Permaculture

Permaculture






Bill Mollison
Bill Mollison - Permaculture Founder

Greening the Desert

Food Forest DVD
 


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Cool temperate Permaculture in Argentina, the Permaculture Research Institute in Australia, Sepp Holzer’s Permakultur in Austria, Latin American Permaculture in Bolivia and Permaculture in the Amazon in Brazil.

 North American Permaculture in Canada, Cool Temperate Permaculture in Chile, Organic farming using Permaculture techniques in China, Sustainable Agriculture using Permaculture Principles in Costa Rica, Peak Oil and Permaculture studies in Cuba and Tropical Permaculture design in Ecuador.

Geoff Lawton taught a Permaculture design Certificate Course (PDC) in Egypt. Festival de Permaculture, 2009 - 21,22,23 Août Bourgogne, France, Musique

avec:- Grand Ours, Bankez..............et d'autres.

The cutting edge of European Permaculture in Germany and Holland with the Permaculture Association of Great Britain as the leading UK based Permaculture organisation.

 In the Global Gardener video Bill Mollison Founding Father of Permaculture visits Tropical India. Permaculture farms for sale in Ireland, the emerald isle. Care of the Earth and Permaculture Ethics bring Arabs and Israelis together in Israel and Palestine. Permaculture pasta al Pomodoro in Italy blended with Permaculture Tropical Spices Organically Grown in Jamaica. 

Kiyokazu Shitara is the founder of the Permaculture Centre Japan in Fujino in the Kanagawa prefecture. Permaculture as a viable alternative to un-sustainable commercial export orientated agriculture in Kenya. Permaculture Palm Culture in Malaysia, the home to an extensive range of edible and useful palm species. PDC Students are shown how to grow edible cactus at the Permaculture demonstration farm near Oaxaca in Mexico.

In remembrance of the late Joe Polaischer, co-creator (along with his wife Trish Allen) of Rainbow valley Permaculture Farm in New Zealand. Blessings on your journey Joe and many thanks for your many years of good work. 

Permaculture Gardens deep in the jungles of Peru and a glass of organic wine from a Permaculture vineyard in Portugal. Romanian Permaculture in the mountains of Transylvania to Urban Permaculture in the suburbs of Moscow in Russia. 

Permaculture wildlife safari in South Africa using Elephant Manure to make giant compost heaps all the way to Sunny Spain and 5 Star Permaculture villas with integrated grey water systems feeding organic vegetables.

Por Piang & Permaculture and the Permaculture Siam Channel, a channel representing the numerous Permaculture and Sustainable Development initiatives in Thailand - youtube.com/user/PermacultureSiam

The Permaculture Research Institute - Home of the United States Permaculture Research Institute. Contact: 8040, 2nd Ave South, Bloomington, MN 55420, U.S.A.

THE PERMACULTURE PLANET DIRECTORY, a 100% FREE LISTING for your Permaculture Project or Organisation. ADVERTISE AND PROMOTE YOUR PERMACULTURE GROUP, SERVICE OR BUSINESS FOR FREE in the Permaculture Planet Directory – Permaculture for the Planet!













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Permaculture Definitions

Permaculture is a design system for creating sustainable human environments. 

Defined by the Founding Father of Permaculture Bill Mollison:

 

I see permaculture as the use of systems thinking and design principles that provide the organising framework for implementing the above vision. It draws together the diverse ideas, skills and ways of living which need to be rediscovered and developed in order to empower us to provide for our needs, while increasing the natural capital for future generations. 

Permaculture is not the landscape, or even the skills of organic gardening, sustainable farming, energy efficient building or eco-village development as such, but it can be used to design, establish, manage and improve these and all other efforts made by individuals, households and communities towards a sustainable future.

 

From co-founder of Permaculture David Holmgren.

 

Permaculture: the use of ecology as the basis for designing integrated systems of food production, housing, appropriate technology, and community development. Permaculture is built upon an ethic of caring for the earth and interacting with the environment in mutually beneficial ways.

 

From the Permaculture Drylands Institute, published in The Permaculture Activist (Autumn 1989):

 

Permaculture (PERMAnent agriCULTURE or PERMAnent CULTURE) is a sustainable design system stressing the harmonious interrelationship of humans, plants, animals and the Earth.

