Learn the processes, Master the skills, Become proficient!!
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"You can Learn in 3 months, what took me 20+ years!!!"
The traineeship is a world first, multi-framework, 12 weeks, full-time, in-person training program, that teaches you to become a proficient land and agroforestry manager.
It goes well beyond syntropic agroforestry, expanding into all facets of landscape design, water cycle restoration, biodynamics, holistic decision making, soil science, animal Management, arboriculture, irrigation science, market gardening, plant propagation and financial planning.
It's a culmination of 20+ years of research and practice in regenerative agriculture.
There is nothing like it in the world!!!
12 weeks Full time In person Professional training!! Sat July 12th - Sun October 5th 2025 Here is what you will be trained on...
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Week 1
Holistic Decision-Making
- Holistic context development - Values-based decision making - Testing questions - Paradigm shifting - Ecological/elementary processes
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Week 2 Landscape Observations and Design
- Permaculture Principles - Scale of Permanence - Permaculture zones - Elemental relationships
- Substrate making - Veggie seedlings - Tree seedlings - Cuttings - Air layering - Grafting
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Week 8 Irrigation Design and Fertigation
- Water volume and pressure - Drip irrigation - Aspiration systems - Greenhouse misters - Venturi fertigation - Tensiometer use
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Week 9 Market Gardening & Planning
- Bed preparation methods - Green manuring - Veggie consortiums - Climbing structures - Greenhouse growing - Harvetsing and storage - Crop Rotation and Planning
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Week 10 Arboriculture Science and Practices
- Pruning processes - Chainsaw use and maintenance - Tree felling - Cut, trim and organise - Wood-chipper use and maintenance - Pole pruners - Pruning for fruits
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Week 11 Economic Viability & Planning
- Living economics - Economic processes and timeframes - Income, profit and expenses - Log jams - Chain of production and weak links - Gross profit analysis
You might have realised that the world is falling apart. Not because humans are bad, but because we are dealing with a complex living system, where cause and effect are not linear, and there is always an element of surprise (that drives us mad).
Wouldn't it be great if we could just control everything?
No, it would not, evolution would just stop then...
What we need to do to become proficient land managers, where complexity is at its maximum, is to understand the fundamental laws of nature, its patterns and rhythms. Once we understand how it works, we can then rationally and emotionally decide what is the best course of actions that will move us from where we are to where we want to be.
Simple, isn't it?
Well, yes, but not really ... the easiest things in life are usually the most difficult to do!
Over the last 20+ years of research and practice, I've come to realise that there isn't a single framework that can help us to solve our complexity issues. They all have their strengths (problems that they can solve) and weaknesses (variables that were left out), and we have to be careful not to think that one framework will solve all problems.
We have to avoid the old saying: "If we only have a hammer, then all we see are nails"
We live a free life!
A multi-Framework Approach to land & Agroforestry Management
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Traineeship Structure
There are 3 aspects to the Holistic Land Management Traineeship, these are:
Practical (hands on) training;
Theoretical (minds on) training; and
Self-development (will on) training.
These are put together in a way where, everyday, we have an opportunity to explore each one of these aspects, ensuring that we go through a full development and assimilation process.
Practical (hands on) Training
Primary Project Every year we select a complex project for us to work deeply into it.
The idea is to apply as many of the frameworks as possible and transform a degraded area of our land, into a well thought out and executed agroforestry project.
For 2025, we will work in the "agroforestry corridor", which connects the trainees' cottage with our pond.
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This area has been logged, planted with eucalyptus, then partially logged and then used as pasture for milking cows.
For the past 25 or so years, its has been left to its own demises, but given the high rainfall and proximity to other forested areas, this area has partially rehabilitated itself ecologically.
However, as a premium area, that is central to our land and connects significant infrastructures, this area has been prioritised for renewal and enlivening.
The goal is to transform this area into an ecologically appropriate agroforestry system that satisfies our holistic context and invites humans to participate.
Secondary Projects
There is a range of other projects that trainees will have the option to choose from, these are:
Build a ferrocement water tank;
Design and implement a cattle/chicken agroforestry subsistence system (about 1ha);
Natural beekeeping and honey production;
Greenhouse installation;
Spring tapping (in liaison with our neighbour);
Opening up bush-walking tracks;
Mushroom cultivation;
Irrigation system design and set up;
Design and build a small chicken tractor for our existing agroforest organism; and
Design and implement an ornamental forest garden at the entrance of the property
The idea is to focus on quality, and not on quantity, and the priority is to marry the trainees interests with the needs of the property.
Simple, isn't it?
