45646867 Introduction to Permaculture Concepts and Resources

7/31/2019 45646867 Introduction to Permaculture Concepts and Resources

1/21

Photo: clipart.com

Home > Master Publication List > Introduction to Permaculture

Introduction to Permaculture: Concepts and

Resources

By Steve DiverNCAT Agriculture SpecialistPublished 2002ATTRA Publication #CT083

Abstract

This publication offers definitions and descriptionsof permaculture and its central principles. It offerslistings of resources and publications on

permaculture in the United States, Australia, andworldwide.

Table of Contents

Introduction to PermaculturePermaculture Defined

Characteristics of PermacultureThe Practical Application of PermacultureThe Ethics of Permaculture

The Principles of Permaculture DesignPermaculture Resources

United States

AustraliaAround the world

Books on Permaculture

A Few Good Books for the Permaculturist'sBookshelf

Agroforestry ResourcesE-Mail Discussion Lists, Web Forums, & e-mail Web ArchivesPermaculture Web Links and Resources

Manuals, Primers, and Syllabi on Permaculture

On-Line Articles, Fact Sheets & ProceedingsPermaculture in North AmericaPermaculture in Australia

Permaculture in EuropePermaculture Around the WorldPlants for Permaculture

Permaculture Technologies
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/perma.htmlhttp://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/perma.htmlhttp://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/perma.htmlhttp://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/perma.htmlhttp://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/perma.html


2/21

Bioregional & Eco-Village LinksVirtual Libraries on Permaculture & Sustainability

Agroforestry Web SitesHolistic Management

About this Publication (formerly The Permaculture FAQ)

Introduction to Permaculture

The word "permaculture" was coined in 1978 by Bill Mollison, an Australian ecologist,

and one of his students, David Holmgren. It is a contraction of "permanent agriculture" or"permanent culture."

Permaculture is about designing ecological human habitats and food production systems.

It is a land use and community building movement which strives for the harmoniousintegration of human dwellings, microclimate, annual and perennial plants, animals, soils,and water into stable, productive communities. The focus is not on these elements

themselves, but rather on the relationships created among them by the way we place themin the landscape. This synergy is further enhanced by mimicking patterns found in nature.

A central theme in permaculture is the design of ecological landscapes that produce food.

Emphasis is placed on multi-use plants, cultural practices such as sheet mulching andtrellising, and the integration of animals to recycle nutrients and graze weeds.

However, permaculture entails much more than just food production. Energy-efficient

buildings, waste water treatment, recycling, and land stewardship in general are otherimportant components of permaculture. More recently, permaculture has expanded itspurview to include economic and social structures that support the evolution and

development of more permanent communities, such as co-housing projects andeco-villages. As such, permaculture design concepts are applicable to urban as well asrural settings, and are appropriate for single households as well as whole farms and

villages.

"Integrated farming" and "ecological engineering" are terms sometimes used to describeperma-culture, with "cultivated ecology" perhaps coming the closest. Though helpful,

these terms alone do not capture the holistic nature of permaculture; thus, the followingdefinitions are included here to provide additional insight.

Back to top

Permaculture Defined

1. From Bill Mollison:

Permaculture is a design system for creating sustainable humanenvironments.

2. From Cathe' Fish and Bill Steen, theDrylands Permaculture Newsletter,published 1988:

Permaculture: the use of ecology as the basis for designing integrated systems

of food production, housing, appropriate technology, and community

development. Permaculture is built upon an ethic of caring for the earth and


3/21

interacting with the environment in mutually beneficial ways.

3. From Lee Barnes (former editor ofKatuah JournalandPermacultureConnections), Waynesville, North Carolina:

Permaculture (PERMAnent agriCULTURE or PERMAnent CULTURE) is a

sustainable design system stressing the harmonious interrelationship of

humans, plants, animals and the Earth.

To paraphrase the founder of permaculture, designer Bill Mollison:

Permaculture principles focus on thoughtful designs for small-scale intensivesystems which are labor efficient and which use biological resources insteadof fossil fuels. Designs stress ecological connections and closed energy and

material loops. The core of permaculture is design and the workingrelationships and connections between all things. Each component in asystem performs multiple functions, and each function is supported by many

elements. Key to efficient design is observation and replication of naturalecosystems, where designers maximize diversity with polycultures, stressefficient energy planning for houses and settlement, using and accelerating

natural plant succession, and increasing the highly productive "edge-zones"within the system.

4. From Michael Pilarski, founder of Friends of the Trees, published inInternational Green Front Report(1988):

Permaculture is: the design of land use systems that are sustainable and

environmentally sound; the design of culturally appropriate systems which

lead to social stability; a design system characterized by an integratedapplication of ecological principles in land use; an international movement

for land use planning and design; an ethical system stressing positivism andcooperation.

In the broadest sense, permaculture refers to land use systems which promote

stability in society, utilize resources in a sustainable way and preservewildlife habitat and the genetic diversity of wild and domestic plants andanimals. It is a synthesis of ecology and geography, of observation and

design. Permaculture involves ethics of earth care because the sustainableuse of land cannot be separated from life-styles and philosophical issues.

