Cover Image

Introduction to Permaculture
Introduction to Permaculture
Introduction to Permaculture

ANDREW MILLISON

OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

CORVALLIS, OR
Introduction to Permaculture by Andrew Millison is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where
otherwise noted.

Download for free at https://open.oregonstate.education/permaculture/

Publication and on-going maintenance of this textbook is possible due to

grant support from Oregon State University Ecampus.

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Contents

Introduction 1

Part I. Section 1 - What is Permaculture?

1. What is Permaculture? 7
2. The People of Permaculture 15
3. State and Challenges of the World 34
4. David Holmgren's Future Scenarios 40
5. Permaculture Ethics Investments & Directives 47
6. Scales of System 56

Part II. Section 2 - Where Am I?

7. Climate Change & Site Analysis 75

8. Permaculture Site Analysis: From Macro to Micro 84
9. Watershed Patterns 91
10. Deforested Watershed 98
11. Watershed Restoration 103
12. Sectors 116
13. Solar Aspect 122
14. Microclimates 126

Part III. Section 3 - Permaculture Design

15. Design as a Response to Zones and Sectors: Cause 135

Studies
16. Scales of Permanence 147
17. Design Methods Resources 151
18. Permaculture Principles 154
19. Zones 159

Part IV. Section 4 - Climates

20. Soil 171

21. Trees 177
22. Shelter 191
23. Food 196
24. Water 203
25. Energy 208
26. Community 213
27. Where to From Here? 217
28. World Permaculture Organizations 223

About the Author 243

Introduction
Welcome to this free eBook, “Intro to Permaculture”. The
permaculture perspective has more resonance now than at any
other time since the term ‘permaculture’ was coined in 1978. The
Paris Climate Agreement of 2016 has the world admitting it needs
to turn civilization onto a different road. Permaculture design has
been scouting out that path for nearly 40 years, and now it’s time
that the world sees some of what we have learned about living in
cooperation with nature.
This free introduction to permaculture is meant for the novice
and the professional alike, with no prior experience necessary. For
the person new to permaculture design and land stewardship, this
book will provide a foundation from which to build upon with
subsequent training, and introduce a new perspective that can be
applied in many careers and facets of life.
For the gardener, farmer, nurseryman, architect, landscaper, land
manager, developer, engineer, aid worker, planner or activist, this
book can help to deepen and focus the good work you’re already
doing, and provide a grounding in the permaculture design process
that you can apply in your current endeavors. The book is not
teaching specific techniques as much as a system and process of
design which can be used to enhance work in many different fields.
Our aim is to elevate permaculture design further into
mainstream knowledge and discussions so this valuable design
system can be used to transition civilization to a future with clean
water, safe and abundant food, renewable energy and resources,
healthy watersheds, and prosperous people and ecosystems.
There is a lot of social, political and environmental instability in
the world right now. Consensus has been reached with the Paris
Agreement that we need to drastically reduce carbon emissions to
maintain a stable climate through this century and beyond. We need
a paradigm shift where we change the foundation of business as

Introduction | 1
usual. The permaculture design system is a tool to accomplish this
great shift, and it’s time we put that tool in everyone’s hands so we
can all get to work repairing, restoring, regenerating, and reaping
the rewards that will come when we care for Earth and its people.
Please accept this free gift we are offering and share this
opportunity of free Permaculture education with your family,
friends, and community.

2 | Introduction
PART II
SECTION 1 - WHAT IS
PERMACULTURE?
Welcome to Oregon State University’s Introduction to
Permaculture!

Section 1 - What is Permaculture? | 3

Permaculture design is a method of landscape planning that can be
applied at scales from the home garden to city block to village to

4 | Section 1 - What is Permaculture?

farm. It is an ethically based whole-systems design approach that
uses concepts, principles, and methods derived from ecosystems,
indigenous peoples, and other time-tested practices to create
sustainable human settlements and institutions. Although rooted
in horticulture and agriculture, Permaculture design is
interdisciplinary, touching on a wide range of subjects including
regional planning, ecology, animal husbandry, appropriate
technology, architecture, and international development. In this
free online book, students will learn about the Permaculture design
process, its ethics and principles, and delve into climate-specific
design elements through interactive technology, videos, graphics
and readings. This book is designed to be as accessible as possible,
meaning no matter your learning style, time commitments, or
technology available, you will benefit from this book.

Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/nettle-plant-green-437963/

Section 1 - What is Permaculture? | 5

1. What is Permaculture?

In this book, basic information is given to get you

started. Firstly, we look at the definition of
Permaculture with a bit of history of the word. Secondly,
we look at the overall design process and fields of study
that inform Permaculture. Finally, we look at the four
part Permaculture Decision Making Matrix which is the
basis of the information in this book.

What is Permaculture? | 7
Permaculture Definition

It’s time to get started learning about Permaculture! In this first

video of the book, we define the word, and talk about it’s origins.

8 | What is Permaculture?
 A YouTube element has been excluded from this version of the
text. You can view it online here:
https://open.oregonstate.education/permaculture/?p=32

• Intro to Permaculture: What is Permaculture? – Video

Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: O que e Permacultura – Tradução
Português

Featured Links

• The Definition of Permaculture: An Interview with Bill Mollison

• Wikipedia Permaculture Definition

In the video above, we make reference to Permaculture’s co-

founder, Bill Mollison. You can read an interview with Bill in the
featured links provided above where he talks about the

What is Permaculture? | 9
Permaculture definition. We also make reference to water, food and
shelter systems. A system is defined as “a set of connected things
or parts forming a complex whole.” So when we refer to water
systems, we’re recognizing that the way we design for water on a
Permaculture site takes into account its’ many interconnections,
with soils, trees, water tables, the atmosphere, and wildlife.

Permaculture Design Process

We’re going to look now at the overall process of the Permaculture

design system. Permaculture is multidisciplinary and multi-faceted,
which makes Permaculture very dynamic, but also makes it hard to
define. This video explains the wide array of influences and outputs
of Permaculture design.

10 | What is Permaculture?
 A YouTube element has been excluded from this version of the
text. You can view it online here:
https://open.oregonstate.education/permaculture/?p=32

• Intro to Permaculture: The Foundations of Permaculture

Design – Video Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: As Fundações do Projeto de
Permacultura – Tradução Português

Featured Links

• Holmgren’s Permaculture Flower

This video unites a number of diagrams that have been circulating

Permaculture design course texts and media outlets for many years,
including David Holmgren’s Permaculture Flower (link located in the
featured links above). You will notice many analogies to a tree in

What is Permaculture? | 11
this book, as the form of a tree provides so many opportunities to
understand how nature works and how the Permaculture design
system is modeled after nature.

Permaculture Decision-Making Matrix

This video consolidates the Permaculture design process into four

distinct parts: topography, sectors, zones and principles. These are
the major topics we will be looking at in this short introductory
book.

12 | What is Permaculture?
 A YouTube element has been excluded from this version of the
text. You can view it online here:
https://open.oregonstate.education/permaculture/?p=32

• Intro to Permaculture: Permaculture Decision Making Matrix –

Video Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: A Matriz de Tomar uma Decisão na
Permacultura – Tradução Português

The Permaculture decision-making matrix is a term and structure

coined by Andrew Millison, but only represents a repackaging
of Permaculture design process that is explained by Bill Mollison
and many great teachers and practitioners. This decision making
tool is useful as a basic outline of the main tools used in
Permaculture design.

What is Permaculture? | 13
Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/ivy-green-blurry-background-
nature-1287383/

14 | What is Permaculture?
2. The People of Permaculture

These are just some of the people who have worked

hard for many years to bring Permaculture to the world.
We couldn’t include everyone, but each person pictured
here has made significant contributions to the field over
a long period of time. Choose a few to click on and
explore further.

The People of Permaculture | 15

Bill Mollison

David Holmgren

• Tagari Publication – About Bill Mollison

• Pacific Edge – A Short and Incomplete History of
Permaculture • About David Holmgren
• Holmgren Designs

16 | The People of Permaculture

 Rosemary Morrow
Robyn Francis

• Seed Sustainability Con

• Permaculture College Australia – About Robyn Francis Morrow

The People of Permaculture | 17

 Narsanna Koppula

Penny Livingston-Stark

• Aranya Agricultural Alternatives – About Narsanna

Koppula
• International Permaculture Convergence India • Regenerative Designs –

18 | The People of Permaculture

 Maddy Harland

• Mother Earth News – A

Geoff Lawton • Permaculture Magazine
• Permanent Publications

• Permaculture Worldwide Network – About Geoff

Lawton
• GeoffLawtononline.com

The People of Permaculture | 19

Mark Lakeman

Starhawk
• About Mark Lakeman
• City Repair

• About Starhawk
• Earth Activist Training

20 | The People of Permaculture

 Eugenio Gras Alias Mulambo

• Designed Visions- About Eugenio Gras • The Story of Tsuro – Ab

• Mas Humus • PORET Zimbabwe

The People of Permaculture | 21

 Julious Piti
Roberto Perez

• PORET Livelihoods – Ab
• Permaculture Research Institute: How Cuba Leads the
• About Chikukwa Ecolog
World in Permaculture
• PORET Zimbabwe

22 | The People of Permaculture

Patrick Whitefield

Masanobu Fukuoka

• Patrick Whitefield Associates – About Patrick

Whitefield

• About Masanobu Fukuo

The People of Permaculture | 23

 Scott Pittman

Peter Bane
• The Permaculture Institute – About Scott Pittman

• Permaculture Activist –
• Permaculture Handboo

24 | The People of Permaculture

 Darren Doherty

Tim Murphy
• Regrarians – About Dar

• Regenesis Group

The People of Permaculture | 25

 Warren Brush Brad Lancaster

• True Nature Design – About Warren Brush • Harvesting Rainwater –

• Quail Springs • Sun and Shade Harvesti
• Casitas Valley • Desert Harvesters
• PRI Kenya

26 | The People of Permaculture

 Brock Dolman Ego Lemos

• Occidental Arts and Ecology Center – About Brock • Skinny Fish Music – Abo
Dolman • Permaculture Guideboo

The People of Permaculture | 27

 Chakra Widia
Toby Hemenway

• Sawah Bali – About Cha

• About Toby Hemenway
• Tri Hita Karana Bali

28 | The People of Permaculture

 Joel Glanzberg
Tom Ward

• Pattern Mind – About Jo

• Siskiyou Permaculture – About Tom Ward • Regenesis Group
• The Tracking Project

The People of Permaculture | 29

 Larry Santoyo
Albert Bates

• Permaculture Institute
• About Albert Bates • Earthflow Designs
• The Permaculture Acad

30 | The People of Permaculture

 Robin Clayfield

Tom Kendall

• Permaculture Worldwide Network – About Robin

Clayfield
• Dynamic Groups • DIY Food and Health – A

The People of Permaculture | 31

Wayne Weissman
Jude Hobbs

• The Permaculture Project – About Wayne Weiseman

• Permaculture Design Build Collaborative
• Cascadia Permaculture

32 | The People of Permaculture

 Sepp Holzer
Michael Pilarski

Photo: Elena Leongard

• About Michael Pilarski
• About Sepp Holzer

The People of Permaculture | 33

3. State and Challenges of the
World

In these two videos, we explore the need for

Permaculture and some of the issues we currently face
on the planet.

State of the World

To understand the reasons why we do Permaculture, we need to

examine the problems we face to get a picture of what issues we are
solving. This video looks at the Earth at night, in order to get a new
perspective on resource distribution.

34 | State and Challenges of the

World
 A YouTube element has been excluded from this version of the
text. You can view it online here:
https://open.oregonstate.education/permaculture/?p=74

State and Challenges of the World | 35

 • Intro to Permaculture: State of the World – Video Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: O Estado do Mundo – Tradução
Português

References

• World Energy Statistics

• Map of Global Carbon Emissions
• World Shipping Routes

Many of the world’s conflicts and problems seem to make some

sense when we look at the distribution of energy consumption.
The lights on Earth represent the standard of living from a Western
perspective, which includes transportation, consumer goods,
economic activity and technological development. When designing
Permaculture systems, we want to have a wide perspective on the
world so we can best assess the forces at work wherever we are.

36 | State and Challenges of the World

Challenges of the World

The ecological challenges we face are daunting, but Permaculture

provides solutions. Watch this video to identify some of the
problems and see how Permaculture addresses them:

State and Challenges of the World | 37

 A YouTube element has been excluded from this version of the
text. You can view it online here:
https://open.oregonstate.education/permaculture/?p=74

• Intro to Permaculture: Challenges of the World – Video

Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: Desafios do Mundo – Tradução
Português

Featured Links

Here we look at the causes of land degradation, and then

several snapshots of how a Permaculture perspective can reverse
these problems.

