Urban Farming
Permaculture Gardens
Permaculture is all about cultivating abundance by mimicking nature. Using regenerative principles, our gardens’ have the potential to feed # of families while restoring the land. This program will make both the gardens and those who eat its fruit healthier and more adaptable. Come help us grow food for the Alameda Food Bank!
To make this happen we need interested community members like you to pursue these amazing interests with us! Join our community and work on behalf of your community.
There are 2 main ways to stay engaged:
Email List: We’ll keep you posted on what’s going on.
Guild: A little more hands on, a lot like a club!
*There are lots of other things we need to help make this program a success! To learn more click here!
Our Program
REAP’s Permaculture program sits at the intersection of environmental stewardship and workforce development. The Permaculture gardens act as a classroom for exploring permaculture, horticulture, and sustainable land management. REAP partners with nature-positive organizations and educational institutions, pairing them with physical sites to amplify the impact of their practices. As of January 2025 and in partnership with Pacific Coast Community Services, REAP offers a hands-on course in Gardening and Landscaping to vulnerable and underserved communities. Through the garden and its yield, REAP is able to deepen our impact with local food systems and communities through ecological experiences, job training, and food justice.
In the World
From community gardens to grants, from classes to international policy, Permaculture is gaining global popularity! Hobbyists, environmentalists, educators, and horticulturalists alike are searching for places to gain and apply permaculture design skills. Local organizations are incorporating permaculture and food forests into projects in ecological restoration, green education, job training & food security. Federal and international organizations are incorporating permaculture into climate mitigation strategies, and creating support to increase the use of sustainable practices!
Career Pathways
Permaculture has a growing role in sustainability and climate change mitigation, and people are needed to fulfill this role. Because of this, permaculture ties into many possible careers, often revolving around conservation, horticulture, systems design, and soil science. A permaculture design certificate can go towards becoming a permaculture landscape designer, a landscape consultant or manager, a horticulturist, working in or managing a nursery or garden center, working in ecological restoration and sustainability, and more!
Check out REAP’s Gardening and Landscaping Training Certificate Program! Our program is designed to support veterans, persons with disabilities, and those re-entering the workforce.
Current Status
To get our programs up and running there are a few things that need to be established! Below are some of the key elements and where we stand in terms of getting things up and running.
It’s impassioned community members, volunteers, and funders who help us push the dial and get closer to our goals!
Program Vision - 90%
Industry Sector Analysis - 60%
Employers, Trade Organizations, and Unions - 75%
Research - 75%
Curriculum and Class Resources - 60%
On Campus Resources and Facilities - 60%
Job Placement Resources - 15%
Funding - 25%
REAP has built our permaculture beds up by layering over 30 tons of compost and seasonal cover crops.
In Spring 2025 REAP launched our Gardening and Landscaping Certificate Program to serve veterans, persons with disabilities, and those re-entering the workforce.
The next step is to continue building partnerships and community!
Featured Partners
REAP’s partnership with the Alameda Food Bank is a lovely closed loop: we get their spoiled compostables for our gardens, and we get to grow food to give back to them!
REAP works with PCCS to offer training of various kinds to veterans, persons with disabilities, and those re-entering the workforce, including Gardening and Landscaping!
Join Our Guild!
Want to get involved more deeply with REAP’s Permaculture program? Want to meet other people passionate about earth care, people care, and fair share? Join our permaculture guild! It’s like a club hosted by REAP for passionate people to do cool stuff!
For more information about what guilds are to REAP click here!
Other ways to get involved
Looking for a way to start on your permaculture path? REAP offers a Gardening and Landscaping Training Certificate Program for veterans, persons with disabilities, and those re-entering the workforce.
We are seeking volunteers to help maintain our permaculture gardens! Tasks may include planting, weeding, spreading compost, and more! Visit our volunteering page to get started.
We are always seeking one-time gifts, DAFs & grants, and in-kind donations to help our programs! Visit our donations page for more information.
Sign up for email updates here!
For more information and local initiatives around permaculture check out our Permaculture Gardens Resource Page!