5. From a Bay Area Permaculture Group brochure, published in West CoastPermaculture News & Gossip and Sustainable Living Newsletter(Fall1995):

Permaculture is a practical concept which can be applied in the city, on thefarm, and in the wilderness. Its principles empower people to establish highlyproductive environments providing for food, energy, shelter, and other

material and non-material needs, including economic. Carefully observing

natural patterns characteristic of a particular site, the permaculture designer


4/21

Source:

Pilarski, Michael(ed.) 1994.Restoration Forestry.

Kivaki Press,

Durango, CO. p. 450.Reprinted with

permission from theauthor.

gradually discerns optimal methods for integrating water catchment, humanshelter, and energy systems with tree crops, edible and useful perennial

plants, domestic and wild animals and aquaculture.

Permaculture adopts techniques and principles from ecology, appropriatetechnology, sustainable agriculture, and the wisdom of indigenous peoples.

The ethical basis of permaculture rests upon care of the earthmaintaining asystem in which all life can thrive. This includes human access to resourcesand provisions, but not the accumulation of wealth, power, or land beyond

their needs.

Back to top

Characteristics of Permaculture

Permaculture is one of the most holistic, integrated systemsanalysis and design methodologies found in the world.

Permaculture can be applied to create productive ecosystemsfrom the human-use standpoint or to help degradedecosystems recover health and wildness. Permaculture can

be applied in any ecosystem, no matter how degraded.Permaculture values and validates traditional knowledge andexperience. Permaculture incorporates sustainable

agriculture practices and land management techniques andstrategies from around the world. Permaculture is a bridgebetween traditional cultures and emergent earth-tuned cultures.

Permaculture promotes organic agriculture which does not use pesticides to pollutethe environment.Permaculture aims to maximize symbiotic and synergistic relationships between site

components.Permaculture is urban planning as well as rural land design.

Permaculture design is site specific, client specific, and culture specific.

Back to top

The Practical Application of Permaculture

Permaculture is not limited to plant and animal agriculture, but also includes communityplanning and development, use of appropriate technologies (coupled with an adjustment

of life-style), and adoption of concepts and philosophies that are both earth-based and

people-centered, such as bioregionalism.

Many of the appropriate technologies advocated by permaculturists are well known.

Among these are solar and wind power, composting toilets, solar greenhouses, energyefficient housing, and solar food cooking and drying.

Due to the inherent sustainability of perennial cropping systems, permaculture places a

heavy emphasis on tree crops. Systems that integrate annual and perennial cropssuch asalley cropping and agroforestrytake advantage of "the edge effect," increase biologicaldiversity, and offer other characteristics missing in monoculture systems. Thus,

multicropping systems that blend woody perennials and annuals hold promise as viable


5/21

techniques for large-scale farming. Ecological methods of production for any specificcrop or farming system (e.g., soil building practices, biological pest control, composting)

are central to permaculture as well as to sustainable agriculture in general.

Since permaculture is not a production system, per se, but rather a land use andcommunity planning philosophy, it is not limited to a specific method of production.

Furthermore, as permaculture principles may be adapted to farms or villages worldwide, itis site specific and therefore amenable to locally adapted techniques of production.

As an example, standard organic farming and gardening techniques utilizing cover crops,green manures, crop rotation, and mulches are emphasized in permacultural systems.However, there are many other options and technologies available to sustainable farmersworking within a permacultural framework (e.g., chisel plows, no-till implements, spading

implements, compost turners, rotational grazing). The decision as to which "system" isemployed is site-specific and management dependent.

Farming systems and techniques commonly associated with permaculture include

agroforestry, swales, contour plantings, Keyline agriculture (soil and water management),hedgerows and windbreaks, and integrated farming systems such as pond-dikeaquaculture, aquaponics, intercropping, and polyculture.

Gardening and recycling methods common to permaculture include edible landscaping,keyhole gardening, companion planting, trellising, sheet mulching, chicken tractors, solargreenhouses, spiral herb gardens, swales, and vermicomposting.

Water collection, management, and re-use systems like Keyline, greywater, raincatchment, constructed wetlands, aquaponics (the integration of hydroponics withrecirculating aquaculture), and solar aquatic ponds (also known as Living Machines) play

an important role in permaculture designs.

The Ethics of Permaculture

Permaculture is unique among alternative farming systems (e.g., organic, sustainable,eco-agriculture, biodynamic) in that it works with a set of ethics that suggest we thinkandactresponsibly in relation to each other and the earth.

The ethics of permaculture provide a sense of place in the larger scheme of things, andserve as a guidepost to right livelihood in concert with the global community and theenvironment, rather than individualism and indifference.

Care of the Earth

...includes all living and non-living thingsplants, animals, land, water and air1.

Care of People...promotes self-reliance and community responsibilityaccess to resourcesnecessary for existence

2.

Setting Limits to Population & Consumption

...gives away surpluscontribution of surplus time, labor, money, information, andenergy to achieve the aims of earth and people care.

3.

