“Permaculture: Land Use Design for Sustainable Settlement…

… Review of principles, practise and perspectives for land use in the 21^st century.”

This is the new worktitle for the research I am preparing in co-operation with WUR, Tamera and other international partners. Here a brief outline.

The main objective of the proposed research is to give scientific insight into permaculture as a powerful design method for sustainable land use & settlement. The basic principles of permaculture will be outlined and illustrated by practical examples. Desk research of theory and global practise will be combined with more in-depth study of several case studies. Attention will be given to ecological and socio-economic aspects, within the larger context of the global need for system change, to face the challenges in water, food, energy, climate change and war. The research investigates the value of permaculture as a tool for sustainable land use and settlement development, both in itself and in relation to other land use and design methods. Key aspects as well as constraints for successful implementation are defined. As a result, recommendations can be formulated for e.g. policy-making, education or transdisciplinary co-operation, in order to enable the wider establishment of permaculture systems.

A project that could serve as a case study, is the permaculture water landscape as being developed in the Peace Research Center Tamera, Portugal. Study and education of modern scientific insights of the nature of the universe, consciousness and human existence, go hand in hand with empirical study and experience in the establishment of a sustainable settlement on 150 hectare of land, with 150-500 people, including permanent residents, students and guests. Tamera co-operates with the Austrian permaculture expert Sepp Holzer in the realisation of a water landscape, an innovative and nature-based approach, reversing desertification to revitalisation of the landscape, and meeting the basic needs of humanity of water, food and safety. The model being established here can serve as a base for further research and study. The key principles can be adapted to many regions of the earth, to support re-establishment of a healthy natural environment, providing reliable productivity and income perspectives for the population.

Advertisement