 

From Lee Barnes (former editor of Katuah Journal and Permaculture Connections), Waynesville, North Carolina:

 

 

To paraphrase the co-founder of permaculture, designer Bill Mollison:

 

Permaculture principles focus on thoughtful designs for small-scale intensive systems which are labour efficient and which use biological resources instead of fossil fuels. Designs stress ecological connections and closed energy and material loops. The core of permaculture is design and the working relationships and connections between all things. Each component in a system performs multiple functions, and each function is supported by many elements. The key to efficient design is observation and replication of natural ecosystems, where designers maximize diversity with polycultures, stress efficient energy planning for houses and settlement, using and accelerating natural plant succession, and increasing the highly productive "edge-zones" within the system.

 

Permaculture is: the design of land use systems that are sustainable and environmentally sound; the design of culturally appropriate systems which lead to social stability; a design system characterized by an integrated application of ecological principles in land use; an international movement for land use planning and design; an ethical system stressing positivism and cooperation. In the broadest sense, permaculture refers to land use systems which promote stability in society, utilize resources in a sustainable way and preserve wildlife habitat and the genetic diversity of wild and domestic plants and animals. It is a synthesis of ecology and geography, of observation and design. Permaculture involves ethics of earth care because the sustainable use of land cannot be separated from life-styles and philosophical issues.

 

From Michael Pilarski, founder of Friends of the Trees, published in International Green Front Report (1988):

 

Permaculture is a practical concept which can be applied in the city, on the farm, and in the wilderness. Its principles empower people to establish highly productive environments providing for food, energy, shelter, and other material and non-material needs, including economic. Carefully observing natural patterns characteristic of a particular site, the permaculture designer gradually discerns optimal methods for integrating water catchments, human shelter, and energy systems with tree crops, edible and useful perennial plants, domestic and wild animals and aquaculture.

 

From a Bay Area Permaculture Group brochure, published in West Coast Permaculture News & Gossip and Sustainable Living Newsletter (Fall 1995):

Permaculture adopts techniques and principles from ecology, appropriate technology, sustainable agriculture, and the wisdom of indigenous peoples. The ethical basis of permaculture rests upon care of the earth-maintaining a system in which all life can thrive. This includes human access to resources and provisions, but not the accumulation of wealth, power, or land beyond their needs. Never the less in the technological age even Permaculturists must take full advantage of the use of the internet to spread this essential knowledge. By utilising a free listing and advertising service like that of  the Permaculture Planet Directory http://www.permacultureplanet.com/directory.html it is possible to promote and support any kind of Permaculture organisation or group even with a limited budget.

 

 

Ethics

Care of the Earth

 Care of the People

 Return and sharing of Surplus

 

Principles

  1.       Work with nature, rather than against the natural elements, forces, pressures, processes, agencies, and evolutions, so that we assist rather than impede natural developments.
  2. The problem is the solution; everything works both ways. It is only how we see things that make them advantageous or not (if the wind blows cold, let us use its strength and its coolness to advantage). A corollary of this principle is that everything is a positive resource; it is just up to us to work out how we may use it as such.
  3.   Make the least change for the greatest possible effect.
  4.      The yield of a system is theoretically unlimited. The only limit on the number of uses of resources possible within a system is in the limit of the information and the imagination of the designer.

 
 Everything gardens, or has an effect on its environment.

 

By Julianne Skai Arbor

 

Site Analysis and Inventory - Mapping - Designing with zones and sectors - Sheet Mulching - Swales - Chickens Tractors - Edible Food Forest - Plant Guilds - Native Plants - Small Scale Intensive - Herb Spirals - Grey water systems  

 

Benefits

Conserving and building healthy soils, the basis of food systems.
 
Diversifying and greatly increasing local food production (typically from a few sources to dozens, even hundreds), which increases the nutritional quality and pleasure of local diets and buffers against market fluctuations in food prices.
Eliminating use of toxic chemicals that cause a variety of health problems from immediate toxic poisonings to longer-term chronic problems like cancer, birth defects and the destruction of healthy natural food source (i.e. toxic fish).
 
 Maximizing efficient beneficial use of local water sources, the critical lifeblood for people.
 
 Practically eliminating pollution of water by human wastes, thereby dramatically reducing water born diseases.
 
Creating clean drinking water sources, further reducing disease.
 
Increasing tree crops, which retain soils, slow water runoff, increase groundwater storage, and provide cooling shade. 
 
    Increasing the beauty of the community though the creation of diverse life forms - flowers, insects, birds, frogs, and hundreds of others that create a pleasant and inspiring atmosphere for people, especially children.
  
    Harnessing natural renewable energies to create comfortable home living conditions.