• Environmental Education Media Project

• Commonland: 4 Returns From Landscape Restoration

38 | State and Challenges of the World

Special thanks to John D. Liu for permission to use his video footage
While this video introduces a general overview of a complex
problem, throughout the rest of this book we explore the details of
how to restore landscapes and stabilize the climate.

Podcast Episodes

• Earth Repair Radio: Rhamis Kent on Permaculture’s Solution to

the Refugee Crises
• Earth Repair Radio: Rhamis Kent on Land Degradation and the
Rise of ISIS

Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/earth-earth-at-night-night-lights-11595/
https://pixabay.com/en/forest-perspective-tall-high-
up-505860/

State and Challenges of the World | 39

4. David Holmgren's Future
Scenarios

This page explores the work of Permaculture’s

cofounder David Holmgren and what he sees for the
possible directions that civilization can take.

David Holmgren’s Permaculture site, Melliodora, in Hepburn Springs,

Australia

Permaculture’s co-founder David Holmgren is a futurist, and has

shared deep wisdom and insight about where we are headed as a
civilization. He lives in Hepburn Springs, Victoria, Australia, about
99 km (61 miles) from Melbourne. His well-known Permaculture
site called Melliodora that is documented in this book Melliodora:
Ten Years of Sustainable Living. He has published a number of
books, including “Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond
Sustainability”, and “Future Scenarios: How Communities Can Adapt
to Peak Oil and Climate Change”
Holmgren’s first book “Permaculture: Principles and Pathways
Beyond Sustainability” introduces the concept of “Peak Oil” which

40 | David Holmgren's Future

Scenarios
is the time when the world uses half of the available fossil fuels
on the planet, and the other half is more costly to extract, with a
decreasing amount available each year. This causes us to seek the
dirtier forms of fossil fuel extraction, which exacerbates climate
change through increased CO2 emissions.
In “Future Scenarios”, Holmgren outlines the possible directions
that we can go, given the world energy situation:

Techno Fantasy

“depends on new, large and concentrated energy sources that will

allow the continual growth in material wealth and human power
over environmental constraints, as well as population growth. This
scenario is generally associated with space travel to colonize other
planets.” – Excerpted from Future Scenarios website

David Holmgren's Future Scenarios | 41

Cleantech Stability

“depends on a seamless conversion from material growth based on

depleting energy, to a steady state in consumption of resources
and population (if not economic activity), all based on novel use
of renewable energies and technologies that can maintain if not
improve the quality of services available from current systems…
Photovoltaic technology directly capturing solar energy is a suitable
icon or symbol of this scenario.”

42 | David Holmgren's Future Scenarios

Energy Descent

“involves a reduction of economic activity, complexity and

population in some way as fossil fuels are depleted. The increasing
reliance on renewable resources of lower energy density will, over
time, change the structure of society to reflect many of the basic
design rules, if not details, of pre-industrial societies. This suggests
a ruralization of settlement and economy, with less consumption
of energy and resources and a progressive decline in human
populations.”

David Holmgren's Future Scenarios | 43

Collapse

“suggests a failure of the whole range of interlocked systems that

maintain and support industrial society, as high quality fossil fuels
are depleted and/or climate change radically damages the
ecological support systems. This collapse would be fast and more
or less continuous without the re-stabilizations possible in Energy
Descent.”

44 | David Holmgren's Future Scenarios

At this point in David’s futurist outlook, he believes that the time for
sustainability is over, and we need to look to being as resilient as we
can, where we are. His new book due out in 2016 is “RetroSuburbia”,
which imagines how suburban-scaled Permaculture systems will
provide the foundation for survival into an unknown future.

Holmgren’s Future Scenario’s research

• David Holmgren long interview

• David Holmgren presentation in Tasmania: “Surfing Suburbia”
• Video: Surfing the Suburbs with David Holmgren
• David Holmgren article: “Retrofitting the Suburbs for the
Energy Descent Future”
• David Holmgren’s website outlining “Retrosuburbia”

David Holmgren's Future Scenarios | 45

Image Sources

https://holmgren.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/HD-
Banners-Melliodora.jpg
https://pixabay.com/en/planet-moon-orbit-solar-
system-581239/
https://pixabay.com/en/solar-power-solar-panels-862602/
https://pixabay.com/en/cow-pasture-animal-
almabtrieb-759018/
https://pixabay.com/en/industry-sunset-port-facility-
mood-438428/

46 | David Holmgren's Future Scenarios

5. Permaculture Ethics
Investments & Directives

This page explores the ethics of Permaculture, the

types of investments we make, and some of the
directives which influence the Permaculture design
system.

Permaculture Ethics

Permaculture Ethics Investments &

Directives | 47
Permaculture ethics are the core of the design system. You can use
the tools and processes of Permaculture, but if you’re not using the
ethics, then it’s not Permaculture. In this video, we explain the three
ethics: Earth Care, People Care, and Reinvestment of Surplus back
into the first two ethics (Fair Share).

48 | Permaculture Ethics Investments & Directives

 A YouTube element has been excluded from this version of the
text. You can view it online here:
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• Intro to Permaculture: Permaculture Ethics – Video Transcript

• Introdução a Permacultura: Éticas na Permacultura – Tradução
Português

There have been different versions of the third ethic put out
throughout the years, and most people like “Fair Share”, perhaps
because it has a nice ring to it. But “Reinvestment of surplus back
into Earth Care and People Care” is a bit more explicit. A respected
Permaculture teacher and author, Starhawk, says “Future Care” is
the third ethic. There are also those who add a fourth ethic,
called the “Transition Ethic“. The transition ethic recognizes that we
have a long way to go, and it may be necessary to use unsustainable
practices or technologies along the way, like, for example, fossil
fuel driven Earth moving equipment. Transitioning to a sustainable
future has many steps along the way.

Permaculture Ethics Investments & Directives | 49

Additional Resources

• Permaculture Ethics
• Overview of the Permaculture Ethics
• Why Permaculture is Different
• Permaculture Association: Ethics
• Exploring Social Permaculture
• Importance of Social Permaculture by Starhawk
• Ethics and a Call to Fair Share
• What is Permaculture – Ethics by Maddy Harland
• Liberation Ecology

Podcasts

• Permaculture Voices: Social Permaculture. Creating a Diversity

of Functional Connections Between People and Their Skills

50 | Permaculture Ethics Investments & Directives

Permaculture Investments

This video explores three different types of investments:

degenerative, generative, and regenerative. We are not just talking
about financial investments. We’re referring to investing time,
energy, and resources.

Permaculture Ethics Investments & Directives | 51

 A YouTube element has been excluded from this version of the
text. You can view it online here:
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• Intro to Permaculture: Regenerative Investments – Video

Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: Investimentos Regenerativos –
Tradução Português

In Permaculture we are striving to maximize regenerative

investments; those that improve over time. There are many forms of
capital we speak of when talking about investments. Ethan Roland
and Gregory Landua of Terra Genesis International have articulated
the Eight Forms of Capital, as another perspective on investments
and yields, and financial capital is only one of them!

52 | Permaculture Ethics Investments & Directives

Permaculture Directives

The Permaculture directives are some of the major themes that we

are working with in a Permaculture design. Design with Nature,
Design for Culture, Pattern Literacy, and Indigenous Wisdom are all
topics we explore in this short video.

Permaculture Ethics Investments & Directives | 53

 A YouTube element has been excluded from this version of the
text. You can view it online here:
https://open.oregonstate.education/permaculture/?p=88

• Intro to Permaculture: Permaculture Directives – Video

Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: Diretivas da Permacultura –
Tradução Português

Permaculture design is based on working with nature, and

understanding how nature functions. This is the study of ecology,
and is a crucial piece to informing your Permaculture work.
Learning how indigenous people lived in a place falls under the
study of anthropology and ethnobotany. The ways native people
historically lived in an area before and during the industrial age
provide clues about what a sustainable relationship with the land
looks like. Anywhere that people have a sustainable relationship
with the Earth in their use of resources is an example to learn from.

54 | Permaculture Ethics Investments & Directives

Additional Resources

• Toby Hemenway on Natural Patterns

• Permaculture: Your Way to Sustainable Living by Geoff Lawton

Image Sources

https://permacultureprinciples.com/downloads/
Pc_Principles_Poster_EN.pdf
https://pixabay.com/en/apple-orchard-apple-blossom-75113/
https://pixabay.com/en/white-tailed-eagle-adler-bald-
eagle-416795/

Permaculture Ethics Investments & Directives | 55

6. Scales of System

There are many different scales at which we find

Permaculture applied, and on this page you can browse
different examples of sites that are using Permaculture.

1. Urban Permaculture

There are widespread examples of Permaculture systems at the

urban scale throughout the world. On balconies, rooftops, small
yards and empty lots, we find intensively cultivated and highly
productive systems. Permaculture designs in urban areas are

56 | Scales of System
packed tightly, making the most use of limited space through
complex relationships between rainwater and wastewater flow, food
production, composting, sunlight, pollinator habitat, social areas,
and the urban waste stream which can provide free and inexpensive
materials for building structures and soil. Below are links to urban
Permaculture projects and resources:

• Seattle Homestead
• The Institute of Urban Homesteading Oakland, CA
• Urban Permaculture Guild, Berkeley, CA
• Planet Repair Institute, Portland, OR
• Deep Green Permaculture, Melbourne, Australia
• Article: How the Reading International Solidarity Centre built
an urban permaculture garden, UK
• Milkwood Blog Funky Urban Permaculture Designs, Melbourne
Australia
• The Permaculture Podcast with Scott Mann
• Top Leaf Farms specializing in rooftop farms
• Permaculture Association’s resource guide to Sustainable
Urban Drainage
• Little Farm L.A.

Scales of System | 57
2. Suburban Permaculture

Suburban-scaled Permaculture systems are rich with possibilities .

As co-founder David Holmgren said: “Suburban sprawl in fact gives
us an advantage. Detached houses are easy to retrofit, and the space
around them allows for solar access and space for food production.
A water supply is already in place, our pampered, unproductive
ornamental gardens have fertile soils and ready access to
nutrients..”. When we look throughout the world, we find abundant
examples of suburbs that have filled in with productive
Permaculture systems. The lower density of suburbs means that
there is a lot of space for more expansive gardens, animals, tree
crops, and land-based livelihoods. Below are links to suburban
Permaculture projects and resources:

• Adaptation of David Holmgren’s lecture on Retrofitting the

Suburbs for Sustainability
• Suburban Permaculture, information and resources to

58 | Scales of System
 transform the suburban environment
• Growing Futures Kenya, Suburban Permaculture Development
• Midwest Permaculture, 18 part Intro to Permaculture video
series
• Erik Ohlsen’s Suburban Permaculture Garden Tour Video

3. Permaculture in Public Space

Especially in urban areas, we find very rich examples of

Permaculture systems which take advantage of the diversity of the
‘human ecosystem’ found there. Gathering places, public parks, and
community food forests all contribute to the sustainability and
resilience of a community. It’s not just food, water and habitat that
can make a place resilient; it’s the social connections between
people that make a strong and secure community where people
know each other and help each other out. Permaculture in public
spaces is often centered around places where people can gather and
meet each other, so they have more of an opportunity to make those

Scales of System | 59
connections. Below are links to public Permaculture projects and
resources:

• The City Repair Project, Portland OR

• Keepers of the Waters, artistic, community centered
remediation of living water systems
• Beacon Food Forest, Seattle, WA
• Permaculture Park, Ithaca, NY

4. Multi-unit Urban Development

As Permaculture design has spread into more conventional fields,

developers, architects, planners and landscape architects have
utilized it to design multi-unit housing projects. Permaculture is

60 | Scales of System
about applying different patterns to the layout of a housing
subdivision, with attention to solar access, energy systems, water
flow, pathways, and a productive landscape for people and wildlife.
Development projects at this scale are already investing in buildings,
utilities, drainage, and road infrastructure, so often it’s just the
matter of having proper positioning, orientation and
interconnection between these elements that creates the
‘mainframe’ for a more regenerative settlement. Below are links to
multi-unit Permaculture projects and resources:

• Village Homes, Davis CA

• Milagro CoHousing, Tucson AZ
• Columbia Eco Village, Portland, OR
• Permaculture Design International, project in Eastern Oregon

Scales of System | 61
5. Ecovillage

The loose term for a Permaculture-based village or community is

‘ecovillage’, which is short for ecological village. There are many
inspiring examples all over the world of how Permaculture design is
applied to create intentional communities, as well as transforming
existing villages in traditional cultures and contemporary
settlements. Ecovillage design is a very rich field, where the
elements of food, water, energy, materials, ecology, housing, and
forestry are woven in with community political structures,

62 | Scales of System
economics, urban planning, and all the challenges and opportunities
of sharing resources. Below are links to ecovillage Permaculture
projects and resources:

• Auroville, India
• The Chikukwa Project, Zimbabwe
• Crystal Waters, Australia
• Tamera, Portugal
• Permaculture Association, Housing Resources

