Permaculture Australia

Permaculture originated in Australia when ecologists Dr. Bill Mollison and David Holmgren developed ideas that can be helpful in creating self-sufficient agricultural systems. To reduce humans' reliance on using hazardous industrial-agricultural approaches, the ecologists developed the concept that will aid people to create sustainable environments without harming the Earth.

Permaculture Australia uses designs and values that guide and empower individuals to establish productive environments. Individuals who are engaged in practicing the concepts and methods of permaculture are advised to learn these designs and values to effectively achieve the goals of permaculture.

What is Permaculture Design?

Permaculture design is a set of guidelines that can be utilized in planning and developing sustainable habitats. It encompasses various disciplines such as energy conservation, ecology, environmental science, and landscape design. Permaculture design is developing continuously thus, it has numerous innovations. Among the most remarkable innovations that it has undergone are permaculture patterns, zones, and links and connection.

Patterns are believed to be important in creating permaculture design. Since all things on Earth create patterns, designers are able to observe and design how ecosystems interact with the its various parts. Using the pattern application, designers are asked to develop knowledge of the patterns discovered in nature and apply this knowledge to meet particular design needs.

Another important innovation in permaculture design is the development of permaculture zones. Zone analysis is important in grouping design elements in a habitat. Zones are guidelines used in planning where things will be placed in a landscape. This innovation is important for efficient energy planning.

Links and connections are also necessary in permaculture design. Recognizing the useful connections among various plants and their dependency on humans and landscapes are important in creating the final permaculture design.

Other innovations in permaculture design are layers or stacking, polyculture, guilds, animals, annual monoculture, and energy.

What are the Important Permaculture Values?

What makes permaculture different from other known farming systems is that it follows core values that encourage people to consider nature and other individuals when thinking and acting. The permaculture ethics or core values guide people to be more responsible in interacting with the nature and their community as they create sustainable environments.

Permaculture values are summarized in three categories. The first one is Earthcare, which involves all living and non-living things, recognizes that the Earth is the ultimate life source. People must recognize and respect the idea that the Earth is important to everyone and each creature is a part of it.

Another core value of permaculture is Peoplecare that advocates community responsibility and self-reliance. This permaculture value encourages human beings to develop sound communities and help and support one another without hurting both nature and other people.

Permaculture ethics also include Fairshare, which asks individuals to give away or fairly distribute resources. Labor, money, time, energy, and information must be used equitably and wisely used to guarantee that limited resources that the Earth offers are not wasted.

Furthermore, permaculture observes the basic life ethic that recognizes living things' value.