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permaculture - RE: all theory thread DESIGN PRINCIPLES used in our course notes.

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Subject: permaculture

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  • From: Judith Hanna <jehanna@gn.apc.org>
  • To: "permaculture" <permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: RE: all theory thread DESIGN PRINCIPLES used in our course notes.
  • Date: Fri, 25 Aug 2000 12:12:42 +0100


"askpv" <askpv@ozemail.com.au> forwarded a useful summary of permaculture
design principles. But it lacks one of the fundamentals -- focus on local
resources.

This needs to be clear in the discussion of 'relative location', and of
'minimise energy inputs' (where it is lightly hinted at), and of 'context'.

It is also an important consideration for 'diversity' -- which, as Toby
flagged up a while back, is a more complicated aim than may appear on the
surface.

I've found myself shocked at times by people on this list blithely
discussing introducing plants from here, there and yonder -- some of them
already labelled as invasive weeds -- without discussing appropriateness to
context, effect on existing local ecology, or exploring potential local
plants with the relevant characteristics. Someone even dissed those who
raised such 'context' concerns as 'eco-fascists'.

It seems to me the essence of permaculture as design is *intelligent
application* of the broad principles -- with understanding of the
complexities and interactions underlying the soundbite mnemnonics. Any
principle can be misapplied by following it blindly and to extremes.
Nonetheless, having a handy
checklist of principles to test what you're doing against is better than
operating blind. And the permaculture principles -- albeit not yet set in
'tablets of stone' authorised canon -- are one of the best aids so far to
getting things right.

And people writing their own summaries, the mnemonics that work best for
them, is a way of gaining greater understanding than comes from simply
absorbing what someone else has written.

Judith
Judith Hanna
jehanna@gn.apc.org
15 Jansons Rd, Tottenham, London N15 4JU





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