Best Historical Examples of Permaculture for a humanities class story collection

I know many people feel that the Permaculture True Stories are what ensnares so many new permies both in recent and ancient history.

I want to create a history of permacultural examples. Best of the Best is the idea. I'll research them out and show the science behind each example and how it connects to the manual/textbook/etc.

It will be English/Science/History in story format chronologically.

EXAMPLE:

Hawaiian Ancient Aquaculture
Mexico City's chinampa system

You might want to show examples of similar systems developed independently around the world.

Like this terrace from Peru:

And this from Bali:

And this from Nepal:


It's because there are only 2 choices, degrade the land by tilling the mountains, eventually causing massive gulleys and the soil slides off the mountain leaving bare rock OR make terraces and farm the resulting flat areas.

Here's land that wasn't terraced:

Superb examples!! I'll research & add in. Thank you!!

North American Native Americans as well are good examples.

Middle Eastern Air Wells & Food Forests like the one Geoff found.

Asian aquacultures (like below the house in underwater cages)

I know there are some examples of indigenous Australians in Mollison's manual.

It's all spread out. It'll take some research, but it'll be a lot of fun learning them all

Ancient examples are good too.

Hello again Matt:

Glad you are still holding on there. About your photos. I don't see terracing as necessarily good. In Viet Nam , Timor and Malaysia I have seen forests completely destroyed to build terraces and grow grasses i.e. rice. I know rice is a major staple but its also a export crop.

I am always sorry when I see it now because in my lifetime I remember the wonderful topical forest which walked over steep mountains like rivers flowing uphill - recognise the quote? And held water on land and released it slowly. Ive seen areas where terraces have collapse in Ethiopia because if the rain fails so do the crops. What's going to happen if those areas suffer droughts in climate change? People used the forests on mountains in famine times and to get more diverse diets.

I see them as taking evolution and diversity backwards. I know in many cases the home garden would meet more needs. I remember Viet Nam government saying, "Eat less rice, and diversify your diets: to the people so they'd grow taller and have fewer tropical ulcers.

I love the contour patterning it pleases my eye, and so do the Scottish highlands but ultimately permanence is reduced.

Im happy to keep talking about it.....

And amazing how terracing is a convergent strategy. Ethiopia to Viet Nam to Peru. But forests would yield more if we didn't want export crops......

Enjoy your posts and hope we can keep chatting.

Rowe

By the way Matt: Look at the Blue Mountains Pemrauclture Institute website which we are just getting going with a story of an 800 year old forest in Bali. They still use it today. And are spreading it to nearby villages. It is quite a bit project report done for Quaker Service Australia.

Keep talking.......and exchanging stories

Rowe