permaculture

[Felicity Wright <flickwright@ozemail.com.au>]

keller wrote:
> 
> > I think it is an error to as ask that pc 'compete' or justify itself
> > within the rules of this same system.
> I was not talking about any competition.
> 
> And I think it is an error to leave science to "this same system" instead of
> using it for our own purposes. Science can be used to strengthen our
> position and sort out what really works and what doesn't.
> 
> Andreas

But how does science undertake QUALITATIVE analysis of outcomes - which
seems to be one of the key issues that (PC) people find significantly
meaningful in their lives? It's really good at QUANTITATIVE analysis,
such as yields per acre/hectare, inputs, costs, percentage of protein or
crimp of wool ... but how can it work out the net affect of our decision
to revegetate more than 60 of our hundred acres to increase
biodiversity, create microclimates, reduce wind erosion and drying,
create habitat and wildlife corridors, lower the water table to reduce
the likelihood of salination in our catchment and finally... just ENJOY
the sight of growing indigenous pioneer species direct seeded onto our
rocky sites. Sure, we no longer have the 19 sheep that barely managed to
exist in the paddock under the previous owners and in the short term, at
least, our outputs are negligible and could be ample justification for
debunking permaculture if a quantitative short term anaylsis was
undertaken. 

Meanwhile we're concentrating on our most productive soil (less than
five acres), planting windbreaks and woodlots and indigenous seed farms
etc. and moving towards a degree of sustainability ... and networking
with our local community to work out what to do with our current and
future surpluses and sharing in theirs. Not a week goes by without a
sharing amongst local permies in some form or another of harvest,
resources, expertise, time etc.
 
If someone can devise a really comprehensive 'scientific' assessment of
Permaculture that takes into account qualitative and quantitative
factors, asessesses over a period of time and is prepared to look at the
impacts beyond the boundaries of the specific property (because our PC
doesn't stop at the fences) - then great, let's see it happen.

flick wright

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