Chuo University
at Crystal Waters – Course Curriculum
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Course Details
Below you will see details of
the course curriculum:
Permaculture Themes
Introduction to Crystal
Waters
Familiarisation –
introductions to people
1. Introduction to
Permaculture
- Ethics
- Evidence (including
videos) – What has gone wrong with our planet
2. Zone and sector
planning
- Includes mini
exercise/slides
- Taking the first steps
in permaculture design

3. Natural systems
- Forests, grasslands,
lakes
- What makes nature
tick?
- What can we learn from
this process?
4. Mulch gardening
(practical)
- Collecting mulch
- Learning about
fertilizer
- Making liquid manure
- Compost
5. Water/wastewater
- Looking at domestic
saving possibilities
- How to construct a
pond
- Swales
- Water plants/mini
ponds
- Catching and storing
water
- Aquaculture
6. Forestry – hands on
- Planting today so we
can harvest tomorrow
- Maintenance of forests
- Pruning
- Planting trees
- Explanation and use of
tools, safety
- Creating
ecosystems/nest boxes
7.Soils
- Introduction to soils

- Biological means to
improve soils
- Mechanical and
chemical soil improvements
8. Urban Strategies
- You and your society
- Ecological ideas for
the city, suburbia and town
- Green city
- Slides
9. Communities
- Survival for small
towns and villages
- Coops
- LETS (local employment
and trading system)
- Credit unions
- CSA (Community
Supported Agriculture)
- Community gardens
- City farms
10. Animals in
Permaculture
- Introduction
- Considerations with
farm animals, small and large
- Theory and practice
- Food for
animals/forage
11. The small garden
- Zone I
- Gardening techniques
- Small habitats
- Pest management
- Legumes
12. Orchards
- An introduction to
botany
- Orchards/fruit trees –
establishment, selection, maintenance, harvest, storage
13. Shelter
- A roof over our heads
- Designing and
retrofitting healthy houses
- Building materials
- Furnishings
14. Village design 
- Design of larger
projects, dealing with economy, social and spiritual
aspects, infrastructure.
- How Crystal Waters was
designed, promoted, constructed, settled
- The strengths, the
weaknesses
15. Energy
- Theory and practice
- Visit to energy
independent house (solar energy)
16-21. Design exercise
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