6. Retreat and Healing Centers

Many people have utilized Permaculture design when creating

healing or retreat centers. It’s been used both for retreat centers
that are built from the ground up in colonized areas, as well as
indigenous people practicing traditional medicine in their native
lands. The fact that two of Permaculture’s ethics are care of Earth
and care of people means that the design system is very conducive

Scales of System | 63
to the healing environment of hot springs, yoga centers, ashrams,
retreat centers, alternative medical facilities, indigenous medicine
centers, and eco-resorts. In these environments, the natural
patterns of Permaculture can bring a heightened aesthetic that is
functional and productive. Below are links to retreat and healing
center Permaculture projects and resources:

• Eco-Friendly Africa Travel

• Living Art Farm, South Africa
• Chakra Alegria de Amor Rainforest Healing Center, Peru
• Paititi Institute, Peru
• Chaikuni Institute, Peru
• Heartwood Institute, Garberville, CA

7. Homestead

64 | Scales of System
For this list, the homestead scale refers to a rural property that is
bigger than a suburban lot but smaller than a working farm. This
means that the area under management is between 1 and 5 acres
or .5-2 hectares. A homestead will not usually rely solely on the
fruits of their land for income and sustenance, but is big enough to
have more diverse and extensive production systems. This is a very
popular scale for Permaculture projects throughout the world, and
offers the potential for significant animal rotation, growing large
trees, ponds with more substantial water collection, multiple larger
structures, and profitable cottage industry with multiple residents.
There are some really beautiful Permaculture homesteads out there!
Below are links to some projects and resources:

• Melliodora, Australia, Designed by David Holmgren

• Whole Systems Design, Mad River Valley, VT

8. Farms

Scales of System | 65
Permaculture farms are diverse agricultural systems that are
designed with a range of different enterprises that work together
to make profitable businesses and healthy landscapes. The layout
of a Permaculture farm is influenced by the shape of the land,
to maximize production and minimize effort while building soil,
benefiting the water cycle, and providing long-term resilience and
abundance to the farmers. Permaculture farms look different than
conventional farms because they work with natural patterns and
integrate animals, crops, trees, water storage, renewable energy,
and people in a harmonious and productive way. Below are links to
Permaculture farm projects and resources:

• Taranaki Farm, Australia

• Forest Agriculture Enterprises, Viola, WI
• Seven Seeds Farm, Williams, OR
• Bullocks Permaculture Homestead, Orcas Island, WA
• Ridgedale Permaculture, Sweden
• Rancho San Ricardo, Mexico (pictures above)

66 | Scales of System
9. Educational Centers

There are many overlaps on these scales of systems, especially for

educational centers, because many are also farms, homesteads,
suburban lots, urban lots, or retreat centers. Permaculture
demonstration sites with a focus on bringing people into touch with
the systems, learn, and be inspired is a category of Permaculture
sites that we find. Demonstration sites are often some of the most
rich and diverse ones because they are designed for interaction and
education of the public. Many sites offer full Permaculture Design
Courses (PDC), which we encourage you to take if you want to get
deeper into this inspiring field. Below are links to Permaculture
educational centers:

• Quail Springs Permaculture, California

• Fambidzanai Permaculture Center, Zimbabwe
• Zaytuna Farm, Australia
• Maya Mountain Research Farm, Belize

Scales of System | 67
 • Aprovecho, Cottage Grove, OR

10. Broad Scale Agroforestry

It is not just homesteads and farms that have taken up

Permaculture. Some large commercial and industrial-scale
producers have seen the value of Permaculture systems and
investing in large scale projects that are benefitting whole regional
economies, ecology, hydrology, and food security. There are
corporations who have invested in these projects, like M&M Mars
Inc. in Vietnam. There are also projects that are not under the
name “Permaculture”, and are called agroforestry, yet share many
of the same design principles, strategies and techniques. This is a
growing area where there is the potential for industries to apply
Permaculture design to existing supply chains, which turns
consumer dollars into agents of land regeneration, like Lush

68 | Scales of System
Cosmetics is doing (link below). Below are links to broad scale
Permaculture and agroforestry projects and resources:

• Ghana Permaculture Institute

• Lush Cosmetics, UK
• Sadhana Forest, Haiti
• Cacao Agroforestry in Vietnam

11. International development

International development is another field ripe for the application

of Permaculture design. There are already many channels where
money, experts and other resources are working to assist in the
economic development of other countries, and Permaculture has
it’s own initiatives to make international development sustainable
and regenerative for economies, ecosystems, and societies. Many
non-profit organizations already employ Permaculturalists to
conduct trainings and development projects in many countries.

Scales of System | 69
Below are links to Permaculture international development projects
and resources:

• Permaculture Research Institute, Resiliency in International

Development
• Permaculture Research Institute, Integrating Permaculture &
International Development
• Quail Springs Permaculture, PDC for International
Development
• Accounting For International Development, Permaculture
Institute of El Salvador

12. Disaster Relief and International Aid

There are many instances where teams of Permaculture “first

responders” have arrived in areas after a major natural or human-
made disasters. Often times this is with the support of a non-

70 | Scales of System
governmental organization. Permaculture is very suited to
organizing safe and ecological survival systems in refugee camps
and places which need to be rebuilt. In many disaster situations,
appropriate technology and Permaculture design can really benefit
things like the safe processing of human waste through composting,
keeping water clean and soils in place through erosion control and
layout of camps, fuel efficient cooking using appropriate
technology, and fast growing gardens that turn garbage into
compost and into food. Below are links to Permaculture for disaster
relief:

• Haiti: How permaculture is proving a vital tool in disaster relief

• Hurricane Yolanda Permaculture Relief Aid Workers,
Philippines
• Treehugger, Rethinking Disaster Relief for Haiti and Beyond

Image Sources

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/inner-city-urban-
allotment-gardening-project-royalty-free-image/107741291
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/inner-city-urban-
allotment-gardening-project-royalty-free-image/107741295
https://pixabay.com/en/yoga-practice-exercise-
fitness-626343/
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/organic-tomato-
plants-royalty-free-image/531881455
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/virgin-rainforest-
with-stream-amami-oshima-japan-royalty-free-image/568699537
https://pixabay.com/en/environmental-protection-
environment-683437/
https://pixabay.com/en/hands-world-map-global-
earth-600497/

Scales of System | 71
PART III
SECTION 2 - WHERE AM I?

Introduction

This video provides an overview of what we will cover

during Section 2. The big question we address in this
module is “Where Am I?” by using tools for observation
and analysis.

Section 2 - Where Am I? | 73
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• Intro to Permaculture: Module 2 Overview – Video Transcript

“We are only truly secure when we look out our kitchen
windows and we see our own food growing and our friends
working nearby.”
– Bill Mollison

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module you will be able to:

• Identify your watershed

• Identify basic sectors

74 | Section 2 - Where Am I?
7. Climate Change & Site
Analysis

This page defines climate zones, climatic patterns and

the effects of climate change.

Where Am I?

There are recurring characteristics in every climate that will affect

the land, and what can grow and live there. These recurring
characteristics are called climatic patterns. By understanding
climatic patterns, you can incorporate the characteristics into your

Climate Change & Site Analysis | 75

plan, use them to inform your choices and create a more
effective permaculture design.
In this book we will focus on Earth’s three major climate zones
(climate types). There are many more then 3 climate zones; the
Earth is an incredibly diverse place with great variability! But for the
purposes of the introductory book we will look at the three most
general categories: Tropical, Drylands and Temperate zones. Let’s
take a closer look at these now, and explore the climatic patterns
of each one.

Three Major Climate Zones

Tropic

76 | Climate Change & Site Analysis

Drylands

Climate Change & Site Analysis | 77

 Temperate

For greater detail, please see the Koppen-Geiger Climate

Classification System.

78 | Climate Change & Site Analysis

The Effects of Climate Change

The climate is changing and weather extremes are increasing

throughout the planet. Changing climatic patterns can have an
effect on native plants, animals, weather, temperature, agriculture,
sea levels, energy use, and much more. A Permaculture design is
“permanent” because it is planned around resilience to extreme
weather events. A Permaculture designer studies historical and
projected weather events, and uses these to make informed design
choices. Understanding weather and climate are important for the
designer to have all the information to make the best design
choices.
View the following video and explore the links below to learn
more about the projected changes for locations around the globe.

Climate Change & Site Analysis | 79

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• Intro to Permaculture: Climate Zones, Climate Change and

Permaculture – Video Transcript

80 | Climate Change & Site Analysis

References

• NOAA – U.S.Temperature Extremes and the Polar Jet Stream

• Evidence Linking Arctic Amplification to Extreme Weather in
Mid-latitudes

Explore Climate Change Predictions

Explore climate change predictions by viewing the videos and

clicking on the links below.

Videos

• Temperature and Precipitation Changes Across the World –

Climate Change & Site Analysis | 81

 NASA
• Linking Extreme Weather Events to Climate Change – Weather
Underground

Animations

• A Breathing Earth – An Annual Pulse of Vegetation and Ice

• Animated Jetstream Forecast

Web Pages

• 21st Century Precipitation Scenarios – NASA

• 21st Century Temperature Scenarios – NASA
• Permaculture Solutions for Climate Change
• Permaculture Planning and Planting for Climate Change
• Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States
• USDA Zone Hardiness Changes

Interactive Tools

• Climate Inspector – University Corporation for Atmospheric

Research

Wikipedia

• General Circulation Model – Wikipedia

82 | Climate Change & Site Analysis

Podcasts

• Earth Repair Radio: Tao Orion on Ecosystems in a Hotter

World
• Permaculture Design in Temperate Zones and Cold Climates
with Ben Falk – Permaculture Voices

What Will You Do?

Ask yourself “What are the major climatic patterns that determine
the conditions which I will respond to with my Permaculture
designs? How are my design parameters potentially affected as the
climate changes?”

Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/planet-earth-globe-space-
world-1348079/
https://pixabay.com/en/ipanema-beach-rio-de-janeiro-99388/
https://pixabay.com/en/monument-valley-kayenta-arizona-
usa-4092/
https://pixabay.com/en/squantz-pond-connecticut-
landscape-209864/
https://pixabay.com/en/high-water-locked-damage-422662/
https://pixabay.com/en/climate-change-climate-
drought-1325882/

Climate Change & Site Analysis | 83

8. Permaculture Site Analysis:
From Macro to Micro

This page is about placing yourself within the greater

landscape, where we zoom in from afar and look at the
macro patterns of topography and water flow. We
explore the mountains’ relationship to rainfall and learn
about the watershed.

When we analyze a site, we first look at that location from larger

patterns and then to the details, beginning from a zoomed out
perspective to see how macro forces influence the site. We then
zoom in to observe the site’s unique characteristics, and through
this process come to a more comprehensive understanding of the
forces that need to be designed for. The videos below outlines this
concept.

Site Analysis: From Macro to Micro

First, let’s take a look at what you need to consider when conducting
a site analysis.

84 | Permaculture Site Analysis:

From Macro to Micro
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Permaculture Site Analysis: From Macro to Micro | 85

 • Intro to Permaculture: Introduction to Permaculture Site
Analysis – Video Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: Analises do Site de Introduçao a
Permacultura – Tradução Português

Climate and Topography

Understanding the way that mountain ranges interact with weather

and the way that atmospheric moisture moves from the oceans
into the interior of continents is an important macro-pattern to
understand in order to answer the “where am I?” question.

86 | Permaculture Site Analysis: From Macro to Micro

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Permaculture Site Analysis: From Macro to Micro | 87

 • Intro to Permaculture: Climate and Topography – Video
Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: Clima e Topografia – Tradução
Português

Understanding the Watershed

Next, we look at the watershed. This is the way that land is

shaped by water flow and one of the major foundation patterns we
look at to understand how our site fits into the landscape.

88 | Permaculture Site Analysis: From Macro to Micro

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Permaculture Site Analysis: From Macro to Micro | 89

 • Intro to Permaculture: Understanding the Watershed – Video
Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: Entendendo As Bacias
Hidrográficas – Tradução Português

At this point you should be starting to have a clue about how to

place yourself and your site within the larger patterns of the
landscape. On the next page, we provide resources for you to find
the watershed in which you live. Nearly every site belongs to a
watershed. There are only a few notable exceptions where it is hard
to identify a watershed drainage basin, for instance, properties
located right along the coast. So take a look on the next page and
find your watershed!

Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/wind-rose-north-east-west-
south-1209398/
https://pixabay.com/en/meander-river-england-1462370/

90 | Permaculture Site Analysis: From Macro to Micro

9. Watershed Patterns

These videos talk more about the way water flows

through the landscape, how roadways and property
boundaries affect flow, and how water flow is tied in
with the way soils are distributed on the landscape.
Below, the links to videos we provided help understand
terrain and landform.

Watershed Patterns and the Grid

In this video we’re going to look more in depth into the watershed

Watershed Patterns | 91
pattern. We will explore how the grid of property ownership
interacts with the branched drainage pattern of the watershed.

