The Ultimate Permaculture Glossary

A-frame Level — A simple, DIY A-shaped frame with a plumb line used to locate true contour lines across a slope. In permaculture, it’s essential for laying out swales, berms, and terraces without expensive instruments; accuracy depends on careful calibration on a known level surface. Reference: “Constructing an A-frame (PDF)” 

Adaptive Management — A cyclical, evidence-driven design approach: observe → plan → implement → monitor → adjust. It accepts uncertainty, tests interventions at small scale, and iterates based on measured outcomes—ideal for living landscapes that change over seasons and years.

Agroecology — The application of ecology to food systems, emphasizing biodiversity, closed nutrient loops, reduced external inputs, and social equity. It’s broader than a technique set; it’s a scientific and cultural framework that shapes how we design resilient farms and communities. Reference: “FAO – Agroecology” 

Agroforestry — The intentional integration of trees and shrubs with crops and/or livestock to stack products (food, fodder, timber) and services (shade, windbreak, soil fertility, water regulation). Designs include alley cropping, silvopasture, windbreaks, and riparian buffers. Reference: “USDA Forest Service – Agroforestry” 

Alley Cropping — Rows of long-lived trees or shrubs with annual or perennial crops in the alleys. The woody rows provide wind control, litter, habitat, and roots that stabilize soil; the alleys produce harvests while benefiting from moderated microclimate. Spacing and species choice are key. Reference: “USDA NAC – Alley Cropping”  

Appropriate Technology — Low-cost, repairable, locally sourced tools and systems matched to users’ skills and resources (e.g., solar dryers, hand pumps, rocket stoves). Focus is on resilience, not complexity; the tech must be maintainable where it’s deployed.

Aquaculture — The cultivation of fish, crustaceans, and aquatic plants in managed water systems. In permaculture, it’s integrated to reuse nutrients (manure → algae → fish → water to crops) and stabilize food/energy flows. Reference: “FAO – State of World Aquaculture” 

Aquaponics — A recirculating system combining aquaculture (fish) with hydroponics (plants), where fish waste is converted by nitrifying bacteria to plant-available nutrients. Key design variables: biofilter size, stocking density, pH, and O₂. Reference: “Rutgers – Aquaponics Fact Sheet” 

Basemap — The foundational map layer (aerial, topo, parcel lines) onto which you add site analysis: boundaries, sectors, contours, flows. Accuracy of subsequent design decisions depends on a clean, current basemap. Reference: “Esri – What is a Basemap?” 

Berm — A shaped ridge of soil (often below a swale) used to slow/redirect water, provide shelter from wind/noise, and create planting opportunities with different moisture regimes on the windward vs. leeward sides. Reference: “NRCS Soil Glossary” 

Biochar — Carbon-rich, porous material produced by pyrolyzing biomass in low oxygen. When charged with compost/urine/teas and added to soil, it can improve CEC, aeration, and water holding, and sequester carbon long term. Reference: “Cornell – Biochar Basics” 

Bioregionalism — Organizing economy and governance around natural regions (watersheds, ecoregions) rather than political borders, aligning human activity with ecological limits and flows. Reference: “Britannica – Bioregionalism” 

Bioswale — A vegetated, shallow channel that slows, filters, and infiltrates stormwater. Proper sizing, soil mix, and plant selection determine performance; outlets/overflow must be armored. Reference: “EPA – Bioswales” 

Blackwater — Toilet wastewater (feces/urine) and sometimes kitchen sink flows; must be treated or composted under strict protocols distinct from greywater to protect health and groundwater.

Bokashi Composting — Anaerobic fermentation of food scraps using inoculated bran (EM). It preserves nutrients, works in small indoor spaces, and yields pre-compost that finishes quickly in soil or a hot pile. Reference: “NC State Extension – Bokashi” 

Brownfield Remediation — Restoring contaminated sites via removal, stabilization, or biological methods (e.g., phytoremediation). Goal: return land to safe, productive use with long-term monitoring. Reference: “EPA – Brownfields” 

Carrying Capacity — The maximum sustained population/throughput an ecosystem can support without degrading. In design, it guides stocking rates, water budgets, and nutrient flows. Reference: “Britannica – Carrying Capacity” 

Catch & Store Energy — A core principle: harvest abundance (rainwater, sunlight, biomass, soil carbon) when available and store it (tanks, soil sponge, batteries) to ride out scarcity. Reference: “Permaculture Principles – Principle 2” 

