Permaculture Design/Characteristics
These are all common characteristics that you will find in Permaculture systems. Each system will be unique as the conditions of climate, soils, aspects, culture, time & energy resources will guide its design & development
- Small scale land use. By using the least possible area, marginal land is preserved in, or returned to, natural ecosystems.
- Diversity of species & cultivars (types of plants) yields, microclimates, habitats, functions social roles & work.
- Interweaving of agriculture, animal care, forestry, aquaculture, (water food systems), wilderness management, foraging, economics, culture, & land form engineering (such as dams).
- Use of wild & domestic plants & animals. Rare, endangered & indigenous are included.
- Uses the natural ways of plants, animals & their relationships to the characteristics of landscape to create environmentally safe sustainable agriculture. This means energy & biological resources including water & soil, are conserved rebuilt, self-regulating & self- repairing.
- Long ~ term sustainability. Permaculture systems can be designed to adjust to environmental changes.
To sum it up in a few words:
- Diverse
- Interwoven
- Multi layered
- Conservative (of resources!)
- Self-regulating
- Self-repairing
- Low inputs
- High yields