permaculture

cover of "Introduction to Permaculture" by Bill Mollison

stacking in wet tropics (Mollison)

"mandala" garden

work with nature

The inspiration for permaculture came from some observations:

Nature is sustainable and conventional agriculture isnt, due to dependence on imported energy& fertilizer, environmentally damaging chemical weed & pest control, poor soil & water management and low crop genetic diversity.

Many traditional forms of agriculture are sustainable.

Science doesnt tell us everything but can help us understand nature and sustainable agriculture based on principles of nature.

Permaculture is not a technique, but a philosophy with a set of principles to be adapted to local conditions. The philosophy is to return the maximum possible land back to nature by occupying the minimum area required to produce human needs sustainably. Cities, back yards and degraded farms are developed as anthropocentric, perennial based, locally suited ecologies that mimic the structure and diversity of nature.

Principles

• deliberate arrangement of elements for mutual benefit, diversity of crops (for self sufficiency, insurance against failure of one crop, avoids pest buildup)
• plant stacking (e.g. a productive shrub, ground cover and vine can all occupy the same area), resource cycling (of water, nutrient)
• use biological resources (e.g. organic matter for fertilizer, or plants, insects and small birds for pest control)
• create productive microclimates
• observe, experiment and adapt.
• See also Holistic, info and "Introduction to Permaculture" by Bill Mollison.

Practice (Nth coast NSW)

Some successful permaculture gardens have been established locally. Themes are motivation, diversity, mulch and density.  Novices have struggled to put theory into practice (biodynamic methods are easier because they are more prescriptive). Generally, problems in urban areas are pests and the need to provide habitat to predatory insects and small birds. Rural areas are more likely to have good natural pest control and need to physically exclude larger animals such as wallabies, bandicoots, birds and fruit eating bats.

Example