RSD Course -- Core Tracks
Rescue Earth System
The RSD Course covers a comprehensive range of subjects that are relevant the task of leading the re-development of a better world — regenerative farming, ecosystem restoration, community development, etc. — our graduates will be the leaders of the future we all want to be part of!
Core Tracks
Regenerative Systems Design (RSD) Course
The core tracks of the RSD Course are
All the lessons of the core tracks are written by the leaders in the field.
“Holism is a process of creative synthesis; the resulting wholes are not static, but dynamic, evolutionary, and creative. […] We are out of the bonds of the old crude mechanical ideas, and we enter an altogether new zone of ideas and categories.” ~ Jan Christian Smuts
South African and British Commonwealth statesman, military leader and philosopher.
RSD Course — Core Tracks
CT1) Regenerative Food Production & Processing
The global food system is dysfunctional — it produces mostly poor quality chemical laced food. Notably, industrial agriculture is destroying the Earth’s ecosystems more than any other industry. Furthermore, industrial agriculture is collapsing under rising energy costs and food prices are skyrocketing. Alarmingly, the world is covered by degraded agricultural landscapes that can’t produce food without high inputs because they are not ecologically sound. Unfortunately, poor quality food equals poor health outcomes. We need to change this. Food that nourishes and heals is thus sorely needed. Students studying the Regenerative Food Production & Processing track learn how to grow and process Regeneratively Optimised Food in home gardens and at scale — acquiring the skills & the knowledge to produce the most nutritious food possible while at the same time healing our planet.
Lessons by: John Kempf (0), Dr Elaine Ingham (0), Gabe Brown (0), Ray Archuleta (0), Geoff Lawton (0), etc.
CT2) Ecology & Regenerative Conservation Practices
Understanding ecology is key to nature conservation and agriculture. In this track students learn about ecology and how to restore natural ecosystems, how to include nature belts in agricultural fields, and how to use the principles of nature conservation, etc. To farm in the future, farmers will need to use nature belts and integrated pest management (IPM) strategies to farm — IPM will need to be ubiquitous very soon. This track also includes lessons on how to use the grazing habits of domestic animals to improve the ecological functions of pastures, grasslands, savannahs and agroforestry systems — including grazing cattle in big 5 territory!
Lessons by: Dr Allan Savory (0), Richard Teague (0), Dr Alllen Williams (0), Ray Archuleta (0), etc.
CT3) Regeneratively Resilient Hydrological Systems
Water is no doubt a key component of life on Earth. Less well known is that water vapour controls 95% of Earth’s heat dynamics! This is key to reversing abnormal weather patterns. Landscape hydration using interventions like water infiltration swales and dams, etc. are thus necessary if we want to build a regeneratively resilient future. Furthermore, water scarcity is becoming a very troublesome obstacle to life in many regions of the world. The hydration of whole landscapes offers the best possible starting point for developing a regeneratively resilient bioregion — interventions that result in more consistent rain with less flooding, etc.. Notably, cities can reduce temperatures by around 5oC using trees and hydration strategies. Students studying this track will learn how to design and implement Regeneratively Resilient Hydrological Systems.
Lessons by: .
CT4) Regeneratively Resilient Infrastructure Systems
Infrastructure, in the context of post-hunter-gatherer times, is what makes a place — the built human domain — functionally and aesthetically liveable. N.B. Natural wild zones can be integrated into the built environment! Interestingly, the Indian city, Mumbai, has the highest leopard density in the world! To be truly sustainable, infrastructure must be long lasting and have many functions. For example, resilience is highlighted by the many Roman roads that are still in use today — they are still functioning even though they were built around two thousand years ago! This is key. Regeneratively Resilient Infrastructure Systems are designed and developed so that they integrate into a multi-functional matrix of local needs and so that they outlast conventional infrastructure. Students learn how to achieve these outcomes.
Lessons by: .
CT5) Regeneratively Resilient Building Systems
The building challenges that we will face in the future are as great as our energy challenges. It takes a lot of energy to build a modern home, warehouse, factory, etc. Firstly, building modest houses with mostly natural materials is the most cost effective and sustainable way to construct a home. Secondly, building wide span buildings like warehouses is very difficult without steel. The Regeneratively Resilient Building Systems track focuses on the suitability of a wide range of building styles and materials — students that have completed this track will have the knowledge to choose the best material for the task at hand.
Lessons by: .
CT6) Regeneratively Resilient Energy Systems
In a modern economy, energy is the economy — GDP correlates almost completely with energy use. So, a person may ask, what if a community is totally reliant on the sunshine (solar & plant biomass), rainfall (water for hydro power & irrigation), wind (for wind energy) all optimised using Regenerative Systems Design — is the correlation still relevant? NO and YES. This track highlights the differences between a nature based economy and a fossil energy economy — and how a bioregion can use Regenerative Systems Design to maximise Syntropy. Syntropy is used to ‘measure’ GDP in a nature based economy!