Permaculture also acknowledges a basic life ethic, which recognizes the intrinsic worth of

every living thing. A tree has value in itself, even if it presents no commercial value tohumans. That the tree is alive and functioning is worthwhile. It is doing its part in nature:recycling litter, producing oxygen, sequestering carbon dioxide, sheltering animals,

building soils, and so on.


6/21

Back to top

The Principles of Permaculture Design

Whereas permaculture ethics are more akin to broad moral values or codes of behavior,the principles of permaculture provide a set of universally applicable guidelines which can

be used in designing sustainable habitats. Distilled from multiple disciplinesecology,energy conservation, landscape design, and environmental sciencethese principles are

inherent in any permaculture design, in any climate, and at any scale.

Relative location1.Each element performs multiple functions2.Each function is supported by many elements3.

Energy efficient planning4.Using biological resources5.Energy cycling6.

Small-scale intensive systems7.Natural plant succession and stacking8.Polyculture and diversity of species9.

Increasing "edge" within a system10.Observe and replicate natural patterns11.Pay attention to scale12.

Attitude13.

Back to top

Permaculture Resources

Four ways to learn about permaculture include: the permaculture design course, thepermaculture literature, the Internet, and permaculture workshops.

The Permaculture Design Course is the primary vehicle for transfer of permacultureexpertise. The standard course is 72 hours in length and lasts two weeks. Graduates areissued a permaculture design certificate and are entitled to use the term "Permaculture" in

the pursuit of livelihood and for educational purposes.

The permaculture literature is a rich source of information on a wide range of topicsdealing with land use, plant and animal agriculture, water management, appropriate

technology, energy-efficient and toxic-free housing, and community design.

Since 1995, the Internet (e.g., World Wide Web and e-mail) has become an important

resource and networking tool in the dissemination of permaculture information. Aselection of Web sites is listed below.

Permaculture workshops are commonly held as one- to three-day events to providetraining on technologies such as vermicomposting, solar greenhouses, straw bale

construction, sheet mulching, and organic gardening.

Permaculture Resources in the United States

Permaculture Activist

P.O. Box 1209


7/21

Black Mountain, NC 28711828-669-6336

828-669-6441 [email protected]

$19/3 issues per year

Permaculture Activistis the leading periodical for North Americanpermaculture, an execllent resource in print since 1985. Articles address

permaculture, edible landscaping, bioregionalism, aquaculture, among othertopics. It also provides a current listing of upcoming permaculture designcourses and serves as an important networking tool in the U.S., Canada, and

Central America. Back issues are available.

Earth Haven, the eco-village where The Permaculture Activistis published,hosts permaculture workshops and design courses on a regular basis.

Altogether, a great place to obtain permaculture resources and participate inhands-on teaching.

Yankee Permaculture, Elfin Permaculture, Forest Ecosystem Rescue Network(FERN), Barking Frogs Permaculture CenterP.O. Box 52

Sparr, FL 32192-0052Editor: Dan [email protected]

Barking Frogs Permaculture Centerwww.barkingfrogspermaculture.org

A Guide to Yankee Permaculture Publications: 1983-1997

http://barkingfrogspc.tripod.com/publishing.htm

Yankee Permaculture carries a number of publications on permaculturespecific to North America. Past issues of Dan Hemenway's publications are

still used in permaculture courses and as reference guides. A complete listingof articles, information sheets, and publications is available at the Web sitelisted above.

The Resources of International Permaculture - TRIP. Volume 7 of TRIP,

published in 1993, is a 68-page issue that contains 1,540 listings of groupsworking in permaculture, sustainable food systems, and tree-based

agriculture. Current up-to-date listings are available on diskette.

The International Permaculture Solutions Journal(TIPS) andPermacultureReview, Overview and Digest(PROD) are published on a sporadic basis.

TIPS and PROD feature permaculture articles, book reviews, and resources.

The International Permaculture Species Yearbook(TIPSY). Prior to TIPS,Yankee Permaculture put out a fantastic yearbook called TIPSY. The TIPSY

series is a goldmine featuring plant species lists, articles, and resource listings.
http://www.permacultureactivist.net/http://www.barkingfrogspermaculture.org/http://barkingfrogspc.tripod.com/publishing.htmhttp://www.barkingfrogspermaculture.org/http://barkingfrogspc.tripod.com/publishing.htmhttp://www.permacultureactivist.net/http://www.permacultureactivist.net/


8/21

Restoration Forestry

Friends of the TreesP. O. Box 4469Bellingham, WA 98227

360-738-4972360-671-9668 Fax

[email protected]: Michael Pilarskiwww.geocities.com/RainForest/4663/

Restoration Forestry: An International Guide to Sustainable Forestry

Practices (1994) is a 525-page guide to resources in restoration forestry. Itcontains over 50 review articles, 780 organizations, 230 journals and

periodicals, 800 books, 100 restoration forestry projects underway, and 100directories on topics relating to Restoration forestry, forest ecology, tree

seedlings, bioregionalism, and permaculture. It is a massive addition totree-based agricultural literature. Cost is $27, plus $4 postage & handling.Agroforestry Guide to Hawaii: A Resource Guide Directory to

Reforestation, Restoration, Forestry, Agroforestry, Permaculture &

Sustainable Agriculture in the Hawaiian Islands (1997) is a 187-pagedirectory with over 800 references. Cost is $22, plus $3.30 postage &handling.

