Permaculture gives us the toolkit for moving from a cukture of fear and scarcity to one of love and abundnace
- Toby Hemenway -
Understanding Your Site
The first stage of a permaculture design is a detailed site analysis to obtain the information on climate, topography, water, soil, market factors and owner requirements and resources which will create the framework for selection of productive plant and animal species that will be used in the design. A site survey aims to collect all the information from a site, the owner and the environmental context which will inform and guide the design process.
Some of the main goals from this survey are to:
In the design of any system it is critical to take time to understand the context well, the dynamics of the environment, the outcomes expected by stakeholders and to research different approaches to delivering value and address problems or create new opportunities.
A site survey aims to collect all the information from a site, the owner and the environmental context which will inform and guide the design process.
Some of the main goals from this survey are to:
- Identify climate patterns.
- Identify topographical features, rainfall and volumes of water movement through the property.
- Identify areas on the landscape that are seasonally dry or wet.
- The capability and resources available to the landowner.
- The desired outcomes of the landowner and their and their nature.
- The soil conditions at the site.
- The influence of previous land uses.
- The influence of existing structures and land uses.
- The influence of surrounding land uses.
- Identify a range of suitable plant and animals species to include in the design (based on performance in similar landscapes and interest of landowner and/or market opportunities).
In the design of any system it is critical to take time to understand the context well, the dynamics of the environment, the outcomes expected by stakeholders and to research different approaches to delivering value and address problems or create new opportunities.
A site survey aims to collect all the information from a site, the owner and the environmental context which will inform and guide the design process.
Mapping Your Site
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A base map forms the basis for the design. Maps are easily acquired using Google Earth, Google Maps or other similar online tools. If you also can acquire a contour map showing the terrain, it will prove extremely useful during the next step.
The base map is a scale drawing showing the basic, permanent features of your design site. There’s a couple of ways to do it. A base map is the starting point for a permaculture design, in terms of laying out elements and design features on your design site, as well as site analysis and assessment. If you can’t get a map for whatever reason, maybe you could sketch one, creating a rough base map that shows the site’s most critical features and what is currently on it. I would suggest to include names, north indicator, location, scale, and anything that cannot be changed. Why make a base map?
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Site Characteristics
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Key to permaculture is good observation. Ideally you should do nothing for a year or so and simply grow familiar with the four seasons, the existing weather and environmental patterns; where’s the wind blowing, water flowing, pollution drifting, neighbours walking, exposure to sun and wind, and so on.
Walk the site and conduct surveys. What wildlife is there? What is the soil like, and does it vary across the site? What plants are growing on the site and in the wild? Identify any free or cheap resources available on or close to the site, along with water possibilities and sources on the land. What are the boundaries of the site, note the existing buildings and paths. Make lists of what you see. Most information comes from direct observation, but data from other sources can also be of aid. Search the internet for more detail about rainfall, hydrology, insolation, and wind speeds. Read up on the context of the site: regional (geographic) and bioregional (flora and fauna), site history and development patterns of the locality. Talk with neighbours and people from the local community to gather invaluable intelligence that may not be available from any other source. Once you have collected the bulk of information you need, now you are ready to analyse the data and see what it reveals. At this point, you should organise your observations and identify the strongest influences that you need to design for by exploring all the landscape’s components.
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Soil At Your Site
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Soil is a complex habitat, teaming with life. The sediments that make up that habitat have their origins from the erosion of local rocks and create sand, silts and clays that are mixed with organic matter from the decomposition of living things and modified by the slime of living creatures to create soil aggregates that change the water holding, water draining, air circulation and nutrient holding properties of the soil. With the appropriate combination of shelter, plants to provide sugars through photosynthesis and sources of organic matter for decomposes, the soil can support a thriving and diverse food web that maintains a steady recycling of nutrients in the soil to provide sustainable growth of productive crops. Different soil types have very different characteristics and it is crucial to understand the properties of soil at your site to make best use of those characteristics and provide suitable amendments and regenerative practices to restore the soil to optimal health. There are a range of soil tests that can be performed to understand the properties of soil and your site. Soil charts can be used to identify the particular type of soil you have. With thi knowledge you an decide what soil properties can be harnessed (or improved) to get better results at your site. You can also consider how different production systems set up at your site can be leveraged to build more organic matter into the soil and improve the health and diversity of the soil community. The most effective way of looking after the health of plants and animals at your site is ensuring you have a thriving soil community. |
Topography and Water
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The topography of a site is one of the most dominate aspects impacts the suitability of that site for different types of production. Ideally a gentle north facing slope should be sought (in temperate southern hemisphere climates), which will receive the most amount of sunlight to fuel plant growth of productive plants through photosynthesis.
