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Frequently Asked Questions

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1. Can I be an intern or do work exchange and take the program?

We offer internships at Lost Valley. For a description of our internship program, click here.

The internship requires working 30 hours a week. An intern does not have the time to do this work and attend enough of the sessions to receive a Permaculture Design Certificate. An intern does have the opportunity to attend sessions when she/he has free time or is doing work that allows them to be in classroom at the same time. This is likely to be about one third to one half of the Ecovillage and Permaculture program's sessions, depending on the internship and how the intern manages their time.

In special circumstances, we can arrange for someone to take the course as a full participant but get a reduction of up to a few hundred dollars for performing some sort of work exchange during the program. This must be arranged before hand and approved by the program coordinator.

We generally do not provide work exchange for people to stay at Lost Valley before or after the course and use that work to earn credit towards the course. This is because the work done is usually only enough value to cover to room and board while people are here doing it. In special circumstances, however, when someone has a special skill that we would otherwise have to employ someone off-site for, we may choose to work out this type of situation. Please contact us if you want to see if this is possible.

2. Can I bring my pets?

No, we are sorry but you cannot bring your pets. If you have pets and want to attend the program, please find someone to watch your pets while you are here.

3. Can I bring my children and/or spouse/partner/best friend?

Click here for answer

4. What is an Ecovillage?

For the Global Ecovillage Network description, click here and select "What is an Ecovillage" link.

For Robert Gilman's original article, click here and then select The Ecovillage Challenge.

For the Wikipedia definition, click here.

5. Is Lost Valley a model ecovillage or sustainable community?

Figuring out how to "green" a previously developed site offers a real-world design challenge that can be just as educational as touring a model ecovillage. Just over a decade young, Lost Valley inherited a site that was already developed by previous owners who did not use ecological design or permaculture techniques. With limited resources for new building projects, much of the site unfortunately still reflects these non-ecological design decisions made by the previous owners. However, the community has been actively "greening" the site in a number of ways, some visible and some "behind the scenes".

These improvements have included energy and water efficiency measures, planting gardens and trees, composting, and land restoration. The Ecovillage and Permaculture Certificate Program offer participants the opportunity to learn about the real challenges as well as inspiration that are part of the ecovillage vision.

Lost Valley's story has recently been featured in Diana Leafe Christian's important new book Creating A Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities.

6. I am from another country and would like to attend. Is this possible?

We welcome people from other countries to attend this program and encourage cultural exchange. If you apply and are accepted and can get yourself into the U.S. without our assistance, you are welcome to attend the program. However, we do not have the legel authorization to give participants educational visas. The most we can do for someone who is accepted into the program and needs a visa is send a simple letter stating what our program is and that we have accepted this person into our program. If that is not enough, then you will need to use your own resources to enter the country in order to take this program.