SATURDAY AFTERNOON – 11 APRIL

Permaculture Education – Schools/Children – Roz Rolls

Time: 2:15 – 3:15
Location: Marquee

Workshop Description: An open discussion exploring permaculture education for children and schools. This session creates space to share experiences, insights, and future opportunities for engaging young people in permaculture learning.

Facilitator Bio: Roz is a Christchurch-based permaculture educator and project coordinator of the Ōtākaro Orchard food forest. With connections to the Cook Islands through ancestry, she works across community food systems, education, and environmental advocacy.

Permaculture Education – Adults Pt.1 – Lynsey Ellis

Time: 2:15 – 3:15
Location: The Chapel

Workshop Description: A collaborative session bringing together educators to explore the current landscape and future direction of adult permaculture education in Aotearoa.

Facilitator Bio: Lynsey is an educator focused on shaping the future of permaculture learning, bringing people together to reflect, collaborate, and co-design meaningful education pathways.

Permaculture for Beginners – Sinéad Gill

Time: 2:15 – 3:15
Location: The Granary

Workshop Description: An accessible introduction to permaculture. Explore what it is, how to begin, and how it can be applied across all areas of life, whether or not you have land.

Facilitator Bio: Originally from Ireland, Sinéad began her permaculture journey in 2020. She brings a grounded, honest perspective and creates welcoming spaces for those starting out.

Working with Media (Sharing Meeting) – Shannon Lawn

Time: 2:15 – 3:15
Location: Jaycee Room

Workshop Description: A discussion-based session exploring how permaculture stories are shared through media, and how we can better communicate our work and impact.

Facilitator Bio: Shannon works in storytelling and media within the permaculture and regenerative space, supporting the sharing of ideas, projects, and narratives that strengthen community and ecological awareness.

Professional Permaculture Designers (Sharing Meeting) – Annelie

Stephenson

Time: 2:15 – 3:15
Location: Wharenui

Workshop Description: A space for professional practitioners to share experiences, challenges, and opportunities within permaculture design work.

Facilitator Bio: Annelie has over 30 years’ experience in permaculture design and has explored finance and law to better understand the systems shaping how we live and build.

Grass to Garden – Zeb Horrell

Time: 2:15 – 3:15
Location: Outdoors

Workshop Description: A practical, hands-on session exploring how to transform pasture or lawn into productive garden systems using permaculture principles.

Facilitator Bio: Zeb works in regenerative agriculture and community-based land projects such as Mangaroa Farms, with a focus on practical implementation, education, and building resilient food systems through hands-on approaches.

Community Emergency Response Planning – Andy Clark

Time: 3:30 – 4:30
Location: Marquee

Workshop Description: Learn how to design practical community emergency response plans, including risk assessment, preparedness, and maintaining function during disruption.

Facilitator Bio: Andy works in emergency preparedness, helping communities understand risk and build resilience when systems fail.

Permaculture Education – Adults Pt.2 – Lynsey Ellis

Time: 3:30 – 4:30
Location: The Chapel

Workshop Description: Continuation of collaborative work to shape the future of permaculture education in Aotearoa.

Facilitator Bio: Lynsey is an educator focused on shaping the future of permaculture learning, bringing people together to reflect, collaborate, and co-design meaningful education pathways.

Community Kai Resilience Planning – Vicki Burggraaf

Time: 3:30 – 4:30
Location: The Granary

Workshop Description: A systems-based approach to understanding and strengthening local food systems—from household to regional scale.

Facilitator Bio: Vicki is a farm systems scientist working across agricultural sectors to improve land use, food resilience, and sustainability.

What Makes Community Work – Zahra Lightway

Time: 3:30 – 4:30
Location: Jaycee Room

Workshop Description: Insights from 16 ecovillages across 13 countries, exploring governance, culture, and the often overlooked ingredients behind thriving communities.

