Forests in Permaculture

At a glance..

So let's have a look at food forests. Two things about them may be of interest to us. One is yield. The other is equivalencies. This book discusses Forests in Permaculture.

The details..

'Forests in Permaculture' is part of the 'Permaculture Design Course Series', written by Bill Mollison based on his 1981 design course at The Rural Education Center. This pamphlet focuses on understanding forests from both their intrinsic value and composition to learn how to manage them effectively. It highlights that there are no single management procedures but many ways to manage any particular forest system.

The author divides forests into various categories such as essential or holy forests which have an inherent right to exist without human intervention; food forests which provide sustenance for humans; fuel production forests where wood isn't necessarily the only source of energy; and forage forests meant primarily for other species besides man.

Mollison stresses that these elements can mix together like patchwork within one forest area instead of being thought about separately. He also explains how structural assemblies differ from functional ones with bamboo serving as an example. Furthermore, he suggests regarding the entire forest canopy not just individual trees or animals since it's essentially one mighty great organism.

Overall this book provides valuable insights into managing different types of forestry systems while emphasizing their importance beyond economic benefits alone.