Alfred is an award-winning permaculture designer; the Education Coordinator of Permaculture For Refugees; a leading voice in Social Permaculture, and one of Europe’s innovative ecosocial change-makers
His journey into ecological design began in 1998 when he completed his first Permaculture Design Course in California. Since then, Alfred has been involved with social movements and projects across many borders. He is the founder of the 12P Permaculture Design consultancy, Permacultura Barcelona and the Forest Gardens project at Can Masdeu; is a co-founder of the Spanish Permaculture Academy (Academia de Permacultura Íbera); and was a member of the European Permaculture Teachers Partnership and the Permaculture Council of Europe. Alfred holds a postgraduate diploma in sustainable architecture and renewable energy (Centre for Alternative Technology).
After taking a “Permaculture Teacher Training” (PTT) course with Rosemary Morrow in 2011, he undertook a two year mentorship and later co-facilitated six courses as her assistant, ultimately earning a Diploma in Permaculture Education & Community Development in 2013 through the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute (Australia). Committed to furthering the PTT course that Rosemary developed in over four decades of teaching experience around the world, Alfred facilitated over 20 PTT courses as lead facilitator and co-edited all three versions of the PTT Manual (free download of the third edition HERE). Rosemary has asked him to organise the PTT trainings in Europe, and he has also developed an online version of the course on the Permaculture Association of Britain’s online educational platform.
In 2024 Alfred joined the Global Council of Permaculture For Refugees. He is passionate about how permaculture can be useful to refugees and migrants, and how permaculture education can be designed for them as learners…and how they in turn can best share their valuable knowledge and experience with others.
He also works closely with Starhawk and her organisation Earth Activist Training as part of the EAT teaching team.
Alfred lives in the old town centre of Berga, Catalunya (Spanish Territory), and is available for educational activities, design work and consulting.
Selected Videos
Decolonising Soil – Keynote Lecture @ Royal Academy of Art, Den Hague (2022)
“What Will the Oasis Be like in 10 Years?”, Closing Panel, French Ecovillage Network Festival (2024)
Social Permaculture Roundtable @ The Vine (2024)
Empowering Permaculture Education, A Conversation Between Rosemary Morrow & Alfred Decker (2024)
Becoming a Permaculture Teacher @ The Vine (2023)
“The Social Microclimate”, Keynote Lecture, International Forum of Permaculture Educators, Biennale Warszawa (2021)
Conversation Between Rosemary Morrow & Alfred Decker
Permaculture Teacher Training Norway, 2022
Permaculture & Social Change (2022)
Selected Podcasts
Permaculture & Social Movements with Alfred Decker
Alfred Decker discusses activism, social change, permaculture for refugees, and the ecovillage where he lives
Permaculture Teacher Training with the Permaculture Vine
Roundtable on Social Permaculture
CO: From Competition to Cooperation
Zero Waste & Permaculture