Maintenance Activities In addition to projects, trainees will also be involved in the routine maintenance of the property and its agroforestry and food production systems, these activities may include:
Agroforestry management;
Weekly market gardening;
Tree pruning and processing;
Electrical fencing installation;
Road maintenance;
House maintenance;
Water infrastructure maintenance;
Pond cleaning;
Common areas maintenance;
Machinery and hand tools maintenance;
Compost making and turning; and
Any other activity that arises.
Together with the land, we will decide what needs to be done, and when!!
Theoretical (Minds on) Training
There are two key components of the theoretical part of the traineeship, these are:
Theoretical classes, discussions and practices; and
The Syntropic Practitioner course
Theoretical Classes Every week we will dive deep into the theoretical, philosophical and practical aspects of a specific land management framework.
The schedule is as follows:
Week 1: Holistic context creation and ecological decision making;
Week 2: Permaculture and Scale of Permanence land design;
Week 11: Holistic financial planning & economic viability of agroforestry systems; and
Week 12: Mushroom production & electrical fencing
Obviously the order of the content can be changed depending on current projects and interests, but all of these areas will be covered in depth.
The Syntropic Practitioner
As part of the Holistic Land Management Traineeship Program, all participants will have lifetime access to the most comprehensive syntropic agroforestry online course in the world - The Syntropic Practitioner.
The Syntropic Practitioner is organised in twelve modules, and every week, we will go over the key aspects of each module, as well as address trainees questions on the diffrent theoretical, philosophical and practical aspects of syntropic agroforestry.
Please refer to The Syntropic Practitioner for more information on its context!
Self-Development (Will on) Training
A very important aspect of becoming a successful land and agroforestry manager, is to have discipline and plenty of will power to get us out of bed when nature takes what we did and run away with it. Most often then not, we are autonomous beings without a boss to tell us what to do.
We live a free life!
To be free, requires a lot of strength and self-discipline, and although most people think that they would enjoy the freedom of a rural life, the reality is that most people do not have the discipline and will power to get out of bed and just get on with the endless job.
In other to survive and prosper, we not only need to have the will, but also the decision making power to act on what is most needed (even if that means catching up on sleep when we are exhausted), while also understanding that there will always be unfinished jobs, and that we rarely "know what we are doing".
So, this is now up to you...
At the times allocated for self development training, trainees will have the freedom to chose o project and carry it along for the 12 weeks, some suggestions might be:
Build a native bee hive out of timber;
Create a flowform out of clay;
Choose a patch and develop it as an agroforestry project;
Work on your home site planning and design;
Do all of the workbook activities;
Be creative and propose a project.
Alternatively, trainees are also encouraged to study and do their own research. We have an ever growing library with interesting topics on all of the proposed frameworks for holistic land management.
Trainees will also have the opportunity to access The Syntropic Practitioner Course and watch all of the videos, which we will be discussing in our theoretical trainning sessions.
Day and Week Timeframe
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Traineeship Learning Objectives
Our objectives are that trainees leave confident in diverse aspects of Holistic Land Management.
Aside from learning a lot about yourself and working harmoniously together towards a holistic context, diligent and committed trainees should leave the farm with these learning outcomes.
Ability to create your Holistic Context and knowing how to test decisions.
Reading the landscape rationally, sensorially and effectively;
Mastering Syntropic theory and philosphy;
Using the Scale of Permanence and Permaculture principles to organise landscape design;
Applying biodynamic preparations to enliven the farm organism;
Agronomic planning based on planting calendars;
Setting up a Holistic Planned Grazing Chart and applying Voisin's 4 Laws of rotational grazing;
Cover cropping;
Working with and planning market garden crops;
Designing context-specific syntropic systems;
Efficiently managing productive agroforests;
Soil sampling, analysing and organic amending;
Applying arboriculture skills such as tree felling, trimming, cutting and organising;
Safe use and maintenance of chainsaws, brushcutter and woodchipper;
Conducting formative tree pruning;
Worm farming;
Greenhouse building;
Performing different plant propagation methods;
Designing and installing irrigation and fertigation systems;
Designing for water cycle restoration;
Learning various hand skills;
Making compost and biofertilizers;
Setting up electrical fences;
Cultivating mushrooms;
Understanding economic viability of agroforestry systems;
Holistic financial planning; and
Feeling enthusiastic, engaged and empowered to take your life to the next level.
Logistics and Housekeepings
Living, sleeping, Eating, drinking and driving
We offer a two bedroom house for 4 trainees to stay twin share. The house is fully self contained with hot water, stove, fridge, freezer and all the utilities necessary for your autonomous stay. It is expected that trainees will maintain the house clean and tidy, and will cover the costs of any breakages.
