permaculture
Self-sustaining land design
Permaculture is an approach to agriculture and land use that mimics natural ecosystems, emphasizing sustainability, biodiversity, and closed-loop resource cycles.
The term blends "permanent" with "agriculture" (or "culture").
Practitioners design gardens, farms, and communities where elements work together—plants that fix nitrogen, animals that control pests, water systems that harvest rain: We're converting the backyard to permaculture principles.
Independence from outside aid
- food-preservationPreventing edible spoilage
- fermentationMicrobial sugar conversion
- off-gridWithout utility connections
- solarOf the star
rainwater · canning · herbalism · cob · earthship · ecovillage · smallholding
Decayed organic fertilizer
- mulchProtective plant bedding
- humusDecayed organic soil matter
- vermicompostingDecomposition using earthworms
- biocharCharred biomass soil amendment
Defined territorial divisions
- guildsCraftsmen's mutual aid societies
- keylineOutline in graphic design
- stackingPlacing items vertically
- patternsRecurring arrangements or designs
synergy · swales · microclimate · integration · holism
Multi-species crop system
- no-tillUndisturbed-soil cultivation
- agroforestryTrees integrated with farming
- nitrogen-fixingConverting N₂ to ammonia
- intercroppingSimultaneous multi-crop cultivation
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- habitatOrganism's natural environment
- pollinatorsOrganisms transferring reproductive dust
- symbiosisInterspecies biological interdependence
succession · niche · interdependence · predator-prey · birds · amphibians · hedgerows · sanctuary
Shallow drainage depressions
- greywaterLight household wastewater
- contourBounding line of shape
- bermsRaised earth ledges
- pondsSmall freshwater bodies
cistern · infiltration · watershed · aquaculture · wetlands
System with feedback control
- regenerationBiological self-repair process
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
- sustainabilityCapacity to endure indefinitely
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
self-reliance · community · sharing · abundance · limits · responsibility
self-sufficiency
Independence from outside aid
- food-preservationPreventing edible spoilage
- fermentationMicrobial sugar conversion
- off-gridWithout utility connections
solar · rainwater · canning · herbalism · cob · earthship · ecovillage · smallholding
compost
Decayed organic fertilizer
- mulchProtective plant bedding
- humusDecayed organic soil matter
- vermicompostingDecomposition using earthworms
biochar · microorganisms · biofertilizer · earthworms · decomposition
zones
Defined territorial divisions
- guildsCraftsmen's mutual aid societies
- keylineOutline in graphic design
- stackingPlacing items vertically
patterns · synergy · swales · microclimate · integration · holism
polyculture
Multi-species crop system
- no-tillUndisturbed-soil cultivation
- agroforestryTrees integrated with farming
- nitrogen-fixingConverting N₂ to ammonia
ecosystem
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- habitatOrganism's natural environment
- pollinatorsOrganisms transferring reproductive dust
symbiosis · succession · niche · interdependence · predator-prey · birds · amphibians · hedgerows · sanctuary
swales
Shallow drainage depressions
ponds · cistern · infiltration · watershed · aquaculture · wetlands
closed-loop
System with feedback control
- regenerationBiological self-repair process
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
- sustainabilityCapacity to endure indefinitely
resilience · self-reliance · community · sharing · abundance · limits · responsibility
chickens
Domestic fowl for eggs
bees · tractoring · pest-control · fertility · eggs · aquaponics
- agriculturefarms, crops, farm, farmers, farming
- eco-friendlysustainable, fair trade, green, biodegradable, recyclable
- environmentalismecology, conservationism, recycling bins, campaigner, environmentalism
- food systemsfood supply, food distribution, food chain, food bank, food production
- gardeninggardener, gardening, flowers, seeds, soil
- eco actionsrecycling, composting, tree planting, water conservation, energy saving
permaculturemonoculture
Single-crop agricultural system
industrial agriculture · factory farming · monocropping · industrial farming · intensive farming
permaculturedeforestation
Large-scale woodland elimination
slash-and-burn · desertification · clear-cutting · strip mining
culture, permanent, cultivate, cultural, agriculture, cultivation, agricultural, culturally, horticulture