An Ecomimicry Approach to Permaculture

My Background• Botany; BS, EIU• Environmental Science; BS, EIU• Masters UIUC Plant Biology• Farmer; 10+ years; 5 generations

– ~ 5 years permaculture• Landscaper• Naturalist• Restoration and conservation via revenue• Graduate work with bioenergy perennials, UIUC

– Monoculture vs. polyculture – Perennials vs. annuals– Life cycle analysis

What is Permaculture?

– “permanent agriculture” or “permanent culture”

• holistic design approach for creating sustainable systems

• My approach is largely based upon ecomimicry– Biomimicry – design strategy that

seeks solutions by imitation of natural elements and dynamics

– Ecomimicry – design strategy that draws upon strengths of ecosystems• Self sustaining • self replicating• Self regulating

Why Permaculture/Goals?

• Response to failures of modern agriculture– monocultures– annual crops– input demands– consolidation– soil destruction (C/N)– Transport/fuel

• “A net can function with 70% of its strings broken”; what then?– Peak oil, water, population, etc.– 200sp/day lost

• Permaculture provides a framework for integrating knowledge and solving problems

Where to Begin• "An sustainable farm is not one that uses certain

methods and substances and avoids others; it is a farm whose structure is formed in imitation of the structure of a natural system and possesses its integrity and resilience"

—Wendell Berry, "The Gift of Good Land"• Some major design principles

– Prolonged insightful observation of system– Restoration based, not human/economic– Based upon native systems and ecomimicry – Continuous/reiterative process

Applying Ecomimicry• Natural systems are perennial based

– capture more solar energy • Early in spring & Late into fall

– Soil conservation/building– More efficient water use– Nutrient recycling year to year

• Natural systems are polycultures– Niche partitioning– Resilience from diversity

• Native species are adapted to local climate patterns (changing)

• Fostering productive species interactions will produce emergent properties and efficiencies

Engineering Trophic Levels• Design Influenced by ecomimicry

– Producers• Canopy & Root Stratification• Nitrogen fixers and soil miners

– Grazers• Concentration and mobilization of nutrients

• Pollinators

– Predators• Hornets, assassin bugs, owls

– Parasites • Flies, wasps

– Disease• nematodes, milky spore

– Decomposers• Nutrient cycling/Potential food resource

• Succession• Continuous stage appropriate recruitment • Self Replicating

Hardy Illinois PerennialsTrees Shrubs Climbers Herbs Forbes

Persimmon Hazelnut raspberry Hyssop Asparagus

Paw Paw Currant blackberry Oregano horseraddish

Buffalo Berry Goumi Grapes Russian Terragon rhubarb

saskatoon Seathorn rosehips Thyme walking onions

Apricot Gooseberry Hardy Kiwi Catnip leeks

Chestnut honeyberry mints sunchoke

Hickory quince heal all

Walnut comfrey

plums

mulberry

yellowhorn

Diversity• Diversity between and within

species/genus/families at every trophic level – Reduces disease or pest outbreaks– Less likely and less severe impacts of stochastic

events e.g. drought– Genetics for natural resistance and resilience

(drought/hardiness)– Spatial distribution (no huge fields, etc.)

• Seasonal/temporal diversity – Blooms and fruit throughout year

• Better habitat , more productive, more resilient

• Market exploration & finding niche

Soil Carbon

• Plants can fix enormous quantities of carbon • Cover crops, trees, and other perennials are

efficient at sequestration of carbon • Benefits of carbon

• increases water retention• improves soil structure• Improves Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)• Provides food for soil fauna• Reduces runoff

• Soil management determines carbon stability• Plowing and nutrient application can destroy

soils• Annual crop growth destroys soil

Nutrients• Energy (C) and Nutrients (N,P,K) should cycle on the farm• Organic vs Inorganic Nutrients

– Nutrients immobilized in carbon compounds are more stable– Inorganic nutrients speed break down of organic molecules in soil– Inorganic nutrients use fossil fuel in production or refinement– Inorganic nutrients are expensive $– Nutrients are pollutants

• Nitrogen• Effectively sequestered by legumes and many other species• Mobilized as manures, composts, hay, etc.

• Phosphorus• Illinois soils rich, sometimes issues with solubility/pH• Soil Miners (phosphatase) and green manures

• Potassium• Illinois soils usually rich, Soil miners can mobilize• Improving CEC availability

Mobilizing Nutrients

–Grazers• Nitrogen, Phosphorus, & Potassium

can be concentrated in manure• Cover crop polycultures should be

edible

–Green manure/Compost• Soil miners, legumes, and cover

crops concentrate nutrients

–Decomposers• Introducing edible/medicinal species • Nutrient recycling

Insects• Biological Pest Control

• Predators • Parasitoids• Genetic resistance

– E.g. red mites

• diversity

– Minimizes impacts• Does not eliminate issues

– Outbreaks less likely and less severe» Resilience

– Economic thresholds » Money saved on chemicals

– System integrity preserved

Disease

• Genetic Resistance or Immunity– E.g. fire blight

• Diversity– Reduces likelihood and

severity of outbreaks• Management– Eg. Cleanup of leaves or fruit

Weed Management• Weed competition

– Competition with perennials– Increased groundcover

• cover crops– Never leave ground bare

• Mulch– Hay vs. straw

– Fill niches• or weeds will

– Soil Conditions• Prevention• Bio-indication

– E.g. pigweed or dandelion

– Manual Removal• Reduced but rarely eliminated

Water Management

• Less of an issue in Illinois or small scale– No grades, good soil infiltration– Most years even rainfall

• It can be a lot of work to mechanically change the way water moves on your land

• One can match species to water and soil conditions just as natural systems do

• If runoff or erosion is an issue these issues should be addressed

• Climate change may incite changes

Importance of Seeds • Commodification issues

– Threatens diversity– Threatens food security– Destroys economies

• Importance of seeds – Self – replicating• Seeds are the future

– Ability to adapt– Climate change– Backyard breeders

– Diversity/genetic bank

Infrastructure

• Renewable Energy & Materials– Solar and wind– Wood/plants

• Solar Water heater• Cob or Straw Buildings• Root Cellar• Solar Dryer• Location/Transport• Packaging• Hydrology/Water Budget• Energy Budget

Regain Your Place In Environment

• Sense of place• Nourishment of soul as

well as body• We are deeply imbedded in

our environment• Place to raise your family

Social Aspects

• Reducing Externalities• Fair Access• Healthy Food• Respect for non-human life• Respect for native

environments• Respect for traditional and local

knowledge • Increased community

Permaculture Can Work at Any Scale

• Rehabilitation of ecosystems can be accomplished at multiple scales– Broad acre farms– Homes– Apartments– Business

• Does not need to be expensive– Seed collecting and trading– Money saved on food

Questions?