Now over 40 years old, permaculture is reaching middle age and proving its ability to provide affordable, practical, positive solutions to create happy and sustainable lives filled with an abundance of healthy food. Permaculture began with Bill Mollison in Australia, while observing a forest he realized that “…this forest doesn't need fertilizing, weeding or watering and yet it still provides for all the life within in”. Mollison then went on to design "food forests" that provided food, fuel, fiber, and medicine with minimal human effort. This principle, to undertake the least amount of action for the most benefit, is central to the movement.
Permaculture principles have produced some incredible results, both here and abroad:
In the short video Greening the Desert, permaculturist Geoff Lawton established a food forest in Jordan, 400m (1,312ft) below sea level in salted soils. Using swales (contoured water harvesting ditches) the scarce Jordan rainfall had a chance to be held in the soil, providing water for fruit trees and even mushrooms (which shocked locals who had never even seen mushrooms before as there had never been enough water to grow them).
Sepp Holtzer established over 72 ponds and 9000 fruit trees, 1500m (4,921ft) above sea level in the Austrian mountains. He raises fish for profit (aquaculture) and, with his fruit trees and other crops, provide for his livelihood.
"Once planted, I do absolutely nothing," explained Holzer to Reuters, "It really is just nature working for itself - no weeding, no pruning, no watering, no fertilizer, no pesticides."
Closer to home Brandon Bauer created a perennial (year after year) garden system on Salt Spring Island, BC. In the farm’s 7th year, human effort dropped to 10% of previous years. What happened to production in year 8 after this dramatic change? Nothing. The farm produced at the same levels in year 8 as it had in year 7 but with 90% less human effort. Bauer essentially created a perennial food system that required less work and maintenance over time.
Permaculture is the thoughtful observation of a thousand acre farm or an apartment sized balcony. With observation, we can interpret and create systems not only for food but also for communities, harmonizing with the existing patterns to achieve maximum benefit with the least amount of effort.
For the individual, permaculture means:
• Less money, energy and time required to produce more food
• The ability to “see” resources where others only see “waste”
• Tips and strategies to conserve energy and strengthen communities
• Real-world solutions that you can implement today to increase your happiness, health and wealth
Permaculture BC is hosting a Permaculture Design Certificate on Salt Spring Island this summer from June 26-July 15, 2011. Taught in a 3-week format, the Permaculture Design Certificate is the premier permaculture education opportunity to acquire the theory, hands on experience, tools, methodology and skills needed to live happy, healthy and wealthy. Our ten instructors have more than 100 years of combined experience.
Permaculture means seeing all ecosystems and species as connected while creating beneficial relationships with all elements in a design. It also means more solutions and possibilities than obstacles that will allow for more time with friends, family, and your community.
Visit: www.permaculturebc.com to register or find out more.
Javan K. Bernakevitch operates Permaculture BC and offer design and consults in western Canada. His focus is on quality education inspiring students to apply permaculture to better their lives and communities.
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