The brittle landscapes of the Mediterranean are in a slow desertification process.  Dryland design is primarily focused on water management, soil development and intelligently integrated animal and plant interactions.  In this specialist design intensive we will cover the strategies and techniques that can turn the situation around.  From desertification back towards warm temperate climate that once shared the resilient diversity of tropical regions.

·       Why we need to act

·       Properties/ chemistry of water

·       Intro to Schauberger

·       pH and the implications

·       The water cycle.  Regional + global concerns

·       Rain water harvesting

·       Storage options

·       Immediate and cheap solutions

·       The soils role in holding water

·       Is this a dryland?

·       Grassland Vs Tree systems

·       Carbon Farming

·       Low input Vs High Input

·       Mulch Systems

·       Irrigation Systems

·       Biological water cleaning systems

·       WET systems

·       Water reduction in sewage systems

·       Tree bogs, A.D. and thunderboxes

·       Climatic Variances in systems

·       Understanding water in landscapes> sandpit

·       Overview of P A Yeomans work

·       Understanding and finding Contour

·       Geography & Geometry of Keyline

·       Topography & Cartography

·       Priority of Water in Master Planning

·       Scale of Permanence

·       GIS/CAD Design

·       Low-Med-High Tech Survey 

·       Catchment/Watershed Analysis 

Quinta do Sabugueiro, Portugal  24 July 2013 - 28 July 2013