Design Principles
Each Permaculture Planet property starts out with a full Permaculture Design Master Plan. This master plan design lays the framework for future project development which are guided by the three core tenants of permaculture: care for the earth, care for the people and return the surplus.
Permaculture Planet Properties include some or all of the following systems:
- Permaculture Design Master Plan
- Topography
- Earthworks
- Zones
- Master Plan Overview
- Permaculture Design Detailed Plans
- Access Systems (road and trail systems)
- Water Systems (natural spring water captivation)
- Food Systems (food forest, perennial food systems)
- Garden Systems (greenhouse, annual food systems)
- Shelter Systems (natural buildings, houses, cabinas, yoga decks)
- Electrical Systems (solar power systems, grid-tie solar systems)
- Hot Water Systems (solar hot water systems, rocket stove water heater)
- Natural Swimming Pool & Pond Systems (natural ponds & swimming pools)
Below is some more information on Permaculture that may be useful:
Zones
Zones intelligently organize design elements in a human environment based on the frequency of human use and plant or animal needs. Frequently manipulated or harvested elements of the design are located close to the house in zones 1 and 2. Manipulated elements located further away are used less frequently. Zones are numbered from 0 to 5 based on positioning.
Zone 0
The house, or home center. Here permaculture principles would be applied in terms of aiming to reduce energy and water needs, harnessing natural resources such as sunlight, and generally creating a harmonious, sustainable environment in which to live and work.
Zone 1
The zone nearest to the house, the location for those elements in the system that require frequent attention, or that need to be visited often, such as salad crops, herb plants, soft fruit like strawberries or raspberries, greenhouse and cold frames, propagation area, worm compost bin for kitchen waste, etcetera. Raised beds are often used in Zone 1 in urban areas.
Zone 2
This area is used for siting perennial plants that require less frequent maintenance, such as occasional weed control or pruning, including currant bushes and orchards, pumpkins, sweet potato, etc. This would also be a good place for beehives, larger scale composting bins, etc.. Food Forests are often implemented in small quantities in Zone 1, mid quantities in Zone 2 and the majority of the Food Forest is typically implemented in Zone 2 & Zone 3.
Zone 3
The area where main-crops are grown, both for domestic use and for trade purposes. After establishment, care and maintenance required are fairly minimal, provided mulches and similar soil appointments are used, such as watering or weed control roughly once a week.
Zone 4
A semi-wild area. This zone is mainly used for forage and collecting wild food as well as production of timber for construction or firewood.
Zone 5
A wilderness area. There is no human intervention in zone 5 apart from the observation of natural ecosystems and cycles. Through this zone we build up a natural reserve of bacteria moulds and insects that can aid the zones above it.
People and Permaculture
Permaculture uses observation of nature to create regenerative systems, and the place where this has been most visible has been on the landscape. There has been a growing awareness though that firstly, there is the need to pay more attention to the peoplecare ethic, as it is often the dynamics of people that can interfere with projects, and secondly that the principles of permaculture can be used as effectively to create vibrant, healthy and productive people and communities as they have been in landscapes.