Check Dam — A small barrier (rock, brush, gabion) placed across a gully or channel to reduce flow velocity, trap sediment, and encourage bed aggradation and infiltration. Requires stable sidewalls and armored spillways. Reference: “NRCS – Check Dam” 

Cob Building — Monolithic earthen walls made by sculpting clay/sand/straw. Breathable, high thermal mass, low embodied energy; requires good boots (foundation) and hat (roof). Reference: “Britannica – Cob Building”

 Companion Planting — Purposeful plant associations for pest suppression, pollination, nutrient sharing, or physical support (e.g., Three Sisters). Success depends on spacing, timing, and local ecology. Reference: “Clemson Extension – Companion Planting” 

Compost Tea — A liquid extract of compost (aerated or not) used to inoculate soils/foliage with microbes and soluble nutrients. Benefits depend on feedstocks, oxygenation, and application timing. Reference: “Cornell – Compost Tea” 

Composting Toilet — Waterless sanitation that decomposes human waste via aerobic composting; requires correct C:N, moisture, temperature, and curing time for safety. Reference: “EPA – Composting Toilets” 

Constructed Wetland — An engineered wetland (surface or subsurface flow) that treats wastewater/stormwater using plants, microbes, and soils; must be designed for loading rates and maintenance. Reference: “EPA – Constructed Wetlands” 

Contour Mapping — Identifying lines of equal elevation to place level-sill features (swales, terraces) and understand water movement. Accuracy improves with GPS, laser level, or a well-calibrated A-frame. Reference: “USGS – Topographic Maps” 

Creatively Use & Respond to Change — Principle: expect disturbance and succession; design elements to pivot (e.g., modular beds, adjustable spillways) and harvest the opportunities that change creates. Reference: “Principle 12 – Use & Respond to Change” 

CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) — A direct partnership where members pre-purchase a share of the harvest, improving farm cash flow and community resilience while sharing risk. Reference: “USDA – Community Supported Agriculture” 

Degrowth — A movement advocating reduced material/energy throughput, focusing on sufficiency, equity, and ecological integrity rather than perpetual GDP growth. In practice: shorter supply chains, restoration, social safety nets. Reference: “Degrowth.info” 

Design Charrette — A time-boxed, collaborative workshop where stakeholders, designers, and users co-create site plans, test scenarios, and align on trade-offs. Reference: “National Charrette Institute” 

Design from Patterns to Details — Read macro patterns first (watershed, wind, sun, access, desire lines), then refine micro details (bed shape, plant spacing, fittings). Prevents optimizing the wrong thing. Reference: “Principle 7 – Patterns” 

Diversion Drain — An off-contour channel that safely routes clean water around vulnerable areas or into storage; requires stable grades, energy dissipation, and protected outlets. Reference: “NRCS – Diversion” 

Drip Irrigation — Point-source irrigation at the root zone, minimizing evaporation and leaf wetting. Key: pressure regulation, filtration, emitter spacing, and scheduling by soil/moisture data. Reference: “Penn State Extension – Drip Irrigation” 

Dryland Water Harvesting — Strategies (micro-catchments, half-moons, zai pits, mulches) to capture episodic rainfall, reduce evaporation, and concentrate fertility where plants can use it. Reference: “FAO – Water Harvesting (Manual)” 

Dynamic Equilibrium — A system maintains overall stability through continuous change, oscillating within bounds (e.g., predator–prey cycles); good designs work with, not against, these rhythms.

Earth Care — Permaculture ethic committing to regenerate soil, water, air, and biodiversity; the base constraint for all subsequent design choices.

Earth Berming — Pushing earth against exterior walls for wind shelter and thermal mass. Needs moisture barriers, drainage planes, and capillary breaks to prevent damp ingress. Reference: “Green Home Building – Earth Bermed Homes” 

Earthship — Passive-solar, earth-sheltered homes built with recycled materials (e.g., earth-rammed tires), integrating on-site water capture, greywater reuse, and food production. Reference: “Earthship Global” 

Ecological Footprint — A metric comparing human demand (land/sea area for resources and waste) to biocapacity; used to gauge overshoot and guide reduction strategies. Reference: “Global Footprint Network” 

Ecovillage — A human-scale settlement designed for shared resources, local production, participatory governance, and low ecological impact. Reference: “Global Ecovillage Network” 

Edge Effect — The boost in diversity and productivity at ecosystem boundaries (forest-field, water-land). Design maximizes beneficial edges while avoiding harmful ones (e.g., hot, exposed edges).

