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What is the Permacultourism Initiative?

An interview to Brandon Bodhi Denton
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Hey Brandon, before we get into the details of your work, tell me a bit about your journey. When did you discover permaculture, and what events led to your role as a respected permaculture design instructor?

When I was studying Botany at the University of Texas in Austin, I became interested in Organic Gardening and began making my own gardens. During this time I traveled several times in Central America, volunteering at Organic Farms, and was first introduced to the ideas of Permaculture. When I graduated I began teaching Organic Gardening at a charter high-school in Central Texas called the Katherine Anne Porter School.  While in this position, I was fortunate to take a Permaculture Design Course with Caroline Riley Carberry, and at the same time, began relaying the concepts and practices of Permaculture Design to my students. In the summer of 2012 I left this position to travel, volunteer and continue my study of Permaculture in Asia. 

My experiences during that six months really clarified to me why I am doing all of this, and helped to streamline my skills into actionable goals. This is when I first made connections with the projects/people in Nepal, Thailand, and Bali who I am now working with, to help establish and build Permaculture systems, and educational programs. 

When I returned to the US, I co-facilitated a PDC course along with Theron Beaudreau, Ashley Write, and Thomas Waymouth in California. At the same time I was in the process of creating the PermaculTourism Initiative, and Theron, Ashley, and Thom joined my team to help create the first PermaculTourism program in Nepal. In the last year and a half I’ve been focused on co-facilitating educational programs through the PermaculTourism Initiative and in other Permaculture Design (PDC) courses.  I’m currently in Asia now co-teaching courses in Thailand and Nepal.  I love it. There’s nothing else I’d rather be sharing with people.