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92 | Watershed Patterns
 text. You can view it online here:
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• Intro to Permaculture: Watershed Patterns – Video Transcript

• Introdução a Permacultura: Padrões de Bacias Hidrográficas –
Tradução Português

Patters of Soil and Water

Continuing the theme of examining how property boundaries

interact with the watershed pattern, we’ll use that as the basis for
exploring the interaction between how water flows and how soils
are distributed. We will also look at the urban grid and discuss the

Watershed Patterns | 93
problems and solutions of Permaculture design for water in urban
areas.

94 | Watershed Patterns
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text. You can view it online here:
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• Intro to Permaculture: Patterns of Soil and Water – Video

Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: Padrões do Solo e da Água –
Tradução Português

Now that we have a better basis for understanding how our sites
fit within the watershed boundaries and the effects of property
boundary grids, we will give you the opportunity below to learn
more about topography and use some of the links and tools below
to illustrate and evaluate terrain.

Watershed Patterns | 95
Explore Terrain Resources

Explore terrain resources by clicking on the links below. We have

provided some tools for you to use to better evaluate elevation and
contours on a site. You could learn a lot if you take the time to
experiment with them.
Video: Create and elevation transect in Google Earth

Topographic Maps

• Extra help reading contour lines + video

• US, Europe, New Zealand
• World Topo Maps
• Global Topography Maps
• Geocontext Elevation Mapping
• Mapping Support Website
• Contour Line Diagrams

US

• How to add topographic maps to Google Earth

• Collection of US maps
• Topographic Map

Canada

• Canada and US (Zoom out until you reach Canada, click on the
right hand drop down box and select “My Topo USA-Canada”)

96 | Watershed Patterns
Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/canal-venice-italy-boats-
cityscape-1209739/
http://www.gettyimages.com/pictures/an-aerial-view-of-high-
peaks-streams-plains-agricultural-news-photo-532068684

Watershed Patterns | 97
10. Deforested Watershed

What are the effects of deforestation? This is an

important question that leads us into Permaculture
solutions for many of the world’s problems. These
videos provide an overview of the problem of
deforestation.

Understanding the effects of deforestation on the watershed is

crucial to assessing the ecological health of a location and ultimately
deciding on strategies and techniques to improve the place using
Permaculture design. In this video, we once again revisit our
watershed diagram to talk about the effects that deforestation has
on the entire watershed.

98 | Deforested Watershed
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Deforested Watershed | 99
 • Intro to Permaculture: How Trees Affect the Watershed –
Video Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: Como as Arvores Afetam as Bacias
Hidrográficas – Tradução Português

Haiti’s Deforested Watershed

There’s no clearer example of the effects of deforestation then in

the country of Haiti on the Island of Hispanola in the Caribbean Sea.
In this video, we take a Google Earth tour where the patterns are
clear. The land’s response to deforestation and it’s connection to soil
erosion and flooding are stark in this impoverished nation.

100 | Deforested Watershed

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Deforested Watershed | 101

 • Intro to Permaculture: Effects of Deforestation in Haiti – Video
Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: Efeitos do Desflorestamento no
Haiti – Tradução Português

Reference

• New York Times – Forest’s Role in Weather Documented in

Amazon

Permaculture Projects in Haiti

Do you want to help make a positive difference for the people

of Haiti? The links below lead to Permaculture and reforestation
projects supporting the health of the people and watersheds.

• My Hands and Heart in Haiti

• SOIL Haiti
• Take Permaculture to Haiti
• Sadhana Forest, Haiti
• Permaculture Disaster Relief in Haiti

Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/forestry-logging-deforestation-960806/
https://pixabay.com/en/haiti-painting-agriculture-
fields-597533/

102 | Deforested Watershed

11. Watershed Restoration

This video revisits our watershed diagram to discuss how watershed

restoration can occur. We look at nature’s watershed restorer, the
beaver, and how we can fulfill the role of the beaver in slowing,
sinking, and spreading the water to rehydrate parched landscapes.

Watershed Restoration | 103

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104 | Watershed Restoration

 • Intro to Permaculture: The Beaver Watershed Engineer – Video
Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: A Engenharia das Bacia
Hidrográficas pelos Castores – Tradução Português

Additional Resources

• The Watershed Wisdom of the Beaver by Toby Hemenway

• Oregon State University Beaver logo

Explore Watershed Restoration

Explore watershed restoration projects by clicking on the links

below.

• Greater Good Haiti

• Nandamojo River Basin, Costa Rica
• Occidental Arts and Ecology Center: Watersheds
• Global Water Partnership
• Lomakatsi, Oregon and Northern CA
• Salmon Creek Conservation Program, CA
• Whole Watershed Restoration Initiative, USA
• Basins of Recelations: Free Download
• Ecotrust: Whole Watershed Restoration
• Ethiopia’s Restoration Commitment
• Hope in a Changing Climate: John D. Liu
• Green Gold: John D. Liu
• Forests of Hope: John D. Liu
• Africa Rising: Soil Management in Ethiopia’s Highlands

Watershed Restoration | 105

Global

New Zealand

• Watersheds of the World Interactive Map

• Major Rivers of the World
• Artistic Watershed Maps of the World

106 | Watershed Restoration

United States

Crater Lake, Oregon

• Locate Your Watershed

• Surf Your Watershed
• EPA MyWATERS Watershed Mapping Site
• Explore Your Watershed in Google Earth
• The United (Watershed) States of America

Watershed Restoration | 107

Canada

Upper Kananaskis Lake, Canada

• Canadian Geographic Protect Your Watershed

• Explore Canada’s Ocean Watersheds

108 | Watershed Restoration

Mexico

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

• Mexico Watersheds
• NW Mexico Coastal Watersheds Map

Watershed Restoration | 109

Europe

Gorge Du Verdon, France

• Rivers of Europe
• Drainage Basin Maps of Europe

110 | Watershed Restoration

Africa

Weeping River, South Africa

Watershed Restoration | 111

 • Primary Watersheds of Africa
• Drainage Basin Maps of Africa

Asia and Oceania

Mekong River, Thailand

• Drainage Basin Maps of Asia

• Major River Basins and Sub-basins of SE Asia

112 | Watershed Restoration

South America

Recife, Brazil

• Drainage Basin Maps of South America

• Nested Watersheds of South America

Watershed Restoration | 113

Australia

Australia

• SE Australia Watersheds Map

• Topographic Drainage Divisions and River Regions Map

Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/beaver-pond-wildlife-aquatic-
cute-1448390/
https://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2015/02/24/05/
14/new-zealand-647090_960_720.jpg

114 | Watershed Restoration

 https://pixabay.com/en/crater-lake-lake-water-
volcano-1188096/
https://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2016/06/06/18/
39/upper-kananaskis-lake-1440137_960_720.jpg
https://pixabay.com/en/cabo-san-lucas-mexico-ocean-
water-81372/
https://pixabay.com/en/gorge-du-verdon-france-
provence-969744/
https://pixabay.com/en/south-africa-weeping-river-1425918/
https://pixabay.com/en/mekong-river-river-chiang-
kong-237502/
https://pixabay.com/en/brazil-recife-atlantic-ocean-
water-51128/
https://pixabay.com/en/canyon-australia-river-
environment-389040/

Watershed Restoration | 115

12. Sectors

Sectors are directional forces that come in from

outside our site. Mapping sectors is an important part of
the Permaculture design process and part of the
decision making matrix that this book teaches. This
page introduces the concept of sectors and provides
resources for identifying and mapping those directional
forces.

This first video is a short reminder of where we are now in the

Permaculture Decision Making Matrix. This provides the context for
what’s next.

116 | Sectors
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• Intro to Permaculture: Permaculture Decision Making Matrix

Sectors – Video Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: Matriz de Decisões na
Permacultura – Tradução Português

Sector Compass

In this video, we delve into sector analysis and demonstrate the

creation of a “Sector Compass”, a tool we use to map the sectors for
a site. A new sector-mapping application was created especially for
this book. The relevance of sectors for site analysis will be
emphasized repeatedly throughout this book.

Sectors | 117
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118 | Sectors
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• Intro to Permaculture: Sector Compass Demonstration – Video

Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: Demonstração dos Setores de
Compasso – Tradução Português

Explore Sector Resources

Explore sectors by clicking on the links below. The idea with these
links is for you to learn more about the way forces behave so you can
more effectively map them on your site. We’re talking about wildfire,
wind, noise, and others.

Site Analysis

• Things to Notice During Site Analysis

• Permaculture Assessment Phase: Quick Summary
• Sector Analysis Overview
• List of Site Analysis Elements

Fire

• Brief Overview: Wildfire Patterns by Region

• Global Fire Map

Sectors | 119
 • Global Fire History Search
• Video: Fire Behavior In the Wildland/Urban Interface
• Firewise: Home Ignition Zone

Wind

• Worldwide Wind Forecast

• Global Wind Flow Charts
• US Wind Map

Pollutants

• Global Air Quality Map

US

• Local Pollutants
• EPA Toxic Industry Map

Canada

• National Pollutants Google Earth Layer

UK

• Local Sites of Pollution

120 | Sectors
 • Air Quality Forecast

Crime

• World Crime Index Map

• World Crime Index Ranking
• Trees and Trash Impact Neighborhood Crime
• City Repair: Building Community

Ice

• World Snow and Ice Cover

• My Land Plan: Ice Storms

Wildlife Corridors

• Landscape Design For Wildlife

• Nature ID Guide

Sectors | 121
13. Solar Aspect

Understanding the way the sun moves across the sky

and changes throughout the seasons is a crucial part of
creating a design that is responsive to the existing
conditions of a place. Mapping solar aspects and the
ensuing micro-climates is a step on the path of creating
a Permaculture design.

The sun can be the most important sector to map for your design
site, depending how close or far you are from the equator. Especially
in temperate zones, which tend to be further from the equator,
mapping the sun sector and designing in response to that sun sector
is of utmost importance. The video below provides a basic outline of
how to map solar sectors.

122 | Solar Aspect

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Solar Aspect | 123

 • Intro to Permaculture: Solar Aspect – Video Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: O Aspecto Solar – Tradução
Português

It can be very challenging to fully comprehend the sectors in a two-

dimensional format, like this screen! The best way to learn how the
sun moves across the sky is to observe it over time throughout the
seasons. The goal is to internalize the sector compass, where when
you show up at a location and identify the cardinal directions, you
automatically know where the sun will rise and set on the Summer
and Winter Solstices’ and equinoxes. This gives you a tool for quick
site analysis, where you can read the conditions of a place and
understand some of the major design parameters in an instant of
observation.

Explore Solar Sector Resources

Explore solar sectors by clicking on the links below. These provide

some tools and perspectives for better understanding the solar
aspect and the seasonal movement of the sun.

Passive Solar Design

• Passive Solar Explained

• Videos: Passive Solar Construction
• 10 Stages to Passive Solar Building Design

124 | Solar Aspect

Solar Positioning

• Create Your Local Solar Path Chart

• Sun+Shadow Global Position Map
• Sun Calculator Map
• Find My Shadow Global Map
• US: Average Solar Radiation Map

Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/solar-eclipse-sun-flare-solar-1482921/

Solar Aspect | 125

14. Microclimates

Microclimates are areas that have a different climate

from the space around them, and there are many
reasons why they occur. This page defines and explores
microclimates. When we do site analysis, we are
studying and identifying microclimates. In design, we
are intentionally creating microclimates for more
diversity on our site. This page explores microclimates,
both analysis and creation of them.

Microclimate

126 | Microclimates
This video takes a look at some factors that create microclimates,
and the practical nature of understanding microclimates. We look
at how the solar aspect and exposure to wind can combine with
vegetation that has fire as a part of its’ life cycle to create a potent
fire sector.

Microclimates | 127
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• Intro to Permaculture: Identifying Microclimates – Video

Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: Identificando os Microclimas –
Tradução Português

Featured Links

• Fire Ecology
• Use Microclimates for Frost Protection by Joel Glanzberg and
Ben Haggard
• Factors Affecting Microclimates
• Finding and Creating Microclimates

128 | Microclimates
City Shadows

This brief animated video illustrates how large buildings in cities

creates major sun and shade areas. When tall buildings are placed
without regard to the movement of the sun, then many other areas
can lose out of good solar orientation.

Microclimates | 129
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• Intro to Permaculture: Assessing Solar Aspect in UrbanAreas –

Video Transcript
• Introdução a Permacultura: Acessando o Aspecto Solar em
Áreas Urbanas – Tradução Português

Featured Links

• ACROS Fukuoka Building: Japan

• ARCOLOGY: Solar City Design

130 | Microclimates
Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/forest-fire-flames-burning-
water-991479/
https://pixabay.com/en/tower-city-buildings-
architecture-863498/

Microclimates | 131
PART IV
SECTION 3 -
PERMACULTURE DESIGN

Introduction

Welcome to Section 3, where we delve into

Permaculture design methods and principles. We are
moving up the Permaculture tree, from pattern
observation to site assessment, and now to design.
Watch the welcome video and enjoy the module!