Embodied Energy — The total energy required to extract, process, transport, and install a material. Favor local, minimally processed materials with long service life and repairability.

Energy Descent — A planned reduction in fossil-fuel dependence via efficiency, localization, and renewable systems; designs aim to thrive at lower energy budgets. Reference: “Transition Network – EDAPs” 

Fair Share — The ethic of limits and redistribution: consume within ecological means and circulate surplus to support earth and people care.

Feedback Loop — Causal cycles that amplify (positive) or stabilize (negative) system behavior (e.g., herbivore–grass dynamics). Mapping feedbacks prevents unintended consequences.

Food Forest — A perennial, multi-layer system (canopy, sub-canopy, shrubs, herbs, groundcovers, roots, climbers) designed to mimic forest structure while producing food/fiber/medicine. Reference: “Agroforestry Research Trust – Food Forests” 

Flow Mapping — Diagramming resource and human flows (water, nutrients, energy, access) to place elements where they interact efficiently and safely (e.g., tanks above gardens; paths on contours).

Functional Analysis — For each element, list inputs, outputs, characteristics, and needs, then connect elements so outputs feed others’ inputs (closing loops, stacking functions).

Gabion — Rock-filled wire baskets used to stabilize slopes, protect banks, and form permeable check structures that dissipate energy while allowing some flow. Reference: “FHWA – Gabion Walls (PDF)” 

Gleying — The creation (or use) of anaerobic, clay-rich, organic layers to reduce seepage (e.g., pond sealing). True gley formation requires persistent saturation and low oxygen.

Green Roof — Vegetated roofing that reduces runoff, increases insulation, and supports habitat. Needs structural assessment, root barriers, drainage layers, and appropriate media. Reference: “EPA – Green Roofs” 

Greywater System — Reusing lightly contaminated water (showers, basins, laundry) for sub-surface irrigation via branched drains or mulch basins; soaps/detergents must be plant-safe. Reference: “Oasis Design – Greywater” 

Groundwater Recharge — Infiltrating water to replenish aquifers and baseflows. Designs increase soil sponge (mulch, biochar), slow overland flow, and use basins/ponds where appropriate. Reference: “USGS – Groundwater Basics” 

Guild — A mutually supportive assemblage (e.g., a fruit tree + N-fixers + accumulators + pollinator plants + mulch producers) that cooperates for overall health and yield. Reference: “Permaculture Research Institute – Guilds” 

Hedgerow — Linear woody plantings that form living fences, shelter livestock/crops, filter winds, and offer forage/pollinator habitat; often placed along contour or boundaries. Reference: “NRCS – Hedgerow Planting” 

Herb Spiral — A compact helical bed that creates dry/sunny and cool/moist niches along its height and aspect, fitting diverse herbs into a small footprint. Reference: “Permaculture Association UK – Herb Spirals” 

Holistic Management — A decision framework (context, planning, testing questions) used to regenerate land—especially via planned rotational grazing—while meeting social/financial goals. Reference: “Savory Institute – Holistic Management” 

Hot Composting (Berkeley Method) — High-temperature composting (131–158°F / 55–70°C) achieved by correct C:N, moisture, oxygen, and turning schedule, producing safe compost in weeks. Reference: “Cornell – Composting Science” 

House-as-Ecosystem (Zone 0) — Treat the house as the core hub of water, energy, and behavior: fix leaks, insulate, manage waste heat, stack functions (e.g., laundry → greywater → garden) before designing outland features.

Humanure — Composting human waste safely to return nutrients to soil; requires thermophilic temperatures, adequate bulking agents, long curing, and legal compliance. Reference: “Humanure Handbook” 

Hügelkultur — Wood-core raised mounds that store moisture and slowly release nutrients as the wood decays; excels in dry climates when oriented to sun/wind. Reference: “Permaculture Research Institute – Hügelkultur” 

Hydrologic Cycle (Design Lens) — Designing with evaporation, transpiration, runoff, infiltration, and storage in mind; aim to slow–spread–sink water across your site. Reference: “USGS – Water Cycle” 

Infiltration Basin — A shallow, vegetated depression sized to hold runoff and infiltrate it into underlying soils; requires overflow protection and sediment pre-treatment to avoid clogging. Reference: “EPA – Infiltration Practices” 

Inoculation — Introducing beneficial microbes/fungi (e.g., mycorrhizae) to seeds, roots, or soils to jump-start biology, improve nutrient uptake, and speed succession—most effective when soil organic matter and moisture are adequate.

