The word “permaculture” was created by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in the 1970s as a contraction of the terms “permanent” and “agriculture” to indicate sustainable agriculture and ethical land management.
This design system was born to design sustainable, productive, balanced and aesthetic habitats, through the recognition, use and harmonization of landscape elements (morphology, climate, land, water, vegetation, animals), while leaving as much space as possible to “wild” nature.
By seeking to reproduce the diversity, stability and flexibility found in nature, in systems that are as similar as possible to natural ecosystems, the main objective remains to create a production that is achievable, sustainable, highly energy-efficient, with full respect for living beings and their mutual relationships, based on a “non-predatory” and “non-parasitic” lifestyle.
Over the years, the objective of harmoniously integrating man into his habitat, by developing mutually supportive relationships between the elements of the environment and people’s needs, has expanded and evolved into a sustainable culture in which people, buildings, social structures and economic strategies play an increasingly essential role.
Its strength and topicality lie in the fact that it is not a fixed method but a “mode of action” that takes into consideration the biodiversity of each ecosystem with its needs and resources. It is a synthesis of ecology, geography, anthropology, sociology and design.
Do you want to know more about it?
Download David Holmgren’s Essence of Permaculture in PDF format