“Permaculture is an innovative framework for creating sustainable ways of living; a practical method for developing ecologically harmonious efficient and productive systems that can be used by anyone, anywhere.” (Permaculture Magazine)

In short, it is a design technique, the application of which will yield sustainable systems. These systems were originally agricultural, but Permaculture design techniques may be applied to other social systems with equal efficacy.

The fundamental tenet of Permaculture is that we should work with the grain of nature, not against it. By observing and imitating the patterns and pathways found in natural ecosystems we may create more robust and sustainable agricultural systems.

Permaculture is the design and implementation of ecologically based and therefore ecologically sound systems, which ultimately fulfil some human need. It attempts always to minimising impact on the rest of the biosphere by integrating and aligning with it. To understand how all this cashes out in our daily life, it may help to place Permaculture in its historical perspective and expand the above comments.

You can get further information on the principles and methods of permaculture from these excellent sources and others:

• The Permaculture Association UK – one of the most informative and useful permaculture web sites worldwide.

• Permaculture Magazine – British based and with the widest circulation of any permaculture publication.