An Ecomimicry Approach to
Permaculture
My Background
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Botany; BS, EIU
Environmental Science; BS, EIU
Masters UIUC Plant Biology
Farmer; 10+ years; 5 generations
– ~ 5 years permaculture
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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
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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
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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 Perennials
Trees
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
Apricot
Gooseberry
Hardy Kiwi
Catnip
leeks
Chestnut
honeyberry
mints
sunchoke
Hickory
quince
heal all
Walnut
plums
mulberry
yellowhorn
comfrey
walking onions
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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?