Other advantages of the slope are that it allows water to drain away from the site, be captured, allow frost to flow of the site and allow nutrients to be captured in water. Areas of steeper slope are best used for tree crops which will stabilize the soil in this type of terrain and be useful for production. Areas of flat or little slope can also be very productive for intensive crops or high yield animals (like dairy) but are also at risk of flooding. Water flowing into our site, either from directly above as rain, from run-off coming from adjacent properties, or collecting in an area (such as a flood prone area) can he redirected into lakes, dams, ponds, irrigation channels, swales and other water management systems. Water is a major factor limiting production of crops and the increasing scarcity of water is poised as a major issue in global politics in the future. Water plays a crucial role in understanding site characteristics and is often of central focus in the layout and integration of systems on a farm. Wetter areas can be used specifically to grow very ‘thirsty’ plants and trees, which will help manage the excess water, or they can be converted to wetlands or bodies of water, such as ponds, lakes and dams for water storage. Water can be captured at an elevated point on the site, and being elevated, it is a store of what they call ‘potential energy’ in physics. The water can then flow under gravity to perform work, such as irrigation or water supply. Water flowing across a stream or river can be used to drive a hydroelectric generator to provide electricity or can have some of the flow diverted for irrigation purposes. |
Sector Analysis
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Sector planning is concerned with energies external to our site, the elements and forces of Nature, that come from outside our system, and pass through it.
These energies include:
Since these wild energies come into our system from outside, we can strategically place elements in our design to manage or take advantage of these incoming energies. By placing plants, trees or structures in the appropriate areas, we can:
Do a sector analysis and map the forces coming from outside the site, factors such as sun, wind, flooding, fire, pollution, and wildlife. By locating and mapping out the various sectors you can later place your pieces of design in proper relationship to the outside forces entering the site. |
Blocking Energy
Where external incoming energy is detrimental to our system, we can block its flow, preventing disruption to our system.
Wind is an element which often requires steps to manage it in most designs. Hot summer winds, cold winter winds, salty seaside breezes, and damaging dusty winds all need to be restricted in a design through the use of windbreaks. Windbreaks can be constructed using specifically resilient plants and trees, or by building protective structures.
Identifying where the summer sun and winter sun shines is important for managing the harsh midday and afternoon summer sun (north and west sun in southern hemisphere, south and west sun in northern hemisphere). Deciduous trees can be planted around the house to block the sun in summer, keeping the house cool. In winter, when the leaves fall, the low winter sun can warm the house naturally. Man-made structures can also be built around the house which take advantage of the sun’s low winter angle and high summer angle to provide summer shade and winter sun.
Another application of ‘blocking incoming energy’ is the screening of unwanted views. Trees, plants and structures can be erected to provide additional privacy, and block out unwanted views, while providing a more aesthetically pleasing alternative.
Channelling Energy
Free energy coming into our site from outside can also be utilised for our benefit. Wind can be captured to drive wind turbines or windmills, providing a source of free energy to the site which we can utilise for our purposes. Sunlight can be harnessed in the generation of solar power, solar water heating, drying foodstuffs and so forth.
An area of a site can be opened up or cleared to allow a natural energy to come into the system more easily. Sunlight is one of the elements of nature that we might want to increase in our design. If we have structures or trees blocking the light reaching our Zone 1 kitchen garden for example, rather than relocate the garden, we can clear the area to allow more light in. Where places are too shaded, we can thin out trees or branches to increase productivity from our available space.
Similarly, we can clear an area to create a view of a pleasant outside area. If we have potentially stunning views of mountains, lakes, forests or simply an inspiring piece of Nature from the home, we will want to clear and objects obstructing the view to take advantage of such a positive feature in our site design.
Where external incoming energy is detrimental to our system, we can block its flow, preventing disruption to our system.
Wind is an element which often requires steps to manage it in most designs. Hot summer winds, cold winter winds, salty seaside breezes, and damaging dusty winds all need to be restricted in a design through the use of windbreaks. Windbreaks can be constructed using specifically resilient plants and trees, or by building protective structures.
Identifying where the summer sun and winter sun shines is important for managing the harsh midday and afternoon summer sun (north and west sun in southern hemisphere, south and west sun in northern hemisphere). Deciduous trees can be planted around the house to block the sun in summer, keeping the house cool. In winter, when the leaves fall, the low winter sun can warm the house naturally. Man-made structures can also be built around the house which take advantage of the sun’s low winter angle and high summer angle to provide summer shade and winter sun.
Another application of ‘blocking incoming energy’ is the screening of unwanted views. Trees, plants and structures can be erected to provide additional privacy, and block out unwanted views, while providing a more aesthetically pleasing alternative.
Channelling Energy
Free energy coming into our site from outside can also be utilised for our benefit. Wind can be captured to drive wind turbines or windmills, providing a source of free energy to the site which we can utilise for our purposes. Sunlight can be harnessed in the generation of solar power, solar water heating, drying foodstuffs and so forth.
An area of a site can be opened up or cleared to allow a natural energy to come into the system more easily. Sunlight is one of the elements of nature that we might want to increase in our design. If we have structures or trees blocking the light reaching our Zone 1 kitchen garden for example, rather than relocate the garden, we can clear the area to allow more light in. Where places are too shaded, we can thin out trees or branches to increase productivity from our available space.
Similarly, we can clear an area to create a view of a pleasant outside area. If we have potentially stunning views of mountains, lakes, forests or simply an inspiring piece of Nature from the home, we will want to clear and objects obstructing the view to take advantage of such a positive feature in our site design.