Permaculture (as defined by Sam)
Permaculture is a design science, of which the aim is ecosystem restoration and evolution for global environmental, social, and economic abundance. With the ethical and intelligent design of human settlement and life systems, the very action of living can become purely beneficial to the greater life systems of planet earth, mutually benefitting us all. It has been quoted as a "wardrobe" for ways of thinking, systems of design, strategies and techniques that lead to abundance for nature and humanity. A way to tell if something has been designed through permaculture is to give a quick analysis through its 3 core ethics; does it care for nature, care for people and share what it has?
Brief outline of Bill Mollison's Permaculture: A Designer's Manual
Permaculture’s philosophical foundation is based in ethics which define positive design requirements for landscape and society that lead to abundance. The conversion of principles into actionable directives following ecological principles leveraging niches in both space & time that facilitates systemic evolution to maturity. The creation of practical, functional, self-regulating design gleaned from an observation of nature, through an analysis of individual components as assemblies that store and move energy. Constant universal orders and forms allow for the expression of energy via storage and transfer while minimizing entropic dissipation with the formation of edge interactions resulting in species richness. Examining how an appropriate understanding of climate informs site choices for plant, animal, and structural assemblies – creates opportunities for optimizing design effectiveness & yield potential. Understanding the importance of trees as essential design elements utilizes energy to create organic matter & biomass, habitat for various species, and service as a critical component in the biogeochemical cycling of natural systems. Ensuring access to water by design without deficits, misuse, waste or pollution; as a primary element of life we can direct, soak and store more water than we need. Improving soil quality & increasing soil quantity while simultaneously in production through a functional understanding of how to stimulate soil life, providing the conditions needed for it to flourish. Terraforming & soil conditioning as an extension of our human responsibility to benefit and care for all life; effectively & efficiently using energy in the construction of permanent features extending and improving fertility over time. The most species rich and rapidly developing ecosystems, but with poor and shallow soils; specifically design to meet the challenges of excessive moisture & leaching of nutrients. With a focus on anti-evaporation design strategies, a premium is placed on prioritizing shade, shelter from harsh winds, and humus creation to increase comfort, reduce the chances for damage, and to take full advantage of rare rain events. Attention paid to extending yield potential throughout the year – especially with short, cold winter days with low solar exposure; food, fuel and energy storage are critical design factors; deep, fertile soils provide unique productive capabilities.The most productive and functional potential is afforded through the well-considered design & use of water; gravity becomes an essential integrated design component for facilitating transport, storage, soil creation and overall yield capacity.The development, aggregation, and distribution of natural capital are undeniable indicators of real wealth for a nation and its people. We can design our way into an equitable, permanently abundant present & future.
Food Forests
All the world's problems solved in a garden. Self sufficiency is created within symbiotic systems that incorporate pattern design, soil diversity of beneficial microbes, mycelium and fungi, swales, food forests, seed saving and nursery, reed and wicking bed systems, crop gardens, companion planting, composting and material cycling, chop and drop management, natural building with strawbale, mudbrick and cob.
Highly productive edible forest ecosystems are created by mimicking the diversity and layers of natural forests. Food forest design incorporates 7 layers : canopy, understory, shrub, herb, groundcover, vertical and root layer. Dynamic elasticity and strength of forest systems is achieved through diversity, connectivity and synergy. A major key is integration of leguminous species that support production trees. Their roots have nitrogen fixing bacteria which allows for soil and fertility building, feeding the productive trees and increasing yield. Providing shade from the sun they buffer excess energy, help reduce heat and retain moisture, provide mulch and nitrogen through chop and drop management, sequester carbon, increase biodiversity and stop soil erosion. Production species provide food security, self reliance, clean air and water, materials, fuels, retain water. A food forest can moderate local climate and provide resilient systems within cycles of change, solve all of the worlds problems in a garden.
Highly productive edible forest ecosystems are created by mimicking the diversity and layers of natural forests. Food forest design incorporates 7 layers : canopy, understory, shrub, herb, groundcover, vertical and root layer. Dynamic elasticity and strength of forest systems is achieved through diversity, connectivity and synergy. A major key is integration of leguminous species that support production trees. Their roots have nitrogen fixing bacteria which allows for soil and fertility building, feeding the productive trees and increasing yield. Providing shade from the sun they buffer excess energy, help reduce heat and retain moisture, provide mulch and nitrogen through chop and drop management, sequester carbon, increase biodiversity and stop soil erosion. Production species provide food security, self reliance, clean air and water, materials, fuels, retain water. A food forest can moderate local climate and provide resilient systems within cycles of change, solve all of the worlds problems in a garden.
Permaculture Design Course
Permaculture Design Courses teach how to reforest land to solve basic security problems. Understanding knowledge and skills for implementation of simple design solutions enables students to create and manage their own systems immediately, providing a diversity of ecosystem services and food, shelter and economic abundance. It is a space where projects come into action, establishment of systems is supported by theoretical aspects of applied permaculture. Practical daily work incorporates skills such as pattern and climate understanding, planning, soil science and creation, mycology, water management, material cycling, compost making, earthworks, tree propagation, food forest design techniques and governance strategies. Integration and synergy of all relevant subjects allows the designer to facilitate resilience and durability within an ecosystem.
PDCs IN EUROPEAlong with many other teachers Sam is running various courses and PDCs around Europe this year in Hungary, Greece, Norway, Spain, the UK
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JORDAN INTERNSHIPFor the second time Sam will be teaching the annual PDC and internship with Geoff Lawton and Istvan Makuly at the Greening the Desert Site in Jawasari, Jordan.
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PDC @ YOUR FARMAre you interested in facilitating community resilience in your country? We would love to hear from you!
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