Section 3 - Permaculture
Design | 133
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• Intro to Permaculture: Module 3 Overview – Video Transcript

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module you will be able to:

• Identify Permaculture design principles

• Identify Permaculture zones
• Memorize scales of landscape permanence order

134 | Section 3 - Permaculture Design

15. Design as a Response to
Zones and Sectors: Cause
Studies

It’s now time to combine the zone and sector mapping

tools to create a Permaculture design. Below are 5
examples of Permaculture sites located in different
climates and including different scenarios.

Let’s see how the theories of zone and sector design are actually
put into place on sites from very different climates and situations.
Using mostly overhead imagery from Google Earth, we’ll examine

Design as a Response to Zones and

Sectors: Cause Studies | 135
the design patterns of each specific site to understand the process
used to create the Permaculture design. Think about your own site
while you watch these. What are the major forces that you need
to address for your unique location? Is it privacy, pollution, strong
sun, or wildfire danger? Each site has its own set of conditions, and
every Permaculture design is site specific. So enjoy watching these
videos and learning how each of these sites was designed using
Permaculture.

Melliodora, Australia

This is David Holmgren’s site again in Australia, and in this video we

put together the zone and sector analysis to illustrate the pattern of
the site’s design.

136 | Design as a Response to Zones and Sectors: Cause Studies

Design as a Response to Zones and Sectors: Cause Studies | 137
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• Intro to Permaculture: Design as a Response to Zones and

Sectors – Video Transcript

Featured Links

• Melliodora Site
• Melliodora eBook

Kinesi Orphan’s Garden, Tanzania

This is a site meant to feed orphans and help the families who take

138 | Design as a Response to Zones and Sectors: Cause Studies

them in. It was developed with the support of the Global Resource
Alliance, and planned by well-known African Permaculturists, Alias
Mulambo and Julious Piti.

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• Intro to Permaculture: Design as a Response to Zones and

Sectors – Tropics – Video Transcript

Featured Links

• Global Resource Alliance

• Permaculture Takes Off in Tanzania

Ecohood, Arizona, USA

This is the former home and demonstration site of Andrew Millison

in Prescott, Arizona, USA. It is a 1/8 acre urban lot in the high desert.

140 | Design as a Response to Zones and Sectors: Cause Studies

Design as a Response to Zones and Sectors: Cause Studies | 141
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• Intro to Permaculture: Design as a Response to Zones and

Sectors – High Desert Microclimate Development – Video
Transcript

Featured Links

• Ecohood Ideas Take Root in Older Neighborhood

• Ecomachine

Milagro Co-housing, Tucson, Arizona, USA

This co-housing community is an excellent example of many

Permaculture design strategies, especially water harvesting and
passive solar design. Try and guess what natural feature the
community is patterned after as you go through the video.

142 | Design as a Response to Zones and Sectors: Cause Studies

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• Intro to Permaculture: Design as a Response to Zones and

Sectors – Low Desert Community – Video Transcript

Featured Links

• Milagro Cohousing

Organoponico, Sancti Spiritus, Cuba

Small organic farms are everywhere in Cuba, and Permaculture

design is firmly embedded in the design and fertility cycles of these
farms, called “organoponicos”. This video explores the design of one
such farm.

144 | Design as a Response to Zones and Sectors: Cause Studies

Design as a Response to Zones and Sectors: Cause Studies | 145
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• Intro to Permaculture: Design as a Response to Zones and

Sectors – Tropical Food Systems – Video Transcript

Featured Links

• Organoponicos
• Cuba Permaculture Pilgrimage

Image Sources

http://www.gettyimages.com/event/lucas-schifres-
archive-531356237#-picture-id461115728

146 | Design as a Response to Zones and Sectors: Cause Studies

16. Scales of Permanence

Another perspective on design that had an influence

on the formulation of the Permaculture design system
are the Scales of Landscape permanence, originated by
Australian agricultural innovator P.A. Yeomans, who
developed the Keyline Design system. Watch this short
presentation on this system to see how the scales of
permanence illustrate the order in which elements
should be designed for.

The Scales of Landscape Permanence or the Keyline Scales of

Permanence (KSOP) is a perspective-changing system that
teaches the best order of design for elements in the landscape.
It begins with Climate, then Landform, Water, Access, Trees,
Structures, Subdivision, and finally soil. Watch this video to
understand some of the reasoning behind the KSOP, and see how

Scales of Permanence | 147

this design theory was applied on an actual site in Southern Oregon,
USA.

148 | Scales of Permanence

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• Intro to Permaculture: Scales of Landscape Permanence –

Video Transcript

Featured Links

• Siskiyou Permaculture

The Scales of Landscape permanence originated with Australian,

P.A. Yeomans, who has a rich body of work himself. Browse the
links below to learn more about the work of P.A.Yeomans and his
trademarked “Keyline Design System”. One special link to point out

Scales of Permanence | 149

is Geoffrey Booth’s Keyline Video Archive. This is a complete
collection of all the educational videos made by P.A.Yeomans’ last
century when he developed the system, and it is a rich archive
for anyone who really wants to get to the root of it. Also in the
resources below you’ll see links to the Regrarians. This is the
organization of Australian, Darren Doherty, who is the world’s
foremost expert on Keyline design and a very accomplished
designer with 1000’s of designs and installations under his belt.

Additional Resources

• Regrarian’s Platform
• Regrarian’s eHandbook
• Keyline Planning and Cultivation
• Yeomans Keyline Systems Explained
• Planning for Permanence
• Permaculture Keyline Water Systems: Tom Ward @ Wolf Gulch
Farm
• Permaculture Keyline Water Systems: Don Tipping @ Seven
Seeds Farm

Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/landscape-mountains-
abendstimmung-640617/

150 | Scales of Permanence

17. Design Methods Resources

This page provides a number of links to learn more

about Permaculture design methods. There are
resources here from some of the best out there, so take
your time to explore this page.

image

Zones and sectors are one way of assessing and designing a site,
but they are not the only ones. In his book “Permaculture Designer’s
Manual“, Bill Mollison dedicates a dense 35 page chapter to
“Methods of Design”. The links below provide a taste of some of
these other design methods, as well as more on the zones and
sectors. There are many great books on Permaculture out there,
more than anyone could read at this point, but if you are going to go
deep into Permaculture, it’s worth it to invest in the “Permaculture
Designer’s Manual”. It’s considered the ‘bible’ of Permaculture, and
I’ve personally been reading it for 20 years, and still reference it
frequently. If you want recommendations on other Permaculture
books, here’s author and teacher Toby Hemenway’s Permaculture
reading list that are all vetted titles. Please enjoy the links below and
get designing!

General Design

• Melliodora: Holmgren Designs

Design Methods Resources | 151

 • Design Techniques by Bill Mollison
• Designing For Permaculture by Bill Mollison
• Overview of Design Methods
• Design and Sequence by Tim Murphy
• Overview of Energy Efficient Planning
• Example of the Design Process
• Farm Planning and Land Design via the Regrarians Platform

Design by Needs and Outputs

• A Way of Seeing by Joel Glanzberg

• Quick Overview of Inputs and Outputs
• Nitrogen Fixing Trees
• Starting Your Permaculture Garden
• Djanbung Gardens Integrated Garden
• Pigs: Products and Behaviors to Connect Systems
• Closing the Loop On Waste Using Chickens
• Composting with Worms

Video

• Guilds with Toby Hemenway

• Urban Design by Sectors

Design by Zones and Sectors

• Observing and Creating Microclimates

• Short Guide to WindBreaks
• Landscape for Windbreaks

152 | Design Methods Resources

 • Windbreak Characteristics and Design
• Grow More by Paying Attention to Microclimates by Joel
Glanzberg

Podcasts

• Design For Temperate Zones and Cold Climates

• Designing Passive Systems That Work
• Using Earthworks to Prevent Erosion
• Geoff Lawton Presents: “Permaculture – A Designer’s Manual”

Image Sources

http://www.gettyimages.com/pictures/japan-kyushu-region-
miyazaki-prefecture-takachiho-cho-view-news-photo-506005919

Design Methods Resources | 153

18. Permaculture Principles

The Permaculture Principles guide our design

decisions and organize the structure of our
Permaculture system. We are using David Holmgren’s
version of the principles, where they are consolidated
into 12. These principles should be learned in order to
help inform all of your future Permaculture work.

154 | Permaculture Principles

12 Permaculture Principles

This video explains the 12 Permaculture Principles as put forth by

co-founder David Holmgren. These principles are the last piece of
the Permaculture decision making matrix and provide a clear set of
guidelines by which we design our sites.

Permaculture Principles | 155

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156 | Permaculture Principles

 • Intro to Permaculture: The Permaculture Principles – Video
Transcript

The Permaculture Principles cover a lot of ground. In David

Holmgren’s book “Permaculture Principles and Pathways Beyond
Sustainability” he goes deep into the theoretical side of each one of
these principles, talking about their physical and social aspects, and
placing the whole Permaculture design system in the context of the
modern age. The principles are a very potent tool to use, and much
time can be spent thinking about how you can put them into action
on your own design site.

Links

• David Holmgren’s Permaculture Design Principles

• The Permaculture Association: 12 Design Principles
• Knowledge Base – Overview of Principles
• Tips for Self-Regulation
• Applying Permaculture Principles
• TC Permaculture on Producing No Waste
• The Permaculture Student: Permaculture Education for
Children

Videos

• Principles in a Polyculture Orchard

Permaculture Principles | 157

Songs

• Look Around by Charlie Mgee

• Yield by Charlie Mgee
• Limits by Charlie Mgee
• Oil by Formidable Vegetable Sound System
• No Such Thing As Waste by Charlie Mgee
• Patterns by Charlie Mgee
• Small and Slow by Charlie Mgee
• Many Many by Formidable Vegetable Sound System
• The Edge Is Where It’s At by Charlie Mgee
• Change by Charlie Mgee

Podcasts

• Principles in Practice
• Observe and Interact
• Catch and Store Energy
• Obtain a Yield
• Apply Self-Regulation and Accept Feedback
• Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services
• Design From Patterns to Details
• Integrate Rather Than Segregate
• Use and Value Diversity
• Creatively Use and Respond To Change

Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/recycling-reuse-1202274/

158 | Permaculture Principles

19. Zones

Zones are a key design tool that we use in

Permaculture, and they are part of the decision making
matrix. Zones are concerned with the level of human
activity, efficiency of movement, and human effort on a
Permaculture site. This page defines and explores the
zone concept.

Zones in the Matrix

This video reminds us of the Permaculture decision making matrix,

and puts the zone design system in perspective with the rest of the
matrix.

Zones | 159
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• Intro to Permaculture: Zones in the Matrix – Video Transcript

Permaculture Zones

This video explains one of the hallmarks of the Permaculture

system, the zone design method. Placing elements in the landscape
based on their frequency of use distinguishes this from other
approaches to placement. Watch the video.

160 | Zones
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Zones | 161
 • Intro to Permaculture: Permaculture Zones – Video Transcript

As mentioned in the video, most projects are not fortunate enough

to have the idealized concentric circle zone model. Each site is
unique, and the zones need to be seen more as a guideline then a
strict set of rules. The zone model can be adapted for the particulars
of your site. There’s a much different perspective on zones
depending if you are in an urban, suburban or rural location. Here
are some links to articles about zones that are a good compliment
to the video lecture:

• Urban Permaculture Zones & Sectors

• Urban Permaculture Zone 4: Harvesting the Urban Landscape
• What is ‘Zone 0’?
• ‘Zone 00″: Right Intentions, Wrong Term

More on zones

A Permaculture site is divided into zones. Zones take into account

the human energy use and flows within a system in order to reduce
unnecessary travel time between areas. Zone analysis is about
understanding the patterns of human movement within a space in
order to place design elements where they are naturally and easily
given the attention they require. By analyzing movements like what
pathways you typically follow, where in your yard you find yourself
hanging out, and how often you use a particular area you can begin
to decipher a pattern of how humans flow and interact with your
design space.
Understanding the five zones allows for a design that considers
the most effective placement of components and how they relate to
each other. Each zone has a different requirement for maintenance
and function. Zones 1 and 2, or the areas needing the most attention,
are placed closer to the home and heavy traffic areas while zones

162 | Zones
3, 4, and 5 radiate out from heavy traffic areas as upkeep needs
become less intensive. Let’s take a look at each zone individually.

Zone 1

Zone 1 is the area nearest the home or area of most traffic. Elements
that are placed in zone 1 are things that require daily attention,
observation, and frequent upkeep. By placing high maintenance
plants and/or structures next to areas that you pass every day, you
are more likely to give them the attention they need with little to no
extra effort.

