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Students of Geoff’s Online Permaculture Design Course have question-and-answer sessions where Geoff fields a number of questions every week and answers them via videos. This question was pulled from the 2021 collection. For more Q&A insights, check out Geoff’s Masterclass for an in-depth dive into all things permaculture http://www.discoverpermaculture.com

Question

I saw the mention of aiming for 70% of converted cropland as forage farming in the course notes and elsewhere I wonder, is that a golden rule of some kind? Are we trying to achieve this in every design? Can you elaborate on what we’re trying to do here, why 70%, and when this number should apply?

Key Takeaways

For human settlements to be truly sustainable, we kind of need 70-80% of forest cover. The forest cover can have diverse productive uses over time, and the knowledge for maintaining these long-lived forest systems comes from heritage, such that we are harvest from them in a timely manner. We should never be out of forest but always actively maintaining them to create stability.

We currently have systems where just a few people own massive areas of land with herds of animals, and the ancient systems, like those found in China, Japan, and Korea, were grain-based cultures that relied on slavery to be productive. The only broad systems that have been sustainable over time are the forest systems, such as the ahupua’a systems in Hawaii and the chinampa systems in Mexico and Asia.

The date palm overstory forests of the Middle East and North Africa were dryland systems with an overstory of palm trees and up to thirteen different fruit trees underneath. They had small clearings for other agriculture systems.

There are examples of this all over the place.

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About Geoff:

Geoff is a world-renowned permaculture consultant, designer, and teacher that has established demonstration sites that function as education centers in all the world’s major climates. Geoff has dedicated his life to spreading permaculture design across the globe and inspiring people to take care of the earth, each other, and to return the surplus.

About Permaculture:

Permaculture integrates land, resources, people and the environment through mutually beneficial synergies – imitating the no waste, closed loop systems seen in diverse natural systems. Permaculture applies holistic solutions that are applicable in rural and urban contexts and at any scale. It is a multidisciplinary toolbox including agriculture, water harvesting and hydrology, energy, natural building, forestry, waste management, animal systems, aquaculture, appropriate technology, economics and community development.

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