Inputs–Outputs Mapping — A design tool that lists each element’s needs and yields, then connects them so wastes become resources (e.g., chicken manure → compost → garden fertility; pond overflow → swale).

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) — Prevention first (healthy soils, diversity, timing), then monitoring and thresholds, then least-toxic controls. Reduces chemical dependence and builds resilience. Reference: “UC IPM – What is IPM?” 

Intensive Rotational Grazing — High-stocking, short-duration grazing followed by adequate rest to rebuild roots and litter, increasing soil carbon, water infiltration, and forage quality. Reference: “University of Missouri – MIG” 

Invisible Structures — The social, legal, and economic frameworks (ownership, governance, agreements, education) that determine whether physical designs endure; successful projects design these consciously.

Irrigation Efficiency — Matching method (drip, micro-spray), timing (ET-based), and soil to minimize losses. Combine with mulches, wind protection, and scheduling by moisture sensors for best results. Reference: “Penn State – Irrigation Efficiency” 

J-Curve (Succession) — A growth pattern seen in ecosystems where productivity is slow at first, then accelerates rapidly as feedback loops establish, before leveling out or declining if carrying capacity is exceeded. In permaculture, this helps explain early succession planting strategies and why young systems often look sparse before exploding in diversity.

Jean Pain Method — A composting innovation using large heaps of chipped wood and brush to generate both heat and methane gas while eventually producing humus-rich compost. Pain famously heated his house and supplied cooking gas from his compost piles. Reference: “University of Nottingham – Jean Pain Composting (PDF)” 

Just Transition — A framework ensuring that as economies shift toward sustainability, workers, families, and communities are not left behind. It calls for policies that protect livelihoods while phasing in regenerative industries. Reference: “Just Transition Centre” 

Keyline Design — A landscape design system pioneered by P.A. Yeomans that uses contour-based plowing and water harvesting to maximize soil moisture storage and build fertility. It focuses on identifying the “keypoint” on slopes and designing channels and plantings to distribute water evenly. Reference: “NRCS – Keyline Design Guide (PDF)” 

Keypoint — The specific point on a slope where concave and convex curves meet, and where water naturally slows. This is the starting reference in Keyline planning, dictating where plowing or channels are most effective.

Keyline Plow (Yeomans Plow) — A deep-ripping subsoiler designed by Yeomans to lift and aerate compacted soils along Keyline patterns without inverting soil layers, thus improving infiltration and root growth.

Kitchen Garden (Zone 1) — A garden located immediately outside the home for quick access to herbs, greens, and vegetables. As a Zone 1 element, it emphasizes frequent harvests, intensive care, and daily observation.

Knowledge Commons — Shared, open-source information pools (research, techniques, designs) that ensure regenerative practices remain accessible, adaptable, and community-owned, rather than privatized.

Keyhole Garden — A circular raised bed with a notch “keyhole” path, featuring a central composting basket. Waste scraps feed the soil, while the raised, mulched bed maximizes productivity in dry climates. Reference: “FAO – Keyhole Gardens (PDF)” 

Kill Mulch — Heavy mulching (often with cardboard, straw, or leaves) applied directly on turf or weeds to smother existing vegetation and prepare ground for planting without tilling.

Lasagna Gardening (Sheet Mulching) — A technique where organic materials (cardboard, manure, compost, straw, leaves) are layered like “lasagna” to build deep, fertile soil while suppressing weeds. It’s essentially a controlled version of natural forest floor buildup.

Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) — A scientific method for analyzing the full environmental impacts of a product or system from raw material extraction through use and disposal. In permaculture, LCAs help compare inputs (e.g., cob vs. concrete). Reference: “EPA – Life Cycle Assessment” 

Living Fence — A fence created from living trees or shrubs, which not only marks boundaries but also provides wind protection, fodder, fuel, habitat, and soil stability.

Living Mulch — A permanent groundcover (clovers, vetch, creeping herbs) maintained among crops to suppress weeds, protect soil, and feed pollinators.

LETS (Local Exchange Trading System) — A community-based system of barter and mutual credit, where members trade goods/services without conventional money. It strengthens local economies and reduces reliance on external cash flow. Reference: “GDRC – LETS FAQ” 

Low-Input Agriculture — Farming systems that minimize dependence on external synthetic inputs, relying instead on compost, crop rotations, mulches, and ecological processes for fertility and pest management.

