Permaculture Reference Book

A Resource Book

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PERMACULTURE Solut ions for Sustainable Lifestyles

Created by Permatil (Permaculture Timor Lorosae)Adapted for Indonesia & published by IDEP Foundation www.idepfoundation.org

First Edition by Yayasan IDEP 2006

PO BOX 160 Ubud, 80571, Bali, Indonesia

www.idepfoundation.org

Permatil & Yayasan IDEP

ThE aIm OF ThIs BOOk Is...

To offer knowledge and practical techniques for environmental rehabilitation and sustainability, strengthening community resilience and local economies. The contents of the book are based on concepts of deep ecology, the interconnectedness of our environment and culture and the principles and ethics of sustainable community development.

Combining traditional techniques for providing natural resources, food, shelter and energy with modern sustainable practices, the techniques outlined in this book provide integrated, practical solutions for challenges being faced by community members and farmers throughout Indonesia today.

This Resource Book for Permaculture - Solutions for Sustainable Lifestyles has been developed using simple language and many detailed illustrations to insure that the information contained is accessible to all those interested.

Permatil and IDEP Foundation invite organizations or individuals wishing to reproduce this book to do so, in the interest of sharing Permaculture activities for non-commercial purposes, and without altering the contents of the book. For rights of reproduction for other purposes, please submit a written request for permission to Yayasan IDEP.

The materials contained in this book have been drawn from many different sources including Permaculture works and publications worldwide as well as practitioners in East Timor and Indonesia. If you have any input or suggestions regarding either the contents or the use of this book, please contact us at the address listed. We greatly appreciate your suggestions and input.

Disclaimer

We have tried to be as factual and accurate as possible. We hope that this book will provide many benefits for those that use it. however, any problems or faults that occur as a result of practical use of the information, are not the responsibility of Permatil, IDEP Foundation, or of the books authors, artists, contributors and / or publisher.

IsBN : 9 7 9 - 1 5 3 0 5 - 0 - 5

F i r s t E d i t i o n 2 0 0 6 I D E P F o u n d a t i o n

Supported by:

Created by Permatil (Permaculture Timor Lorosae)

A d a p t e d f o r I n d o n e s i a & P u b l i s h e d b y I D E P F o u n d a t i o n

A Resource Book

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PERMACULTURE Solut ions for Sustainable Lifestyles

Written by

Lachlan McKenzie with Ego Lemos

Contributing Writers

Sasha Earle, Deirdre Nagle, Rob Swain, Julianne Hartmann, Steve Cran,

Robi Supriyanto

Information Contributors

Permatil, IDEP Foundation, Chris Walsh, USC East Timor, Wayne Gum, Xisto

Martins, Trish Morrow, Permatils permaculture project participants and part-

ners, Yudi Suanda, Lachlan McKenzie, Lakota Moira, Made Chakra, Dessy

Haryanti, Nita Noor, Sherry Kasman Entus, Purnawan Budisetia, Misbahhu-

din, Gede Sugiarta, Made Suyasa, I Gusti Raka Panji Tisna, Roberto Huta-

barat, Petra Schneider, Courtney Stephen, Kadek Lisa, Dewi Surtikanti

Illustrators

Arte Moris Art School, Simao Mong Cardosso Periera, Gibrael Aziby

Dias Soares Carocho, Edson Arintes Da Costa Carminha, Grinaldo Gilma-

rodep Fernandes, Jose Osme Fortunato Gonzalves, Jose Tony de Jesus

Amaral, Leo Marcal, Ozorio Azo Jeronimo, Kathryn Cipi Morgan, Lach-

lan McKenzie, Robi Supriyanto & the Spiritual Junkies

Editors and Translators

Lachlan McKenzie, Ego Lemos, Anastasia Guise, Sasha Earle, Julianne Hart-

mann, Rob Swain, Robi Supriyanto, Lakota Moira, Putu Widyastuti Rudolf

Desktop Publishing and Graphic Design

Petra Schneider, Lachlan McKenzie, Lakota Moira, Courtney Stephen,

Dewi Surtikanti, Saturnino de Maia, Asatu

Publisher

IDEP Foundation - w w w . i d e p f o u n d a t i o n . o r g

Permaculture can be seen

as a sustainable philosophy

and lifestyle which integrates

different components, like ecological knowledge

(interconnected natural processes which happen

in nature); peoples ability to design production

systems like agriculture and animal husbandry;

using appropriate and environment friendly

technology; and awareness to work together

with the local culture and environment.

