PERMACULTURE CALENDAR

What is Permaculture? by David Holmgren

PERMACULTURE DESIGN PRINCIPLES

THINKING TOOLS, THAT WHEN USED TOGETHER, ALLOWS US TO CREATIVELY RE-DESIGN OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR BEHAVIOR IN A WORLD OF LESS ENERGY AND RESOURCES.

The foundations of permaculture are the ethics,

Earth Care
People Care
Fair Share

which guide the use of the 12 design principles, ensuring that they are used in appropriate ways. These principles are seen as universal, although the methods used to express them will vary greatly according to the place and situation. They are applicable to our personal, economic, social and political reorganization.

Each principle can be thought of as a door that opens into whole systems thinking, providing a different perspective that can be understood at varying levels of depth and application.

PRINCIPLE 1 : OBSERVE AND INTERACT

By taking the time to engage with nature we can design solutions that suit our particular situation.
PRINCIPLE 2 : CATCH AND STORE ENERGY

By developing systems that collect resources when they are abundant, we can use them in times of need.
PRINCIPLE 3 : OBTAIN A YIELD

Ensure that you are getting truly useful rewards as part of the work you are doing.
PRINCIPLE 4 : APPLY SELF=REGULATION & ACCEPT FEEDBACK

We need to discourage inappropriate activity to ensure that systems continue to function well.
PRINCIPLE 5 : USE & VALUE RENEWABLE RESOURCES & SERVICES

Make the best use of nature's abundance to reduce our consumption and dependence on non-renewable resources.
PRINCIPLE 6 : PRODUE NO WASTE

By valuing and making use of all the resources that are available to us, nothing goes to waste.
PRINCIPLE 7 : DESIGN FROM PATTERNS TO DETAILS

By stepping back we can observe patterns in nature and society. These can form the backbone of our designs, with the details filled in as we go.
PRINCIPLE 8 : INTEGRATE RATHER THAN SEGREGATE

By putting the right things in the right place, relationships develop between them and they support each other.
PRINCIPLE 9 : USE SMALL AND SLOW SOLUTIONS

Small and slow systems are easier to maintain than big ones, making better use of local resources, and producing more sustainable outcomes.
PRINCIPLE 10 : USE AND VALUE DIVERSITY

Diversity resources vulnerability to a variety of threats and takes advantage of the unique nature of the environment in which it resides.
PRINCIPLE 11 : USE EDGES & VALUE THE MARGINAL

The interface between things is where the most interesting events take place. There are often the most valuable, diverse, and productive elements in the system.
PRINCIPLE 12 : CREATIVELY USE AND RESPOND TO CHANGE

We can have a positive impact on inevitable change by carefully observing, and then intervening at the right time.