“A method based on observing the functions of natural ecosystems – which are sustainable, self-reliant and resilient – and using them as models to create more sustainable and autonomous human habitats. The central idea of permaculture is to create a network of beneficial relationships among all the components of a system, so those components can interact. Permaculture design is primarily a process of observation and reflection to correctly position the elements of a system among one another, so they can interact. A carefully designed system will be efficient with inputs and energy, requiring less effort to operate while being more productive”.
“First and foremost, permaculture is born from common sense, a way to consider the system as a whole. A child can understand its essence intuitively. Many of us are permaculturists without knowing it. But awareness of these key concepts, gained from observing ecosystems, allows us to gain efficiency and consistency:
- In nature, everything is connected.
- Ecosystems function in a loop.
- Each element helps and receives help from the others.
- The waste from one is a resource for another.
- Everything is recycled.
- Each important function is performed by several elements, and each element potentially performs several functions.
- The whole is more than the sum of the parts.
- Each ecosystem works largely independently and makes a contribution to the whole biosphere”.
extracts from “Miraculous Abundance” – Perrine and Charles Herve-Gruyer.
Lawsons Market Garden 