Integrated Permaculture Design
Permaculture is a design approach to creating integrated landscapes of people and nature — that benefits both.
At Coolearth we envision modern homes, cottages, workplaces, schools, and campuses integrated within lush, beautiful, delicious perennial food forests and ecosystems.
The philosophy behind permaculture is one of working with, rather than against, nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation; of looking at systems in all their functions; and of allowing systems to demonstrate their own evolutions. Permaculture design works with energy (sun, wind, water, snow) that come onto the site to improve life and health. It is based on observation, discussion, mapping, design thinking, knowledge, and management. By careful observation and the use of strategies that have been developed and shared from across North America and the world it is possible to create integrated landscapes.
Benefits of our permaculture design includes:
Design and Beauty
Lush, picturesque, landscapes which are also edible, delicious, and nutritious.
As designers, we bring a track record of creating and delivering elegant and functional designs, at many scales.
Low-maintenance & Durable
Landscapes with positive yield (food and mulch as opposed to gas fumes) and low maintenace sites, that are durable and last as long as possible
Resilience & Food Security
Ensure essentials needs are met (wood fireplace for heating, rainwater and grey-water collection, tuber and forage crops).
Bio-diversity and Health
Attract and provide homes for beneficial insects like bees, and sensitive creatures like salamanders
Yield & Food
Healthy, organic food grown at your doorstep.
Fueled by the sun, wind, rain, the systems should meet not only on-site needs by also the needs of people and communities.
Micro-climates & Comfort
Leveraging energy flows (wind, sun, rain, snow) on your site we can create increase health
Planting trees and perennial crops, as well as the use of mulch and compost helps embody carbon in the soil for generations.
Our services include the following:
- – Site Analysis
- – Goals/needs/desires/programming
- – Site Design,
- – Site Circulation – paths, roads, access
- – Zones of Use
- – Sector Analysis – incoming energy flows (sunlight, wind, water)
- – Gardens, food forests, ponds, swales
- – Greenhouses, shadehouses, sunrooms
- – Vision and brainstorming
- – Strategy and Phasing
- – Collaboration with engineers, landscape architects, and other professionals
Permaculture Resources
The examples of permaculture systems implemented to date show the great possibilities. See below for a few exciting examples:
Martin Crawford – Food Forest, England, Video
Geoff Lawton – Pioneer, Zaytuna Farms, Australia, food forest, educator
Rob Heart, Shropshire, 1960-70’s
Verge Permaculture – urban permaculture in Edmonton
Corsica Chestnut Groves – pigs, cows, goats and chestnut tree sivipasture
Myvatin Lakes, Iceland
Ancient Woodland – Forest of England, lumber system with oaks, hazels, etc
Ben Falk – Whole Systems Design
Books:
Bill Mollison, co-founder of Permaculture. “Introduction to Permaculture” and “Permaculture Designers Manual”
Toby Hemenway, “Permaculture in the City”, “Gaia’s Garden”
Ken Mudge and Steve Gabriel, “Farming the Woods”
Eric Toensmeier and Jonathan Bates, “Paradise Lot”
MasonobuFukoku – The One Straw Revolution
Videos:
Bill Mollison, “In Danger of Falling Fruit”
Robert and Robyn Guyton’s Food Forest
“From landscape architecture to conservation agriculture” by Thomas Woltz