Welch, C MDP Final Report
Permaculture Design Systems for Refugee Camps: Building resilience and
community in areas of resource scarcity
Chantel M. Welch
“A Final Report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Masters in
Development Practice at the University of Arizona in Tucson Arizona.”
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Table of Contents
I.
Introduction
II.
Current Refugee Situation
III.
Why Permaculture?
IV.
Challenges Faced: Resource Scarcity
a. Water
b. Land and soil quality
V.
Overcoming Challenges Through Permaculture
a. Rainwater harvesting
b. Main harvesting methods
VI.
Building Community through Permaculture
a. The Roseto effect
b. Green spaces as healing zones
VII.
Implementing & Understanding Permaculture Design
a. Ten permaculture principles
b. Implementing and understanding permaculture design
VIII.
Conclusion
Appendix A: Map of the fifty most populous camps
Appendix B: Examples of current camp layouts
Appendix C: A condensed guidebook for permaculture design
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Abstract:
Permaculture design is a transformative process, integrating care of the earth, care of people, and
a return of surplus good back into the system. It has been used to heal areas that have undergone
environmental trauma, and to restore lands back to a natural balance. In refugee camps, we see
lands that are absorbing a high number of people, far beyond the typical carrying capacity of that
land. Often, the land has already been put under a number of stressors and is seen as low-to-no
value to the host nation. Utilizing permaculture design in refugee camps will create better
conditions for camp residents, benefitting the local landscape in the process. Potential to combat
resource scarcity, PTSD, and other challenges to camps are addressed in this paper.
Introduction
Refugees have been uprooted, left without a country and with a reliance on hastily built camps
that have been put together with little or no preparation time. For most refugees, school, work,
and lives are put on hold as they wait for a day in which they can move on, or return home. In the
interim, they wait in camps that offer little to no privacy, and become reliant on networks of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and other aid organizations.
Integrating permaculture design into camps, both in the overall layout and in small communitybased programs will allow refugees to gain valuable skills, use natural resources in an effective
way, and rebuild trust and community within their new neighborhoods.
This paper aims to share principles for permaculture design in refugee camps, starting with an
overview of the current situation, an example of successful application in a post-camp
environment, challenges faced by camp planners, identifying how gardens are community
builders, understanding the connection between mental therapy in post-traumatic situations and
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green spaces, and describing the process by which the design itself is created and implemented.
By following the condensed guidebook in the appendix, future camp planners will be able to plan
for camps that embrace the principles of permaculture, building community and hope in the
process.
Current refugee situation
Numbers of refugees continue to grow worldwide, with populations at approximately 13 million
in mid-2014 (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 2001-2015). With continuing
conflicts in Syria, Myanmar, the DRC, South Sudan, and many other places, numbers for 2015
are estimated to be significantly higher. These numbers do not include refugees from Palestine,
whose numbers top 5.1 million and are looked after by a separate UN Relief and Works Agency
for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East, as well as internally displaced people1 and asylum
seekers.
The fifty most populous refugee camps2 run from Chad in the West to Thailand in the East,
Pakistan in the North and Burundi in the South. This swath of the earth represents a largely arid
area, with many regions tapping out aquifers and relying on imported water for agricultural
production. In the Za’atari camp of Northern Jordan, which hosts Syrians fleeing an ongoing
civil war, fights have broken out over the United National High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) water trucks (Vandalism hampers sanitation efforts in Jordan's Za'atari camp 2013).
These conflicts are due to what Falkenmark et al. refer to as “water crowding”: increased
1
According to a study of returned IDPs and refugees, many IDPs are worse off than refugees, as they have no
organization to reach out for help from. This paper considers refugees living in camps, but it must be
acknowledged that there are many refugees in cities, or still in their countries as IDPs, who could benefit from
knowledge of permaculture systems and design.
2
See map in Appendix A
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pressure being put upon water sources that are already “finite, erratically available and
vulnerable” (Falkenmark et al., 2007). “Resource envy” between camps and host communities
has also flared over education and employment opportunities, as many camps are located in rural
areas with few resources of their own.
Camps, once set up to be temporary shelters, have morphed into semi-permanent cities. The
largest refugee camp, Dadaab camp in Kenya, recently turned 24 years old (Taylor 2011), and
smaller camps in northern Algeria have housed refugees for 37 years (Epatko 2013). Shelters for
these camps have traditionally been temporary; canvas tents that need to be replaced every three
months in areas with harsh conditions. Being tents, they do not afford the residents privacy from
their neighbors; conversations above a whisper are no longer private, and at night, shadows show
all movement within its canvas walls.
As camps have become more permanent, residents have noted increased crime, violence, and
vandalism escalating along with frustration over living conditions. Insufficient latrines, theft of
UNHRC supplies, riots, and harassment are a few of the reported occurrences in the Za’atari
camp in northern Jordan (Despite new police presence, security concerns persist at Syrian
refugee camp 2013). In one particular incident, as a group of 1000 refugees gathered to receive
aid items, some climbed to higher locations and began to throw rocks at the NGO workers;
police responded with tear gas (Aly 2013). Instances like these quickly erode any trust built
between aid workers and refugees.
The UNHCR works with NGOs to quickly respond to new crises, with the resulting camps often
laid out in gridded patterns, inherently non-conducive to communal gathering3. After being
3
See photos in Appendix B for examples of current camp layouts
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settled, families may pack up and move their tents to be closer to friends and relatives, forcing
aid organizations to track families down, record locations, and re-map the camp. Cultural norms
often present barriers to accessing latrines at night, particularly for women and children, leading
to makeshift latrines and unsanitary conditions.
There is a dire need for a better system, a design that works with the materials provided, with the
elements, and with the refugees themselves to create communities and resilient environments. By
utilizing tried and tested permaculture design principles – many of which are already practiced in
those living in rural areas – camps can improve the local landscape, the lives of the people there,
and teach skills that will be valuable for future employment as refugees are able to return home
or transition into new cities.
Why Permaculture?
Permaculture design is a return to traditional growing and food harvesting systems. To those
living on more rural or remote parcels of land, permaculture practice comes naturally, as
residents have intuitively gained knowledge of sun patterns, rainfall, water accumulation,
seasonal winds, and native species. When attempting to create an improved permaculture design
system on a house situated on 1.3 acres (0.53 hectares) in rural Alaska, I found that the residents
– homeowners for 31 years – had incorporated the majority of the principles into their landscape
without having any prior knowledge of permaculture design. A few of the unincorporated
principles, such as not positioning the house for maximum solar efficiency, had been a blunder
of the architect and not the owners.
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Refugee camp design stands to gain a lot from integration of permaculture principles, as many of
the issues that arise in camp settings are due to misunderstanding and mismanagement of local
resources. Some problems with existing camp systems that have been noted by workers include:

Little to no tree-generated shade

Water shortages

Soil erosion & land degradation

Few agricultural inputs (seeds, tools)

Lack of land suitable for gardening

Unbalanced diet (Shumba 2001).
All of the aforementioned issues can be addressed with the introduction of permaculture design
principles, which are covered in more detail in a later section.
One example of the successful application of permaculture design in transforming camp
landscapes is that of the Cegrane Refugee Camp in Macedonia (Jones 2001). This camp was
hastily established to accommodate refugees fleeing conflict in Kosovo, hosting as many as
43,000 people at its peak. Modifications to the existing landscape when the camp was
constructed led to environmental and social problems that were not addressed until after the
camp had been retired.