Other publications from Friends of the Trees include theInternational GreenFront Report(1988, $7.00);Kiwifruit Enthusiasts Journal(Vol. 6, $17.20);and Third World Resource Guide (1993, $5.00) and the West Coast

Permaculture News & Gossip newsletter.

Permaculture Drylands Journal

c/o The Permaculture InstituteP.O. Box 156

Santa Fe, NM [email protected]

Contact: Scott Pittmanwww.permaculture.net

Permaculture Drylands Journalwas published in a 32-volume series, from1987 to 1999, by Permaculture Drylands Institute, a non-profit organizationthat is currently in a state of dormancy. The PDI Web site is still active, and

contains some helpful introductory information on permaculture as well as anindex to back issues. PDJ focused on permaculture for arid lands, with aheavy focus on New Mexico and Arizona. Scott Pittman at The Permaculture

Institute is a good person to contact for permaculture updates and activitiesin this region.
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/4663/http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/4663/http://www.permaculture.net/http://www.permaculture.net/http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/4663/


9/21

Temperate Bamboo Quarterly

Earth Advocates Research Facility30 Myers RoadSummertown, TN 38483

931-964-4151www.growit.com/bamboo/quarterly.htm

Temperate Bamboo Quarterly is the quarterly journal published by Sue andAdam Turtle with Earth Advocates. It focuses on the bamboo plant whichhas unique, multi-purpose uses in agroforestry and permaculture. The Turtles

operate a bamboo nursery, and TBQ has apparently taken a back seat and iscurrently dormant. Back issues of TBQ are highly recommended for anybodylooking into bamboo in a temperate climate.

The Future is Abundant

First published in 1982 by Tilth, The Future is Abundantis a classic resource book onpermaculture at the bioregional level. The book is out-of-print, though select portions maybe available on the Internet.

Back to top

Permaculture Resources in Australia

Permaculture International Journal

Permaculture International Ltd.P.O. Box 219Nimbin, NSW 2480

Australiawww.permacultureinternational.org

Permaculture International Journalwas the leading permaculture magazine

for two decades, yet ceased publication in mid-2000. PermacultureInternational Ltd. continues its activities online, with a web page thatfeatures a newsletter, a global directory, an email discussion list, educational

resources, and permaculture events in Australia. Back issues of PIJ, if they

can be found in a library, contain a goldmine of useful information.

Tagari Publications - International Permaculture Institute31 Rulla RoadSisters Creek Tasmania 7325Australia

Ph: 61 (0)3 6445 0945Fax: 61 (0)3 6445 [email protected]

www.tagari.com
http://www.growit.com/bamboo/quarterly.htmhttp://www.permacultureinternational.org/http://www.tagari.com/http://www.tagari.com/http://www.permacultureinternational.org/http://www.growit.com/bamboo/quarterly.htm


10/21

The International Permaculture Institute in Tyalgum, Australia, serves as theinternational coordinating organization for permaculture activities such as

permaculture design accreditation. Tagari Publications is the publishing groupfor Bill Mollison's publications.

Back to top

Permaculture Resources Around the World

Permaculture Magazine: Solutions for Everyday Life

Permanent Publications

Hyden House Ltd, The Sustainability CentreEast Meon, Hampshire GU32 1HREngland

[email protected]: U.S. $22, quarterly (available in the U.S. through The Permaculture Activist)

Permaculture Magazine is the premier glossy magazine on permaculture

worldwide. Each issue is a joy to read, accompanied by color photos thatillustrate permaculture in action, as well as products and resources to support

sustainable living and learning. An assortment of topics addressed includepermaculture, organic farming and gardening, agroforestry, tree crops,multi-use plant species, ecological design, and eco-architecture for temperate

regions such as Europe and North America. A must-have subscription alongwith its North American companion, The Permaculture Activist.

Earth Repair Catalog - Permanent Publications UK

www.permanent-publications.co.uk

Permanent Publications also publishes a number of key books and videos on

permaculture:Permaculture in a Nutshell,How to Make a Forest Garden,Plants for a Future,Permaculture Teacher's Guide, and The SynergisticGarden. The Earth Repair Catalog carries an extensive selection of books,

videos, resources, and products for sustainable living: permaculture; organicfarming and gardening; biodynamics; agroforestry; aquaculture; animals;ecological architecture; sustainable building technology; sustainable

communities and eco-villages; as well as energy saving products and bodyproducts.

The Permaculture Association (Britain)London, WC1N [email protected]

www.permaculture.org.uk

Members receive a quarterly newsletter,Permaculture Works. TheAssociation offers a range of learning activities, design courses, and

diplomas, and publishes The Permaculture Teacher's Handbook.
http://www.permaculture.co.uk/http://www.permanent-publications.co.uk/http://www.permaculture.org.uk/http://www.permaculture.org.uk/http://www.permanent-publications.co.uk/http://www.permaculture.co.uk/


11/21

eco-logic books

Mulberry House19 Maple GroveBath BA2 3AF

[email protected]

eco-logic is a book distributor for specialized topics in self reliance,

permaculture, and organic farming and gardening. One item, in particular,worth noting is theManual for Teaching Permaculture Creatively publishedin 1991 by Robin Clayfield and Skye, two well known permaculture teachers.

This is a loose file with over 300 A4 pages of notes and excercises forteaching, including: games, teaching tips, and other creative ideas.

Permaculture Villager / Forestry for a Small Planet

Food & Trees for AfricaP.O. Box 2035

Gallo Manor [email protected]

www.trees.org.za

Two online newsletters dealing with permaculture, tree crops, agroforestry,tree planting, and community forestry in South Africa. A notable source of

grassroots information, contacts, and resource listings for Africa. Back issuesare available from 1995 through 1999.

Kenya Institute of Organic FarmingJohn Wanjau Njoroge, DirectorP.O. Box 34972

Nairobi, [email protected]

A Resource Guide of Organizations Promoting Organic Farming in East

Africa Region is a 116-page resource guide edited by John Kanyuiro, Kihia

and John Wanjau Njoroge of the Kenya Institute of Organic Farming - KIOF.It provides names, contact information and brief descriptions of organizationsworking to promote, research or support organic agriculture in East Africa.

Back to top

Books on Permaculture
http://www.eco-logicbooks.com/http://www.trees.org.za/http://www.kiof.org/http://www.kiof.org/http://www.trees.org.za/http://www.eco-logicbooks.com/


12/21

Introduction to Permaculture. 1991. By Bill Mollison and Reny Mia Slay. TagariPublishers, Tyalgum, Australia. 198 p.

Permaculture One: A Perennial Agriculture for Human Settlements, 3rd Edition. 1987. ByBill Mollison and David Holmgren. Tagari Publishers, Tyalgum, New South Wales,Australia. 127 p.

Permaculture Two: A Practical Design for Town and Country in Permanent Agriculture.

1979. By Bill Mollison. Tagari Press, Stanley, Australia. 150 p.

Permaculture: A Designer's Manual. 1988. By Bill Mollison. Tagari Publications,

Tyalgum, Australia. 576 p.

Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture. 2001. By Toby Hemenway.Chelsea Green Pub. Co., White River Junction, VT. 222 p.

The Best of Permaculture. 1986. By Max O. Lindegger and Robert Tap. NascimanerePublishers, Nambour, Australia. 136 p.

The Permaculture Way: Practical Ways to Create a Self-Sustaining World. 1992. By

Graham Bell. Thorsons, London. 239 p.

The Permaculture Garden. 1994. By Graham Bell. Thorsons, London. 170 p.

Permaculture: A Beginner's Guide. 2001. B Graham Burnett. Land and Liberty, Westcliff

On Sea, Essex, England. 60 p.

Urban Permaculture. 1993. By David Watkins. Permanent Publications, U.K. 152 p.

Permaculture in a Nutshell. 1993. By Patrick Whitefield. Permanent Publications, U.K.

75 p.

Earth User's Guide to Permaculture. 1994. By Rosemary Morrow and Rob Allsop.Kangaroo Press, Kenthurst, NSW Australia. 152 p.

Getting Started in Permaculture. 1998. By Ross and Jennifer Mars. Candlelight Trust,Hovea, Western Australia. 96 p.

Back to top

A Few Good Books for the Permaculturist's Bookshelf

Cornucopia II: A Source Book of Edible Plants. 1998. By Stephen Facciola. KampongPublications, Vista, CA. 713 p.

Designing & Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally. 1986. By Robert Kourick.Metamorphic Press, Santa Rosa, CA. 370 p.

Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture. 1987. By J. Russell Smith. Island Press,Washington, D.C. 408 p.

The Permaculture Book of Ferment & Human Nutrition. 1993. By Bill Mollison. Tagari

Publications, Tyalgum, Australia. 288 p.


13/21

Forest Gardening: Cultivating an Edible Landscape. 1996. By Robert A de J Hart.Chelsea Green Pub. Co., White River Junction, VT. 234 p.

How to Make a Forest Garden, 3rd Edition. 2000. By Patrick Whitefield. PermanentPublications, East Meon, Hampshire, England. 168 p.

Water for Every Farm: Yeoman's Keyline Plan. [Date]. By Ken B Yeomans and P.A.

Yeomans. Keyline Design, Southport, Queensland, Australia. 261 p.

Back to top

Agroforestry Resources

Temperature Agroforestry Systems. 1997. Edited by Andrew M. Gordon and Steven M.

Newman. CAB International, New York, NY. 269 p.

This is a landmark book on agroforestry for temperate regions. Chaptersinclude agforestry practices in North America, New Zealand, Australia,

China, and Europe. Read this book for working examples of permaculture on

a broad-scale.

North American Agroforestry: An Integrated Science and Practice. 2000. Edited byH.E. (Gene) Garrett, W.J. (Bill) Rietveld, and R.F. (Dick) Fisher. American Society ofAgronomy, Madison, WI. 402 p.

