4PM - For Permaculture Design Certificate Course  Hong Kong

4PM - For Permaculture Design Certificate Course Hong Kong

The 4PM Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) is an immersive, regenerative learning journey rooted in the ethics of Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share. We have named it 4PM as a wish to build a For Permaculture network of enthusiasts in Hong Kong and across the border and also as a reference to an ideal time for after school or end of work activities to learn about permaculture. “It’s 4PM!”

This course is the fruit of the collaboration between Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG), Hong Kong Green Hub and Ark Eden on Lantau Island, which are both coincidentally celebrating their 70^th , 10^th and 20^th anniversaries of existence this year!

Through this programme, we hope to seed a growing, connected permaculture community across the city. Participants are encouraged not only to learn design principles, but to apply them — by transforming their own homes, workplaces, schools, rooftops, farms, or community spaces, or by initiating collaborative projects with fellow participants. By empowering graduates to design and steward regenerative spaces, we aim to increase the number of permaculture-inspired sites in Hong Kong and over the border to strengthen a visible, supportive network of practitioners who can learn from and uplift one another.

About the course:

Co-created by a team of permaculture educators, this multi-site programme is delivered in alignment with internationally recognised Permaculture Design Course (PDC) frameworks. Set across diverse learning environments in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area, the course enables participants to explore how permaculture principles are applied in real-world contexts.

Teaching team:

This course is co-created by an interdisciplinary group of practitioners and educators, including :

Idy Wong, Head of Sustainable Living of Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden

Idy leads the development of KFBG Green Hub, which receives both local and international recognition for sustainable design and management.   She holds a degree on Biochemistry, post-graduate certificate on environmental education, and master’s degrees in Buddhist Studies, Sustainable Agriculture and Community Development. She also acquired professional training on organic certification, permaculture design and ecovillage design education along the path to navigate global challenges in connection with regeneration and transformation.  

Jenny Quinton, Founder and Project Designer of Ark Eden Foundation

Jenny grew up in the countryside in England. She arrived in Hong Kong in 1989 and never left because she fell in love with Lantau Island.

Alongside her many years of experience being a Primary School teacher at English Schools Foundation and 20 years at the helm of Ark Eden, Jenny has completed three Permaculture Design Certificates and the Permaculture Teachers Training Course, done her Forest School Level 3 Training, a Diploma in Experiential Education, Play for Peace certification, and is a Yoga Teacher and Conscious Dance Facilitator. She is always working to save Lantau and the planet.

Paule de La Poype, Freelance Project Manager & Permaculture Teacher

Paule is a Franco-New Zealander working at the intersection of regenerative agriculture, public affairs and ecosystem restoration. Formally trained in international affairs and agriculture in France and in China, Paule gained hands-on experience by working on a small permaculture farm for two years. Passionate about food systems and ecosystem restoration, she is committed to bridging the gap between policy and practice.

Paule has completed her PDC with Geoff Lawton and her PTT with Rosemary Morrow at KFBG. She holds active experience from her land in France, where she is leading a multistakeholder water restoration project. Paule is also a registered Yoga Teacher and writes on Substack.

Learning Spaces

The programme takes place across multiple inspiring locations. Each site offers a unique lens on regenerative design - from forest ecology to urban permaculture innovation.

Ark Eden : Ark Eden is a leading eco-education, forest school and permaculture community based on Lantau Island, Hong Kong. As a registered charity, we provide sustainable solutions for Hong Kong's environmental and social issues through educational workshops, ecological restoration projects and nature-based experiences for holistic health & well being.

 Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden : Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) raises awareness, undertakes rigorous science-based species conservation and ecosystem restoration, and offers new ways of thinking and low-carbon living to respond to the world’s environmental problems, all while being linked to the resources and lifestyle of Hong Kong. 

Green Hub : The Green Hub is a project of KFBG. It has transformed the Old Tai Po Police Station,  into a "Green Hub for Sustainable Living". The Green Hub offers solutions to the challenges facing us in finding harmony with the natural world.

Wu Tong Dao (Shenzhen) : Wu Tong Island is the first urban development complex of its kind, designed following permaculture principles. Comprising office buildings, a hotel, rooftop farms, and public facilities, the complex aims to provide urban citizens low-impact and resource-smart living.

Nam Chung Village : A registered charity, The Partnership for Nature Education and Conservation was established in 2020. Its aim is to build an eco-community in Nam Chung, promoting sustainable living, building community resilience, and protecting the local ecology and rural culture

Hong Kong Dolphin Watch Boat : Hong Kong Dolphinwatch has been operating ecological tours to see the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins in Hong Kong since 1995. Their boat will be our classroom for a day around Lantau island!