In general Permaculture can be

defined as permanent-

agriculture, which means

achieving sustainable

agriculture and

animal husbandry

through protecting

or improving the

natural environment,

and permanent-culture,

which means preserving,

supporting and working with

the local culture and environment.

Permaculture, which is based on the ethics

of caring for the land, the people and the future,

is very beneficial in helping us to understand

and create an integration of harmony between

people and nature.

However, the reality is that through fulfilling our

needs and wants, we have already caused great

damage to the environment, including creating

conditions which are threatening even to

ourselves. For example pollution and damaged

habitats, which has in part been caused by

monoculture farming and animal husbandry

systems which use dangerous chemicals during

production. There is also genetic engineering

experiments which have many risks and

challenge the laws of nature.

IDEP (Indonesian Development of Education and

Permaculture) as a foundation working towards

education and Permaculture development in

Indonesia also feels responsible for all of these

problems and feels obligated to improve these

conditions, and little by little to reverse this

confused paradigm of building concepts and

production systems which are exploitative and

oriented for only short term benefits.

As a manifestation of this feeling of responsibility,

we are grateful that IDEP has

succeeded in publishing this

Permaculture Resource

Book which has been

adapted from Permatil

( P e r m a c u l t u r e

Timor Lorosae)

for Indonesia. We

hope this book will

be beneficial, and

will inspire, interest and

initiate action through all

layers of Indonesian communities,

both for people living in villages and in

urban cities, to adopt and adapt Permaculture

principles and practices which are outlined in

this resource book.

Our wellbeing and the wellbeing of future

generations are dependent on our ability to make

conscious choices and actions for improving the

environmental and social problems which we

have created.

Board of Govenors

IDEP Foundation

Fo r w a r d

vi Pe r m a c u l t u r e , S o l u t i o n s f o r S u s t a i n a b l e L i f e s t y l e s

N o t e s . . .

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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

i i Pe r m a c u l t u r e , S o l u t i o n s f o r S u s t a i n a b l e L i f e s t y l e s

N o t e s . . .

Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s i i i

Module 1. What is Permaculture? 1

Permaculture can be defined as: 3

Ethics of Permaculture 4

Principles of Permaculture 6

Beauty 8

Module 2. Natural Patterns & Permaculture Design 11

Patterns 13Increasing Productivity 15

Methods of Design 17

Approaches to Design 181. Maps 18

2. Element Analysis 21

3. Zones 23

4. Sectors 30

5. Observation and Data Collection 33

Module 3. Houses, Water & Waste Management 37

How to Create a Healthy House 401. House Location 40

2. Ways to Reduce Risks 41

3. Compatibility with Climate 41

4. Good Health and Disease Prevention 42

5. A House That is Easy to Clean 42

7. Reducing Water and Energy Use 45

8. A Long Lasting House 45

Building a House 46Start with a Plan 46

Building Materials 47

Ideas for House Improvement 49Ventilation 49

Insulation 49

Natural Lighting 50

Making a House Last Longer 51

Bamboo (For more information on how to choose, cure and store bamboo, see the section Bamboo in

Module 8 - Forests, Tree Crops & Bamboo). 51

Insect Screens 52

Outside Improvements 52Pergola / Shade Structure 52

Trees and Windbreaks 52

Gardens 52

Ponds 53

Kitchens 53

Washing Area 56

Washrooms 57

Compost Toilet Systems 60

Table of Contents

iv Pe r m a c u l t u r e , S o l u t i o n s f o r S u s t a i n a b l e L i f e s t y l e s

Water Supply and Storage 62Collecting Water 62

Water Storage 63

Keeping Water Clean 64Cleaning Drinking Water 64

Reducing Mosquito Problems 66

Community Buildings and Land 67National Plans 67

Module 4. Healthy Soil 69

About Soil 71

What is Healthy Living Soil? 72The Importance of Worms in the Soil 72

Benefits of Healthy Living Soil 73

Different Types of Soil 75Improving Soil Quality 75

Soil pH 77pH Chart 77