Holistic site design

Permaculture design can be applied on all scales – from vegetable beds to plots of land to entire landscapes. Observation and integration of a wide variety of factors results in a holistic design.

The blessing of rain

In conventional water management, rain is usually perceived as a problem. It must be drained away as quickly as possible to prevent flooding, especially in view of the predicted increase and frequency of extreme precipitation events. However, draining rainwater means that water reservoirs such as groundwater and surface water can hardly regenerate, even though they are of central importance for the extraction of drinking and utility water. Increasing soil sealing exacerbates this problem by making it more difficult for rainwater to infiltrate the soil.

However, rain is also the mechanism that transports clean, free water, the source of life, across the land. Water retention therefore deals with the management of surface water for the purpose of slowing down the water before it leaves an area. The slowing of surface runoff is achieved through the use of retention elements such as lakes, ponds, terraces, basins, or ditches. The water can be distributed and stored for later use or allowed to seep into the ground, where it is available to a variety of users.

Rain no longer needs to be seen as a source of problems if we learn to harness its potential and tap into it as a primary source of water.

Create your own design

A Permaculture design is an important step toward the sustainable use of land. However, it is well known that no plan survives initial contact with reality and is only as good as its users' identification with it. A design from Gaia Guidance is tailored to you personally. Nevertheless, it cannot achieve the quality of a self-developed and organically grown design. You are already familiar with your project and your own needs and will interact with it on a daily basis – this puts you in the best position to adapt the design to reality. If this familiarity does not yet exist, the design process offers an opportunity to change that. