Permaculture is a design process and set of techniques for creating a resilient, thriving and abundant future.
It is based on ecological wisdom and is governed by a set of design ethics and principles.
Permaculture not a new concept; it was practiced by our ancestors who were actively engaged in their environments. A significant amount of permaculture thinking and practice has been heavily influenced by traditional indigenous patterns and practices.
Permaculture includes food production but also extends to integrated systems of land use, buildings, energy, water, and even into the realms of social, financial and cultural patterns.
Properties that have been designed along permaculture principles are nurturing and beautiful, resilient and abundant. They have a small carbon footprint while creating comfort, sustenance and support for their inhabitants – both human and otherwise!
Permaculture goes beyond ecological landscaping, native landscaping, edible landscaping, sustainable design and green building …
Imagine …
- Minimizing the amount of outside fuels and resources you need to run your property
- Harvesting rain water on site for irrigation and other uses
- A perennial edible landscape that provides food and wildlife forage for years to come
- Living within a healthy ecosystem that has been designed to work in concert with nature’s patterns and rhythms
- Creating a network of neighbors and community members working to create a low-energy, post-carbon future full of richness and abundance
Read more about Permaculture here, by our founder, Lisa Fernandes
Resources
Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Homescale Permaculture by Toby Hemenway [book] – This is a well-written book that makes permaculture very accessible to anyone with even the most basic of experience with gardening or design of any sort. It covers the basic concepts of permaculture as well as examples for any property size.
Inhabit: A Permaculture Perspective [film; 90 minutes] – This 2015 film is one of the best examples of visual media that helps answer the questions “What is permaculture?” and “Why should I care?” It helps explain the complexities of permaculture design and creates a stunning visual tour of applied permaculture examples in the United States with a focus on the Northeast US. Highly recommend.