Permaculture: a permanent culture
Permaculture is a concept created by Bill Molisson and David Homgren inspired by the functioning of nature. It seeks to design sustainable human societies (including farming systems) inspired by natural ecosystems. Its concepts of design are based on an essential principle: to position each element in the best possible way so that it can interact positively with the others. The objective? To create beneficial interactions that create a balanced and resilient ecosystem. Therefore, each function is fulfilled by several elements and each element fulfills several functions, the waste of one becomes the products of the other, allowing the whole to be more than the sum of the parts.
Permaculture design can be applied to numerous different things; it integrates ecological construction, agro-ecology and renewable energies in a flexible and pragmatic vision, which can be adapted to each territory, to the needs and aspirations of each person or community.
Permaculture is a science as well as a philosophy and an art of living. Personally, it is the science of permaculture that fascinates me more than the other aspects and it is in particular the sustainable agricultural practices that interest me. Some examples that are implemented in my garden: not tilling the soil to stimulate beneficial microorganisms that help plants acquire nutrients and water, using mulch to protect the soil against erosion and the sun. and create optimal conditions to promote populations of auxiliaries (frogs, natural enemies pests etc.).
Agroecology
Maybe you know agroecology and you think "what's the difference between permaculture and agroecology?". The truth is, there is a great similarity between permaculture and agroecology, especially the used farming practices show great similarity. Like permaculture, agroecology is a science as well as a social movement, but the most important difference between the two is that agroecology is recognised by researchers as a real science while permaculture is often seen exclusively as a social movement. I studied agroecology at the Institut Supérieur d'Agriculture Rhône-Alpes in Lyon and conclude that concerning the agricultural practices, agroecology and permaculture can be used interchangeably (I do it all the time). To learn more, I invite you to click on this link, and this one.
