July 17, 2008

Permaculture Problem Solving©

by Mary Anne Bowie, FAICP, Sarasota Green Marketplace 

The term permanent agriculture, agriculture that can be sustained indefinitely, was first coined by Franklin Hiram King in 1911. The term “Permaculture”, coined in the 1970’s refers to an approach that is both philosophical and physical. One of the goals of permaculture is to create perennial agricultural systems that mimic the structure and interrelationship found in natural ecologies.  Permaculture describes the way crops were originally grown in this country by native Americans.  Imagine multiple layers of growing plants from underground to the sky. Think cascading plants in a tropical rain forest and you begin to visualize permaculture. Plants grow at different heights. Permaculture creates a place where a diverse community of life can grow in a relatively small space. Plants come into leaf and fruit at different times of year.But more than just agriculture, modern permaculture is a system design tool. It is a way of:  1. looking at a whole system or problem; 2. seeing connections between key elements (parts); 3. observing how the parts relate, and 4. planning to mend sick systems by applying ideas learned from long-term sustainable working systems. Here are eight layers identified in plant permaculture.

1. The canopy – oaks, mangoes, large trees
2. Low tree layer –  dwarf fruit trees, papayas, kumquats
3. shrubs – southern blackberries, roses
4. herbaceous, plants with non-woody stems –  flowers
5. root crops – potatoes, carrots
6. Soil Surface cover crops – lettuce, broccoli, beans
7. Vertical Layer – climbers, vines
8. Mycosphere – fungi, is often also included.

In permaculture, we are learning from the working systems of nature to plan to fix the sick landscapes of human agricultural and city systems. It is possible to apply systems thinking to the design of a kitchen tool as easily to the re-design of a farm. So, next time you have a real problem, consider using the tools and philosophy of permaculture. Identify all the layers of a challenge and resolve them, one by one. Consider how nature might solve the problem and good luck.Sarasota Green Marketplace is Sarasota’s Only All-Green Home and Building Store, providing only eco-friendly products and services and promoting Sarasota Green Connection (SGC) Approved Businesses. Please visit us at 2864 Ringling Blvd. in the Gold Tree Plaza at the corner of Ringling Blvd. and Tuttle Ave.  Questions? Feel free to call us at 941.953.3588. We are open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10am to 6pm; and on Friday and Saturday from 8am to noon.  Ready to GO GREEN? we’re ready to help!   Any or all duplication of this blog is strictly forbidden under copyright law. For more information, please contact info@sarasotagreenmarketplace.com.

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