured goods), Africa (slave labour) and the America's (raw materials). As such it was a first attempt at globalisation and the birth of the Multinational Company. At that time between 1525 and 1867 Statia grew to a co-sufficient Dutch colony of 20.000 inhabitants, most of them slaves and former slaves that settled here. Currently Statia is home to about 3,500 residents. Our course venue, Congo Preserve, is situated at the location of a village of freed slaves. In 2007 archeological remains were found on the property and owner Joshua Spanner intends to restore some of the original buildings as part of his educational horticulture project.

Budget standard and Luxury options
For those on a small budget we offer the standard of free camping at the Congo Preserve site. Participants may want to bring your own tent.
For others we will be happy to assist with booking more luxurious accommodations in one of the charming Statian hotels, B&B or lodges (at extra costs).
The course format allows for plenty of free time, so participants can explore the island and surrounding ocean at their leisure or simply enjoy a cold beer and good company on the beach.
We expect excellent tropical weather, with temperatures between 26°C at night and 32°C during the day, mild cooling breezes and occasional light rain.
Perfect for snorkeling, diving, fishing or hiking in your free time. Participants may also like to join the archeological work of SECAR that is ongoing and a great way to get hands-on experience with the island's history.
We will also be happy to assist with any pre- or post-course holiday arrangements. Like the Dutch Caribbean hiking arrangement of SNP travel agency, day trips to neighbouring Saba, St. Kitts or St. Barts.
There are also options to stay on or arrive early for volunteer work at Congo Preserve, Botanical Gardens and GreenBlend - our project partners.

July session
Our PDC course will be from 10 through 31 July. We recommend that participants arrive on Statia one or a few days before the course starts, so they can acclimatise to the tropical weather and the time difference.

International Teaching Team
We are pleased to work with an enthusiastic, inspiring an capable team of teachers like Fransje de Waard (author of the first Dutch book on permaculture "Tuinen van Overvloed'), John Button (Australian living in Italy, who has taught and ran projects in Europe, Asia and Australia), Claudio Madaune (Chilean living in Norway, who has been teaching in Europe, the America's and Africa and is involved with community projects there) and others. We also welcome our local partners from Statia like Joshua Spanner of Congo Preserve, Claire Blair of the STENAPA Botanical Gardens and Laurens Duiveman of GreenBlend.

Audience
This PDC is especially of interest to deciders, managers, owners and community leaders. The course will provide participants with practical skills, tools and insights to immediately start improving the daily practices of their business, community or organisation towards lasting prosperity and wellbeing in a changing world.

More info
For more information and registration for the course, please visit our website http://aardwerk.org.