Permaculture Principles: Observe and Interact and Creatively Use an...

Overlapping Principles

Continuing in my series of Permaculture Principles, I want to examine Holmgren's first and last item in his list of twelve principles. This is not the first time that I've combined two separate points. In my post Obtain a Yield and Everything Gardens I discussed one of Mollison's principles together with one of Holmgren's, as I think they are both based on the same idea. Likewise, in Stacking Functions and Stacking Elements I looked at two separate items on Pittman's list, which Holmgren places under Integrate Rather Than Segregate. I think this is a useful practice in distilling the essence of ideas behind each of these points, helping me and my readers understand and internalize them. (Here are my three lists of principles, according to Mollison, Holmgren, and Pittman.) So what about Homgren's number one and number twelve? Why did he separate them, and why do I think they belong together?

Observe and Interact

It should be quite obvious, but I still want to point it out: The basis of Permaculture is observation! All of my teachers, and anyone I know with any knowledge of Permaculture will point out that it's better to observe more than less. When acquiring a property, a good designer will conduct a thorough observation before making any changes to it. Even before making a plan for doing anything with the land. How long should such an observation last? Long … ! Ideally, five seasons (in temperate regions). This may sound a bit extreme, I know, but it's really the best way to get an idea of all the changes happening throughout a year, including the season you started in, once the entire cycle has been completed.

Some friends of mine who've followed this principle on a piece of property they bought told me how they were given the dirty-hippy label by their neighbors, for just camping on their land, “observing” instead of cutting down the bush and plowing the land... As a result, they made sure to follow the recommended five-season observation extra carefully, while taking meticulous notes, and designing a plan of action to continue their observation with deliberate experimentation. Eventually the "dirty-hippies" became the "mad scientists" in their neighbors' eyes, which both of my friends were quite happy with.

What to Observe on a Property?

As we know, Permaculture may be applied to a variety of settings, not only to farms. For the sake of convenience, I want to give examples of some of the things to look at while observing your property:

Soil: consistency and make-up (sand, clay, silt, loam), layers and depths, mineral content, microbiological diversity, possible contaminants, etc. depending on your needs. It's also a good idea to analyze the soil in various locations throughout the property, as it can vary greatly.
Water: This includes a number of things, from the rate (and types) of precipitation to the depth of the ground water table, as well as the depth of ponds and their fluctuations throughout the year. Which way the water flows is another essential piece of info, which I included under "Flows" further down.
Flora and Fauna: What kinds of plants and animals can be found on the site? A list should include the various attributes of each species (input and output, that is needs and products, and other features), as well as how abundant they are, and which part of the property they tend to be in. A comprehensive list should give the observer an idea of the connection-web existent between species, such as who feeds on whom, what benefits one species gets from another, and the types of relationships they have (competition, symbiosis, parasitism, etc.).
The Lay of the Land: What are the changes in elevation of the site's topography? Where do they occur? How steep are they? How do they affect the flow of water, the shade during the seasons, the local temperature? This information can best be illustrated visually on a map. With a good scale and various overlays, it can be combined with other information.
The Weather: this is a complex one. Of course, the general climate data is the overall basis of it, but it should go deeper. Identifying existing pockets of microclimates, and how they differ from the rest of the site. This should also take such things in consideration as the shaded areas, and how they change throughout the seasons, or even just a day. See why the five-season observation is not an exaggeration? Once completed, the site map should show the weather-related sectors (sun, wind, etc.)
Flows: Which path does the surface runoff take, that is where does the water flow? This observation is best conducted while it rains. If the site happens to be in an arid region, catching the optimal time is crucial. But there are other flows other than water. Where does cold air flow, where does it get caught on the property? How about the flow (or path) animals take? What about the flow of our own walks? This may be a separate point, but you can see that there is a great deal of overlap in information.
Other Items: This can include such things as neighboring sites, as well as social interaction with people, the history of the site, or possible restrictions and/or requirements imposed by outside forces. Every part is essential to complete the big picture of the site.

Interaction as Part of the Observation

Ironically, one of the best ways we can get to know the subject of our observation is by interacting with them. In order to do so most efficiently, it's important to keep an open mind, leaving aside preconceived notions, making small and simple changes we can repeat several times, to get a good number of reactions, and always leaving space for alternative interpretations. So in a way, the best observation is not by inaction, but by reducing our actions to the purpose of getting to know our site's features. To avoid having to re-invent the wheel, it is also a good idea to reflect on our observations in light of information found elsewhere: in books, websites, and other sources of knowledge, accumulated by others before us. They are intended to complete and put into perspective our own findings, so a good amount of skepticism doesn't hurt regarding our own interpretations, as well as what we've read.

Observing Change

Once we've gathered sufficient data, we start getting an idea of what conditions are considered “normal” on our site. At the same time we will be able to identify pieces of info that won't fit into this picture, or follow a different pattern. After all, we know that the only constant is change, especially in natural systems. So it is important to get to know these changes as well: Where do they occur, under what conditions? Do they occur repeatedly? If so, we may be able to identify another pattern. What could be the possible causes for a change, and what are its consequences? Finally, how can we integrate it into our grand design?

The Scientific Method?

Even though Holmgren goes into great depths in discussing these two principles, including discussions on ecological succession, evolution, and post-modern relativism, the basis of these two principles is the same:

Identify an issue.
Consider realistic actions.
Take action.
Reflect on result.
Restate the issue in light of the actions taken.

To me this seems awfully close to the steps in the scientific method:

Not surprisingly, this method was developed to let us get to know the natural world, with sufficient objective scrutiny to eliminate misinterpretations, which can be quite abundant given the myriad of factors usually in place in natural ecosystems. So in other words, don't jump to conclusions, do some extra rounds of testing and data-gathering, share your results with others, and take sufficient time for developing your final design.

Sources: 1, 2, Pics: 1, 2

To see my discussions of other Permaculture Principles, take a look at these posts:

Permaculture: A Starting Point

Permaculture Principles: Observe and Interact and Creatively Use and Respond to Change