Lessons by: .
CT7) Regenerative Natural Animal Health & Nutrition
Learn to use natural ways to treat or prevent disease or illness in domestic pets, farm animals and wildlife. Learn about the relationship between food, nutrition and health, and how animals digest, absorb and utilise nutrients.
Lessons by: Dr Allan Savory (0)
CT8) Regenerative Natural Human Health & Nutrition
Modern medicine has been captured by big pharma — it is degenerative rather than regenerative. Furthermore, processed foods are not natural and they are destroying our health. The Human Health & Nutrition track covers everything a person needs to know about human health and nutrition.
Lessons by: Dr Zach Bush (0)
CT9) Accounting & Finance for Regenerative Resilience
During the decade of transition, traditional Accounting & Finance will still be of importance to businesses. However, less traditional forms will tack over many of the transactional roles play by modern money. This track highlights the differences and offers solutions to the unique dynamics of future trade without a globalised financial system. N.B. even CBDCs will not last in an energy starved world. Accounting & Finance for Regenerative Resilience thus prepares students for the future. DEgrowth is inevitable and necessary — REgrowth is a regenerative pathway that is resilient and sustainable!
Lessons by: .
CT10) Marketing & Packaging for Regenerative Resilience
Much of the marketing and packaging knowledge in this track will only be used during the decade of transition. However, selling one’s products or services will always require a form of sales / marketing. Furthermore, packaging will need to be adapted to be more reusable and less fossil energy intensive. Students will be more familiar with the ‘art’ of marketing and packaging in an energy scarce world — and understand the pathways to achieve the best possible transition. Dual purpose packaging in the transition phase by design becomes the reusable packaging of the future — Regenerative Resilience!
Lessons by: .
CT11) Regenerative Resilience in a Sustainable Economy
They word sustainability has been vilified but it is by definition equivalent to homeostasis of one’s body — without it you degenerate. The optimal balance between entropy / catabolism and syntropy / anabolism is homeostasis. The optimal balance between minerals in one’s body is homeostasis … Students of this track study how to use whole systems thinking to develop a sustainability-by-design economy — an economy that endures long-term because entropy equals syntropy. Furthermore, an economy that is resilient & sustainable is one that is in constant flux, yet it remains in a state of equilibrium. In other words, the sustainability of the economy, the community and the ecology are adaptive and resilient to internal and external forces.
Lessons by: .
CT12) Holistic Systems Design for Regenerative Resilience
Students study how Holistic Systems Design can be used to design and manage a bioregion so that it is highly regenerative and resilient to shocks. Many decades of regenerative forces — syntropy — will be needed to restore ecosystems and move communities towards sustainability. Sustainability is reached when goals are achieved — and by design regenerative forces (syntropy) are equal to degenerative forces (entropy) — equilibrium. Resilience by whole systems design is an integral component of this track.
Lessons by: Geoff Lawton (0), Dr Allan Savory (0)
CT13) Integrated Strategic Resource Management
To last into the future, local and bioregional resources need to be managed strategically — this is true for non-renewable and renewable resources. The optimal regeneration of renewable resources such as; water, wood, orchards, ecological services, etc. should be holistically integrated into the bioregional development strategy. Students learn how to use the principles of Regenerative Systems Design to implement Integrated Strategic Resource Management in a bioregion.
Lessons by: Geoff Lawton (0)
CT14) Integrated Community Resilience & Placemaking
To integrate resilience into a community one must involve the whole community. This is mostly because ownership of community assets / infrastructure — the commons — is collective. The art of placemaking enhances liveability and conviviality by developing a diverse range of public spaces that bring joy and tranquillity to the bioregion.
Lessons by: .
CT15) Holistic Design for Bioregional Communities
The Holistic Design for Bioregional Communities track covers ways to integrate all the RSD Course tracks into a bioregional development strategy. Students are taught how to use a macro-lens when they are planning the holistic development of a bioregion. Learning how to wear multiple hats at once is a skill that enhances the ability of a leader to integrate regenerative systems design into a holistic strategy. CT12 and CT15 are the two sides (aspects) of the same coin — CT15 is essentially the integration of CT12 with all the other tracks on a macro-scale.
Lessons by: Geoff Lawton (0)
CT16) Leadership Development in Community Resilience
Please note that this track is about how a community can develop capable leaders at all levels. Why? Leadership is required at all levels of a community — from self-management by individuals, to leading small groups, to being bioregional leaders. This multi-dimensional track focuses on developing leadership that helps to increase community resilience and long-term sustainability.
Lessons by: .
Permaculture is about designing, implementing and maintaining permanent natural systems …