We eat a balanced diet consisting mainly of vegetables and whole foods with occasional meat, dairy and eggs. We supply farm grown produce and as much as possible organic whole foods that we buy in. Please note that organic food supply in our local town is very limited, and we travel two hours once a month to a nearby city to stock up on organic food and other supplies.
Trainees will be responsible for their own cooking and eating, and on Sundays we will join forces, skills and ingredients for a culturally diverse shared lunch.
Please note that we do not supply processed foods, snacks, sweets, soft drinks or alcohol, and trainees will need to make their own purchases if they desire these items.
We are an alcohol free family, however we do not have an alcohol free policy. We do however have a drunkenness free policy. Anyone found drunk at anytime will be asked to leave and forfeit their training and financial investment.
We do have a drug free policy, with similar outcomes if a trainee is found "high".
We do not tolerate any form of anti-social behavior/conduct and our commitment to deep ethics and the benefit of all, form the basis of our working and social relationships.
Trainees will have access to a simple vehicle (fusca) for their own outings on the weekends. Outings are strictly restricted to our local region and under no circumstances trainees will be able to drive into the main roads. To be able to access the vehicle, trainees must have an international license and will be required to pass a simple driving test with us. All costs associated with the car usage (fuel, oil, accidents) are to be paid by the trainee(s). Brazil has a zero alcohol when driving law, and trainees are expected to abide by these laws.
We have Starlink internet and trainees are welcome to use it - just not when we are working!
Our land - Livingness Centre for Holistic Land Management
We live in a magical piece of land, located in the escarpment of the Atlantic Forest called Serra da Mantiqueira. We are surrounded by regrowth subtropical/warm temperate forest with its own microclimates and dynamics. We are at 1,350 metres above sea level.
It has roughly 40 hectares (100 acres) in which we have our own micro hydrological basin, as well as a spring to supply our water, a 1000 square meter (1/4 acre) pond and two waterfalls.
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This land has been purchased by my parents 25 years ago and has been left to auto-regenerate after a past of logging and mismanaged pastures.
Since moving back to Brazil at the end of 2023, after living 23 years in Australia, we started the task to transform this land into a research and educational centre - Livingness Centre for Holistic Land Management. We are taking it slowly but we do have a grand vision of not only bringing local and international trainees, but also starting a conscious community.
We are located 12km from the quaint and very, very safe small village called Sao Francisco Xavier. It's a village that has stopped in time, and still enjoy a strong "tropeiro" culture, with many locals still using horses as their means of transport.
Our closest main city is Sao Jose dos Campos, which is located about 2 hours driving, whereas Sao Paulo, one of the largest megalopolis in the world, is about 4 hours away.
Get to know our quaint village...
See our location
Arrival and Departure
Plan to arrive at the Livingness Centre (or Sao Paulo International Airport) on Saturday the 12th of July. Plan to depart the Livingness Centre (or Sao Paulo International Airport) on Sunday the 5th of October.
We are able to pick up/drop off people on these days in Sao Paulo city, Sao Paulo International Airport (Guarulhos), somewhere in Sao Jose dos Campos or in Sao Francisco Xavier.
Please note that international travellers might require a visa to enter brazil. However at the time of writing, citizens from the USA, Canada, EU, Australia and New Zealand can travel to brazil without a visa for up to 90 days.
Please check your visa requirements with your local Brazilian embassy/consulate and visit the following website for up to date information on visa applications.
Traineeship Enrolment
To join the Holistic Land Management Traineeship Program, please download and fill in your details in the form linked below, then send the completed form to victor at syntropicgradener.com
Upon receiving your form, we will contact you to arrange a good fit call on zoom, to ensure we are in the same page. At this time, we will also discuss a suitable payment method.
Traineeship Fees: €4,800 (payment plan available)
We prefer to manage our bookings by Bank Transfers as credit cards and other mechanism attract a lot of fees.
Spots can only be secured by cleared payment, and we have to work on a first come - first served basis.
Spaces are limited, and we expect this training to fill.
By booking this training you are confirming you have read and agree to our REFUNDS POLICY as well as all general information supplied.
Refunds policy
Please note that as this is a high-cost/logistics training with very limited places, we are not able to offer refunds or cancellations within 60 days of commencement of the traineeship.
If you notify us at least 60 days prior to the commencement of the course, we will refund the fee amount received, less an administration fee of €1000. Alternatively we can credit the full amount towards a future course or you can nominate another person to attend in your place.
In the highly unlikely event that we are forced to cancel the traineeship you will promptly receive a full refund.
Please note that under no circumstances we will be liable for travel arrangements or expenses.
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