I have completed my 4th online PDC course that I planned, lectured and coordinated four additional teachers that I engaged, namely Ms. Dilek Yalcin Demiralp teaching Water and Soil, Ms. Banu Uzkut Onuk teaching Aquaculture, Ms. Pınar Okay teaching permaculture-based vineyard integrated with medicinal herbs as an example to agricultural implementation, and Ms. Hasibe Akın teaching Urban Permaculture and Social Entrepreneurship. The course started in November 17 with 16 students and ended today, on December 13th with 12 students. 10 of them received their PDC certificates. 2 of them was not able to spare time to participate the design exercise. This is a wonderful experience that I hope all of you will experience one day.

Curriculum of the course followed the PDC design of Bill Mollison covering all 14 chapters of Permaculture: A Designer's Manual.

The design exercise was for a big piece of land totalling 3000 da (1 da = 1000 m2) located at Cukurkoy village, near Menemen town of Izmır, Turkey. The site belongs to The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. A degregated old red pine forest which is tendered to private people as rental for 49 years for regeneration. A team of people who are about to win the tender are intending to handover the land to me (together with 2350 da in about 30 km away) so that I can develop it as a permaculture site. The plan is to use the land for different purposes. 3000 da which was the basis of the desing exercise is formed by 6 pieces each 500 da. All six pieces are neighboring each other. 3 project teams are formed and each of them chose an element to design. First team designed first two pieces totalling 1000 da as a permaculture based agri and horti-cultural production site. The 5th piece is designed by the related team members as a Permaculture Academy to work as a graduate level education and research institute. The 6th piece was designed by the 3rd team as a self-sufficient Healing center. Each piece is designed for self-sufficiency following the methodology provided by Bill Mollison. Beginning with the water systems, slopes higher than 1:3 are left for forest regenaration, access roads, buildings, energy systems, plant and animal systems, soil etc. Climatic effects are deeply investigated. Fauna and flora analysis is done. Zone and section analysis are realized. Financial, legal, timing, and social issues are all covered up. They all did a marvelous job that made me so happy and proud. I am grateful for this opportunity of sharing.

Dr. Murat Onuk, Izmir, December 13th, 2020.