 

 

Combined Discipline Examples:

 

Agriculture and Horticulture

 

LandCare - Soil conservation - Reforestation - Agro forestry - Analog forestry - Organic farming -Biological pest control -Kitchen gardens in cities and villages

 

Integrated farming systems: -Aquaculture -Aquaponics -Intercropping -Companion planting and polyculture -Perennial and tree cropping systems. -Trellising -Worm composting

 

Gardening techniques: -Utilizing crop rotations -Cover crops -Green manures -Composts -Mulches -Medicinal plants -Useful plants/edible landscaping -Heritage plant varieties -Seed saving

 

Bioregional planning -citizen action -cooperative organization -micro-enterprise -community credit schemes -barter and LETS systems

Appropriate Technology

 

Water collection - Grey water re-use - Rain & runoff catchments - Swaling - Constructed wetlands -Fungal systems for wastewater treatment.

 

Energy -Passive solar heating -Solar and wind power -Solar water pasteurizers


Greening the Desert in Jordan


Permaculture in Action in the Dead Sea Valley

Geoff LawtonJordan Map  

Commissioned in August 2000 by the Japanese aid organization NICCOD to work in association with a Jordanian NGO JOHUD Sindhu and Geoff Lawton's first visit to Kafrin involved the design of a flat 10 acre, highly salted, very alkaline, piece of land in the Dead Sea Valley, 400m below sea level and just a few kilometres from the Palestinian border. The aim was to demonstrate sustainable farming practices. A plan was drawn up and accepted and arrangements were made for them to return in December during the cooler time of the year.

Swale System

During the December visit they each taught the 72 hour Permaculture Design Certificate course, Sindhu Lawton to the women and Geoff Lawton to the men; when working in a Moslem culture they have found this to be the most beneficial way to teach. Also on this trip they directed the installation of permaculture earthworks, which included the construction of one and a half kilometres of water harvesting swales, (contour ditches, with an un-compacted earth mound on the lower side which is typically used as a tree growing system). As well, a small in surface area, but deep dam was also installed as part of the design. This method of dam construction is essential in an area where evaporation is extreme.

Farm View

Before their departure, Instructions were left to fence the site, as the area is surrounded by the free ranging goats and sheep of the Bedouin people and local farmers. Instructions were also left for drip irrigation to be installed under layers of thick organic mulch, this technique is so necessary in climates were evaporation is high and salted land is the consequence. Once the fencing and irrigation was in place a diversity of fruit trees were planted, and for every fruit tree, three fast growing pioneer and nitrogen fixing trees were also planted. This design mimics the natural eco systems, from which permaculture draws its wisdom. 1,510 trees were initially planted and only seven died, one because of a blocked dripper and 6 were sacrificial and planted with no mulch to prove to the sceptics that mulching was a must.

Water Catchment

The local agricultural department described the land as useless for any serious production. With a soil salt level of 5,000ppm, the only available irrigation water at 4,100 ppm salt content, and a pH of 9.5, even10 in places it was considered impossible to grow figs and many other fruit trees and crops.

Fig Trees

With the local project workers well educated in permaculture design, Sindhu and Geoff’s instructions were carefully followed and on their next return visit, four months after the first trees were planted, the results were very exciting. Figs were growing well and fruiting, so were guavas and pomegranates, some of the pioneer trees had reached two meters in height and the general greening up of the site was very encouraging. These results indicated that the salt levels must have dropped, pH must have also dropped and soil fertility must have improved. The Agriculture Department were invited back to do further soil tests and the results were incredibly exciting even to Geoff and Sindhu.

New Building

The good results would normally indicate a large use of sweet water, but on the contrary, the high cost of transporting sweet water on to site is not only against permaculture principles, but is financially out of reach to the average farmer and also too costly for our own budget. We used the same salted water that local farmers have to irrigate with, but because of good design only 1/5th the amount of water was used compared to that of a farm similar in size. The effects achieved were a mystery to the local people, and to the agricultural department, and a great deal of attention from all sorts of individuals and authorities resulted. The soil had come alive, the lifecycles within the soil were starting to lock up the salt, the process of soil creation had begun, and not only had pH and salt dropped dramatically, the pale sandy soil was turning deep brown with the creation of hummus, Geoff and Sindhu found themselves explaining this process time and time again to satisfy the astonishment of those who had not believed they could succeed.

Sindhu

August 2001 was scheduled for their third visit.

