The course will be held at Maya Mountain Research farm in San Pedro Columbia, Toledo District, Belize, from March 10th to March 23rd, 2008.

This is a standard two week Permaculture Design Course, with a standard curriculum leading to a certificate. In addition to the class room based content, there will be plenty of hands on opportunities and site visits to area farms.

This course will be taught by Albert Bates, Scott Horton and Maria Ros, with local guest instructors.

Food will be local and organic, when possible, and accomodations are in basic but clean buildings lit by modest photovoltaic systems.

Maya Mountain Research Farm is a very well developed farm in rural southern Belize using many appropriate technologies, permaculture techniques and practices. Having been transformed from a cattle and citrus farm in 1988 to an integrated farm designed to mimic the rainforest now, with hundreds of species of plants, a thriving agroforestry system and productive gardens, the site itself is an example of the benefits of permaculture principles. Much of the food consumed at MMRF is produced on site, and all of the electricity and water is provided by renewable energy systems.

MMRF is two miles from the village, and about 1/4 mile from the source of the river. It is located in an ecologically strategic point, between the Columbia Forest Reserve and the Columbia Branch of the Rio Grande.

This course is an excellent resource for land owners, land use planners or managers, agricultural extension officers, anyone working in development or considering living in the humid tropics and anyone interested in permaculture or rural living in Belize.