Facilitator Bio: Zahra is an educator and facilitator focused on how people live, learn, and organise together in long-term community settings.

Earning a Living as a Permaculture Designer – Jenny Pell

Time: 3:30 – 4:30
Location: Wharenui

Workshop Description: An exploration of how to build a livelihood through permaculture design, drawing on real-world experience.

Facilitator Bio: Jenny is an internationally experienced permaculture designer and consultant based on Maui. Her work spans neighbourhood food systems to large-scale agroforestry, with a strong focus on teaching practical skills that support resilience, food security, and climate adaptation.

I Care becomes We Care – Lisa Wriley

Time: 5:00 – 6:00
Location: Marquee

Workshop Description: A playful, interactive workshop using the revived Conservation Game to explore Earthcare through storytelling and shared experience.

Facilitator Bio: Lisa is an environmental educator with decades of experience in waste reduction, composting, and community education.

Permaculture in Action/ Card Card – Lillee Star

Time: 5:00 – 6:00
Location: The Chapel

Workshop Description: An interactive card-based workshop exploring 36 permaculture concepts and projects through the Ethics and Principles. Designed to spark conversation, inspiration, and practical understanding across all experience levels.

Facilitator Bio: Lillee has over 25 years of experience in permaculture, including 14 years in Christchurch as a facilitator, teacher, and designer. She is passionate about social permaculture and integrating “wild wisdom” into how we live and relate.

Natural Building – The Earthen Womb – Julian Briggs

Time:5:00 – 6:00
Location: Granary (Front)

Workshop Description: A showcase of natural building using locally sourced materials, exploring craft, design, and low-impact construction.

Facilitator Bio: Julian is a natural builder and woodsman with a lifelong relationship to timber, craft, and the living landscape.

Neighbourliness for Resilience – Robin Allison

Time: 5:00 – 6:00
Location: The Granary (Back)

Workshop Description: Film screening and discussion exploring cooperation, connection, and social permaculture as key elements of resilience.

Facilitator Bio: Robin is co-founder of Earthsong Eco-Neighbourhood and brings decades of experience in intentional community and social permaculture.

Permaculture Diploma Presentation (20mins) &
Living Legacies – Because Dying Shouldn’t Cost the Earth – Lynda Hannah

Time: 5:00 – 6:00
Location: The Jaycee Room

Workshop Description: A practical exploration of natural funerals and end-of-life planning, covering environmental, social, and emotional considerations.

Facilitator Bio: Lynda is founder of Living Legacies and has spent decades working at the intersection of permaculture, healing, and natural death care.

The Mysteries of Water – Gary Williams

Time: 5:00 – 6:00
Location: Wharenui

Workshop Description: An exploration of water as the foundation of life, focusing on movement, pattern, and its role in ecological resilience.Facilitator Bio: Gary works with water as a central organising force in living systems. His perspective explores the deeper patterns and dynamics of water movement, and how these underpin resilience across landscapes and ecosystems.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON – 12 APRIL

All Day

Marquee available for Open Space Emergent Workshops

Bridging the Gap (Part 1) – Jeff Gilbert

Time: 2:15 – 3:15
Location: The Chapel

Workshop Description: An experiential session exploring ecological grief, inner work, and pathways toward meaningful action.

Facilitator Bio: Jeff is a regenerative psychotherapist integrating somatic practices, EMDR, and ecological awareness.

Bio-construction – Tane Woodland

Time: 2:15 – 3:15
Location: Granary (Front)

Workshop Description: Explore hemp-based building systems and how regenerative materials can create healthy, energy-efficient homes.

Facilitator Bio: Tane is founder of Kōhu and a leader in hemp construction and regenerative building systems in Aotearoa.