Herb and kitchen vegetable gardens are an example of elements

often placed close to the house in zone 1. By placing them close by, it
is just a quick step outside to gather necessary cooking ingredients.
If you had to walk all the way across your property to gather herbs
chances are you would be less inclined to use and maintain them.

Zones | 163
Other examples of elements that could be placed in zone 1 would be
soft fruits like strawberries or raspberries, poultry laying boxes, and
kitchen compost bins.

Zone 2

Zone 2, often thought of as the home orchard, is the area that is

semi-intensely managed and requires observation and maintenance
every few days. This zone may be present along areas of heavy
traffic or extended through more outlying areas. Zone 2 can be
made up of different elements depending on if the land in question
is urban or rural.

In an urban setting, zone 2 may include shrubbery, perennial

gardens, longer cycle vegetable gardens and areas that require
occasional weed control and mulching. In a farm or rural setting,
zone 2 may also include managed livestock, beehives, and orchard/

164 | Zones
fruit trees. Typically, plantings in zone 2 are fully irrigated and
protected by mulch or tree guards.

Zone 3

Zone 3, known as the farming zone, includes field crops and

production areas. This is where the main crops are grown that
require minimal maintenance and attention once established. Crops
in zone 3 are typically visited once a week or less. It is easy to think
of zone 3 in large farmland or rural settings as the ‘cash crop’ area
filled with crops such as corn, wheat, rice, bamboo, etc., and pasture
land.

In an urban area, zone 3 can be thought of in a few different ways.

Many urban designs designate the lawn as a modified pasture which
can fall into this zone. Another way zone 3 can be incorporated into
urban plots is to think of the neighborhood and city as an extension

Zones | 165
of your land. While it is common for many urban gardens to only
directly have zones 1 and 2, it is not uncommon for the surrounding
neighborhood to have many potential crops for harvest, such as,
fruit trees, rose hips, currants, nuts, dandelions, etc. These crops
could be seen as the zone 3 of your urban garden.

Zone 4

Moving farther away from the center of living, zone 4 is a semi-

managed area full of self sustaining forests and woodlots that
require very little care or attention. This area is where wild foods
and timber are collected. Zone 4 may also be used to pasture
animals on occasion to manage and control tree growth. Trees may
also be thinned in this area in order to allow for select varieties to

166 | Zones
grow. Zone 4 is often used as a buffer between wilderness areas and
cultivated land.

Zone 5

Zone 5 is the un-managed wilderness area that requires no

intervention. This area is visited for recreation and appreciation
and is made up of naturally occurring plants and wildlife. Although
zone 5 is typically not present in an urban setting, a possible
wilderness element could be a wild thicket utilized for habitat in the
outskirts of an urban yard.

Zones are an extremely helpful design tool in permaculture. By

identifying the zones around a home, one can begin to organize and
decide where elements should be placed in the landscape based on

Zones | 167
human traffic and maintenance needs. Remember that zones are
not a hard boundary but rather a conceptual diagram of the flows
within the system.

Image Sources

http://www.gettyimages.com/pictures/aaron-parker-is-a-
permaculture-landscaper-who-will-speak-at-news-
photo-489291636
http://www.gettyimages.com/pictures/organic-farmer-
andrew-monk-harvesting-some-zucchini-on-his-news-
photo-134601141

168 | Zones
PART V
SECTION 4 - CLIMATES

Introduction

Welcome to Section 4! In this section we will do a

survey of some of the major design strategies for
systems in different climates. This is a really broad
overview, with the hope of whetting your appetite to
learn more on your own. We provide many links to
further resources for you to pursue.

Section 4 - Climates | 169

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• Intro to Permaculture: Module 4 Overview – Video Transcript

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this section you will be able to:

• Articulate major design strategies for each climate

170 | Section 4 - Climates

20. Soil

SOIL! It’s a crucial part of life, especially for food

production. For this video we have brought in a guest
lecturer Jacob Kollen who has a Master’s degree in Soil
Science and Hydrology from Oregon State University,
was a Permaculture student of Andrew’s back in 2011,
and is a self professed soil nerd. Enjoy Jacob’s
presentation and explore the links below.

Permaculture is well known for the multitude of soil building

practices employed in Permaculture design systems. Some you may
have heard of and some not, with exotic names like vermicompost,
humanure, and hugelkultur. The video below does not go into

Soil | 171
specific strategies, but takes the wider view for you to understand
the foundations of soils, and how they differ based on your climate
zone. We welcome Jacob Kollen, a former OSU Permaculture
student who has gone on to earn Master’s Degrees in Soil Science
and Hydrology.

172 | Soil
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• Intro to Permaculture: Permaculture Soils Perspective – Video

Transcript

Featured Links

• Soils Instructor Jacob Kollen’s Website

• Global Soils Map
• Interactive Global Soils Data

Soil | 173
Additional Resources

The video above presented a more macro perspective on soils, and

now the links below provide more specific details about
Permaculture soil management strategies and methodologies for
the various climate zones. This is not an exhaustive list of links, but
please browse through your climate zone and other links as well.

Tropics

• Tropical Food Forest- Chop and Drop

• Earthworks for Soil Building in the Tropics
• Phayao Permaculture in Thailand
• Tropical Soil Building Techniques Part 1
• Tropical Soil Building Techniques Part 2
• Tropical Soil Building Techniques Part 3
• Tropical Soil Building Techniques Part 4

Dryland

• Dryland: Sand Dune Stabilization by Carl Wachtmeister

• Hopi Tutskwa Permaculture: Lasagna Beds in the
DesertThrough Cover Cropping by Kate Tieman
• Imprinting Soils: Creating Instant Edge for Large Scale
Revegetation of Barren Lands

Temperate

• Sheet Mulching Strategy for Healthy Soil by Cathe’ Fish

174 | Soil
 • Hugelkultur: The Ultimate Raised Garden Beds
• The definitive Guide to Building Deep Rich Soils by Imitating
Nature

Video

• Urban Soil Building Methodologies in Temperate Climates

Multi-Climate

• Soil Science Basics for Beginners

• Soil Food Web: Dr. Elaine Ingham
• Overview: Origin of Soils and How They Influence Capability
and Uses of Soil
• Building Soil by Imitating Nature
• PRI- DIY Compost

Video

• Suburban Chicken Rotation System

Podcast

• Building Healthy Soil by Dr. Elaine ingham

Soil | 175
Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/green-landscape-tree-nature-
soil-973596/

176 | Soil
21. Trees

Permaculture is permanent agriculture, and there is

no plant that is more permanent in the landscape then
trees. Trees are a foundational element of a stable and
enduring Permaculture system. In the presentations
below, we explore the characteristics of trees, and their
typical patterns of use in Permaculture systems for the
various climate zones. Explore the links below to gain a
deeper insight into the many benefits of trees.

Trees are important for so many reasons that we’ve already

discussed throughout the book. Trees are incorporated into
Permaculture projects at all scales and in all climate zones. In the

Trees | 177
next series of videos we discuss the importance of trees and look at
their use in the major climate zones.

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• Intro to Permaculture: Trees in the Permaculture Landscape –

Video Transcript

References

• New York Times – Forest’s Role in Weather Documented in

Amazon

Trees in Dryland Climates

Trees | 179
Trees in dryland climates are tied into rainwater harvesting
earthworks for their establishment. It takes extra water for a tree to
get its roots down into the soil where it can survive on rainfall alone.
So often times earthworks are constructed to concentrate storm
runoff where trees can take advantage of excess water.

180 | Trees
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• Intro to Permaculture: Permaculture Trees in the Drylands –

Video Transcript

References

• Dryland Salinity
• Dryland Salinity Mitigation and Trees

Trees | 181
Trees in Temperate Climates

Throughout the temperate regions, there is adequate rainfall and

trees can survive and thrive on their own without needing to divert
excess water to them. Many temperate regions will naturally revert
to forest anyway if un-managed. So forest management is a big part
of designing tree systems in temperate regions.

182 | Trees
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Trees | 183
 • Intro to Permaculture: Permaculture Trees in Temperate
Climates – Video Transcript

Featured Links

• Aprovecho
• Sustainable Forestry at Aprovecho

184 | Trees
Trees in Tropical Climates

Trees | 185
Trees in the tropics are where nutrients are held, and they play
a vital role in stabilizing the tropical ecosystem. The tropics are
where we see the most pronounced forest layers, with tall and low
canopies, and climbing vines.

186 | Trees
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• Intro to Permaculture: Permaculture Trees in the Tropics –

Video Transcript

References

• Multifunctional Shade Tree Management in Tropical

Agroforestry Landscapes – A Review
• Characterizing the Traditional Tree Garden Systems of
Southwest Sri Lanka

Additional Resources

Browse the links below to learn more about trees and their uses in
the different climate zones.

Dryland

• Restoring the Sonoran Desert at Barnes Butte Bajada by Gary

Paul Nabhan and David Valenciano
• Revitalizing Barren Ground: A Succession Model by Tim
Murphy
• Sonoran Desert Native Tree List

Trees | 187
 • How to Plant a Desert Tree
• Salt Tolerant Plants
• Mongongo Trees in the Kalahari Desert

Video

• Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration in Africa

• 30 Years of Greening the Desert: Flowering Tree
• High Desert Permaculture: 15 Years Later

Tropical

• Rainforest Regeneration
• SOIL Haiti – Occidental Arts & Ecology Center
• Avocanoes at Zaytuna Farm
• About Cohune Palm

Video

• Willie Smits: How to Restore a Rainforest

Temperate

• Nitrogen Fixing Trees for Snowy Regions

• Aprovecho Sustainability Education Center

188 | Trees
Video

• How to Make a Temperate Forest Garden Part 1

• How to Make a Temperate Forest Garden Part 2

Podcasts

• Restoring Tall Grass Prairie and Tree Crops with Ben Tyler

Multi-Climate

• Forests in Permaculture by Bill Mollison

• Shelter Trees and Water Saving Techniques
• Bioremediation Basics
• Restoring Natural Stream Hydrology
• Permaculture Design International Restoration Projects
• Urban Experimentation on Getting Rid of Unwanted Plants in a
Garden by Joel Glanzberg
• Animals as a Discipline to the System
• Tree Soil Companions in Three Different Climates
• Nitrogen Fixing Trees to Cure N2 Deficiency

Image Sources

http://www.gettyimages.com/pictures/old-maple-tree-covered-
with-moss-in-the-hoh-river-news-photo-452253482
http://www.gettyimages.com/pictures/baobab-tree-is-

Trees | 189
surrounded-by-reeds-and-stagnant-water-in-an-news-
photo-133851151
http://www.gettyimages.com/pictures/agroforestry-man-
picking-acai-fruits-sustainable-work-news-photo-524047246

190 | Trees
22. Shelter

Buildings and structures are an important part of the

human element in a Permaculture system. Ecological
design and green architecture are vast fields that we are
just scratching the surface of on this page, but the video
provides a simple overview of building design for the
major climate zones, and the links below provide a
direction for further study.

Ecological building design is a vast subject, with many great

architects and builders with a long history of innovation and
demonstration. Ecological architecture is it’s own field that overlaps
with permaculture in many places. Natural and environmentally

Shelter | 191
sound building practices are a hallmark of many Permaculture sites.
The video below is a very basic introduction, with the links below
filling in some more detail about specific building materials and
systems for the major climate zones.

192 | Shelter
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• Intro to Permaculture: Permaculture Shelter Design – Video

Transcript

Featured Links

• Rocket Stove Mass Heater

• Masonry Heater
• Taos Pueblo
• Earth Sheltered Homes

Additional Resources

The field of ecological housing design and building is vast, and this
is not a complete list of resources or information. This is a collection
of a bit of information for each major climate zone, and then more
information that applies to multiple climate zones. Browse these
links, and if you’re interested, keep searching on your own. There’s
a lifetime’s worth of amazing information out there!

Tropics

• Shaping Buildings for the Humid Tropics

Shelter | 193
 • Earth Building in Thailand
• Hurricane Proof Building

Temperate

• An Overview of Indigenous Building Materials

• Rocket Mass Heaters
• Making an Earth Oven

Drylands

• What is Super Adobe?

• The Berber Cave Homes of Tunisia
• Patterns of Sustainability in Desert Architecture

Multi-Climate

• Tiny House Movement

• 50 Impressive Tiny Houses That Maximize Function and Style
• Natural Homes from Around the World
• Overview of Natural Building Materials
• Auroville Earth Institute
• Building Bale Walls by Tim Farrant

Cob

• The Cob Builders Handbook by Becky Bee

194 | Shelter
 • Cob and Earthen Plaster Example
• How to Build a Cob House with Cob Construction
• Mud and Wood: What is Cob?
• Making a DIY Earthen Floor
• Build Naturally with Cob

Adobe

• Adobe Floor Basics and How To

• Earthen Floor Recipe from Sustainable Nations
• Building an Adobe House
• Making Adobe Bricks

Image Sources

http://www.gettyimages.com/pictures/indonesia-flores-island-
bena-village-ngada-tribe-news-photo-539062276

Shelter | 195
23. Food

Permaculture is most well known for it’s food systems

and forest gardens. This video and the links below
provide an introduction to producing food in
Permaculture systems and what that looks like in
different climate zones. Watch the video and browse the
links to learn more!