Plants: Removal of vegetation in the area led to erosion, as the camp was located in a
steep area at the base of Rudina Mountain, and in times of heavy rainfall significant water
flow ran through the camp site.

Landscape modification: Gravel had been brought in to create roads, and terracing both
for roads and tent sites changed the landscape.
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
Water flow: To change the natural water flow that ran through the camp, a drainage
channel was built that sent the water in a new direction: into the adjacent town’s school,
located downhill.

Lack of septic systems and waste management: Waste was dumped both into local
water systems and unlined septic systems, contaminating local water sources (at the camp
and in the neighboring village) (Jones 2001).
Post-camp, the landscape was reevaluated, and a permaculture approach was used to fix
problems caused by a lack of planning and environmental services during the tenure of the
refugees. Swales, a form of low-technology earthworks, were used to create water diverters and
tanks for heavy rainfall, and effectively stopped the flooding of the local school and village.
Working with the local forestry department, a selection of trees and grasses were planted, with
the goal of reducing erosion and subsequent rainfall runoff. Legumes were used as starter plants,
growing quickly and adding valuable nitrogen to the soil through symbiosis with mycorrhizae on
the plant roots.
Lessons learned from this project include the acknowledgement that had the camp been created
with a permaculture framework, better living conditions for both the refugees and the
neighboring town would have been achieved. As camps are typically set up on land that is not
being used – and generally not valuable – using permaculture will improve the value of said
land, and will be of benefit to the host community after the refugees have returned home.
Permaculture systems and rainwater harvesting go hand-in-hand, and should be partnered for
maximum growing potential.
Challenges Faced: Resource Scarcity
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Water
As perhaps the greatest resource challenge that the world is facing, water has earned a full
section in this paper. A Syrian cotton grower, Abu Khalil, when describing the recent water
shortage that ruined his crop, said “We could accept the drought because it was from Allah… but
we could not accept that the government would do nothing” (Richter 2014). More people are
looking to their governments and elected officials for guidance as well as accountability in
water-related matters, and as noted in the introduction, resource scarcity can lead to conflict on
many levels. As Boutros Boutros-Ghali theorized in the mid-1980s, “the next war in the Middle
East will be fought over water, not politics” (Richter 2014). While that has not turned out to be
entirely prophetic, water has contributed to many small-scale conflicts that will continue to grow
in severity as water becomes more scarce.
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Water scarcity is increasing globally due to human interactions with the environment as well as
changing climate and desertification. Many countries are just beginning to feel the effects of
decreasing water supplies, while others who have been precariously balancing existing resources
for years are now slipping into
unsustainable water use. In addition to
strains put on water supplies by increased
agricultural production, there are effects
stemming from both population growth,
and more specifically, population
distribution.
In 1900, 2% of the world’s population
was facing what Kummu, et al. (2010)
refer to as chronic water shortage. This
alone is not an insignificant number, but
one that would increase dramatically to
Figure 1: Average annual precipitation in Jordan and surrounding
countries shows a scarcity of blue water resources.
9% by 1960 and 35% in 2005. According
to UN Water4, by 2025 two-thirds of the
world’s population will be facing water stress conditions, with 1,800 million people living in
“absolute” water scarcity. With the global population increasing under unequal distribution
patterns across the globe, certain regions are feeling the strain more than others. Add to that
4
The United Nations Inter-Agency Mechanism on all Freshwater Related Issues, including Sanitation.
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disruptive wars and crises that force populations to flee – often into already water stressed areas
– and delicate systems can go into a critical shock.
A recent report by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) identifies some of the
water-related effects of war on those living in the Middle East. In 2014 the secondary cause of
water depletion was specific targeting of water stations by armies; usually attacking already
ageing and leaking infrastructures (ICRC 2013). The ICRC also cited the growing demand for
water allocated to household use, which reduces the water available for local agriculture. With
less local agriculture comes a greater reliance on imported food and the fluctuating international
market. In water stressed areas, an addition of hundreds of thousands of refugees has a
significant impact on water allocation, and contributes to conflict between refugees and hosts.
Further complicating the issue of water allocation is the potential for disease outbreak that arises
in non-sanitary conditions. While camps work to improve latrine distribution, many residents
have taken it upon themselves to build their own temporary latrines closer to home. This creates
unsanitary living conditions, as these latrines are poorly constructed. Many leak discharge
directly into the ground, which has the potential of contaminating underground freshwater
aquifers5, and may have health implications for a much larger population. When families are
unable to construct their own latrines children are often told to defecate close to the home;
mothers are not able to haul the children back and forth to distant latrines multiple times per day.
Women are often not allowed to travel to distant latrines without male chaperones, particularly in
newly established semi-lawless refugee camps, and so women are left with the sole option of
open defecation (Cronin et al., 2008). Using permaculture design to incorporate composting
5
For example, Zaatari camp is located above the Amman/Zarqa groundwater basin (Altz-Stamm 2012).
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toilets will improve sanitation and allow for more convenient6 and accessible neighborhood
latrines.
Without access to clean water, diseases increase both in prevalence and in intensity. Diarrhea,
bloody diarrhea, scabies, leptospira, rotavirus, and hepatitis A are commonly seen in refugee
camps (Vandalsim hampers sanitation efforts in Jordan's Za'atari camp 2013). Many of these
common illnesses are simply due an inability to wash hands with soap and water – a cheap and
effective way to prevent deadly disease outbreaks. Additional studies address the link of low
nutritional intake and a higher incidence of communicable disease, as well as prolonged illness
(Cronin et al, 2008). Without clean water, illnesses that would simply be a nuisance in everyday
life (e.g. diarrhea) can turn life threatening, especially for those with compromised or under
developed immune systems.
Water scarcity is and will continue to be one of the greatest challenges facing refugee camps and
their host communities. In the next section, permaculture techniques for rainwater harvesting and
collection will be covered, as examples of how permaculture can transform landscapes.
Land and soil quality
Land given to camps is generally less desirable land, hence its availability. The following map
[Figure 2] illustrates the parts of the world that are facing high land resource stresses, including
seasonal or continuous moisture stress, soil pollution and erosion or stability issues, low organic
matter content, and more. Note that the areas hosting the fifty most populous refugee camps
6
Composting toilets are not dependent on piping and sewer systems, and therefore have more flexibility in
location.
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(inside of the blue rectangle) are facing a range of stressors – salinity and alkalinity of soils, high
temperatures, continuous and seasonal moisture stress, calcareous soil, and more.
Figure 2: This map highlights areas of the world under land resource stresses, the exception being
the #1 color (green), which indicated areas under “few constraints”. The blue box captures the
part of the world that is home to the fifty most populous refugee camps. (USDA 2003).
These soil stresses add to the challenges that both refugees and host country communities face in
attaining food security. Note that all but one of the six camp-related complaints noted previously
in the “Why Permaculture” section can all be connected to land resource stresses: Little to no
tree-generated shade, water shortages, soil erosion & land degradation, lack of land suitable for
gardening, and an unbalanced diet (Shumba 2001).
Additionally, the host communities who are also living under these stressful conditions are
understandably frustrated when they see much needed supplies being delivered to neighboring
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camps. Using permaculture techniques to improve the landscape will benefit neighboring
villages, towns, and cities as well, and incorporating locals into learning opportunities will help
the land restoration – and overall benefits – extend far beyond each refugee’s small-scale
projects.
Overcoming Challenges through Permaculture
Rainwater harvesting
Worldwide, 70% of freshwater use goes into irrigation, which is being used at an unsustainable
rate (Brown 2012). In the Middle East and North Africa, attempts at securing food via large scale
local production has led to a high allocation of water resources into agriculture. One example of
mismanaged water use in agriculture is that of Saudi Arabia, which has recognized that they can
no longer continue to produce their own grain, and will harvest their last wheat crop in 2016
(Brown 2012). This transition will leave Saudi Arabia entirely dependent on foreign imports of
wheat, vulnerable to market prices and other factors such as trade embargos.
While refugee camps operate at a much smaller scale than large agricultural cultivators, the
opportunity to build and use systems for capturing, storing, and conserving water will allow
refugees to gain valuable skills for post-camp life, and to improve their current living situation.
Techniques for rainwater harvesting require an understanding of local landscapes; slope,
rainwater runoff, soil storage capacity, and climate. This includes knowing and predicting
rainfall, identifying sloping areas of greatest potential for harvesting, and knowing whether the
soil has adequate texture and structure in order to hold the water that has fallen, if storing water
in the ground for agriculture or livestock use (Helmreich and Horn 2009). With weather patterns
changing due to shifts in the Earth’s climate, harvesters will need to anticipate and prepare for
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unexpected events, including heavier than expected rainfalls that could damage or overflow
existing harvesting systems. Camps should offer classes on harvesting to both refugees and those
in the host community, as locals will have much to contribute towards a better understanding of
the local landscape, and will also benefit from knowledge gained.
Main harvesting methods
a. In-situ harvesting: This technique collects water where it falls, and stores it in the
ground for future use. In the Middle East, techniques such as the jessour system
[Figure 3] are used to divert temporary streams/water flow in the rainy season into
man-made channels that supply water for agriculture (International Union for
Conservation of Nature n.d.).
b. External harvesting: Catching water at an external site and storing it for use,
generally as an agricultural irrigation system.
c. Domestic rainwater harvesting (DRWH): Most commonly used by households, this
is a technique of collecting water by diverting roof or driveway runoff into collection
containers.
Concerns with using DRWH as a source of
drinking water generally relate to the quality of
the collection materials, possibility of
contamination, and safe storage practices.
Rooftop materials need to be smooth and clean,
preferably metal (tin, aluminum), tile, or
Figure 3: In this traditional jessour system, rocks are used to slow
seasonal runoff, and to divert the water into adjacent agricultural
plots.
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plastic. Materials such as bamboo, copper,
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zinc, or paints that use toxic or metallic materials must be avoided, as they add toxicity to the
water.
In addition, the practice of diverting the “first flush” – the initial runoff from a roof or other
structure, is key in reducing the amount of foreign materials transported along with the runoff
into the storage container (Kahinda, Taigbenu and Boroto 2007). This flush does not need to be
expansive – the first few millimeters is sufficient – and yet stops multiple contaminants that have
accumulated on the surface of the collection structure from degrading the water supply. This step
is recommended for all container collections, and essential for water being put to household use.
Two examples of DRWH systems are pear shaped and square shaped cisterns, [Figure 4]:
Figure 4: On the left, a “Pear Shaped cistern” is the most practical option for rocky soils, as it does not need additional steel
reinforcement. The “Square shaped cistern” on the right is sturdier, and more practical in both steep and sandy environments
(Assayed, et al. 2013).
Sizing of tanks is important, as tanks that are too large do not cycle water through, and instead
hold onto stagnant deposits. Smaller tanks are emptied frequently and contain fresher water, as
well as have a better cost-benefit ratio for the household (Kahinda, Taigbenu and Boroto 2007).
Aboriginal communities in arid Australia have integrated rainwater catchment systems into daily
life, in an effort to combat the sanitation-based diseases that have higher rates in their
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communities (diarrhea, acute respiratory infection, skin infection, Hepatitis B, eye infection), as
well as to supplement general water usage, which is primarily sourced from groundwater (Yuen,
et al. 2001). According to Yuen et. al., precipitation in Australia is lower than any other
inhabited land on Earth, and is an ideal place to observe successes and challenges of water
collection. Selected techniques include:

Swales: Open channels dug that slow runoff and direct it into specific places,
either for direct usage by the plants, or to recharge groundwater sources for future
use.

Infiltration trenches: Trenches filled with rock with the purpose of recharging
groundwater; plants may be planted in or adjacent to the trenches.