A second set of courses were taught with much enthusiasm and many local farmers began to use permaculture techniques and inquire how we had achieved such positive results on such poor land. But the site had to stand its first real test, the extreme climatic conditions of the intense dry season, which it did remarkably well, and as the rains began again and the temperatures cooled in October 2001 planting was recommenced and the rapid growth continued, with the best annual rainfall in twenty years of 200mm. In December 2001 the irrigation was switched off for 1 month, an incredible test of strength for such a young system. There was some slight stress in the guavas but no losses and no negative effect on the whole system. The rapid growth continued a crop of winter Barley and a commercial crop of organic onions was grown between the swales with astounding success and the total site turned green.

Sindhu Teaching

Sindhu and Geoff Lawton returned in April 2002 exactly one year after the first plantings were commenced. The conflict in Palestine was now extremely serious, Jericho situated on the west bank is clearly seen from the demonstration site, and with the high profile of military forces patrolling the area, and regular heavily armed check points, there is a constant reminder that this is an area of intense conflict, and human suffering.

Animal Systems

The farm though was in very good shape, the agricultural department tests indicated no salt in some places on the site and a pH of 7.5. The farm was beginning to resemble a small forest along the contour lines of the water harvesting systems. An education centre was being constructed using traditional design and materials, with a self cooling system incorporated in to the design needing no polluting energy. Instead wind chimneys with a charcoal evaporation system are being installed to demonstrate low cost and minimum energy housing design for the local people.

Mud Bricks

All of this had attracted much attention from many professional bodies of agricultural engineers, environmental organizations, schools, and the Jordanian department of agriculture, this led to Geoff and Sindhu being invited on a lecture tour to all these different sectors, this in turn created further interest and a calling for more PDC’s in this country. The Agriculture Department has now made the decision to set up an organic research project, which Sindhu and Geoff Lawton were invited to consult on.

 Watchmans House

http://permacultureglobalreport.blogspot.com/2007/10/jordan-is-arid-country-with-limited.html

Permaculture Water Harvesting

For More Information Please Visit:
http://www.permaculture.org.au



Links

Permaculture

Garden Permaculture - Tips, Tricks & Advice for the Permaculture Gardener - www.gardenpermaculture.com

Global Permaculture - A website with a focus on The Global Permaculture Movement - www.globalpermaculture.com

Permaculture Planet -The Worlds Permaculture Portal - www.permacultureplanet.com

Permaculture Books - A wide Selection of Permaculture Books, including other topics such as: Appropriate Technology, Bushcraft & Bush Tucker, Compost Toilets, Forest Gardening, Homesteading, Natural Farming, Peak Oil, Solar Power & Much More. . . . .

The Permaculture Research Institute - The Home of Australian Permaculture & a Leading Force in  International Sustainable Development Projects

Tagari Publications - Publishers & Home for The Permaculture Institute since 1978

Permaculture Association (Britain) - Designing for Sustainability in the UK and Beyond

Tropical Permaculture - Growing Delicious Fruit And Vegetables The Smart Way

Permaculture Blog - Post & Read Comments about anything Permaculture Related

Permaculture Videos -  Browse and Watch a Large Selection of  Permaculture Videos

The Southern Cross Permaculture Institute -  Internationally recognised Permaculture teachers and consultants for a range of organisations, both in Australia and overseas.

Permaculture International Limited (PIL) - A  charitable organization located in Australia created to support Permaculture and Permaculturists.


Green & Natural Building

Earthship Biotecture - A global company led by Michael Reynolds, the principle biotect and creator of the Earthship Concept. Offering proven, totally sustainable design and construction services worldwide.

Sustaining Towers - Design guidance on the refurbishing of highrise buildings.

Growing.org - Sustainable homes for humans

The Friendly House - Artcles, regarding ecologically sound houses, sustainable energy, and self sufficiency. The science & technology involved, plus any thoughts, developments, new products or services.

Cob Cottage - A clearinghouse for information on cob building technologies.

Design Center for Appropriate Technology - Contains information on institutional barriers to earth architecture.

Straw Bale Central - Create a home which is healthy, beautiful and sustainable, utilising old & new technologies such as straw-bale construction, cob and Permaculture.

Sustainable Building Resource - A program of the Italian Institute for Housing and Social Infrastructure. Includes information on alternative materials, building codes, and an annual conference.

Natural Building (Wiki) - A natural building involves a range of building systems and materials that place major emphasis on sustainability.

Low-Impact Living Initiative (LILI) - A  non-profit organisation whose mission is to help people reduce their impact on the environment.



Environmental & Ethical Organisations

The Bill Hicks Foundation - A not-for-profit Texas Corporation & network of volunteers, everyday people, animal lovers, and specialists who dedicate much of our time to helping wildlife.