A collection of eleven chapters originating from an agroforestry symposium.This is a typical academic book from American Society of Agronomy, butthat should not deter the practitioner, teacher, or student from seeking this

book as an important contribution to this topic, especially for NorthAmerican agroforestry. Chapters address: ecological foundation fortemperate agroforestry; agroforestry nomenclature, concepts and practices;

windbreak, silvopastoral, alley cropping, riparian forest buffer, and forestfarming practices; among others.

Agroforestry in Sustainable Agricultural Systems. 1999. Edited by Louise E. Buck,James P. Lassoie, and Erick C.M. Fernandes. Lewis Publishers, CRC Press LLC, BocaRaton, FL. 416 p.

A collaboration between Cornell University and ICRAF, this is anotherrecent addition to the academic literature on agroforestry. Like much of theinternational literature on agroforestry, a large portion of this book is geared

to tropical systems. The seventeen chapters address: nutrient cycling intropical agroforestry systems; animals and agroforestry in the tropics; watermanagement with hedgerow agroforestry; black walnut agroforestry in

Missouri, U.S.A.; silvopastoralism; pest management; propagation; trees inmanaged landscapes; ethnobotany; sustainable mulch-based croppingsystems with trees; among others.


14/21

The Overstory Book. 2001. Edited by Craig R. Elevitch and Kim M. Wilkinson.Permanent Agriculture Resources, Holualoa, HI.

The Overstory Bookdistills essential information about working trees into 72short, easy-to-read, single-subject chapters. Cost is $40, plus shipping. CD'sare available for $16.95 plus shipping.

Agroforestry Net, Inc.

P.O. Box 428Holualoa, HI 96725

808-324-4427808-324-4129 [email protected]

www.agroforestry.net

Agroforestry Today

ICRAF -- International Centre for Research in Agroforestry

CirculationP.O. Box 30677Nairobi, [email protected]

www.icraf.cgiar.orgInquire regarding subscription fee/1-4 issues per year

Agroforestry Today is a quarterly magazine that carries reports from around

the world on farming systems that focus on the integration of trees, crops,and livestock, and the people who raise them. It is one of the leading voicesfor agro-forestry worldwide. While the content deals mostly with sub-tropical

and tropical agro-forestry, much of the information has universal applications(e.g., mycorrhizae, on-farm research methods, soil-plant interactions, treeestablishment methods, etc.)

unasylva

www.fao.org/forestry/FODA/UNASYLVA/unasyl-e.stm

unasylva is the quarterly magazine of Food and Agriculture Organization,FAO. It also has an international focus and therefore tropical systems anddeveloping country technologies are its primary concern, but nonetheless it is

a valuable resource on tree crops, special forest products, and related topicsof interest. Back issues are availabe online as PDF's.

Association for Temperate Agroforestry (AFTA)School of Natural Resources1-30 Agricultural Hall

University of MissouriColumbia, MO 65211www.aftaweb.org
http://www.agroforestry.net/http://www.icraf.cgiar.org/http://www.fao.org/forestry/FODA/UNASYLVA/unasyl-e.stmhttp://www.aftaweb.org/http://www.aftaweb.org/http://www.fao.org/forestry/FODA/UNASYLVA/unasyl-e.stmhttp://www.icraf.cgiar.org/http://www.agroforestry.net/


15/21

$25/year membership fee includes subscription to The TemperateAgroforester, quarterly newsletter. Previous editions ofIntroduction to

Permaculture included citations to proceedings of the biennial NorthAmerican Agroforestry Conference series. These proceedings can now befound on the AFTA Web site. The AFTA Web site also provides a series of

introductory information leaflets on agroforestry practices: Alley cropping;Silvopasture; Forest Farming; Riparian Buffers; and Windbreaks.

USDA National Agroforestry CenterNorth 38th St. & East Campus LoopUniversity of Nebraska - East Campus

Lincoln, NE 68583-0822402-437-5178www.unl.edu/nac/

PublishesInsideAgroforestry newsletter, provides technical assistance tolandowners on windbreaks and agroforestry, sponsors research, and publishes

a number of very informative and practical bulletins and publications.

agroforestry.netP.O. Box 428

Holualoa, HI 96725808-324-4427808-324-4129 Fax

[email protected]

The website for Craig Elevitch and Kim Wilkinson, publishers ofTheOverstory e-newsletter (highly recommended), as well as publications fromPermanent Agriculture Resources: Agroforestry Guides for Pacific Islands,Nitrogen Fixing Tree Start-up Guide (PDF), A Guide to Orchard Alley

Cropping (PDF), and other bulletins and resources.

