The Ecosystems Regeneration camps are an experience of learning, action and networking. Participants have various backgrounds and get together motivated to act as regeneration agents, building on tools and knowledge. Time is spent in understanding ecological principles, practicing key techniques and deepening potential networks of action and support.

Our focus for this Fall is to build on knowledge and skills about agroforestry and hands on regenerative practices, and support the promising UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration 2021/2030.

The camp is usually a five days residential program in our association campus. In order to run the camp during these times of Covid pandemic we are hosting this experience in five sessions, happening every monday from November 7th to December 5th from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm.

Our target is to reach as many eco-social initiatives as possible willing to join this opportunity and share the ways to make other Ecosystem Regeneration Camps come alive.

FOR WHOM

This experiential learning opportunity is being offered to people who can be counted-on to “pay it forward” by continuing the work of ecosystem regeneration in their own context.

Is aimed at individuals with a history of committed action to advance environmental causes and/or social justice causes, and who have the intention to use skills gained in the camp to increase their impact in regenerating nature and society, and act on ecosystems restoration.

It is possible to attend to specific days of interest but priority will be given to people willing to attend the 5 days.

NB: We have limited capacity. In order to reserve your place, make sure you click the “JOIN NOW” button above and fill out the linked application form. We will select and inform you about your participation as soon as possible.

FACILITATION TEAM

Orla Design

Hugo Oliveira

Landscape Ecologist & Permaculture Designer. Orla Design Co-founder & Regenerative Design Consultant, Researcher @ Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Change (Uni.Lisbon). Holds an MA in Ecological Design Thinking from Schumacher College & completing Ph.D. studies in Interdisciplinary Landscape Management @ University of Évora. Actively working with Permaculture as a designer, trainer and researcher since 2006, mostly in the Landscape ecological domain in Europe, Asia and Australia. At Quinta Vale da Lama he gives consultancy within landscape regenerative strategies for the Mediterranean semi-arid focussing in Agroforestry as a tool to regenerate.

Projecto Novas Descobertas

Patrícia Russo Pereira

Dedicated to creating opportunities that enhance nature connection as the main resource in learning contexts. Patricia has been organizing courses and camps for regeneration and regenerative learning for several years, including the ERC camps in Vale da Lama. She is highly motivated to share tools and methods on participatory learning, community building and group facilitation and hands on regenerative group activities. Has developed her professional path in environmental and regenerative learning, through Permaculture, holistic education, storytelling and participatory facilitation.

WHAT TO BRING

For your comfort, safety and wellbeing please bring the following:
– Outerwear (boots, hat, sweater and rain-gear advised)
– Working gloves
– Water bottle and/or personal cup
– Lunch (Note: we will only have available healthy snacks, tea and coffee for morning and afternoon breaks.)

HOW TO SUPPORT

We offer these camps regularly motivated to empower ecosystem regeneration and to share tools on how to do it. In the intention to make this available to everyone the camp run on donations. Please support as you can by:
– Become a PND member on arrival (Know more HERE).
– Bring your own tools (gloves, garden trowel, garden scissors, etc.)
– Spread the word! Let people know about the camp and other PND activities.
– Make a donation!

To run this camp we need about 85€ per person, including all costs with food, tools, teaching team, organization and communication plus infrastructures. If you can support us in this way, please make a donation to:

PROJECTO NOVAS DESCOBERTAS
Caixa de Crédito Agrícola
NIB: 0045 7194 4015 2135 1713 6 // IBAN: PT50 0045 7194 40152135171 36
BIC/SWIFT: CCCMPTPL
Please send transfer notice by email.

TOPICS PER DAY

Day 1- Regenerative Agroforestry
The Basics of Regenerative Agroforestry
Guided Tour of Regenerative Agroforestry Examples
Populating the understory of a Keyline Alley Cropping Soft fruits Orchard with beneficial support species (fertility, pollinization, pest management…)

Day 2- Syntropic Forestgarden
Ecological Succession & Syntropic ForestGarden Design
Increase productivity within an existing syntropic system
Start a new Syntropic ForestGarden Patch

Day 3- Wood-Pastures & Fodder
Why and how to use wood-pastures & FodderBanks as complementary to Holistic Planned Grazing in the semi-arid.
Plant and manage Fodder banks

Day 4- Dryland woodland
Dryland regeneration of Coastal Mediterranean Ecosystems.
Micro-catchment and reforestation techniques for dryland regeneration

Day 5- Health soils & I.M.O. (Indigenous Microorganisms)
Intro to Soil Sciences. Healthy soils, what makes them and how to maintain them. Living Soils.
Making Biofertilizer from Indigenous mico-organisms
Plant support trees at our Compost Operational Area.

PATTERN OF THE DAY

9:30 – 11:00 // Topic of the day (theoretical)
11:00 – 11:30 // Break
11:30 – 13:00 // Practical tutorial
13:00 – 14:00 // Lunch
14:00 – 15:30 // Skills sharing
15:30 – 17:30 // Applied learning (self-managed break)

OUTCOMES

By the end you will be able to:
– Apply methods and techniques for regenerating ecosystem your are part of
– Mimic natural processes
– Use appropriate tools
– Participate in a network of learning, support and action.

Course organized by Projecto Novas Descobertas Association, in partnership with Quinta Vale da Lama and ORLA.