Low-Tech Irrigation — Simple, affordable irrigation methods such as olla pots, gravity-fed drip lines, and wick systems, designed for water efficiency with minimal infrastructure.

Low-Impact Development (LID) — A sustainable urban design approach emphasizing stormwater infiltration, rain gardens, bioswales, and vegetation to mimic natural hydrology. Reference: “EPA – Low Impact Development” 

Managed Intensive Grazing (MIG) — A regenerative grazing method using high stocking density for short periods, followed by long rest for pastures. This mimics wild herbivore movements, leading to healthier soils, increased forage, and carbon sequestration. Reference: “University of Missouri Extension – MIG” 

Microclimate — A localized climate zone created by site-specific conditions (shade, slope, water, buildings). Permaculture designs manipulate microclimates (e.g., walls that radiate heat, ponds moderating frost) to expand growing options.

Minimum Tillage — Soil preparation techniques that reduce disturbance compared to conventional tillage, preserving soil structure, organic matter, and microbes while still allowing planting.

Modular Design — A design approach that emphasizes building in phases or modules, testing small-scale interventions before scaling them up. This reduces risk and increases learning.

Mulch Basin — A shallow depression filled with mulch material (woodchips, straw) around trees to capture greywater or rain runoff, filter nutrients, and slowly release moisture to the root zone.

Mulching — The practice of covering soil with organic matter (leaves, straw, bark, compost) to conserve water, regulate temperature, suppress weeds, and feed soil biology.

Mycorrhizal Networks — Underground fungal networks that connect plant roots, allowing nutrient and water sharing, communication, and increased ecosystem resilience. Reference: “USDA Forest Service – Mycorrhizal Networks” 

Methane Digester (Biogas Unit) — A sealed system where organic matter decomposes anaerobically, producing methane gas for cooking/heating and digestate for fertilizer. Common in farms using animal waste. Reference: “FAO – Biogas Manual” 

Materials Flow Analysis (MFA) — A tool for tracking the flows of resources and wastes in a system, helping designers spot leaks and opportunities to close loops.

Natural Building — Construction methods using earth, straw, bamboo, timber, and stone, emphasizing local sourcing, low embodied energy, and human health. Cob, adobe, rammed earth, and straw bale are classic techniques. Reference: “Cob Cottage Company” 

Natural Capital — The stock of natural assets—soil, air, water, biodiversity—that provide ecosystem services supporting human and non-human life. Reference: “World Bank – Natural Capital Accounting” 

Net-Positive Energy — A design goal where a site generates more renewable energy (solar, wind, microhydro) than it consumes annually.

Net-Positive Water — A water system that harvests and treats more than it uses, returning surplus clean water to ecosystems.

Niche Construction — The process by which organisms (including humans) modify their environment, which then shapes their own evolutionary or survival prospects. Reference: “Cambridge – Niche Construction Theory” 

No-Till Gardening — Growing crops without soil inversion, instead using mulches, compost, and soil biology to maintain fertility and structure.

Nutrient Cycling — The continuous circulation of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon) through plants, animals, decomposers, and soil, forming the backbone of ecosystem productivity.

Observation & Interaction — The first principle of permaculture: watch patterns before acting. Long-term, detailed observation ensures interventions match the landscape rather than fight it. Reference: “Permaculture Principles – Observation” 

Off-Contour Spillway — An outlet designed off contour to safely carry away overflow from swales or ponds, preventing berm breaches during extreme rain events.

Olla Irrigation — A low-tech irrigation system using buried porous clay pots filled with water; moisture seeps slowly into the root zone, drastically cutting water waste. Reference: “University of Arizona – Olla Irrigation” 

On-Contour Earthworks — Water-harvesting features (swales, terraces, bunds) built exactly on contour to spread and sink water evenly across a slope.

Open-Source Design — Sharing design plans, research, and patterns freely so they can be adapted and replicated without proprietary restrictions.

Organic Matter — The decomposed remains of plants and animals, critical for soil fertility, water retention, and structure.

Overland Flow Path — The natural route surface water takes downslope; good design manages these to reduce erosion and recharge soil.

Overstory–Understory Design — Designing plant layers in a forest garden: tall overstory trees provide structure and shade; understory plants fill niches below.

OBREDIM — A structured design cycle acronym: Observe, Boundaries, Resources, Evaluate, Design, Implement, Maintain—guiding a project from analysis to long-term care.