E-Mail Discussion Lists, Web Forums, & e-mail Web Archives

The Permaculture Mailing List | Hosted at Ibiblio.org

Information about the list, subscribe & unsubscribe.http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture

Current Web Archives for Members at Ibiblio.org (January 2002 to

present)http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/private/permaculture/

Permaculture Archives. For the web researcher, Larry London (host of PermaSphere at

Ibiblio.org) has a collection of old, yet still-useful email archives at:www.ibiblio.org/london/permaculture/mailarchives/and

www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/pc-forum-archives.html
http://www.unl.edu/nac/http://www.agroforestry.net/http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculturehttp://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/private/permaculture/http://www.ibiblio.org/london/permaculture/mailarchives/http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/pc-forum-archives.htmlhttp://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/pc-forum-archives.htmlhttp://www.ibiblio.org/london/permaculture/mailarchives/http://www.unl.edu/nac/http://www.agroforestry.net/http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculturehttp://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/private/permaculture/


16/21

Permaculture Forum at Permaculture the Earthwww.permaearth.org/forums.html

Back to top

Permaculture Web Links and Resources

Manuals, Primers, and Syllabi on Permaculture

A Permaculture Primer

By Dan Earle and Sue Hutchinshttp://home.klis.com/~chebogue/PermacultureIndex.html

Permaculture - Sustainable Farming, Ranching, Living... by Designing Ecosystems

That Imitate NatureBy Sandy Cruz and Jerome Osentowski, a 6-page Western SARE leafletwww.crmpi.org/permacul.pdf(PDF / 577 k)

The Ethics and Principles of Permaculture

By David Holmgren; transcription from design course held at Tir Penrhos Isaf in Wales.www.konsk.co.uk/resource/holm2.htm

The Essense of Permaculture

By David Holmgrenwww.holmgren.com.au/html/Writings/essence.html

An extract fromPermaculture: Principles and Pathways To Sustainability.

Holmgren, the co-creator of permaculture, provides a nice summary of theethics and principles behind permaculture design. The Permaculture DesignSystem Flower goes with this piece, accessible through the PDF version, as

well as here in HTML:

Collected Writings of David Holmgren 1978-2000www.holmgren.com.au/html/Writings/Writings.html

A collection of twenty-seven magazine articles, conference papers, publiclectures, book reviews, and other works by David Holmgren, co-creator ofpermaculture. Holmgren has made these PDF's available on the web as

screen-readable only. A CD version is for-sale, which allows full accessincluding print as well as permission to copy and use for workshops.Altogether, a valuable contribution to the web from someone who's spent a

lifetime developing and working out the details of permaculture design.

Permaculture: A Beginner's GuideBy Graham Burnett

www.spiralseed.co.uk/permaculture

This 60-page booklet is a permaculture-for-dummies style primer with livelyillustration, covering permaculture ethics and principles. A nice learning tool

to capture the essence of permaculture in a nutshell.

Back to top
http://home.klis.com/~chebogue/PermacultureIndex.htmlhttp://home.klis.com/~chebogue/PermacultureIndex.html


17/21

On-Line Articles, Fact Sheets & Proceedings

Permaculture: Sophisticated Ecological Understanding Blended with Common

Sense Design Creates Productive Landscapesby Sego Jackson.IN CONTEXT#8, Winter 1984.www.context.org/ICLIB/IC08/Jackson.htm

Permaculture: Design For Living

by Bill Mollison.IN CONTEXT#28, Spring 1991www.context.org/ICLIB/IC28/Mollison.htm

On-Line articles on Permaculture the Earth

www.permaearth.org/writings.html

Building A Bamboo Farm: Using Permaculture Principles in BambooAgroforestry by Simon Henderson.

www.permaearth.org/bamboo.html

Constructing the Food Forest Orchard by Larry Santoyo

www.permaearth.org/foodforestarticle.html

Sixth International Permaculture Conference & ConvergencePerth & Bridgetown, Western Australia September 27 to October 7, 1996www.rosneath.com.au/ipc6/

An online proceedings with about 100 papers and abstracts; an importantweb resource.

Saving Mallee Soils -- Organic Broadacre Farming: Improvements to

the Environment and ProductivityOrganic Agriculture at FAO, Case Study Report from Australiawww.fao.org/organicag/doc/australia.htm

Back to top

Permaculture in North America

EcoLandTech + PermaSphereLarry London's collection at Ibiblio.org

www.ibiblio.org/permaculture/

Friends of the Treeswww.geocities.com/RainForest/4663/

Permaculture Institutewww.permaculture.org

Permaculture at Heathcote Intentional Community

www.heathcote.org

Three Sisters Permaculture Designwww.bioshelter.com

La'akea Permaculture Gardens


18/21

www.permaculture-hawaii.com/

Animal Farm Permaculture Center

www.neosoft.com/~animalfm/afpchome.htm

Permaculture the Earthwww.permaearth.org/

Murad's Permaculture Pointers

www.thefarm.org/permaculture/pclinks.html

Back to top

Permaculture in Australia

Permaculture International Ltdwww.permacultureinternational.org

International Permaculture Institute (Australia)

[email protected]

Permaculture Visions Internationalhttp://permaculturevisions.com/

Sixth International Permaculture Conference & ConvergencePerth & Bridgetown, Western Australia September 27 to October 7, 1996www.rosneath.com.au/ipc6/

Back to top

Permaculture in Europe

Permaculture Magazine/Permanent Publicationswww.permaculture.co.uk

The Permaculture Association (Britain)www.permaculture.org.uk

Back to top

Permaculture Around the World

The Permaculture Activist's Planetary Permculture Directorywww.permacultureactivist.net/pcresources/PcResources2.htm

