Spatial Relationships
In permaculture, the placement of elements is based on their relationships and interactions, rather than considering them in isolation.
For example, placing a chicken coop near a garden can provide natural fertilizer from the chickens.
Functional Relationships
Every component in a permaculture system is interconnected.
For instance, bees in a garden improve pollination, benefiting plant growth.
Functional Redundancy
Designs incorporate multiple elements for key functions to ensure resilience.
For example, multiple water sources like a well, rain barrels, and a nearby stream ensure water availability even if one source fails.
Multifunctional Design
Each element serves several functions.
A pond, for instance, can be a water source, a habitat for wildlife, and an aesthetic feature.
Energy Conservation
Elements are placed to perform multiple roles, reducing energy expenditure.
Trees might provide shade, fruit, and windbreaks, maximizing their utility.
Local Focus
Emphasizing local actions, such as community gardens, fosters sustainable living and community resilience.
Diversity
Diverse systems are more resilient and sustainable.
A garden with a variety of plants encourages a balanced ecosystem and reduces pest issues.
Placement Principle
Good initial placement of elements leads to unexpected benefits.
A well-placed tree can provide shade, shelter, and food without additional effort.
Biological Resources
Utilize living systems for their reproductive capacity.
Composting, for example, uses organic waste to improve soil fertility.
Energy Balance (EROEI)
Systems should produce as much energy as they consume.
A garden should yield enough produce to offset the energy used in growing it.
EROEI: energy returned on energy invested
Stocking
Balance elements to prevent dominance.
In a pond, balance fish and plant life to maintain a healthy ecosystem.
Stacking Functions
Multiple functions are layered within a single element.
In a forest garden, trees, shrubs, and ground covers coexist, each layer providing different yields and benefits.
Succession Planning
Acknowledge that systems evolve.
Initially planting nitrogen-fixing plants can prepare soil for later, more demanding crops.
Onsite Resources
Maximize use of available resources, like using fallen leaves for mulch.
Edge Effect
Utilize the borders between ecosystems.
A garden next to a forest can benefit from both habitats’ resources.
Energy Recycling
Systems should recycle energy.
Kitchen waste can become compost, returning nutrients to the soil.
Small Scale, Intensive Systems
Start with small, manageable systems that yield high output.
A small, well-maintained vegetable garden can be more productive than a larger, neglected one.
Least Change, Greatest Effect
Minimize intervention for maximum benefit.
Simple changes like mulching can significantly improve soil health with little effort.
Planting Strategy
Prioritize native species, then non-native but proven species, and experiment carefully with new species.
Working with Nature
Support natural cycles for better yields and less work.
Using natural pest predators instead of chemicals is one example.
Appropriate Technology
Use technologies that align with permaculture principles, like solar cookers or rainwater harvesting systems.
Law of Return
Whatever is taken from the system must be replaced.
Composting is a direct application of this principle.
Stress and Harmony Principle
Avoid forcing unnatural functions onto elements.
Planting crops suited to the local climate reduces the need for interventions.
Cooperation Principle
Systems should be based on cooperative interactions, like planting companion plants that benefit each other.
Problem as Solution
Transform challenges into resources.
For instance, a slope prone to erosion can be terraced to create productive growing spaces.
Limits to Yield
The potential yield is limited only by the designer’s creativity and understanding.
Diversifying crops can increase a garden’s total yield.
Everything Gardens
Acknowledge that every element affects its environment.
Chickens not only provide eggs but also control pests and aerate the soil.
Dispersal of Yield Over Time
Make decisions with long-term impacts in mind, like planting trees that will provide benefits for years.
Responsibility Policy
Design systems that become self-managing, like a balanced natural pond ecosystem.
Resource Management Policy
Avoid using resources that reduce sustainable yields, such as chemical fertilizers that degrade soil health.
Disorder Principle
Recognize that order and harmony in nature are efficient.
A diverse garden can look untidy but be highly productive.
Entropy and Metastability
Understand that disorder increases in complex systems and that stable systems need areas of flexibility.
Entelechy Principle
Respect the innate characteristics of elements.
Thorny plants can be used as a natural barrier.
Self-Regulation Principle
Design elements to support each other, like using plant waste to feed worms that, in turn, enrich the soil.
Observation
Spend time observing the system before intervening.
Understanding natural patterns can inform better design decisions.
Insurmountable Opportunities
Recognize the limitless potential in designing permaculture systems.
Wait One Year
Allow time for observation before making significant changes.
Water and Fertility High in the Landscape
Use gravity for natural water distribution.
System Yield Definition
The total surplus energy created by the system beyond its own needs.
Role of Life in Yield
Living elements determine the system’s total yield and surplus.
Pollution Definition
Outputs not used productively by the system are pollutants.
Composting turns potential waste into a resource.
Extra Work
Identifying and minimizing inputs not automatically provided by the system.
Efficient design reduces labor and resource inputs.