Terra Alta Permaculture Education Centre

One of the most established Permaculture projects in Europe—the off-the-grid Permaculture education centre, Terra Alta. With 10 years as a permaculture site-in-development, a center for research and education, and with over 20 Permaculture Design Certificate Courses (PDCs) taught, Terra Alta, led by visionary Permaculture teacher Pedro Valdjiu, offers Permaculture education at the highest level. Alongside Permaculture, Terra Alta is committed to bioregionalism, evidenced by the involvement of local guest teachers and by the Waldorf school, “Escola da Terra”, that Pedro Valdjiu and his life partner, educator Rita Seixas run which, together with Terra Alta form the nonprofit “Waldorf Association of Sintra”.
We treat Terra Alta’s off-the-grid site as a teacher in its own right as students get to experience Permaculture daily, learning from our existing projects and being part of our intentional community by helping shape it. This hands-on, holistic learning environment is complemented by the collaborative methods of hosting we use.
Vision
A wild piece of land near the cliffs of Europe’s westernmost point is host to a journey of self-discovery, where community building is done in connection with nature, guided by the energy from the powerful site. An inclusive learning center, Terra Alta is a destination for people from all walks of life, where together they become regenerative agents, creating new ways for the future, inciting an international movement of cultural, land, and social transformation.
Mission
Inspired by the principles of permaculture, we are a community committed to regenerating the soil, producing healthy food, and building ecologically while actively contributing to the international web of eco-cultural transformation. Terra Alta offers experiential life-education programs for both youths and adults, preparing participants to become pollinators, spreading the word of abundance and nature connection throughout the world.