The Soil Association - The UK's leading environmental charity promoting sustainable, organic farming and championing human health.

Greenpeace International - Greenpeace exists because this fragile Earth deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs change. It needs action.

Friends of the Earth - Making life better for people by inspiring solutions to environmental problems.

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), with more than 2.0 million members and supporters, is the largest animal rights organization in the world.

Savvy Vegetarian - Support For Your Vegetarian or Vegan Diet & Lifestyle



Mind, Body & Spirit

Ethnobotany Research and Applications - An electronic, peer-reviewed, multi-disciplinary journal devoted to the rapid dissemination of current research.

David Icke.com - Exposing the Dreamworld we believe to be real!

The Foundation for Shamanic Studies - Dedicated to the preservation, study, and teaching of shamanic knowledge for the welfare of the Planet and its inhabitants

Global Eco-Village Network - Consulting and information centre for eco-village development in the southern hemisphere.

Helen Swanns Natural Health Answers -  Helen Swan is a Registered UK Homeopath and Natural Health Adviser with 20 years experience. Clinic Consultations & Home visits throughout South Devon & Online Consultations wherever you live. Sympathetic, Confidential and Effective Treatments.

Holisticonline.com - #1 for Alternative and Integrative Medicine. Why go anywhere else?

OnenessForAll.com - A  real connection with the divine can never be organized...it is happening within.

Reiki - A Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It’s administered by laying on hands and can be easily learned by anyone.

Vipassana -  The international home page of the organizations which offer courses in Vipassana Meditation.

Yoga - India's age-old philosophy and its time-honored tradition of meditation.



Resources

Astral Jester Films -  Independent Permaculture & Sustainability Film & Documentary Creators.
 "If the truth can be told, so as to be understood, it will be believed!"

Biofuels- The best way of reducing the emission of the greenhouse gases.

Companion Planting - Everybody Needs Good Neighbors

Composting 101 - A Composting Guide for the Home Gardener

Dees Illustration - Sarcastic to the extreme, funny in the approach, most times visually horrifying, this wild new style of illustration screams out our serious world crisis situation in a visual instant.

Greywater Guerrillas - A collaborative group of educators, designers, builders, and artists who educate and empower people to build sustainable water culture and infrastructure.

Hemp - One of the most diverse plants on the planet that could literally supply most of humankinds needs for fuel, food, clothing, building products, and medicine.

Island Media - Web Site Design, Domain Name Registrations, Web Hosting, Logo and Banner design, Graphic Design, Search Engine Submission, Meta Tag Insertion

RenewableEnergyWorld.com - The single most recognized and trusted source for Renewable Energy News and Information on the Internet.

Sun Angle - A shareware Javascript program that calculates solar angles based on location, date, and time.

Urban Permaculture in Clacton-on-Sea (UK) - One families move towards urban self sufficiency

WikiHow - Home and Garden - The How-to Manual That You Can Edit

World View of Global Warming - The connection between human-made Carbon Dioxide and rapid climate changes and negative effects around the world.

World Food Garden - Indidviduals empowering themselves & each other to grow small food gardens worldwide.


The Permaculture Planet Directory

THE PERMACULTURE PLANET DIRECTORY, A 100% FREE LISTING for your Permaculture Project or Organisation.
www.permacultureplanet.com		 Permaculture Planet Directory ADVERTISE AND PROMOTE YOUR PERMACULTURE GROUP, SERVICE OR BUSINESS FOR FREE in the Permaculture Planet Directory – Permaculture for the Planet!
htttp://www.permacultureplanet.com

The Permaculture Planet Directory

Permaculture Planets Permaculture Directory, the world’s number one online planetary Permaculture directory and Permaculture links resource base. If you are searching for Permaculture organisations, Permaculture courses, Permaculture jobs, Permaculture news, Permaculture events or employment opportunities the Permaculture Planet Directory has it all. Whether you are new to Permaculture or a seasoned Permaculture designer, we have a large selection of Permaculture resources including links to videos with famous Permaculture people such as; Bill Mollison (The Global Gardener, In Danger of Falling Food), Geoff Lawton (Greening the Desert), David Holmgren (PERMACULTURE & PEAK OIL: Beyond 'Sustainability') and many more.

The Permaculture Planet Directory is a free service for dedicated Permaculture related business or Permaculture services; we do not and will never charge a fee for a listing. We believe that Permaculture offers real solutions to the many problems we collectively face as a planet. It is our hope that in some small way this Global Permaculture Directory will help to promote the indispensable Science of Permaculture to the Wider Global Community.
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