Passive Solar Design — Building design that uses orientation, thermal mass, glazing, and insulation to heat and cool with minimal mechanical input. Reference: “US DOE – Passive Solar” 

Pattern Literacy — The skill of recognizing recurring natural patterns (spirals, waves, branching, tessellations) and applying them to design for efficiency and harmony. Reference: “Permaculture Principles – Patterns” 

PDC (Permaculture Design Certificate) — A 72-hour standardized course covering permaculture ethics, principles, and applications, taught globally as the foundation for further practice. Reference: “Permaculture Institute – PDC” 

Permablitz — A community work party where volunteers install permaculture gardens while learning design and hands-on skills. Reference: “Permablitz Network” 

Permaculture Ethics — The three guiding ethics: Earth Care, People Care, Fair Share, forming the foundation of all design decisions.

Permaculture Flower — A conceptual diagram by David Holmgren showing seven domains of human activity (e.g., land stewardship, tools, culture, finance) linked by permaculture design. Reference: “Holmgren – Permaculture Flower” 

Permeable Pavement — Surfaces (porous asphalt, permeable pavers) that allow rainwater to infiltrate instead of running off, reducing floods and filtering pollutants. Reference: “EPA – Permeable Pavements” 

Produce No Waste — A principle encouraging designs where every output is an input, closing loops and reducing dependency on external inputs. Reference: “Principle 6 – Produce No Waste” 

Polyculture — The simultaneous cultivation of multiple species, mimicking natural ecosystems to increase resilience, reduce pests, and diversify yields.

Protracted Observation — Spending extended time watching a site through different seasons and conditions before making irreversible changes, ensuring interventions fit the land.

Quick Composting — Composting methods designed to rapidly decompose organic matter into safe, usable compost in weeks rather than months. Achieved through correct carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, frequent aeration, moisture management, and adequate pile size to maintain thermophilic temperatures. Reference: “Cornell – Composting Science” 

Quorum Decision-Making — A governance approach requiring a minimum number of participants to make decisions binding. Used in community permaculture projects to ensure legitimacy and shared responsibility.

Quasi-Closed Loop Systems — Designs where most inputs (fertility, water, energy) are generated internally, minimizing dependence on external resources. Complete closure is rare, but approaching it increases resilience.

Rain Garden — A shallow, vegetated depression that collects stormwater runoff from rooftops, driveways, or roads, filtering it through soil and plants before it infiltrates. Reduces flooding, erosion, and pollution. Reference: “EPA – Rain Gardens” 

Rainwater Harvesting — The collection and storage of rainwater from rooftops or catchments for later use in irrigation, livestock, or domestic supply. Essential in dryland designs for buffering seasonal rainfall. Reference: “EPA – Rainwater Harvesting” 

Raised Beds — Elevated growing areas framed with wood, stone, or earth to improve drainage, soil depth, and access. Ideal for intensive food production, especially in urban gardens. Reference: “University of Minnesota – Raised Beds” 

Recharge Basin — A specially designed basin that captures runoff and infiltrates water into aquifers, increasing groundwater recharge. Requires appropriate soils and sediment management.

Recharge Zone — The land area where water percolates naturally into aquifers. Protecting recharge zones is crucial for sustainable water supply. Reference: “USGS – Groundwater Recharge” 

Relative Placement — A core design principle: place elements so that one’s outputs meet another’s inputs (e.g., chicken coop uphill of orchard to fertilize).

Renewable Resources & Services — Design with sun, wind, plants, and biological cycles as primary inputs, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and mined materials. Reference: “Permaculture Principles – Principle 5” 

Resilience — The ability of a system to absorb disturbance, adapt, and continue functioning. In permaculture, resilience is built through diversity, redundancy, and modularity.

Riparian Buffer — A vegetated strip along waterways that filters runoff, stabilizes banks, and provides wildlife habitat. Essential for water quality and erosion control. Reference: “USDA NRCS – Riparian Buffer” 

Rocket Mass Heater — An ultra-efficient wood-burning stove that channels hot gases through a thermal mass bench, storing heat and releasing it slowly over time. Uses less wood than conventional stoves. Reference: “Permies – Rocket Mass Heaters” 

Rain Shadow Analysis — The study of how mountains block rainfall, creating dry leeward zones. Useful in site planning to select crops and locate shelterbelts.

SADIMET — A permaculture design cycle acronym: Survey, Analyze, Design, Implement, Maintain, Evaluate, Tweak. Ensures iterative improvement.

Sector Analysis — Mapping external energies (sun, wind, fire, noise, flood) that affect a site. Guides placement of plantings, barriers, and structures to harness or deflect flows.