“Sand Dam” basins: Like inverted beds, these 1x 2 meter basins are filled with
specific quantities of quartz sand, manure, clay, and other compostable materials
(leaves, twigs), then planted out. The presence of organic matter allows for better
growth, and the sand/clay mixture retains water in the root zones. In areas where
rainfall can exceed average levels, a “safety valve” will allow excess runoff to be
evacuated.
For all of the above systems placement should not be directly adjacent to the house, in case of
excessive rainfall and subsequent flooding that could infiltrate the housing structure.
In Australia, it was found that using catchment systems greatly increased access to clean water,
and yet they were not being utilized fully. Barriers to utilization include a lack of knowledge
about local plants; native species were cleared, leaving the ground free for invasive species to
move in, and trees planted in swales that were not fully established when heavy rains came,
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which led to their uprooting and death. Education as a component of installation could make a
significant difference in use for these communities, as well as in refugee camps.
Adopting rainwater catchment systems will not provide enough water for entire countries to
continue growing water intensive crops. It will, however, reduce household dependency on
overstressed city or regional water sources, and may encourage small scale vegetable and crop
cultivation. According to Abdulla and Al-Shareef, water harvesting can save households between
30-60% of their current water use (in Germany and Australia), and an average savings of 69% in
Brazil (Abdulla and Al-Shareef 2009). In refugee camps, they have potential to reduce
sanitation-based disease, and allow for small-scale gardening efforts, contributing to greater
physical and mental health for residents.
Building Community through Permaculture
The Roseto Effect
In the 1960s, researchers became interested in the small Pennsylvania town of Roseto in the
United States, which although experiencing similar risk factors for myocardial infarction as the
surrounding towns, had a “strikingly low mortality rate” (Egolf et al., 1992). This town was
comprised largely of immigrants from a small town in southern Italy, and “displayed a high level
of ethnic and social homogeneity, close family ties, and cohesive community relationships”
(Egolf et al., 1992). Evidence of these relations were seen not only in marriages and multi-family
homes, but in patronage of local shops, and a lack of economic division or class seperation
among residents. Traditional meals included ingredients that would be considered risk factors for
cardiac disease – sausages and meatballs fried in lard – accompanied by large amounts of wine
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(Johnson, 1999), and yet the mortality rate remained lower thn among those living a “healthier”
lifestyle.
A hypothesis was formed: once generations began to leave this enclave, breaking down social
structures in the process, the correlating positive health anomaly would disappear as well. In the
late 1960s-early 1970s, younger generations began to leave for college and did not return to
Roseto. Families stopped living together, and inter-ethnic marriages became more common.
Once the tight knit community structure broke down, the health benefits disappeared, and
myocardial infarction rose to meet the levels of neighboring towns; the hypotheses proved true.
The Roseto effect is one story of many illustrating the interconnectivity between community and
health outputs. What we observe in refugee camps are people who have lost their communities
and experienced traumatic events, two factors that negatively impact both mental and physical
health. By introducing permaculture structures into the camp set-up, communities can once again
be rebuilt, with neighbors becoming connected via local activity centers and communal
gardening.
Community-based or shared garden plots have become common worldwide, and so we can look
to them for examples of what benefits can be gained from the experience. The Federation of City
Farms and Community Gardens in Bristol, UK noted the following as important factors in the
community gardening process, both for the awareness of the organizers and of the potential
beneficiaries:

Self-development through training, skills acquisition, knowledge gained through
community activity

Equality of opportunity

Involvement in diverse local structures
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
Consultation and participation in decision-making

Economic Opportunity

Community is aware of the differing needs of its members and attempts to meet those
needs

