A very brief intro to 'keyline design' as a part of a PDC, summer 2012.

1. An Introduction to
The K EYLINE S YSTEM OF D ESIGN:
Harry Wykman,
P EACETREE P ERMACULTURE
PDC, P ICKERING B ROOK, 10th of March, 2012
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2. Yeomans and
Keyline
y Yeomans
y The Keyline Scale
of Permanence
y P7 — pattern to
detail
Keyline and Climate
Keyline and Land
Shape
P. A. Yeomans and the Keyline System of
Keyline and Water
Management:
Design
bringing water under
control
Resources
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3. Yeomans the Man
Yeomans and
Keyline
y Yeomans
y The Keyline Scale
of Permanence
y P7 — pattern to
detail
Keyline and Climate
Keyline and Land
Shape
Keyline and Water
Management:
bringing water under
control
Percival Alfred Yeomans
Resources
q self-taught mining engi-
neer / hydrologist
q inventor
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4. The Keyline Scale of the Relative
Permanence of Things Agricultural
Yeomans and
Keyline
y Yeomans
y The Keyline Scale
1. Climate
of Permanence
y P7 — pattern to
detail
2. Land Shape
Keyline and Climate
3. Water Supply
Keyline and Land
Shape
Keyline and Water
4. Farm Roads
Management:
bringing water under 5. Trees
control
Resources 6. Permanent Buildings
7. Subdivision Fences
8. Soil
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5. Principle 7: Design from patterns to detail
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6. Principle 7: Design from patterns to detail
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7. Principle 7: Design from patterns to detail
q Top down, but derived from Principle 1.
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8. Principle 7: Design from patterns to detail
q Top down, but derived from Principle 1.
q However, "the map is not the territory"
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10. Yeomans and
Keyline
Keyline and Climate
y Climate
Keyline and Land
Shape
Keyline and Water
Management:
bringing water under
control
Keyline and Climate
Resources
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11. Climate
Yeomans and
Keyline
"The purpose of Keyline tech-
niques and the keyline scale of
Keyline and Climate
y Climate permanence in relation to cli-
Keyline and Land mate is the take complete
Shape advantage of all weather
Keyline and Water
Management:
and climatic phases that
will enhance soil climate
bringing water under
control through maintenance in the soil
Resources
of improved relationships be-
tween the factors of moisture,
warmth, and air , and, by con-
trast, minimise to the full
the disadvantages of those
climatic elements that de-
stroy , namely, flood rains,
drought and fire."
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12. Yeomans and
Keyline
Keyline and Climate
Keyline and Land
Shape
y the primary land
unit
y main ridge
y primary valley
y primary ridges Keyline and Land Shape
y sink
y whole
Keyline and Water
Management:
bringing water under
control
Resources
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13. The Primary Land Unit
q Main Ridge
q Primary Valley
q Primary Ridges
q Catchment / Sink

14. The Primary Land Unit
q Main Ridge
q Primary Valley
q Primary Ridges
q Catchment / Sink

15. The Primary Land Unit
q Main Ridge
q Primary Valley
q Primary Ridges
q Catchment / Sink

16. The Primary Land Unit
q Main Ridge
q Primary Valley
q Primary Ridges
q Catchment / Sink

17. The Primary Land Unit
q Main Ridge
q Primary Valley
q Primary Ridges
q Catchment / Sink

18. The Primary Land Unit
q Main Ridge
q Primary Valley
q Primary Ridges
q Catchment / Sink
“The most significant aspect of
this analysis is that it involves
a pattern, a recognition that
smaller shapes are integrated
to form a larger whole, and that
this pattern might be repeated
several times on a single
medium-sized property.”

19. Yeomans and
Keyline
Keyline and Climate
Keyline and Land
Shape
Keyline and Water
Management:
Keyline and Water Management:
bringing water under
control
y The Keypoint and
the Keyline
y The Keyline Plow
bringing water under control
y Whirlwind, New
Mexico
y whirlwind —
before
y whirlwind —
before
y whirlwind —
before
y whirlwind —
before
y earthworks
Resources
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20. The Keypoint and the Keyline
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21. The Keyline Plow
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22. Whirlwind, New Mexico
rainfall: 150 - 175mm annual rainfall
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26. Before and After Keyline
Plough Intervention
Before
q deeply biologically degraded
q climatic forces destructive
/ degenerative
After
q the beginning of regenerative
processes
q water and sun move
from destructive to
constructive processes / forces

27. Earthworks - Storage for People / Stock
q controlled water distribution
q put water through its ’duties’
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29. Yeomans and
Keyline
Keyline and Climate
Keyline and Land
Shape
Keyline and Water
Management:
bringing water under
control Resources
Resources
26 / 27

30. Credits
This document, authored by Harry Wykman is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Australia License.
q 35 Woolgar Way
L OCKRIDGE, 6054
q (08) 9377 1258
q harry@ptpc.com.au
q www.ptpc.com.au
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