Self-Regulation & Feedback — A principle that emphasizes creating systems that self-adjust via built-in feedback loops, reducing the need for outside control.

Sheet Mulching — A soil-building technique layering cardboard, compost, manure, and mulch directly over soil or sod to suppress weeds and build fertility. Reference: “Sheet Mulching – Guide” 

Silvopasture — Integrating trees with pasture to provide shade, forage, and additional yields (timber, nuts) while sequestering carbon and supporting livestock health. Reference: “USDA NAC – Silvopasture” 

Slow & Small Solutions — A principle advising that incremental, smaller changes are more resilient and adaptable than large, rapid shifts. Reference: “Permaculture Principles – Principle 9” 

Small-Scale Intensive Systems — Intensive management of small, near-home areas (Zone 1) to maximize productivity and efficiency.

Soil Food Web — The interconnected network of soil organisms (bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, arthropods, worms) that cycle nutrients and build soil fertility. Reference: “USDA NRCS – Soil Biology” 

Solar Chimney — A vertical shaft heated by solar radiation that creates airflow, providing natural building ventilation.

Spillway (Armored) — A reinforced overflow channel (stone, vegetation, concrete) that safely directs excess water away from earthworks to prevent erosion.

Stack Functions — Design principle where each element serves multiple functions (e.g., a pond provides water storage, microclimate, aquaculture, and reflection of light).

Stakeholder Mapping — Identifying all individuals and groups affected by a project, ensuring inclusivity and long-term social support.

Swale — A shallow, on-contour ditch with an adjacent berm that captures runoff, spreads it across the slope, and allows infiltration. Reference: “Permaculture Research Institute – Swales” 

Systems Thinking — A mindset that sees connections, feedback loops, and interdependence, designing interventions that consider the whole rather than parts in isolation.

Terracing — Cutting slopes into stepped levels to slow runoff, reduce erosion, and create arable land. Ancient and modern examples exist worldwide. Reference: “FAO – Terracing” 

Thermal Mass — Materials like stone, adobe, water, or concrete that absorb heat during the day and release it slowly at night, regulating building temperatures. Reference: “DOE – Thermal Mass” 

Tipping Point (Ecology) — The threshold beyond which an ecosystem shifts abruptly into a new state (e.g., grassland turning to desert). Recognizing thresholds informs regenerative design.

Tree Bog — A composting toilet planted with nutrient-hungry trees, which uptake the leachate and close nutrient loops naturally.

Trombe Wall — A south-facing, glazed thermal wall that absorbs solar energy by day and releases it into a building at night. Reference: “Energy.gov – Trombe Walls” 

Trench Composting — The practice of burying organic matter directly into soil trenches, where decomposition enriches soil for future crops.

Transition Towns — Grassroots community initiatives building local resilience through localization of food, energy, and economies. Reference: “Transition Network” 

Trap-and-Store Strategies — Any design feature that captures and holds energy/resources (e.g., swales, ponds, thermal mass, mulch) for later use.

Time Banking — A community system where people exchange services by the hour, fostering reciprocity and reducing cash dependence. Reference: “TimeBanks USA” 

Tool Stacking — Choosing tools that solve multiple needs at once, increasing efficiency and reducing clutter (e.g., a broadfork loosens soil, aerates, and breaks compaction).

Trade-offs Analysis — Assessing design options by comparing benefits, risks, and opportunity costs, ensuring resilient choices.

Understory Management — Managing the lower forest or orchard layer with shade-tolerant crops, mulch plants, or livestock to optimize vertical production.

Uncoupling from Fossil Fuels — Systematically replacing fossil-fuel-dependent elements with renewables, closed loops, and manual/animal labor to increase independence.

Universal Design — Designing spaces and systems to be accessible to all people, regardless of ability, age, or mobility. Reference: “Centre for Excellence in Universal Design” 

Urban Heat Island Mitigation — Reducing city heat buildup with trees, green roofs, reflective surfaces, and ventilation corridors. Reference: “EPA – Heat Island Strategies” 

Urban Permaculture — Applying permaculture to dense, urban settings (balconies, rooftops, vacant lots), maximizing productivity and resilience in small spaces. Reference: “Permaculture Research Institute – Urban Permaculture” 

Use & Value Diversity — Diversity reduces risk and builds resilience. Systems with many species and strategies adapt better to shocks. Reference: “Principle 10 – Diversity” 

Use Edges & Value the Marginal — Productivity often comes from interfaces and overlooked spaces (e.g., pond edges, fence lines, roadside verges). Reference: “Principle 11 – Edges” 

Use & Value Renewable Resources — Rely on renewables (sunlight, wind, biomass, biological cycles) instead of non-renewable inputs.