Environmental awareness and responsibility

People feel safe

People feel part of the community and want to belong to it

Established with a feeling of longevity (Holland 2004)
While these factors were specific to the goals of the Federation, one can easily transfer them into
any community building practice. Are there opportunities for development, responsibility, safe
interactions? Are these opportunities offered equally among participants and/or residents? Is
there active participation and a belief that these actions lead towards a better future? All of the
Federations goals address problems seen in refugee camps, where people live in uncertainty,
without employment or opportunities to better themselves, etc. Incorporating a goal list similar to
the Federation’s in pre-planning camps will start the process of building stronger communities
within these disaster zones.
Integration of permaculture-style gardens and green space will create opportunities for people to
reconnect in camps, working together on gardening projects, or simply enjoying the shade that a
communal tree provides. At a gardening program initiated by an INGO working in northern
Jordan, one resident noted, "When we garden, we feel happy because there's something to do,
such as watering the plants. It just makes you feel like there is life. Where we're from we're used
to the view of greenery, here there's nothing, it's a desert… Even if we are to have little joys, they
would make a great difference" (Thompson 2014). Having access to water and gardens can give
people a reason to get out and interact with their new communities, and remember the past that
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they hope to return to. Providing access to familiarity – in this case, green spaces – provides
comfort for residents.
Green Spaces as Healing Zones
“At a global level, professionals working with refugees in the mental health arena are faced with
formidable challenges. Mental health issues are poorly understood both by helping agencies and
affected communities, interventions often are undervalued, and controversy amongst
professionals about priorities tends to undermine advocacy for services” (Silove 2004).
Most NGO workers are not from a social services background, lacking proper training on mental
health issues faced by refugees. Refugees themselves may not fully understand the trauma that
they have witnessed and its effect on their wellbeing. Taking examples from others returning
from conflict zones, including military personnel, we can see the positive effects of gardens,
parks, and wilderness on trauma survivors.
Gardens have been used for centuries as spaces for relaxation, from early Persian designs to
Japanese Zen gardens to use in the Middle Ages by hospitals, orphanages, and more (Anderson
2011). There are many reasons for utilizing gardens and green spaces in such efforts. Starting
with the soil itself, researchers have identified a bacterium present – Mycobacterium vaccae –
which has properties that positively affect serotonin levels in human brains (Lowry, et al. 2007).
M. vaccae, when injected into cancer sufferers, left the subjects in a better mood, with less
noticable pain and other cancer-related symptoms. Scientists theorize that working in soil –
during which M. vaccae may become airborne and inhaled – or even eating plants from healthy
soils will elicit the same response (Glausiusz 2007).
Morris, a former child soldier in the Liberian and Sierra Leonean wars, used gardening as a
means to transition from a life of stress and violence to a more peaceful and regenerative
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existence. After finding his way to the Buduburam Refugee Camp in Ghana, he realized that he
was a different person than he was before the war, that “[the] fighting had turned him into an
empty shell and that he no longer felt human” (Westlund 2014). Morris turned to gardening as a
way to both heal himself, and give back to others. He created a community garden for other child
soldiers in the camp, and worked to build positive relationships between the former child soldiers
and between the greater community, many of whom looked at the children with distrust and
suspicion. These gardens allowed the youth to build trust among one another and take on
responsibility for living things – creating instead of destroying.
After the Rwandan civil war of the late 20th Century, a former Lieutenant General with the
United Nation Peacekeepers struggled to come to terms with his inability to stop the violence. Lt
Roméo Dallaire, in his own words, found himself again by seeking solace in the lush hilltops of
Kinihira, Rwanda7 (Westlund 2014). Taking the time to walk in nature allowed him to reflect on
past atrocities, and come to terms with his perceived failings.
In North America, both Canadian and United States war veterans have turned to the outdoors and
to gardening as places of therapy and healing8. Some veterans have chosen to stick with this
lifestyle, becoming urban and rural farmers and often taking the opportunity to train other
returning veterans on farming techniques.
Doctors working with veterans found that “patients in a hospital who had views of gardens and
nature, rather than the brick walls of an adjacent building, had less frequent requests for pain
Dallaire was recorded as saying, “C’est ici que j’ai redevenu humaine”, or “it’s here that I became human again”,
referring to his time spent walking the same hillsides that he had visited during the war.
8
One example of the programs aimed at returning veterans: http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/TheBite/2014/1111/Veterans-Day-21-programs-helping-vets-through-farming
7
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medications, [and] shorter post-operative stays…” (Anderson 2011). War veteran have praised
such programs, noting,
“When I got here I was completely isolated. But being with the
plants gives me time to think and meditate, to feel the soil or clay
or whatever you’re working in. I talk to my plants. Maybe it’s
crazy, but it’s given me a chance to get out, work with others, grow
something and do something that’s right, not just for myself, but
for the whole community” (Krasny, et al. 2010)
As Krasny et al. acknowledge, this is a new endeavor and results on the effectiveness of such
programs have yet to be properly evaluated, but the growing number of veterans both
participating in and creating new programs indicates a desire among that community to grow this
effort (Krasny et al., 2010).
In the same vein, refugees who have experienced traumatic events: leaving war zones, being
uprooted from their friends, families, homes and careers, too many having experienced death and
loss first hand can also find peace and solace in green spaces.
Ideally, permaculture systems would be implemented in camp settings, utilizing methods of
intercropping and companion planting that mimic natural patterns seen in nature. Permaculture
systems operate on a no-waste approach, with plants adding needed nutrients back into the soil,
and creating symbiosis between microorganisms, fungi, plants, and insects. Planting systems of
permaculture concurrent with the camp set up will allow for the earliest possible food harvest,
and begin to set the foundation for shady avenues. As residents settle, classes can be taught on
upkeep and harvesting of the systems, and full knowledge of maintenance can be passed on to
interested parties. Because of the integrated, relational design, the plants will thrive long after
those living in the area have moved on, and will leave an improved landscape behind.
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A recent study of participants in a community gardening system in Toronto, Canada, illustrates
the potential for growth among both youth and adults. Focused on interviewing participants in
the Community Food Centre’s Urban Agriculture program (“The Stop”), Charles Levkoe found
that the gardens led to outcomes far beyond simple knowledge gain and increased food security.
In fact, Levkoe found that the gardens did little to improve actual food security, but did much to
improve people’s connections to one another, grew their confidence in local participation, and
built positive community relations (Levoke 2006). More specifically, he found:
Through the community garden at The Stop, participants have the
potential to gain a better understanding of their role as an active
citizen. Together they can understand the challenges that face their
local communities and develop strategies for engagement. They
are able to take responsibility for a number of tasks and follow
them through while recognizing their rights within a larger system.
By working together on a common vision, participants directly
witness the strengthening of their community. Their commitment
and ownership establishes a greater sense of control and power
over their lives (Levoke 2006).
Levoke’s findings translate smoothly into the context of refugee camps, showing what residents
might hope to gain from community gardening programs. Defining their roles in new
communities, understanding challenges and forming partnerships, gaining responsibility and
leadership roles, and, most importantly, “establish[ing] a greater sense of control and power over
their lives.”
In order to understand how the systems works, the next section will outline the principles and
guideline for permaculture design, as adapted from teaching materials used in the global 72-hour
certification course.
Implementing & Understanding Permaculture Design
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In a recent class session at the Sonoran Permaculture Guild in Tucson, AZ, eighteen students
gathered around their teacher, who told them the story of a house built on a hill. This house had
been constructed without a proper understanding of the landscape, and so sat poised to take in
the hot summer heat, stay shaded in the cool winter, and sat directly in a wind tunnel, funneled
by the surrounding peaks. Not surprisingly, the house soon became vacated, as its owners could
not stand living in the extreme elements. The class spent a half hour discussed various ways to
place the house in order to best utilize natural elements, and as the conversation winded down
one student half-jokingly posed the question: “in the event of a zombie-apocalypse situation,
where would the house be best located?” The class discussed various scenarios for a few
moments, and when all ideas had been proposed, the teacher shared his perspective: “In the event
of an apocalyptic-type situation, or any type of economic crisis, natural hazard, etcetera, you
don’t want to be this house isolated on the hill. You want to be down in the community, where
you have neighbors to support and fortify you.” On this day the students began to look at their
programs not as people-centric or nature-centric designs, but all-encompassing, community
building design.
Permaculture, according to pioneer Australian teacher Bill Mollison, is “a design system for
creating sustainable human environments…a contraction not only of permanent agriculture, but
also of permanent culture, as cultures cannot survive for long without a sustainable agricultural
base and land use ethic” (Mollison 1991). Mollison’s teachings have spread worldwide, from
large, commercial applications to individual Peace Corps9 volunteers, who then share their
knowledge with local farmers.
9
Many agriculture and environment volunteers with the US Peace Corps are given a basic overview of
permaculture design, based off of Bill Mollison’s “Introduction to Permaculture”, and are encourage to share their
knowledge with interested farmers.
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Three ideas form the basis of proper permaculture design: earth care, people care, and return of
surplus. By understanding these ideas, one can start to build a solid design that is regenerative
(gains value over time, such as a native food-bearing tree) instead of degenerative (loses value
over time, the classic example being new car depreciation).

Earth Care: How does the program work with the local environment? If there is an
abundance of rain, wind, etc., how can you work symbiotically with the land and native
plants in order to nurture natural processes?

People Care: How will the environment support the people living on it? What elements,
either added to the landscape or supported (e.g. plants, earthworks), will also work to
support human live.

