Permaculture
Definition
Permaculture (permanent agriculture) means using thoughtful observation to design landscapes that can support the long-term health of people and the land. It honours indigenous practices such as seed saving, soil renewal, and the cultivation of native plant species.
Stacking Functions
Stacking functions is both a simple and powerful principle and practice of permaculture design. In recognizing that many if not all elements within an ecosystem have multiple functions, stacking functions reduces waste and increases syntropy by incorporating multiple benefits wherever possible. For example:
A fruit tree might serve multiple purposes over its lifetime — food, shade, habitat, micro-climates for companion plants, visual barriers for privacy, contributing to soil fertility, green mulch (through dropped leaves), and wood at the end of its life.[1]