Value-Adding — Enhancing products by processing, packaging, or creating experiences (e.g., milk → cheese, apples → cider), keeping wealth local.

Vernacular Architecture — Building with locally available materials and techniques that evolved for climate and culture (e.g., adobe in deserts, thatch in tropics).

Vermicomposting — Using red wiggler worms (Eisenia fetida) to transform organic waste into nutrient-rich castings and liquid fertilizer. Reference: “NC State Extension – Vermicomposting” 

Vertical Gardening — Growing crops on walls, trellises, towers, or hanging systems, maximizing yields in tight urban spaces.

Voluntary Simplicity — A conscious lifestyle of reduced consumption, debt, and clutter, focusing on essentials, relationships, and sustainability.

Vegetative Filter Strip — A narrow band of grasses or shrubs planted along fields or waterways to trap sediment, nutrients, and chemicals in runoff. Reference: “USDA NRCS – Filter Strip” 

Visual Basin Analysis — Observing landforms to identify catchments, ridges, and valleys, allowing water management planning without advanced tools.

Walipini — An underground or earth-sheltered greenhouse that uses the earth’s thermal stability to grow crops year-round, even in cold climates. Reference: “Walipini Construction Manual (PDF)” 

Water Budget — A calculation of water inputs (rain, runoff, wells) vs. outputs (irrigation, evapotranspiration, consumption) to balance supply and demand.

Water Harvesting Earthworks — Swales, terraces, bunds, and ponds built to capture, slow, and infiltrate water for landscape hydration.

Watershed — The land area that drains to a common outlet like a stream, river, or lake. Designs that work with watershed boundaries are more sustainable. Reference: “USGS – What is a Watershed?” 

Wicking Bed — A raised bed with a water reservoir at the base, delivering moisture upward through capillary action, creating highly water-efficient systems. Reference: “University of Tasmania – Wicking Beds” 

Wildlife Corridor — Strips of habitat connecting isolated ecosystems, allowing safe movement of species and maintaining biodiversity. Reference: “National Wildlife Federation – Corridors” 

Windbreak — Rows of trees or shrubs planted perpendicular to prevailing winds to reduce wind speed, protect crops, conserve soil, and provide habitat. Reference: “USDA NRCS – Windbreaks” 

Winter Sun Angle — The lower angle of the sun in winter that affects building orientation, shading, and planting design for maximum solar gain.

Xeriscaping — Landscaping designed for dry climates, focusing on drought-tolerant plants, mulches, and efficient irrigation to minimize water use. Reference: “Colorado State University – Xeriscaping” 

X-Section Drawing — A cross-sectional drawing of an earthwork or structure, used to plan dimensions, slopes, and safety.

Xeric Microclimate Design — The deliberate creation of hot, dry niches using slope orientation, rocks, or reflective surfaces to grow drought-tolerant species.

Yard-Scale Intensification — Designing small home landscapes for maximum yield, stacking vertical and seasonal crops while keeping access easy.

Yield (Obtain a Yield) — The principle that designs must provide tangible returns (food, energy, knowledge, joy) now and into the future, ensuring motivation and viability. Reference: “Permaculture Principles – Principle 3” 

Yardforest (Tiny Forests) — Dense, native plantings mimicking natural forests on small urban or suburban plots, rapidly restoring biodiversity.

Zai Pits — Small, traditional planting pits used in Africa to capture runoff and concentrate organic matter, dramatically improving crop yields in degraded drylands. Reference: “FAO – Zai Pits” — https://www.fao.org/3/y5104e/y5104e05.htm

Zero Waste — A design philosophy where all outputs are cycled back into the system, eliminating landfill-bound waste.

Zone 00 (Inner Landscape) — The “invisible zone” of permaculture, referring to the inner self—health, mindset, relationships—which drives the success of outer designs.

Zone Planning (0–5) — A spatial design framework that organizes a site into zones based on frequency of use, from intensive (Zone 1) near the house to wilderness (Zone 5). Reference: “Permaculture Principles – Zones” 

Zoned Grazing — Grazing systems planned around zones, water points, and recovery times, integrating permaculture zoning with livestock movement.

Zonal Wind Analysis — The study of seasonal wind directions and intensities, guiding placement of windbreaks, openings, and building orientation.