Fair Share (return of surplus): Returning surplus harvest to the earth (food, water, organic
material), supports an abundance of life, as opposed to a total harvest of the land which
leaves the earth bare and vulnerable.
Incorporating these three facets into the overall design provides a template for successful,
sustainable design. An example brainstorming session, using these ideas, follows [Figure 5]:
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Figure 5: In this design stage, the concepts of Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share are represented by the three main branches
of the tree.
By intertwining care of people and of the earth with a return of surplus into the natural system,
permaculture design mimics natural processes seen in nature. This process is currently being
practiced in Malawi, where the African Moringa and Permaculture Project (AMPP) works with
local farmers to create “food forests”; areas in which the natural layers of the forest are all
utilized to provide food and medicine for those living on the land (Moorsom 2015). The AMPP
aims to expand their systems throughout Malawi, improving food security and reducing
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problems with malnutrition. On a larger scale, the AMPP wants to address issues of donor
dependency, building self-sufficiency among Malawians (Moorsom 2015).
Ten Permaculture Principles10
The following principles are guidelines for permaculture design. This chart is an integral part of
the design process, as various layouts and relationships between people and nature are
considered.
Principle
Example or saying
I. Place every element in relation to
another so that they assist each other
A tree that produces seed that
chickens like to eat is planted near or
inside the chicken enclosure; the
chickens aerate the ground and
fertilize the tree
A water tank might store water,
shade the house, act as a support for
a roof, a vine trellis, and create a
privacy break.
Always have a back-up plan
II. Each element performs many
functions
III. Each important function is
supported by many elements
IV. Efficient energy planning for the
house and settlements (zones and
sectors)
Don’t create more work or use more
energy than necessary by putting
things in the wrong spot
V. Emphasis on the use of biological
resources over fossil fuels
“It’s not that you have too many
slugs... it’s that you have a duck
deficiency.”
VI. Energy recycling on site
Waste not want not.
VII. Utilizing and accelerating
natural plant succession to establish
favorable sites and soils
Giving nature a “jump start” by
introducing certain species
10
Potential for use in refugee
camps
Grouping houses together will
create mini-communities,
provide shade for one another,
and create microclimates.
Composting toilets create
sanitary conditions, generate
compost, and can be sources of
rainwater collection.
Water is often provided by aid
orgs. Using water catchment
systems, both for plants and
humans, will reduce dependency
and build redundancy into the
system.
Better orientation of houses will
save energy and create efficient,
livable zones. Better
organization will create multiple
“safe zones” for residents.
Finding natural ways to control
“pests” or “weeds” often provide
additional food security or
income generators – like ducks!
Turning greywater into fruits and
food scraps into compost or
chicken feed will save time,
money, and resources.
Composting toilets are also a
potential sources of many
energies.
Depending on the condition of
the land when accessed, it may
be most beneficial to create mini-
Adapted from Bill Mollison’s Introduction to Permaculture, and the Sonoran Permaculture Guild’s Design
Handbook (Tucson, AZ 2015).
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VIII. Use of a poly-culture system
and diversity of beneficial species
“It’s not just the importance of
diversity…but the diversity of
[beneficial] connections.” –B.
Mollison
IX. Edge and natural patterns for best
effect
Mimic natural patterns seen in nature
– biodiversity is greatest at the edge
X. Small scale, intensive systems
Maximize your land’s potential.
ecosystems and guilds,
encouraging biome formations.
Everything in nature is
interconnected; everything in the
permaculture system should be
as well. Building communities at
all levels!
We have trapped ourselves in the
habit of gridding streets and
living in boxes. When gardening
and planning, consider spirals,
waves, and other non-linear
shapes.
We’re not planning large-scale
monoculture systems, but
intensive small-scale plots – just
as one sees in nature.
Four components of building a permaculture system
I.
Site Assessment: First, get to know the land in
question. This step requires at least one person
involved in the design process to have physically
been on the site, so that they can observe sounds,
Permaculture
Design Process
• Site Analysis
• Vision Statement
• Conceptual Plan
• Master Plan
smells, and other factors that cannot be
researched externally. Natural patterns include:
a. Sun: Where does the sun rise, and where does it set? How does the sun’s pattern
change from summer to winter solstice, and on the equinox? At what times of the
year do you want to block the sun’s rays from striking the house? Where would
additional structures, such as gardens, communal gathering areas, etc, best be
placed? Is it an effective source of energy?
b. Wind: From which direction does the wind blow? At what time of the year will it
provide a cooling breeze? Can it be harnessed for energy production?
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c. Rain: What does rainfall look like at this site? Are there rainy seasons, or yearround rainfall? How does rainfall move through the site (this requires the slope of
the land to be measured), and how can it be captured for human, animal, and plant
use?
d. Noise: Are there external sources of noise that will affect the site (road traffic,
flight patterns, nearby schools and hospitals)?
e. Traffic: How do humans and animals already move through the site? How will
your presence affect their lives?
Next, invisible structures need to be addressed. Invisible structures include things
such as zoning laws and restrictions, money available for construction: any things that
cannot be seen, but can put a stop to your construction plans. In the care of refugee
camp planning, invisible structures would also include relations between the people
who will be gathering in the camp; are there class divisions, religious differences, or
other reasons why people may have conflict with others? These invisible structures
may affect latrine use, school attendance, ability to move freely among the camp, and
other issues that must be identified in order to provide safe and comfortable living
spaces for residents.
II.
Vision Statement: Creating a vision statement involves an honest assessment of what
you plan to do on the land. In the case of a refugee camp, this statement should be in
line with the desires of the people living in said camp. An example of a vision
statement follows:
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We plan to use permaculture principles to create a place for refugees to thrive, where
self-sufficiency grows through gardening, where the camp works with the natural
environment and can be a model for local practices.
The vision statement should incorporate the three ideas of earth care, people care, and
fair share, which will form the basis for the conceptual plan. Using the proposed
vision statement, we can break its components as so:
Earth care: “…where the camp works with the natural environment…” By
encouraging proper land management and natural gardening practices, camps will
leave the earth as good or better shape than it was when they moved in. Native
vegetation planted will continue to grow without input from the residents, should they
gain the ability to move on, and by planting fruit and nut-bearing trees, they will
provide added sustenance for whomever is on the land.
People care: “…a place for refugees to thrive, were self-sufficiency grows through
gardening…” Taking care of the residents, both mentally and physically, leads to
better communities and living spaces for all. As mentioned previously, green spaces
can go a long way towards overcoming stressful situations, and the resulting PTSD
that many refugees suffer from can be alleviated by immersion in calming activities,
such as gardening.
