What is Permaculture?

Permaculture is an holistic approach to land use design, based on ecological principles and patterns. Permaculture aims to create stable, productive systems that provide for human needs, harmoniously integrating the land with people. The ecological processes of plants, animals, water, weather and nutrient cycles are integrated with human needs and technologies for food, energy, shelter and infrastructure.

Elements in a system are viewed in relationship with other elements, and the outputs of one element become the inputs of another.

Within a Permaculture system:
* work is minimized
* wastes become resources
* productivity and yields increase
* and the environment is restored.

Permaculture principles can be applied to any environment, at any scale – from dense urban settlements to individual homes, from farms to entire regions.

by Bill Mollison posted on  http://northrockpermaculture.wordpress.com