Permaculture can be a confusing subject if you know little about it – like any discipline, it has its technical terms and core concepts that will soon be second nature to any beginner, but initially take a little explaining.

That, then, is the purpose of this free eBook. Distilled from the much more in-depth Permaculture Principles & Pathways Beyond Sustainability by David Holmgren, this neat little guide takes you through the broad range of key permaculture concepts, from water harvesting to home birth; from agroforestry to Steiner education.

Its key sections are as follows:

• The Design System
• The Network
• The Permaculture Design Course
• Impediments to the Spread of Permaculture
• Focussing on Opportunities Rather Than Obstacles
• Fundamental Assumptions
• The Value and Use of Principles
• Ethical Principles of Permaculture
• Design Principles
  1. Observe and Interact
  2. Catch and Store Energy
  3. Obtain a Yield
  4. Apply Self-Regulation and Accept Feedback
  5. Use and Value Renewable Resources & Services
  6. Produce No Waste
  7. Design from Patterns to Details
  8. Integrate Rather Than Segregate
  9. Use Small and Slow Solutions
  10. Use and Value Diversity
  11. Use Edges and Value the Marginal
  12. Creatively Use and Respond to Change

This eBook is made available thanks to the kind permission of Holmgren Design Services, also offering the eBook in several different languages. The Permaculture Principles website provides easy access to the permaculture ethics and design principles outlined in the 'Essence of Permaculture', with clean graphics and simple explanations.