Cardiff Centre for Lifelong Learning

The Lizard is composed of metamorphic rocks formed in a plate tectonic collision zone during Devonian and Carboniferous times. Much of the peninsula consists of what is widely recognized as parts of former ancient ocean crust, the remainder being altered sediments (including some formed by underwater landslides), discrete igneous intrusions and slices of older crustal basement. These rocks, of which serpentine is most famous, are superbly exposed in cliffs and quarries in a highly attractive coastal setting. No prior knowledge of geology or the study area is assumed. Please note that you will need to make your own travel and accommodation arrangements (please enquire if interested in sharing), with meetings times and places to be confirmed.

The New Perennial Movement, best known for its naturalistic use of grasses, looked to nature for aesthetic inspiration and to create a balance between plants that like to co-exist in similar conditions. Following a long, particularly European, tradition it has developed to become possibly the most influential garden movement of the present day. We will consider this tradition and the futurescapes that are being created in what promises to be an exciting time in garden and landscape design.

This introduction to the design philosophy of permaculture considers how it is possible to integrate the natural world into our productive landscapes and create benefits for both. We will explore ways of living where waste is greatly reduced, where waste is used as a resource, and how we can create food systems which have as much biodiversity as we find in natural systems. Learn about designing a food landscape which is low maintenance and makes optimum use of what the site has to offer.

Learn about how we can use the principles of permaculture to help create strong communities, explore solutions to rising food costs and start to address fossil fuel depletion. Find out about the opportunities that exist to create alternative energy sources. Investigate ways of creating food production and distribution schemes which make the most of urban living. Pigs in the Park? What next?

Two of the most important aspects of modern living are energy creation and use, and eco-nomics. We will examine ways of creating more sustainable and durable buildings which use less energy and space, and provide opportunities for food growing. How can we retrofit greenness onto our existing grey buildings? We will also investigate how we can create robust and interconnected local economies, examining barter, local exchange trading systems, circulating goods and services within a region and bioregional mapping.

Learn how we can design integrated systems which connect up food growing, alternative energy, water management, waste management and eco-nomics. We will explore analysis techniques which help us to see and solve problems in different ways. You will work collaboratively in groups to come up with creative and workable solutions to real design briefs.