Permaculture Basics

Permaculture Roslynn Brain & Blake Thomas Department of Environment & Society

What is Permaculture? Permaculture is a design concept for sustainable, food producing landscapes mimicking the diversity and resilience of natural ecosystems. Although concepts included in permaculture design have been in practice for millenia by various cultures worldwide, the term “permaculture” as it is currently understood was first coined in Tasmania by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in the mid-1970’s (Nabhan, 2013). Mollison and Holmgren described permaculture as, “an integrated, evolving system of perennial or selfperpetuating plant and animal species useful to man” (Mollison & Holmgren, 1978). The use of the word, and scope of the definition, has varied greatly since the 1970’s; much like the use of ‘sustainability’ and ‘ecology’. Holmgren later expanded the definition to, “consciously designed landscapes which mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abundance of food, fibre and energy for provision of local needs” (Holmgren, 2003). Additional definitions from members of the permaculture community include: • Permaculture is the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive systems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems. It is the harmonious integration of the landscape with people providing their food, energy, shelter and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable way (Bell, 2005).

Permaculture: A design process mimicking natural ecosystems.

Version: December 2013

Texts about permaculture design abound. Popular beginners texts include Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability and Gaia’s Garden.

• Permaculture is a set of techniques and principles for designing sustainable human settlements…though permaculture practitioners design with plants, animals, buildings and organizations, they focus less on those objects themselves than on the careful design of relationships among them – interconnections – that will create a healthy, sustainable whole (Hemenway, 2001). • A permaculture system is a system that resembles nature and is based on natural cycles and ecosystems (Holzer, 2004). From the above definitions, it can be seen that permaculture design has evolved beyond food systems to encompass the broader landscape of architecture and human relationships. Joel Glanzberg, regenerative design and ecological restoration expert, emphasized “it is a holistic design approach for all human needs that works on creating change by shifting underlying patterns” (Glanzberg, 2013). A holistic design approach demands a shift in conventional, mechanistic thinking. The theoretical foundations of permaculture will help shed light on this way of thinking.

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