 

Featured Excursions – part of the learning days

🌿 Wu Tong Dao (Shenzhen) - 泰华梧桐岛 – Saturday 18^th April 2026

An innovative urban development integrating permaculture principles into offices, hospitality, and public spaces. Host of the Second Chinese National Permaculture Conference (2025), Wu Tong Dao offers a powerful case study in regenerative urban design.

🌊 Ocean & Marine Ecology Day – Saturday 2^nd May 2026 – weather sensitive

In partnership with Hong Kong Dolphin Watch, participants will spend a day on a chartered boat to explore marine ecosystems and the role of oceans in planetary health, combining classroom learning with real-life observation at sea.

Community Experience (optional days)

👨‍👩‍👧 ‘Children in Permaculture’ a “3 B’s” family-friendly day

(Optional – Ark Eden, Lantau Island) – Sunday 5^th April

A special day inviting participants to bring family members and children for hands-on permaculture activities, sharing knowledge and having fun together.

Activities to expect :

• Bio – We make mini permaculture gardens!
• Build – We make clay bricks and do natural building
• Behaviour – And in between we play, combining Permaculture and Forest School activities

🌱 Shenzhen City Permaculture Tour (Optional, Shenzhen) – Sunday 19^th April

To round up our Saturday learning day in Shenzhen into a weekend, we are offering an additional day on Sunday of exploration and guided visits. Participants can opt to stay the night in Shenzhen at Wutong Dao Eco-Hotel at their own cost.

In recent years, Shenzhen’s permaculture community has grown exponentially, with hundreds of community gardens and urban farming initiatives emerging across the city. Guided by a local expert, we will spend a day visiting selected projects and learning from this vibrant and fast-evolving movement.

Who is this course for?

This course is for:

• Educators and facilitators
• Changemakers
• Community builders
• Nature lovers
• Designers and architects
• Growers or interested in growing people
• Students and lifelong learners
• Anyone ready to deepen their regenerative practice

We warmly welcome those who feel purpose-driven, who want to contribute meaningfully to their communities and environment, but may not yet know where to begin.

If you care about nature and want to explore how humans can live in greater harmony with it, this course is for you.

What to expect?

Expect to meet passionate, motivated individuals from diverse walks of life.

Expect to expand your understanding of ecological systems, design thinking, and regenerative methodologies.

Expect hands-on experiences, site visits, collaborative design work, and meaningful conversations.

Most of all, expect to leave feeling empowered, equipped with practical tools, clarity, and confidence to initiate your own regenerative projects.

Course Date:

April 2026
3, 4, 5*, 11, 12, 18, 19*, 25

May 2026
1, 2, 3, 23, 24, 25

*The Family-Friendly Day and Shenzhen Tour are optional days requiring additional fees.

For detailed themes and locations, please refer to the full course outline (below).

Venue: 

Multiple learning spaces. For details, please refer to below course outline.

Accommodation and Meals:

Details regarding meal arrangements and optional accommodation (for camping components) and will be provided upon registration.

For teaching days, a vegetarian lunch will be provided.

Some clusters include optional overnight experiences at Ark Eden to deepen immersion in nature on Day 1 and Day 2 (3rd and 4th April). 

For the overnight weekend in Shenzhen on Day 5 (18th April), accommodation can be arranged by the participant directly at their own cost. Transport will be at the participants own cost during the course.

Launguage:

The course will be delivered in English, supplemented with Chinese or Cantonese.

Teaching will be led by two qualified teachers for each theme. Supporting teachers will be assisting to provide clarification or additional information if needed.

Certification:

Participants who complete at least 80% attendance and successfully present their final design project will receive an internationally recognised Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC).

Coures Outline:

Details of the topics and content discussed on each day will be provided upon registration.

Fee:

HK$9,800 ?

Early Bird：HK$8,880 (applied before 1^st March 2025)

The course fee covers tuition for the full 72-hour internationally recognised PDC curriculum.

Optional excursions (Family Day & Shenzhen Tour) are available at an additional fee of HK$700 /adult /day and HK$450/child/day.

Organisers and Supporting Parties:

Orgnaizers:

• Ark Eden Foundation
• Green Hub @ Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden
• Rice’s Farm
• LOHAS Eco Enviromental Technologies
• Shenzhen Dream-Eco-land Landscape Co. Ltd

Supporting Partners

• Wu Tong Dao
• Nam Chung Village
• Hong Kong Dolphin Watch

Application Method:  

Please click here to submit your online application

Enquiries:

jessicawong@kfbg.org / 852-29962833