Fair share (return of surplus): “…can be a model for local practices.” As noted
previously, jealousy and conflict over resources can arise between host communities
and refugees, as allocations by UNHCR are also needed by those living in poverty
around camps. By including host communities in permaculture design trainings, all
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participants will gain valuable skills that will build resiliency and social capital
among all.
III.
Conceptual Plan: In this stage, there are no bad ideas. Brainstorming is key, as all
share their thoughts as to the possibilities for the project. The vision statement should
be a guiding principle for the conceptual planners, and should keep the group on a
similar path.
In a refugee camp, this stage would likely be done by members of INGOs, NGOs, and
CBOs who are involved with camp set-up and maintenance. This stage would come
before the actual implementation of the camp, and so would not necessarily be sitespecific; perhaps more of a guidelines for possible camp layout and activities.
IV.
Master Plan: In this final step ideas get refined and some ideas are eliminated, due to
insufficient funds, time, manpower, climate, or other constraints.
a. The site is redrawn, with contours, natural elements, and other sectors from the
site analysis noted.
b. Zones are drawn, identifying which parts of the land will be accessed more
frequently than other parts. Zones should be labeled 1-5, with “1” being the most
frequented, “5” being never frequented (generally wild land). An example of this
is shown in Appendix B, the permaculture guidebook.
c. Finally, observe the overall site. Note whether elements are placed symbiotically
with other elements, or if there is potential for rearrangement. For example, is
gravity working with or against elements that need to be transported, such as
water? Are compost piles in a convenient location, where they will be seen and
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cared for as necessary? How can the site flow be improved to maximize
efficiency and convenience for the tenants?
A benefit to refugee camp planners is the recent partnership between UNHCR and the Ikea
Foundation, whose shelters provide planners with a consistent shape and size for layout design.
Incorporating Shelter into Design
In March 2015, the UNHCR began to utilize the newly designed Ikea Foundation flat pack
shelter for Iraqi IDPs [Figure 6]. These shelters have gone through an eighteen month trial
period, and have been both tested and critiqued by refugees and IDPs in Iraq and Ethiopia
(Redvers 2015). As of March 2015, the UNHCR has begun to permanently use these shelters,
incorporating suggestions made by those in the trial run.
Shelters are approximately 3m x 6m, or 188 ft2. They are made from a solid plastic, allowing
residents increased privacy as well as improved shelter from natural elements. While current
canvas tents last an average of six months, the improved shelters are designed for a minimum of
three years, allowing families to settle in and feel comfortable.
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Figure 6: The Ikea Foundation shelter uses solar energy to power a light and a USB outlet, thick walls for privacy, and have potential to collect
117 gallons (442 litres) of water in a 2” (5 cm) rainfall event.
Integrating these shelters into permaculture design gives us a model from which to build small,
cul-de-sac type clusters for refugees to rebuild community within. Placing the shelters in a “Ushaped” formation forms small neighborhoods, with a space that can be used for gardening, a
gathering place, small businesses, a youth play area, or other commonly-agreed upon uses.
An example design11 is outlined below [Figure 7]. Note that the basic design can be applied to
any location, with adjustments being made for latitude-specific conditions. Plants will vary be
ecological zone, and with intended use (shade, food, forage). Depending on camp needs and
11
Drawing not to scale, relative locations are approximate.
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local entrepreneurship, market stalls can be added to create a secondary communal meeting area
[see Figure 9].
Figure 7: Individual neighborhood layout
Looking at each individual neighborhood, there are
examples of the permaculture principles integrated into a natural design. Items are place in
position to assist one another, each element performs many functions, the plan is energy
efficient, and so on (Mollison 1991).
This is a base design, which could easily be altered to accommodate various climates (for
example, shifting wind patterns). It allows for the addition of rainwater harvesting barrels (size
and location dependent on climate and personal use), and an open communal space that each
community can work together to plan and use.
Permaculture systems are efficient heating and cooling systems, reducing dependency on
electricity, generators, etc. Proper placement of trees and shrubs adjacent to buildings [Figure 8]
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will provide shade, both to keep housing cool, and providing people a shady spot to sit under
(Kazimee 2002). This will also be location specific, and can use multipurpose trees that provide
food or fuelwood as well.
Figure 8: Two designs for passive heating and cooling of houses. On the left, deciduous trees that have lost their leaves allow
winter sun to warm the house. On the right, trees in full foliage block the sun’s direct summer rays (Kazimee, 2002).
Figure 9: The design on a larger scale, showing initial patterns of movement and potential market sites.
As the plan becomes grander and more established, benefits will change, and new connections
will become more pronounced. For example, as trees reach maturity, their shade will allow
shrubs and plants to flourish beneath, strengthening plant guilds. These guilds will bring in
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additional edibles, and attract native pollinators such as birds, bees, and butterflies. As noted in
the section on green spaces as healing zones, being in the presence of nature has a therapeutic
effect on those who have suffered trauma. All elements of the camps will work together, creating
long-term symbiotic relationship between people and place.
Conclusion
Permaculture design is a low-cost and sensible way to design households worldwide, from
refugee camps to single-family mansions. It provides opportunities for increased efficiency and
less reliance on external assistance (from fossil fuels to NGO inputs). As camps grow, so too can
the permaculture design, expanding and adjusting as needed to fit the needs of the earth and the
people. By following the design principles and building redundancy (repetitiveness) into the
system, shocks and stressors can more easily be absorbed by the local community.
In camps, permaculture has the potential to counter issues of mental trauma, to build community,
and to teach valuable skills that are applicable in urban and rural settings worldwide. Changing
climates will continue to impact lands, and those who have the knowledge to work with natural
systems and to capture local energies will have an advantage over those who do not.
Permaculture has been shown to be an effective post-camp method of land restoration, and
shows potential to dramatically reduce the negative effects on both people in and around the
camp, as well as to the land itself.
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Appendix A
The fifty most populous refugee camps are found from Chad in the west to Thailand in the east, with
most of these camps lying in areas of increasing water scarcity. Source: ESRI, n.d.
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Appendix B
Top photo: Note the lack of any green spaces in this Pakistani refugee camp, as well as the linear
layout.
Bottom photo: In Sri Lanka, a similar lack of green spaces, shade, and communal areas are seen. It
is likely that those few trees are coveted spots.
Photo source: Wiki Commons
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The scale and complexity of the Za’atari camp in Northern Jordan is hard to fathom; this aerial shot helps
illustrate the challenges faced by those running the camp. Now the fourth largest city in Jordan, many of the
camp’s middle-aged and elderly residents have resigned themselves to the fact that they will likely never
