What is Permaculture?

 

Permaculture, or permaculture in English, can also be defined as 'permanent agriculture', i.e. 'permanent' and 'agriculture'; it can also be defined as 'permanent culture', i.e. 'permanent human culture'.

 

Permaculture is the study of consciously designing and sustaining agriculturally fertile ecosystems with diversity, balance and resistance as in natural ecosystems. It is aimed for land and people to exist in harmony; to meet human basic needs such as food, energy and shelter in a sustainable and ethical way.

 

Permaculture is a very effective and successful system for moving towards sustainable living. Its essence is a synthesis of natural living and production systems that have been successful in various parts of the world so far.

 

Many permaculture projects are carried out worldwide(http://permacultureglobal.org/).

 

Permaculture work is scalable. It offers important and effective solutions in a wide range of areas, from the establishment of small food-producing gardens on balconies and roofs in cities to self-sufficient natural farms, eco-villages and the revitalisation of large areas of degraded, degraded, desertified areas.

 

Permaculture Design Stages & Works

 

As a prerequisite for permaculture design, land exploration and digital model acquisition studies should be carried out. Studies to be carried out in line with the incoming information and data:
 

• Determining the locations of the structures to be built on the land

  • Site design in the field according to permaculture principles, slice analyses

  • Main living areas, warehouse, workshop, guest house, greenhouse, animal shelters, etc.
     

• Determination of building materials and building types by considering local resources

  • Suggest building types, give examples, explain their advantages/benefits.

  • Natural building types/materials with which we have experience:

    • Stone/brick masonry structures

    • Timber frame + adobe

    • Geodesic domes

    • Passive solar buildings

    • Structures with steel structural system

    • Underground hobbit houses

    • Green/earth-roofed buildings

    • Horasan mortar

    • Tadelakt plaster ...
       

• Design of in-land access

  • Placement of roads, paths in the design

  • At the same time identifying the possibilities of water retention by roads/paths - storage of the water flowing through them in ponds/stores
     

• Soil enrichment

  • According to the results of soil analyses, explaining the necessary works and possibilities for further revitalisation and fertility of the soil in the land, suggestions

  • Suggesting plant species suitable for the existing soil structure

    • If there is a possibility of establishing a food forest, food forest design is also done.

  • While revitalising the soil, efforts to take carbon dioxide from the air with growing plants and bury the carbon in the soil (thanks to such efforts, grants can be obtained from carbon taxes in international carbon markets).
     

• Water retention proposals

  • In the dry season, water retention and having a water source is mandatory for the continuation of fertility and life in the soil.

  • Our country is not rich in soil, water retention in the land will become more and more important day by day against the drought that has started to be experienced in our region due to climate change.

  • One of the basic principles of permaculture design is to capture and store the energies coming to the land. In this context, we try to keep the rain and snow water falling on the land within the land, for this purpose:

    • Ditches / bumps

    • Terraces

    • Ponds are installed.

  • Possible aquaculture proposals: fish, aquatic plants with commercial value, etc.

  • Ponds can both beautify the landscape and increase fertility by creating microclimate zones
     

• Natural Food Production

  • Determination of the natural foods needed/demanded in line with the customer vision, planting and planting possibilities

  • Possible plant species

  • Possible animal species and suggestions for meeting their needs (animal shelters, animal feed production needed on the land, etc.)

  • If greenhouse is needed, greenhouse location, effective greenhouse design suggestions
     

• Clean energy recommendations

  • Solar and wind energies coming to the land can also be captured. Electricity and hot water can be produced from the sun, electricity can be produced from the wind.

  • Places where clean energy systems can be installed are determined

  • The energy (electricity, heating, etc.) needs that the settlement may need are determined, and clean energy systems with the capacity to meet these needs are recommended. (Detailed design of clean energy systems is not made here, only capacities are determined and recommendations are made).

  • Suggestions for the evaluation of subsoil heat: The subsoil temperature is between 9-12 degrees Celsius 1 metre below the ground and deeper. This heat can be used for heating and cooling of structures (buildings, greenhouses). Heating and cooling costs can be reduced by up to 40%.
     

• Landscaping Works, Utilisation of Empty Land

  • Assessing the land in line with permaculture neighbourhood design: where, how to utilise it, where to use it as pasture, forest or staple food production area

  • Integrated pasture management with plants, animals, if any, and suggestions for the establishment of cycles

  • Establishing multiple benefit relationships between the components of the landscape and explaining these benefits

  • Identification and design of possible microclimate zones
     

• Recycling proposals, waste management

  • How to evaluate black and grey water of buildings

  • Recycling of organic waste from kitchen and land: compost fertiliser, biogas production possibilities

  • Mulch transformation of pruned branches
     

• Design for abundance and fertility

  • As a result of a successful permaculture design, abundance and fertility should be achieved over time. As a result of the implementation of this project, the designer designs the possible abundance in line with the vision and mission of the customer and offers suggestions.

  • Utilisation of local natural resources: value added product possibilities

    • Possibilities of transforming both the products that will come out of the land and the products that can be obtained locally into value-added products

  • Identification and diversification of possible sources of income

    • Ecotourism, nature tourism

    • Natural products of the campus (clean foods, healing products, etc.)

    • Sustainable life trainings

    • Workshops, excursions, camps