Masterclass Daniel Halsey Wageningen November 15 2018

1
Permaculture and
Agro-Ecosystem Strategy
Presented by
Daniel Halsey
A New Language
A New Vision
A New FutureEco Design Overview 2016

2
Nature’s Momentum
• Accepting the Land's Imprint
• Adapting our goals to the long term land base
• Leveraging the ecological functions of plants
• Using the natural processes that create natural
capital and raise the carrying capacity
We Connect
and Integrate
Eco Design Overview 2016

3
Following Nature's Patterns
The beauty of ecological design is in the relationships.
Nature's Natural Arrangements
Design by Cooperation, Purpose, and Companionship
Eco Design Overview 2016 3

6
• Adopt a strategy for long-term behavior rather than short-term
forecasting.
• Carrying Capacity is developed as a gage for forecasting
collapses.
• A sustainable steady state is shown to be possible in different
types of management.
• Over-exploitation of either Labor or Nature results in social and
ecological collapse.
Carrying Capacity (K)
•Multi-Trophic Harvests
•Build Connections
•Regenerate Resources

8
Models for Capture & Store:
Water:
Earthworks & Waterworks
Roof – Pond – Berms - Swales
We allow nature to do the work by slowing the loss
of energy.
It’s a little like making Kefir and Kombucha.Eco Design Overview 2016

9
Structure

Forest Ecology

11
Relationships

14
Polyculture Design 1
Insectory
Insectory Plants List
Service
Mechanisms
• Beneficial Habitat
• Shelter
• Over wintering
o Yarrow
o Comfrey
• Insect Nectory
• Attract beneficial insects
o Tickseed (Coreopsis)
o Anise Hyssop
UC Davis

Polyculture Plant Selection
• To analyze, quantify and assemble a list of plants fulfilling the
various functions of local guilds and assess the strategy
supporting the primary plant(s).
• Plant Selection is the last stage of design.
• It is done after all the other design considerations are completed
and the structure is established.

Ecological Functions
• Animal Forage
• Air Cleaner
• Carbon Sequestration
• Fortress
• Flood Management
• Wildlife Habitat
• Insectory
• Mulch Maker
• Nitrogen Fixer
• Nurse
• Nitrogen Scavenger
• Nutrient Accumulator
• Pest Repellent
• Restoration/Reclamation
• Soil Builder
• Windbreak
• Soil Cultivator
• Erosion Control
• Toxin Absorption
• Water Purification
• Weed Suppressor
• Wildlife Food

Human Uses
• Biomass
• Cleanser/Scourer
• Compost
• Container Garden
• Cut Flower
• Dried Flower
• Dye
• Food
o Fruit
o Protein
o Roughage
o Carbohydrates
o Vitamins, Minerals
o Spice
• Storage, Cache
• Essential Oil
• Fiber
• Aromatics/Fragrance
• Hanging Basket
• Insect Repellent
• Medicine
• Oil, Wax, Resin or Polish
• Ornamental
• Soap
• Wood
• Animal Feed

18
Polyculture Design
Method #1, Niche
– Search for Niche Specified Plants
– List Anchors and Eco-Supportive Plants
– Develop Polycultures from Master List
Method #2, Analog
– Pick Anchor Plant
– Find Ecological Analogs
– Determine Eco-Functions
– Choose Supportive Plants
Place Plants
1. Anchors
2. Understory
3. Perennials
–Count Plants
–Price Plants
–Source Plants
Conventional Design
Imprint and manipulate the growing medium to fit the desired produc

21
Plant Guilds
Ecological Functions Support Polycultures
• A diagram of interrelated functions
o Human food
o Mutual support
o Plant Dossier (2).mmap

The Niche Defines the Plants
The Plants Supply the Ecological and Human Uses
The Uses Achieve the Design Goals
Limiting Factors as Design Drivers
Ecological Functions Provide the Solutions
Limiting Factor Design Driver
Dry Soil Improved Soil Moisture
Steep Slope Soil Stabilization
Minimal Time Low Maintenance
Low SOM Soil Building
Wind Wind Breaks

23
Design Progression
Skill Development Exercises with Weighted
Priority (not chronological)
Complex tasks are repeated and deconstructed
to baseline tasks.
1.Plant Placement
2.Plant Selection
3.Functional Roles
4.Polyculture Structure
5.Plant Types
6.Concept Design
7.Functional Spaces
8.Base Map
•The Niche Defines the Plants
•The Plants Supply the Ecological
Services and Human Uses
•The Uses Achieve the Design Goals
1. Base Map
2. Functional Spaces
3. Concept Design
4. Plant Types
5. Polyculture
Structure
6. Functional Roles
7. Plant Selection
8. Plant Placement

32
Integrated Livestock and High Value Crops

Terraces,
Windbreaks,
and Linear
Polycultures

51
December Carrots
SEASONLESS BROCCOLI

55
Base Map

56
Aerial & Contour

57
Soils

58
Surface Water

59
Biomes

60
Existing Plants

61
Zones

62
Swales and Catchment

63
New Plants
New Crops
New Fertility
Low Input

64
New Plants
New Crops
New Fertility
Low Input

65
Polycultures and Plant
Placement

66
Orchard

67
Prairie and Forest Edge

Masterclass Daniel Halsey Wageningen November 15 2018

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Masterclass Daniel Halsey Wageningen November 15 2018