Community Resilience Tools (GEN) – Tanya Mottl & Robin Allison

Time: 2:15 – 3:15
Location: Jaycee Room

Workshop Description: An interactive workshop using practical tools from the Global Ecovillage Network to assess and build resilience.Facilitator Bio: Tanya works with participatory resilience tools through the Global Ecovillage Network, while Robin brings decades of lived experience in intentional community through Earthsong Eco-Neighbourhood. Together they offer grounded, practical approaches to building community resilience.

Urban Permaculture – Christchurch – Lillee Star

Time: 2:15 – 3:15
Location: Wharenui

Workshop Description: A journey through the development of urban permaculture in Christchurch, sharing lessons from the Canterbury Permaculture Institute, community food resilience projects, and collaborative initiatives shaping future city-based systems.

Facilitator Bio: Lillee has over 25 years of experience in permaculture, working as a facilitator, teacher, designer, and organiser. Her work centres on social permaculture and integrating ecological awareness into everyday life.

Bridging the Gap (Part 2) – Jeff Gilbert

Time: 3:30 – 4:30
Location: The Chapel

Workshop Description: Continuation of an experiential process exploring ecological grief, personal responsibility, and collective pathways toward regenerative futures. Participants deepen their understanding through embodied practices and shared reflection.

Facilitator Bio: Jeff is a regenerative psychotherapist integrating somatic practices, EMDR, and ecological awareness.

Water Cycle Restoration – Lucia Kowhai Vink

Time: 3:30 – 4:30
Location: The Granary

Workshop Description: Learn how water systems influence climate and landscape health, and how restoration can build resilience.

Facilitator Bio: Lucia works in water cycle restoration, focusing on landscape regeneration and climate resilience.

Permaculture Design for Festivals & Pop-up Communities – Owen Crafar

Time: 3:30 – 4:30
Location: Jaycee Room

Workshop Description: Explore how permaculture principles can be applied to temporary spaces such as festivals and pop-up communities, focusing on design, flow, infrastructure, and creating functional, resilient temporary systems.

Facilitator Bio: Owen works in event and land-based design, applying permaculture thinking to temporary communities and gathering spaces, with a focus on function, flow, and human experience.

Permaculture Design for Thriving Neighbourhoods – Zola Rose

Time: 3:30 – 4:30
Location: Wharenui

Workshop Description: Explore how permaculture can be applied to housing, governance, and community-scale design.

Facilitator Bio: Zola is Director of Common Ground, working in regenerative housing and community-led development.

Setting up Local Learning Communities – Finn Mackesy

Time: 5:00 – 6:00
Location: The Chapel

Workshop Description: A discussion-based session exploring how to establish and grow local learning communities, sharing tools, experiences, and pathways for building strong, place-based education networks.

Facilitator Bio: Finn works in community education and organising, supporting the development of local learning networks and knowledge-sharing initiatives.

Defending Our Deep Ocean – Roz Rolls

Time: 5:00 – 6:00
Location: The Granary

Workshop Description: An exploration of the deep ocean as a critical planetary system, its interconnectedness with life on Earth, and the urgent need to protect it from emerging threats such as deep-sea mining.

Facilitator Bio: Roz is a Christchurch-based permaculture educator and project coordinator of the Ōtākaro Orchard food forest. With connections to the Cook Islands through ancestry, she works across community food systems, education, and environmental advocacy. Her work reflects a deep commitment to both local action and global ecological awareness.

Growing Together: Fertile Ground Collective – Sol Madara

Time: 5:00 – 6:00
Location: Jaycee Room

Workshop Description: Learn how to establish and run cooperative food-growing systems using regenerative practices.

Facilitator Bio: Sol is an organic grower and community organiser supporting collaborative food systems in Golden Bay.

Lived Experience in Intentional Community – Verena Gruner

Time: 5:00 – 6:00
Location: Wharenui

Workshop Description: A presentation followed by circle sharing, exploring lived experiences within intentional communities and the realities of collective living.

Facilitator Bio: Verena brings lived experience from intentional community settings, sharing practical insights into the challenges and opportunities of communal living.