return home, or leave this area. Photo source: AFP
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Appendix C
A Guidebook to Integrating Permaculture Design Principles into Refugee Camps
(Condensed version)
Why Permaculture?
Permaculture design is based on three principles: Earth care, People Care, and Fair Share (return
of surplus). By utilizing these principles, land is used in a regenerative way; perennials are
planted for low-maintenance farming, legumes replenish nitrogen in soils, native trees shade
houses and provide gathering places for residents. “People care” can been seen in the positive
health benefits associated with living in green spaces, in the accessibility of having foodproducing plants in one’s yard, and the positive state of mental health achieved by working in
soil (Lowry 2007). “Fair share” takes care of both people and their environment, by returning
natural compost to the soil (fallen leaves, branches), and by allowing native wildlife to thrive as
well, which in turn allows pollinators to maintain plant health, and attracts birds – a natural and
free insecticide.
Permaculture design is an energy saver, utilizing natural forces (sun patterns, wind, rain) to heat
and cool structures, to maintain plant growth, and to provide natural gathering places.
Figure 1: Two designs for passive
heating and cooling of houses. On
the left, deciduous trees that have
lost their leaves allow winter sun
to warm the house. On the right,
trees in full foliage block the sun’s
direct summer rays (Kazimee,
2002).
Permaculture design is a community builder. By creating low-maintenance natural designs,
people live in an attractive, comfortable environment. Being in natural surroundings has been
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shown to be beneficial for people suffering from stress, depression (Sempik 2012), and posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. In the United States, facilities for war veterans (VA
Hospitals) often use horticulture therapy, or other plant and nature based therapy, to treat
veterans experiencing physical and mental health issues, including PTSD (Anderson 2011).
Where to start?
In a typical permaculture design, the first step would be a
site analysis. For existing camps that need a permaculture
re-design, this would still be the first order of business.
I.
Site Assessment: First, get to know the land in
question. This step requires at least one person
Permaculture
Design Process
• Site Analysis
• Vision Statement
• Conceptual Plan
• Master Plan
involved in the design process to have
physically been on the site, so that they can observe sounds, smells, and other
factors that cannot be researched externally. Natural patterns include:
a. Sun: Where does the sun rise, and where does it set? How does the sun’s pattern
change from summer to winter solstice, and on the equinox? At what times of the
year do you want to block the sun’s rays from striking the house? Where would
additional structures, such as gardens, communal gathering areas, etc, best be
placed? Is it an effective source of energy?
b. Wind: From which direction does the wind blow? At what time of the year will it
provide a cooling breeze? Can it be harnessed for energy production?
c. Rain: What does rainfall look like at this site? Are there rainy seasons, or yearround rainfall? How does rainfall move through the site (this requires the slope of
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the land to be measured), and how can it be captured for human, animal, and plant
use?
d. Noise: Are there external sources of noise that will affect the site (road traffic,
flight patterns, nearby schools and hospitals)?
e. Traffic: How do humans and animals already move through the site? How will
your presence affect their lives?
Next, invisible structures need to be addressed. Invisible structures include things
such as zoning laws and restrictions, money available for construction: any things that
cannot be seen, but can put a stop to your construction plans. In the care of refugee
camp planning, invisible structures would also include relations between the people
who will be gathering in the camp; are there class divisions, religious differences, or
other reasons why people may have conflict with others? These invisible structures
may affect latrine use, school attendance, ability to move freely among the camp, and
other issues that must be identified in order to provide safe and comfortable living
spaces for residents.
II.
Vision Statement: Creating a vision statement involves an honest assessment of what
you plan to do on the land. In the case of a refugee camp, this statement should be in
line with the desires of the people living in said camp. An example of a vision
statement follows:
“We plan to use permaculture principles to create a place for refugees to thrive,
where self-sufficiency grows through gardening, where the camp works with the
natural environment and can be a model for local practices.”
43 | P a g e
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The vision statement should incorporate the three ideas of earth care, people care, and
fair share, which will form the basis for the conceptual plan. Using the proposed
vision statement, we can break its components as so:
Earth care: “…where the camp works with the natural environment…” By
encouraging proper land management and natural gardening practices, camps will
leave the earth as good or better shape than it was when they moved in. Native
vegetation planted will continue to grow without input from the residents, should they
gain the ability to move on, and by planting fruit and nut-bearing trees, they will
provide added sustenance for whomever is on the land.
People care: “…a place for refugees to thrive, were self-sufficiency grows through
gardening…” Taking care of the residents, both mentally and physically, leads to
better communities and living spaces for all. As mentioned previously, green spaces
can go a long way towards overcoming stressful situations, and the resulting PTSD
that many refugees suffer from can be alleviated by immersion in calming activities,
such as gardening.
Fair share (return of surplus): “…can be a model for local practices.” As noted
previously, jealousy and conflict over resources can arise between host communities
and refugees, as allocations by UNHCR are also needed by those living in poverty
around camps. By including host communities in permaculture design trainings, all
participants will gain valuable skills that will build resiliency and social capital
among all.
44 | P a g e
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III.
Conceptual Plan: In this stage, there are no bad ideas. Brainstorming is key, as all
share their thoughts as to the possibilities for the project. The vision statement should
be a guiding principle for the conceptual planners, and should keep the group on a
similar path.
In a refugee camp, this stage would likely be done by members of INGOs, NGOs, and
CBOs who are involved with camp set-up and maintenance. This stage would come
before the actual implementation of the camp, and so would not necessarily be sitespecific; perhaps more of a guidelines for possible camp layout and activities.
IV.
Master Plan: In this final step ideas get refined and some ideas are eliminated, due to
insufficient funds, time, manpower, climate, or other constraints.
a. The site is redrawn, with contours, natural elements, and other sectors from the
site analysis noted.
b. Zones are drawn, identifying which parts of the land will be accessed more
frequently than other parts. Zones should be labeled 1-5, with “1” being the most
frequented, “5” being never frequented (generally wild land). An example of this
is shown in Appendix B, the permaculture guidebook.
c. Finally, observe the overall site. Note whether elements are placed symbiotically
with other elements, or if there is potential for rearrangement. For example, is
gravity working with or against elements that need to be transported, such as
water? Are compost piles in a convenient location, where they will be seen and
cared for as necessary? How can the site flow be improved to maximize
efficiency and convenience for the tenants?
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Zonation
Zonation refers to the areas most and least travelled to, as well as a personal zone (00), which
needs are much care and attention as the others.

