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Commenced:
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01/09/2011 |
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Submitted:
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19/07/2012 |
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Last updated:
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07/10/2015 |
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Location:
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PO Box 394, Las Marias, Puerto Rico, PR |
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Phone:
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787.806.7094 |
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Website:
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www.plenitudpr.org |
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Climate zone:
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Wet/Dry Tropical |
The Plenitud Teaching and Research Center is located in Las Marias, Puerto, and is focused on research and educational outreach in the areas of permaculture food-production systems and natural building techniques.
Plenitud is a non-profit organization focused on the promotion of sustainable and permaculture practices through research, demonstration, and educational outreach. The organization's initial efforts were directed at promoting urban/sustainable gardening practices in San Juan and other urban centers of Puerto Rico. Plenitud worked to design and initiate over 30 urban gardens for residents, churches, and communities throughout Puerto Rico, as well as providing training in sustainable gardening practices to over 250 participants.
Plenitud has also worked to promote the utilization of sustainable building techniques in Puerto Rico, offering trainings in earthbag building and bamboo construction and building a demonstration model in Arecibo, Puerto Rico.
Recently, Plenitud relocated its center of operations to a 3-acre farm, located in the western mountain range of Puerto Rico. The land was previously clear-cut and used for the commercial plantation farming. In Puerto Rico (as with most countries that have adopted industrial farming techniques) this means the use of herbicide, synthetic fertilizers, and monoculture production. This has presented both a challenge and an opportunity for the organization. There was a significant erosion of almost all top-soil on the farm, leaving acidic and clay-rich sub-soils exposed and creating a couple of land-slides. There were practically no trees or biodiversity left on the small parcel of land. Yet these are the challenges that most farmers in Puerto Rico face today, and in this sense, applying permaculture design principles to the development of this land will be an opportunity to research and demonstrate the process.
Our organization intends on using the experiences and lessons gained in the development of our teaching center as a model for effective transitioning from conventional to sustainable and permaculture farming techniques. There are several projects currently being planned and/or developed:
-installation of rainwater collection systems, ponds and swales
-diversification of plant species, windbreaks, development of a food-forest
-research and experimentation with aqua-ponic systems, including locally produced fish feed
-wide-scale planting of leguminous and support species to cover the exposed soil and improve soil conditions (chop & drop!)
-natural building with earthbag building, hyper-adobe, and bamboo
Plenitud hosts individual and group internships throughout the year, collaborates with several universities throughout the US and Puerto Rico (such as: George Washington University, University of Michigan, Boston University, University of Massacheussets, and the University of Puerto Rico, among others), and currently offers workshops and trainings in urban gardening, sustainable agriculture, and natural building with earthbag technique . Visit our website to learn more about internship opportunities, courses, and developments at the farm.
Note: The various badges displayed in people profiles are largely honesty-based self-proclamations by the individuals themselves. There are reporting functions users can use if they know of blatant misrepresentation (for both people and projects). Legitimacy, competency and reputation for all people and projects can be evidenced and/or developed through their providing regular updates on permaculture work they’re involved in, before/after photographs, etc. A spirit of objective nurturing of both people and projects through knowledge/encouragement/inspiration/resource sharing is the aim of the Worldwide Permaculture Network.
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MemberA member is a permaculturist who has never taken a PDC course. These cannot become PDC teachers. Members may be novice or highly experienced permaculturists or anywhere in between. Watch their updates for evaluation. |
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Permaculture MatchmakerOne of these badges will show if you select your gender and the "I'm single, looking for a permaculture partner" option in your profile. |
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PDCPeople who claim to have taken a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course somewhere in the world. |
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PDC VerifiedPeople who have entered an email address for the teacher of their PDC course, and have had their PDC status verified by that teacher. Watch their updates for evaluation. |
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PRI PDCPeople who’ve taken a Permaculture Research Institute PDC somewhere in the world. |
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PDC TeacherPeople who claim to teach some version of PDC somewhere in the world. |
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PRI TeacherWith the exception of the ‘Member’ who has never taken a PDC, all of the above can apply to become a PRI PDC Teacher. PRI PDC Teachers are those who the PRI recognise, through a vetting board, as determined and competent to teach the full 72-hour course as developed by Permaculture founder Bill Mollison – covering all the topics of The Designers’ Manual as well as possible (i.e. not cherry picking only aspects the teacher feels most interested or competent in). Such teachers also commit to focussing on the design science, and not including subjective spiritual/metaphysical elements. The reason these items are not included in the PDC curriculum is because they are “belief” based. Permaculture Design education concerns itself with teaching good design based on strategies and techniques which are scientifically provable. PRI PDC Teachers may be given teaching and/or consultancy offerings as they become available as the network grows. |
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Aid WorkerThe individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to be involved in permaculture aid work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture aid worker experience. Watch their updates for evaluation. |
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ConsultantThe individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to do paid permaculture design consultancy work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture consultancy experience. Watch their updates for evaluation. |
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Community ProjectCommunity projects are projects that help develop sustainable community interaction and increase localised resiliency. |
