About this Program
FLPCI decided to introduce Community Training in Ecological Design (CTED) in 2009 to meet the time and financial limitations of many local residents seeking an introduction to sustainable design. We offered a weekly, evening class with a sliding scale fee and opportunities for community-sponsored scholarships. Our first class was held in downtown Ithaca at the Southside Community Center and was overwhelmingly successful. We had 28 participants, of whom six received partial or full scholarships thanks to Sustainable Tompkins, Ithaca College, and the Southside Community Center.
Since then, in collaboration with CCE and New Roots Charter School, we have held the course in Chenango, Onondaga, Schuyler and again in Tompkins County. The course gave community members concrete methods, frameworks and principles that they could immediately implement on their own land, homes and business. Each comes to class with a specific site and/or problem they wish to address. Throughout the course students map, analyze, and design their scenarios as they explore ecological design principles.
This program does not teach–nor is it limited to–the whole breadth of the permaculture discipline. Instead our teachers lead students to ideas, strategies, and their own design solutions.
How you can support this program
Each scholarship opens this valuable opportunity to a worthy individual. Your sponsorship allows us to reach people for whom these skills can have a significant impact. When FLPCI considers awarding scholarships, we look for individuals who will use their new skills to enrich their community and may share ecological design ideas to others. FLPCI is seeking local organizations to sponsor scholarships for individuals of their choosing, or for those who apply through our website.
Please consider whom in your organization, neighborhood, and circle of colleagues who would benefit from this course and what organization might sponsor them. If you are aware of individuals who might benefit from such training, please point them to this website or to call us.
