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permaculture - Re: Permaculture definition (was Re: design courses)

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Subject: permaculture

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  • From: Michael Totten <mpt@crest.org>
  • To: Mike.Morris@iplan.co.za
  • Cc: PERMACULTURE-MG@amani.ces.ncsu.edu
  • Subject: Re: Permaculture definition (was Re: design courses)
  • Date: Fri, 10 Nov 1995 11:38:34 -0500 (EST)



RE:

> How is it different from the sustainable agriculture movement?
> What elements make it permaculture, rather that sust. ag., bio dynamic,
etc.?


I've always thought one crucial difference of Permaculture from most
discussions of sus ag has to do with Permaculture's emphasis on
integrating agriculture, forestry and livestock systems so as to capture
value-added synergisms. The result, as in some traditional polyculture
farms in Africa, Asia and Latin America demonstrate, may contain 50 to
150 different species of trees, vines, shrubs, bushes, cover crops and
root crops. Sus ag, meanwhile, often focuses on ag, forestry and
livestock systems separately (although the agro-ecosystem work by many
sus ag experts moves more towards polyculture/permaculture designs).

Now, I admit i'm simplifying a complex field that really encompasses many
fine gradations.

Michael Totten
Director, Center for Renewable Energy & Sustainable Technology (CREST)
777 N. Capitol Street N.E., Suite 805, Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 289-5368 Fax: (202) 289-5354 EMAIL: mpt@crest.org
WEB: http://solstice.crest.org/
Gopher: gopher.crest.org FTP: ftp.crest.org




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