Permaculture

Introduction

Permaculture is a system of agricultural and social design principles centered around simulating or directly utilizing the patterns and features observed in natural ecosystems. The term permaculture was developed and coined by David Holmgren, then a graduate student at the Tasmanian College of Advanced Education's Department of Environmental Design, and Bill Mollison, senior lecturer in Environmental Psychology at University of Tasmania, in 1978.

A lush, green permaculture farm with a variety of plants and trees.

Principles of Permaculture

Permaculture principles are derived from the philosophy of working with, rather than against, nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labor; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system. These principles include:

Care for the Earth: Provision for all life systems to continue and multiply.
Care for People: Provision for people to access those resources necessary for their existence.
Fair Share: By governing our own needs, we can set resources aside to further the above principles.

Design in Permaculture

Permaculture design emphasizes patterns of landscape, function, and species assemblies. It asks the question, "Where does this element go? How can it be placed for the maximum benefit of the system?" To answer this question, the central concept of permaculture is maximizing beneficial relationships and minimizing harmful ones.

A detailed permaculture design plan showing the layout of plants, trees, and other elements.

Techniques and Practices

Permaculture techniques and practices include, but are not limited to:

Agroforestry
Animal Tractors
Aquaponics
Composting
Forest Gardening
Keyline Design
Rainwater Harvesting
Sheet Mulching
Solar Energy
Water Harvesting

Criticisms and Responses

While permaculture has been praised for its environmental and sustainability focus, it has also faced criticism. Critics argue that permaculture lacks empirical evidence of its efficacy, is overly reliant on anecdotal evidence, and is often associated with pseudoscientific beliefs. Proponents of permaculture respond that the practice is based on sound ecological principles, and that the lack of scientific studies is due to a lack of funding and interest in this area, rather than a lack of validity.