This video looks at some of the major themes for food production
in Permaculture systems. We address some controversial topics like
genetically engineered organisms, and do a quick breeze through
the major themes and strategies of food production in the major
climate zones we are looking at in this class.

196 | Food
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Food | 197
 • Intro to Permaculture: Permaculture Design for Food – Video
Transcript

References

• Dryland Pasture Management

• Unesco – Environmental Impacts of Converting Moist Tropical
Forest to Agriculture and Plantations

Featured Links

• Permaculture Design International’s Maui Tomorrow Land

Visioning Plan

There is much more to Permaculture food production then can be

covered in the video presentation above, so we encourage you to
look through these links as an introduction into Permaculture food
systems. Aside from the major climate zones listed below, there are
resources and strategies for high elevation areas, the Subtropics,
cold deserts, sand dune areas, and the list goes on. The techniques
of food production are many, and the plant choices and methods are
very specific to the conditions of each area. A Permaculturist in a
region inevitably becomes an experimenter and propagator of good
edible plant varieties. The field is wide open, and by no means has it
all been figured out, so go out there, make plenty of mistakes, and
share your successes.

198 | Food
Know Thy Plant!

Many species of plants are what we describe as “rampant”, which

is something that flourishes or spreads unchecked. Introduction
of some plant species into your site can create huge maintenance
problems for you, and also spread that plant into the surrounding
environment through seed dispersal and vegetative growth. So it’s
really important to do your research before introducing any new
species. Here’s a link to the United States Department of
Agriculture’s Noxious Plant List. The agriculture department of
your country should be able to provide a similar list.
Introduction of rampant and invasive species is a controversial
subject in the Permaculture field, and has been a source of conflict
between agricultural agencies, native plant enthusiasts, and
Permaculture’s horticultural experimenters. To read more on
Permaculture views on “invasion biology”, Tao Orion’s book “Beyond
the War on Invasive Species: A Permaculture Approach to
Ecosystem Restoration” is a well-researched text. This is not a
simple subject, and is one that warrants much consideration when
planning your food and forest systems.
“Know Thy Plant” is a good mantra when making any species
selection, and we encourage you to exercise great caution, because
the introduction of a new rampant species of plant or animal can
cause long term changes to an ecosystem and have many
unintended consequences. To learn more about the hazards of
introducing rampant or invasive species, please read this document.

Food | 199
Additional Resources

Tropics

• Tips on Growing Vegetables in the Tropics

• Banana Circle Construction and Placement
• Urban Frontyard Food Forest
• Suburban Garden Plan
• Cover Crops Solution Chart
• Seeing the Garden in the Jungle by Toby Hemenway
• Ahupua’a Explained
• Useful Tropical Plant List
• Subtropical Plant List for all Layers of a Food Garden

Temperate

• Mixed Vegetable Gardening for Temperate Climates

• Use Microclimates for Frost Protection by Joel Glanzberg and
Ben Haggard
• Simple Straw Bale Cold Frame by Sue Mullen
• Visit Sepp Holzer’s Permaculture Farm
• Temperate Climate Permaculture Plant Index
• Permaculture Q & A: Perennial Plants for Temperate Climates
• Carbon Farming Practices
• Masanobu Fukuoka’s Natural Farming and Permaculture

Dryland

• Keyholes for Dryland Gardens by Vicki Marvick

200 | Food
 • Desert Food Forest
• Using Edible Flowers by Ben Haggard in the Drylands
• Permaculture Under Saline and Drought Conditions
• Intensive Rotational Livestock Grazing
• Advanced Cell Grazing Livestock Systems at Zaytuna Farm
• Edible Plants in the US Desert
• Desert Harvesters: Appreciating the Native Foods of the
Sonoran Desert

Video

• Experiments in Urban Small Space Gardening in Mexico City

• Greening the Desert: Jordan

Multi-climate

• Natural Capital Plant Data base

• Annual Vegetable Polyculture
• Forest Garden Guild Building
• How to Build a Small Permaculture Vegetable Garden
• Getting Started with Rotational Chicken Pastures
• The One Straw Revolution by Masanobu Fukuoka

Podcasts

• Earth Repair Radio: Don Tipping onOrganic Seed Farming and

the GMO Struggle
• Earth Repair Radio: Rico Zook onPermaculture and India’s 400
Million Farmers

Food | 201
Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/pumpkins-vegetables-orange-
autumn-1004417/

202 | Food
24. Water

Water is life! The video below is a really brief

introduction to Permaculture perspectives on how to
design for water in the landscape. The links below
provide a bit more detail of the specifics of
Permaculture water systems in different climate zones.

The design for water is the bones of any Permaculture system. The
basic infrastructure, or the ‘mainframe’ of the design, is shaped
around working with the flow of water. Whatever the climate zone,
water needs to be a primary consideration. This video provides a
very basic outline of the way we view water and the strategies we
employ to design for water in the Permaculture landscape.

Water | 203
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204 | Water
 • Intro to Permaculture: Permaculture Design for Water – Video
Transcript

Featured Links

• Al Baydha Project
• Brad Lancaster: Harvesting Rainwater for Drylands and Beyond
• Chinampa
• Ethel M Chocolates Living Machine

There are several different projects highlighted in the video, as well

as images of a number of others that are not named. Browse these
links below to see a number of project examples that are focused
on water systems. Whether you are working with water scarcity,
abundance, or over-abundance (flooding), the Permaculture
perspective on water can help you assess your situation and use
clear strategic guidelines to choose the best design for the water on
your site. Remember the watershed, and that all water is ultimately
connected in the hydro-logic cycle. When your design works
harmoniously with water, then your piece of the watershed is
functional, and helps to benefit everything downstream from you.

Additional Resources

Dryland

• Dryland: The Man Who Farms Water by Brad Lancaster

• Brad Lancaster Books: Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and

Water | 205
 Beyond
• Zvishavane – Dryland Water Harvesting
• Swales for Water Retention in Drought Stricken Areas
• Kykotsmovi Village Desert Gardens
• Build Sand Tanks for Dry Land Water Storage by David
Bainbridge

Temperate

Video: Sepp Holzer – Aquaculture: Synergy of Land and Water

Tropics

• Chinampas
• Chinampas of Mexico City
• The Art of Gardening on Wetlands
• How to Build a Gravity Fed Aquaculture System

Multi-Climate

• Constructed Wetlands Treat Waste Water with Weeds

• Common Reed for Constructed Wetlands
• Building an Urban Greywater Reedbed
• Magical Orchard Greywater Design
• Building a Simple Biological Greywater System
• WET Systems for Waste Purification and Resource Production
• Urban Street Runoff Harvesting
• Water Filtration Systems
• How to Construct a Dirt Catchment for Harvesting Surface

206 | Water
 Runoff by Daniel Howell
• Permaculture International Water Solutions
• Rainwater Catchment Calculations

Podcast

• Earth Repair Radio: Neal Spackman: How to Make it Rain in the

Desert

Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/sunrise-lake-water-scenic-182302/

Water | 207
25. Energy

Energy systems in a Permaculture design are small

scale and decentralized, using renewable sources. The
video below gives a very brief glance at types of
renewable energy systems commonly employed, and the
links below provide further avenues for exploration and
study.

Between coal, nuclear, natural gas, oil, oil shale and tar sands, the
production of energy is one of the more destructive activities of
human civilization. The first step is to reduce consumption of
energy to reasonable levels that recognize the environmental
impacts of non-renewable energy sources. After conservation,

208 | Energy
deriving renewable energy sources is the way to go. The video below
is a brief overview of the most commonly used renewable energy
sources that we find in Permaculture systems.

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Energy | 209
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• Intro to Permaculture: Energy Systems Permaculture – Video

Transcript

Additional Resources

Please browse the links below that provide more information about
the major renewable energy types highlighted in the video. Think
about what renewable energy source is most feasible in your
location, and pay special attention to that section of links.

• Energy and Permaculture By David Holmgren

• Overview of Alternative Energy Sources
• Energy Cycling
• Combining Natural Building for Energy Efficiency by Catherine
Wanek

Sun

• Retrofitting for Passive Solar

• 10 Stages to a Passive Solar Building from Design to Build
• How to Build a Simple Solar Water Heater by Dan Dorsey
• How to Build a Simple Solar Oven by Dan Dorsey
• Types of Solar Thermal Collectors
• Permaculture Association: Solar Hot Water
• DIY Off Grid Solar System

210 | Energy
Wind

• Windmill Power Basics and FAQ

• Permaculture Magazine: The Viability of Wind Turbines
Questioned
• Small Wind Case Studies
• Energy Saving Trust: Wind Turbines
• Small Wind Guidebook

Water

• Planning a Microhydropower System

• Water Wheel Engineering
• Small Scale Hydropower Example

Biomass

• Sustainable Wood Lot in a Dry Climate

• Really Saving Energy: Paul Wheaton (Rocket Stove Information
at 11 Minutes into Video)
• Podcast: Biochar, Gasification, and Woodlot Management
• Biomass Fuels from Sustainable Land Use: A Permaculture
Perspective by David Holmgren
• Compost Water Heaters With the Jean Pain Method
• Heating a Greenhouse with Compost and Manure by Maddy
Harland

Energy | 211
Geothermal

• How Geothermal Energy Work

Decentralized Energy and Microgrids

• Example: How to Build Your Own Portable Microgrid

• What is Decentralized Energy?
• Living Energy Learning Center: Community Microgrids
• Guide to Developing Community Renewable Energy Projects in
North America

Image Sources

http://www.gettyimages.com/pictures/small-domestic-biogas-
plant-methane-and-carbon-dioxide-news-photo-129371267

212 | Energy
26. Community

No one exists in isolation. Our impacts all affect each

other, both on the social and environmental levels.
Permaculture is about integration, and community is the
way that comes to life! Sharing Permaculture with
friends, neighbors, and relatives is the way we reap the
benefits of the abundance that a Permaculture system
creates.

The Permaculture Principle “Integrate Rather then Segregate”

makes a not so subtle allusion to community. The power of people
working together towards a common goal is one of the most potent
tools that we have, and it’s a tool which enables the physical and

Community | 213
non-physical structures of a Permaculture system to be put into
place. Watch the video below to get a perspective on how
Permaculture can build and improve communities.

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214 | Community
 text. You can view it online here:
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• Intro to Permaculture: Building Community – Video Transcript

Featured Links

• The City Repair Project

• Communitecture
• Planet Repair Institute
• Nahalal, Israel

Additional Resources

Browse the resources down below to learn more about community.

There are two different threads here. One is about changing the
existing community you already live in to one which is embedded
with Permaculture principles. The other is about building
community from the ground up. Either way, there are many ways to
use Permaculture design to assist that process.

• VillageLab
• ReInhabiting the Village | Co-Creating Our Future
• NuMundo- Finding Communities Around the World
• Pathways to Resilience: Permaculture and Prisoner Re-entry
• Alternative Money Systems
• Biology Based Resilient Cities
• Building an Intentional Community

Community | 215
 • Global Ecovillage Network
• Patterns to Revitalize Your Neighborhood by Andrew Millison
• Lessons in Village Design by Peter Bane
• Building Community through Permaculture
• Permaculture International: Resilient Community Design
• Planting Justice

Podcasts

• Earth Repair Radio: Pandora Thomas on Building the Garden of

Social Relationships
• Social Permaculture. Creating a Diversity of Functional
Connections Between People and Their Skills

Video

• The Power of Community – How Cuba Survived Peak Oil

• Reclaiming the Public Commons: Mark Lakeman
• Mark Lakeman on Urban Permaculture

Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/seminar-motivation-joy-of-life-711675/

216 | Community
27. Where to From Here?

Join our guest from British Columbia Permaculture,

Javan Bernakevitch, as he provides some direction about
how to take this information and do something useful
with it! Javan offers a challenge for you to complete
after this book, so watch the videos and participate in
the 10/10/100 challenge.

We have offered information to fill your minds and your heart with
inspiration – but what do you do with all that? Our guest Javan K.
Bernakevitch has spent years working with Permaculture students
to answer that question, providing students with a framework to
figure out ‘where to from here?’. Enjoy the video and discover your
own ‘Zones of Brilliance’ and your next steps after this course.

Where to From Here? | 217

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• Intro to Permaculture: Where to From Here? – Video

Transcript

10/10/100 Challenge

Javan and the whole Intro to Permaculture team are challenging you
to make something real out of this book in the 10 days following the
end of your reading. Watch this video to get the details and come up
with your own idea for the challenge!