Zone 00: Your own personal zone. Care of the self
is crucial, as those who are ill cannot take care of their
land, families, etc. Houses are also 00, as they are areas of
continuous living.

Figure 2: Zonation
Zone 1: Areas visited on a daily basis. This may
include household gardens, water tanks, shade trees, and more.
These items should be easily accessible by the household so that they are not forgotten
and neglected.

Zones 2-4: These zones may or may not come into the layout for refugee camps, it will
depend on the land and resources available. They become increasingly less-intensively
maintained, although their production may become more intense (orchards, fenced
grazing, etc).

Zone 5: Wild land, a place for people to be “visitors, not managers”. These unmanaged
zones allow for observation of what the natural land looks like, how it behaves, and what
the potential of the land might be. A valuable resource for those planning camp green
spaces
Incorporating zonation into refugee camps forces us to think about daily and weekly travel
for residents, as well as location of key structures, such as bathrooms, water collection tanks,
and gardens. Figure 3 shows basic zonation:
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Figure 3: Knowing where and how often people need to access certain areas will allow for better
planning of routes, and proper allocation of resources.
This appendix is a short guidebook for set-up of camps, it is by no means all inclusive and
should not be interpreted as a formal permaculture design. Following these basic principles,
camps can start to become productive and regenerative areas with a greater capacity for healing
and community.
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