Carbon Cycling Certification

Process and Criteria

Overview

The Carbon Cycling Certification (CCC) is awarded to people who complete the following:

1. Attend a Carbon Cycling Workshop from the Living Systems Institute

2. Pass the Agents of Habitat Quiz with a score of 90% or higher

3. Do an apprenticeship with a certified mentor and complete the CCC Checklist

4. Perform a Carbon Cycling System Package with mentor oversight

5. Have a Review Session with a mentor to get feedback and approval for certification

Carbon Cycling Workshops

The Living Systems Institute will certify teachers to lead workshops which can count toward the Carbon Cycling Certification. The workshops can be named something else and can be open to people who aren’t seeking certification. The workshop has to be at least 3 hours long, include hands-on experience, and cover the reasons behind carbon cycling, polyculture, and how to build a deep mulch bed.

Agents of Habitat Quiz

Students can either read the Agents of Habitat lessons on the Living Systems Institute website or receive the information through instruction from a teacher or mentor. The quiz is online and is automatically scored. The student can make as many attempts as needed to score 90% or higher and should keep a copy of the email confirmation to submit later.

Apprenticeship and CCC Checklist

The student then signs up with a mentor who is already Carbon Cycling Certified to do an apprenticeship. The mentor will help the apprentice gain proficiency on all of the skills listed in the CCC Checklist. The mentor will supervise the apprentice performing each of the activities on the checklist with the mentor’s own clients. Apprenticeships can last as long as it takes for the mentor to believe that the apprentice is able to meet all of the criteria on the checklist.

Carbon Cycling System Package

Once the mentor has signed the bottom of the checklist, the apprentice will take on their first client with mentor supervision. The apprentice will complete a Carbon Cycling System Package that consists of working with a client to create a carbon cycling plan for their property and building a deep mulch bed. The package may go by a different name and can include other components.

Review Session

After the package is complete, the apprentice will sit down with their mentor and receive feedback on how they worked with the client and created the carbon cycling plan and deep mulch bed. If the mentor feels that the apprentice did not perform the CCC Checklist criteria sufficiently, the mentor may ask them to perform another package under their supervision. 

Submission for Certification

Once the mentor feels that the apprentice is ready to take clients on their own, they will contact the Living Systems Institute, submit proof of attending the Carbon Cycling Workshop, the passing Agents of Habitat Quiz email confirmation, the signed CCC Checklist, and a recommendation letter from the mentor. The Living Systems Institute will then send the apprentice a signed completion certificate.

Mentor-Apprentice Relationship

The mentor and apprentice must agree on working conditions and compensation before beginning work together. A copy of the contract or memorandum of understanding should be provided to the Living Systems Institute. Employment laws should be followed. If the relationship ends for any reason and the apprentice wishes to pursue certification with another mentor, they may request that the Living Systems Institute help them find another mentor, or approach another mentor on their own. Mentors may work together and co-sign on a CCC Checklist if not all training can be done with one mentor.