permaculture

["paul wheaton" <paul@richsoil.com>]

It seems that everybody has a different definition.

When I'm asked what permaculture is, I relate the story of how the
sahara was once jungle and savannah.  Folks learned about agriculture
and started cutting down trees to plant their crops.  After a few
years, the soil would be awful and they would cut down a new batch of
trees.  Then the climate changed.  There is debate over whether the
cutting of the trees caused the climate change.

Then there is a natural desert in australia.  Trees are planted and
babied for a few years.  Then left on their own.  The area is growing
larger by itself - no further human input.  And ... some speculate ...
that the climate is starting to become wetter.

So I've been repeating this for a long time.  So long that I cannot
remember where I heard the second part.  The first part I think is
well known.  Can anyone help me with sourcing the second part?

And - yeah, permaculture is much more than this, but this is the core
of it for me:  healing the earth.