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  • From: Rain Tenaqiya <raincascadia@yahoo.com>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [permaculture] animals in permaculture
  • Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 11:42:36 -0700 (PDT)

The question about animals in permaculture systems is not "Should we include
animals in permacultures?" but "How do we design for animals in
permacultures?" because animals are always part of ecosystems, whether we put
them there or not, from soil creatures to wild birds to wild small mammals
and so on. Large mammals introduced into humun ecosystems can produce many
benefits if properly managed, from weed control, to the utilization of wasted
food, to quicker nutrient cycling, but they are not a necessary component of
sustainable food systems, as demonstrated in numerous ecosystems and cultures
around the world (especially on islands). Many horticultural people have
intensely managed food systems near their homes with a limited animal
component surrounded by wilder areas where wild animals are hunted for meat.
Maybe this is a good model to imitate.

I am interested in exporing the idea that grazing mammals are the best choice
for grasslands, especially since I live in California where there is a lot of
grassland. I think it is impossible to make blanket statements about whether
or not we should use grazers when the context is not included. If growing
food only for yourself and a few others, it is probably possible to do so
from irrigated food forests and fields, even in a grassland, and use less
space than if you were to derive most of your food from grazing mammals.
Extensive irrigation may not be sustainable for large-scale production
systems, however (but I doubt that any large-scale production system is
sustainable), and in this context grazing might be more appropriate.
However, the fact that grasslands tend to be more fragile than forested areas
begs the question of whether the extensive domestication of grasslands should
even be considered. History shows that it is difficult to sustainably manage
grazers on
grasslands and huge areas of the world are now desert or severely degraded
because of this practice. Maybe (especially after the humun population
starts to decrease) we should allow grasslands to remain wild (possible used
only for hunting) and focus our food-growing efforts on more humid areas.

I would like to hear what others have to say about this.

Rain



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  • [permaculture] animals in permaculture, Rain Tenaqiya, 04/16/2004

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