218 | Where to From Here?

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Where to From Here? | 219

 • Intro to Permaculture: 10-10-100 Challenge – Video Transcript

10/10/100 Challenge Facebook Page

Further Permaculture Education

As mentioned in the video, there are a number of ways of learning

where and what to do next regarding education in permaculture.
Permaculture is a gateway. It’s a way to make sense of the world
and bring in many different disciplines for the same goal. To take
more responsibility for ourselves and for that of our children and
community.
The Permaculture Design Course was and is the flag ship way of
learning about permaculture. This can be taken in the traditional
residential course where you go to class every day, or even live
where the course is being held. Part time courses are held as well to
accommodate modern schedules. Further accommodating courses,
like the Oregon State University’s online PDC, provide a 10 week,
academically rigorous course with a low student to instructor ratio,
that focuses on comprehension and design.
Other courses have long term immersions of months or even
years.
Find the course that’s a best fit for you, in your ecology and
for what you think you would like to do with your permaculture
knowledge. Remember you don’t DO permaculture, you USE
permaculture in what you do.
From there you can intern at a specific site or learn more about
your specific Zones of Brilliance and native niches, reaching out to
mentors and instructors that are specific to your niche.

220 | Where to From Here?

Life Design – Zones of Brilliance

Thanks for making it through the book. In a world of increasing

variability and volatility, most come to permaculture to learn about
the solutions that can help the world and by effect, each other.
It’s easy to look at others and think, “That’s what I should do”, yet
it’s our gifts, passions, and focus that we bring into permaculture
which can be our greatest offering to our community.
The first video above explains one part of a three part process
Javan created to help individuals use permaculture design, patterns,
strategies and techniques to create their own right livelihood. A
livelihood that is within their ethics and beliefs.
Coming from an overdeveloped world we bring many societal
beliefs with us into our work. Three major aspects that most of
us were never taught, but are essential for living a right livelihood
are: creating long term objectives (Map), decisions making abilities
to achieve those objectives (COMPASS) and ways to reach our
objectives (ROUTES).
“Where to From Here” provides the MAP, COMPASS AND
ROUTES.
In this video we’ll discuss the ROUTES. These are ways you can
take your interest in permaculture one step further. By observing
and evaluating your inherent gifts, perennial passions, and problems
you enjoy struggling with, we can discover your native niches. The
places where you naturally excel, and the many ROUTES or paths
that can lead to your objectives.
From here, businesses, hobbies, collaborations and further study
can be engaged in. Permaculture is a broad way of looking at the
world, thus it can include – EVERYTHING. That’s a lot to to take in.
Working through your Zones of Brilliance can provide a simple
way to figure out your next step from here.
If you’d like to learn more about this work, visit Javan and All
Points design here.

Where to From Here? | 221

10/10/100 Challenge

Now that you’ve watched the video, here’s the deal:

Starting tomorrow, take what you’ve learned, or learn a bit more
about a specific element, technique, strategy, principle or design
and DO SOMETHING with it!
Improve yourself, experiment, share what you’ve learned, build,
create, dive into your native niche, contact one of the organizations,
instructors or individuals introduced to you in this work; make
tangible the intangible of your education.
You may be an experienced individual in permaculture, or brand
new… it does not matter. All are invited and all are challenged to
make something of your time here.
Then, share it with others via the link above on Facebook. If you’re
not on Facebook, have a friend or acquaintance post it for you.
Document your effort and post only once with:
– Photos of your work
– What you did
– Why you did it
– How it relates to permaculture
– What you’re heading towards next
Make your time here on the planet meaningful, make it important,
make it yours.
If you’d like to learn more about Javan K. Bernakevitch, visit Where
to from Here, All Points Land Design, through Permaculture BC or
view permaculture videos on his two YouTube
channels, here and here.

222 | Where to From Here?

28. World Permaculture
Organizations

These are links to many of the world’s Permaculture

organizations, divided by region. Permaculture was
developed as a decentralized network, and not a top-
down organization, so there is no one organizational
body which has control over the network. It’s the
pattern of the mycelial web, with
independent cooperative organizations interlinking
throughout the planet. Find the one nearest to you and
connect with them! This list is not exhaustive; there are
certainly reputable organizations that did not make it on
this list, and apologies go out to anyone who was not
included but should be.

World Permaculture
Organizations | 223
Permaculture Design Firms

• Permaculture Design International

• Terra Genesis International
• Regenesis – Santa Fe, USA
• Whole Systems Design – Vermont, USA
• Earth Flow Designs – Los Angeles, CA, USA
• All Points Land Design – B.C., Canada
• Terra Phoenix Design– Washington State, USA
• Holmgren Design – Australia
• Regrarians – Australia
• Southwoods Permaculture – Minnesota, USA
• Permaculture Artisans – Sabastopol, CA, USA
• Ecology Artisans – San Diego, CA, USA

Professional Training

• The Ecosa Institute (Free tuition)

• Permaculture Skills Center

Global Permaculture Organizations

• The Permaculture Association

• We the Trees
• Permaculture Global
• Permies Discussion Forums
• World Permaculture Association
• Sadhana Forest

224 | World Permaculture Organizations

Magazines

• Permaculture Magazine UK
• Permaculture Magazine North America
• Permaculture Design Magazine

Podcasts

• Earth Repair Radio with Andrew Millison

• The Permaculture Podcast with Scott Mann
• Diego Footer’s Creative Destruction
• Sustainable Living Podcast
• Sustainable World Radio

World Permaculture Organizations | 225

Centers and Institutes by Region

Asia

Mount Everest, Nepal

• Permaculture Institute Asia

Thailand

• Panya Project
• Sahainan – Nan
• Permaculture Institute Thailand
• Phayao Permaculture Center

226 | World Permaculture Organizations

Philippines

• Permaculture Philippines
• Cabiokid Permaculturehttps://cabiokid.wordpress.com/

Malaysia

• Murujan
• Permaculture Perak

Laos

• Sustainable Laos Green Building

Indonesia

• Jiwa Damai Bali Retreat and Permaculture

• Tri Hita Karana Bali

Nepal

• Sunrise Farm Himalayan Permaculture

• Nepal Permaculture Group

India

• Permaculture Society of India

• Aranya Agricultural Alternatives- India

World Permaculture Organizations | 227

 • Permaculture Patashala

China

• Hangzhou Permaculture Education Center

Japan

• Permaculture Center Japan

North America

Mount Denali, Alaska (U.S.)

228 | World Permaculture Organizations

 • Permaculture Institute of North America
• Permaculture Magazine North America

United States

• Quail Springs Permaculture – Southern California

• Regenerative Design Institute – San Francisco
• Earth Activist Training – San Francisco
• Black Permaculture Network
• Occidental Arts and Ecology Center – Sonoma County, CA
• Permaculture Institute of the Northeast
• The Permaculture Academy – Los Angeles
• Spiral Ridge Permaculture – Tennessee
• The Farm- Tennessee
• Permaculture Research Institute Cold Climate – Minneapolis
• Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute – Colorado
• Midwest Permaculture – Illinois
• Permaculture Design Build Collaborative – Illinois
• Seeds Sustainability Consulting – New York
• The City Repair Project – Portland, OR
• Aprovecho – Oregon
• Siskiyou Permaculture – Oregon
• Permaculture Rising
• The Permaculture Activist – Indiana
• The Permaculture Institute – New Mexico
• School of Permaculture – Texas
• Cascadia Permaculture – Oregon
• Friends of the Trees Society

Canada

• Permaculture BC

World Permaculture Organizations | 229

 • OUR Ecovillage – Vancouver Island
• Permaculture Research Institute of Saskatchewan
• Permaculture Institute of Eastern Ontario
• Verge Permaculture – Alberta

Mexico

• Mas Humus
• Bosque De Niebla

Central America, South America, and the

Caribbean

Mount Aconcagua, Argentina

230 | World Permaculture Organizations

Trinidad

• Wa Samaki Ecosystems

Barbados

• Permaculture Research Institute of Barbados

• Walkers Reserve

Belize

• Maya Mountain Research Farm

Costa Rica

• Rancho Mastatal Education Center

• Punta Mona Center for Regenerative Design and Botanical
Studies

Ecuador

• Permaculture Caimito
• Seed Guardians Network of Ecuador
• Rio Muchacho Farm, Eco-lodge, Education

Guatemala

• The Yoga Forest

World Permaculture Organizations | 231

Nicaragua

• Project Bonafide

Argentina

• Instituto Argentino de Permacultura

• Na Lu’um Latinoamerica

Brazil

• Instituto de Permacultura da Bahia

• Ecocentro IPEC

Chile

• The Permaculture Institute of Chile

• El Manzano

232 | World Permaculture Organizations

Europe

Mount Elbrus, Russia

Austria

• Krameterhof
• Permakultur Austria

Sweden

• Ridgedale Permaculture

World Permaculture Organizations | 233

Portugal

• Casalinho

Scotland

• Tap o’ Noth Permaculture – Aberdeenshire

Italy

• Italian Academy of Permaculture

Bulgaria

• Green School Village

• Balkan Ecology Project
• Permaship

Britain

• Northern School of Permaculture

• The Permaculture Association of Britain
• Map of Projects
• Permaculture Magazine
• Designed Visions

234 | World Permaculture Organizations

Denmark

• Permakultur Denmark

Norway

• Norsk Permakulturforening
• Polar Permaculture Solutions – Svalbard

France

• Permaculture Eden
• Eco-Centre Le Bouchot
• Popular University of Permaculture
• Brin de Paille

Germany

• Permakultur Akademie

Greece

• Re-Green Greece
• Permaculture in Greece

Holland

• Permacultuur Nederland

World Permaculture Organizations | 235

Ireland

• Carraig Dulra Organic and Permaculture Farm

Africa

Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

South Africa

• Permaculture Design South Africa

• Ukuvuna

236 | World Permaculture Organizations

Kenya

• Permaculture Research Institute Kenya

Egypt

• Permaculture Egypt

Ethiopia

• Strawberry Fields Eco Lodge

Zimbabwe

• PORET
• Chikukwa Project

World Permaculture Organizations | 237

Middle East

Mount Damavand, Iran

Palestine

Global Campus Palestine

Marda Permaculture Farm

Lebanon

SOILS Permaculture Association – Lebanon

238 | World Permaculture Organizations

Israel

Kibbutz Lotan Center for Creative Ecology

Jordan

Permaculture Research Institute of Jordan

Saudi Arabia

Al Baydha Project

Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand

Mount Kosciuzsko, Australia

World Permaculture Organizations | 239

Australia

• Permaculture College Australia

• Permaculture Australia
• DIY Food and Health
• Permaculture Sydney Institute
• Geoff Lawton
• Regrarians
• Northey Street City Farm – Brisbane

New Zealand

• Permaculture in New Zealand

Tasmania

• Permaculture Tasmania

Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/world-map-globe-pattern-
texture-987594/
http://www.gettyimages.com/event/sir-edmund-hillary-back-
to-celebrate—everest-climb-2000449#-picture-id2010355
https://pixabay.com/en/mount-mckinley-mountain-
alaska-554762/
http://www.gettyimages.com/pictures/high-angle-view-of-
mountain-ranges-aconcagua-andes-news-photo-89174587

240 | World Permaculture Organizations

 http://www.gettyimages.com/pictures/descending-mount-
elbrus-russia-news-photo-526986170
https://pixabay.com/en/kilimanjaro-mount-volcano-
volcanic-342702/
http://www.gettyimages.com/pictures/view-of-mount-
damavand-seen-on-a-clear-blue-sky-day-on-1st-news-
photo-573685625
http://www.gettyimages.com/pictures/main-range-with-
mount-kosciuzskoat-left-of-centre-of-news-photo-157891125

World Permaculture Organizations | 241

About the Author
Andrew Millison brings over 20 years experience in designing and
building permaculture projects to his teaching and wants to share
that rich, real-world experience with his students.
He has been studying, teaching and practicing permaculture since
he took his first design course in 1996. He began teaching
permaculture design at the college level in 2001 and has been an
instructor at Oregon State University in the Horticulture
Department since 2009. Andrew currently teaches the
Permaculture Design Course and the Advanced Permaculture
Design Practicum at OSU on campus and online.
Andrew first learned permaculture design in the drylands of
Arizona, where he studied for his undergraduate and master’s
degrees at Prescott College. His focus was on rainwater harvesting,
greywater systems and desert agriculture. He started a
permaculture landscape design and build company and also worked
in an ecologically-based landscape architecture firm.
In recent years, Andrew’s focus has been more on broad scale
farm planning, permaculture housing developments and obtaining
water rights. In 2015 he founded Permaculture Design International,
a collaborative design firm that works on large-scale global projects.
You can stay current with Andrew’s Permaculture conversations
on his podcast www.earthrepairradio.com.

About the Author | 243