Instituto de Permacultura Cerrado-Pantanal -- Brazil

http://tortuga.com/permacultura/english_pages.htm

Register of Best Practices of Indigenous Knowledgewww.unesco.org/most/bpikreg.htm

Back to top

Plants for Permaculture
http://permaculturevisions.com/http://tortuga.com/permacultura/english_pages.htmhttp://tortuga.com/permacultura/english_pages.htmhttp://permaculturevisions.com/


19/21

Plants for a Future: Edible and Useful Plantswww.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/index.html

The Vetiver Grass Networkwww.vetiver.org/

The American Bamboo Societywww.americanbamboo.org

Back to top

Permaculture Technologies

Keyline Design - Water for Every Farm

www.keyline.com.au

Alternative Technology Association (ATA)www.ata.org.au

The Solar Cooking Archivehttp://solarcooking.org

Sustainable Building Sourcebookwww.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/

Ocean Arks Internationalwww.oceanarks.org

Integrated Bio-Systems in Zero Emissions Applications

www.ias.unu.edu/sub_page.aspx?catID=5&ddlID=468

Back to top

Bioregional & Eco-Village Links

Global EcoVillage Network

http://gen.ecovillage.org/

Intentional Communitieshttp://www.ic.org

Crystal Waters Permaculture Village

www.ecologicalsolutions.com.au/crystalwaters/

Earthaven Eco-Villagewww.earthaven.org

Arcosanti (Arizona)www.arcosanti.org

Auroville (India)

www.auroville.org

Virtual Libraries on Permaculture & Sustainability
http://solarcooking.org/http://gen.ecovillage.org/http://www.ic.org/http://www.ic.org/http://gen.ecovillage.org/http://solarcooking.org/


20/21

Sustainable Architecture Building & Culturewww.SustainableABC.Com

Agroforestry Web Sites

Agroforestry in Minnesotawww.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/DD7275.html

Association for Temperate Agroforestry (AFTA)www.aftaweb.org

USDA National Agroforestry Centerwww.unl.edu/nac/

Agroforestry for Farms & RanchesNRCS, Agroforestry Technical Note No. 1www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/ECS/forest/technote.html

International Ag-Sieve: Agroforesty Special Issue

Volume II, Number 4 (1989)http://fadr.msu.ru/rodale/agsieve/txt/agrofor.html

The Illinois Virtual Forest: Agroforestry Web Links

University of Illinois Extensionhttp://web.extension.uiuc.edu/forestry/agroforestry.html

Agroforestry Research Trust

www.agroforestry.co.uk

International Union of Forestry Research Organizationshttp://iufro.boku.ac.at/

ICRAF - International Center for Research in Agroforestrywww.ciesin.org/IC/icraf/ICRAF.html

Cultivating the Forest: Development of Agroforestry SystemsPeople and Plants Handbook Issue 5

WWF, UNESCO and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kewhttp://peopleandplants.org/whatweproduce/Handbooks/handbook5/index.html

Holistic Management

Holistic Management Internationalwww.holisticmanagement.org

Holistic Management: A Whole-Farm Decision Making Framework

ATTRAwww.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/holistic.html

About this Publication

Introduction to Permaculture: Concepts and Resources is a revised and updated versionofThe Permaculture FAQ, which was originally published by the author on the World
http://fadr.msu.ru/rodale/agsieve/txt/agrofor.htmlhttp://web.extension.uiuc.edu/forestry/agroforestry.htmlhttp://iufro.boku.ac.at/http://peopleandplants.org/whatweproduce/Handbooks/handbook5/index.htmlhttp://peopleandplants.org/whatweproduce/Handbooks/handbook5/index.htmlhttp://iufro.boku.ac.at/http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/forestry/agroforestry.htmlhttp://fadr.msu.ru/rodale/agsieve/txt/agrofor.html


21/21

Wide Web in 1995 and 1996.

The Permaculture FAQ 1.3, May 1996www.ibiblio.org/london/permaculture/faqs/permaculture.faq.v1.3

A permaculture design course graduate, the author is a technical specialist in horticultureand agronomy at ATTRA, the national sustainable farming information service managedby the National Center for Appropriate Technology.

The focus of ATTRA is on farming systems that enhance the economic livelihoods offarm families while sustaining the environment. ATTRA provides resources and technicalassistance to commercial farmers, including small farmers and market gardeners, in the

United States. Accordingly, the focus of this publication in on permaculture in thetemperate U.S. with some emphasis on broad-scale application such as agroforestry andbio-integrated production systems.

Back to top

Introduction to Permaculture: Concepts and ResourcesBy Steve DiverNCAT Agriculture Specialist

Tracy Mumma, HTML ProductionCT 083

Back to top

ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service is managed bythe National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and is funded under agrant from the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Business-

Cooperative Service. Visit theNCAT Web site for more information on oursustainable agriculture projects.

Site Map | Comments | Disclaimer| Privacy Policy | Webmaster

Copyright NCAT 1997-2010. All Rights Reserved.

Documents

45646867 Introduction to Permaculture Concepts and Resources