What is permaculture?

Permaculture, short for "permanent agriculture" or "permanent culture," is a holistic approach to designing and managing ecosystems that mimic the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems.
Developed by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in the 1970s, permaculture is centered around sustainable and regenerative principles applicable to various aspects of human life, including agriculture, gardening, architecture, energy, and community development.
Key principles of permaculture include:

1. Observation and Interaction:
   Understanding the natural patterns and processes of a specific site before making interventions. This involves careful observation of climate, topography, soil, water, and existing vegetation.
2. Catch and Store Energy:
   Efficiently capturing and storing resources such as water, sunlight, and organic matter to create resilient and sustainable systems.
3. Obtain a Yield:
   Ensuring that the design provides tangible benefits and yields, meeting the needs of the inhabitants. This can include food production, energy generation, or other useful resources.
4. Apply Self-Regulation and Accept Feedback:
   Systems should be designed to self-regulate and adapt based on feedback. This involves learning from successes and failures and adjusting designs accordingly.
5. Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services:
   Emphasizing the use of renewable resources and ecosystem services, such as natural pest control, to create sustainable and low-maintenance systems.
6. Produce No Waste:
   Minimizing waste by reusing and recycling materials, creating closed-loop systems where outputs from one element become inputs for another.
7. Design from Patterns to Details:
   Starting with the overall patterns and functions of a system before focusing on specific details. This helps create integrated and harmonious designs.
8. Integrate Rather than Segregate:
   Promoting the integration of different elements in a system to create mutually beneficial relationships, reducing the need for external inputs.
9. Use Small and Slow Solutions:
   Favoring small-scale, gradual changes over large-scale interventions. This allows for careful observation and adaptation to local conditions.
10. Use and Value Diversity:
    Encouraging the use of diverse plant and animal species to enhance system resilience and productivity.

Permaculture principles can be applied in various contexts, from designing backyard gardens to large-scale agricultural systems, and they emphasize a thoughtful and sustainable approach to human interactions with the environment. Permaculture practitioners aim to create systems that not only meet human needs but also contribute to the health of the planet.