Modern Permaculture

Dr. Bill Mollison, the father of modern permaculture, and his apprentice David Holmgren developed ideas that can help human beings to establish self-sufficient environments. The two ecologists has observed that the nature is gradually depleting because of man's extensive use of industrial-agriculture methods that are harmful to nature. Mollison and Holmgren designed the concept of permaculture that can be utilized by individuals in rural and urban communities to produce food, build energy-efficient houses, recycle, and manage land.

The permaculture time frame includes the rapid progress of permaculture. Since the word "permaculture" (permanent culture or permanent agriculture) was coined by Mollison and Holmgren in 1970s, this approach has undergone numerous developments. The latest innovation in permaculture involves social and economic structures that aid in the expansion of eco-villages, co-housing projects, and other permanent communities.

Modern Permaculture Influences

Mollison and Holmgren's concept of permaculture was greatly influenced by the ideas of Franklin Hiram King when he used the phrase "permanent agriculture" in his book that was published way back in early 1900. The idea of permanent agriculture is to have an agriculture that people can indefinitely sustained.

Another significant influence in the progress of the concept of modern permaculture is Howard T. Odum's works. Odum centralize his studies on system ecology, which encouraged Holmgren to further develop permaculture. Other modern permaculture influences are Esther Deans' No-Dig Gardening procedures and Vietnam's VAC system.

Characteristics and Applications of Modern Permaculture

Modern permaculture is an advanced system design tool used for various purposes. This concept is applied when looking or analyzing a problem or a system. It is also the tool that is applicable in determining the connections or relations among the key elements in a system and observing how these elements interact. Furthermore, permaculture is used to plan how to fix problematic systems.

People from various parts of the world use permaculture because it includes different land-use techniques and supportable agriculture procedures. Modern permaculture is also practiced by more people because it is an Earth-friendly approach to promote agriculture and it is a sound way to maximize synergistic and symbiotic relationships among various site components. It covers common farming methods like agro-forestry, Keyline agriculture, contour plantings, and integrated farming techniques. Recycling and gardening methods like landscaping and vermicomposting are also associated with permaculture.

But today, permaculture is not only for agricultural activities because it is also now applied to urban planning and rural land designing to establish a sustainable environment. It is also involved in the use of fitting technologies, practice of people-centered and Earth-based concepts, and community planning and development.

People who are interested in learning more about the ideas and practices have numerous resources. They can opt to get the Permaculture Design Course or read and study various permaculture literature. They can also attend workshops to undergo trainings on permaculture technologies like sheet mulching, organic gardening, and solar greenhouses. Aside from these, they can take advantage of technology and use the Internet to enroll in online Permaculture Design Course.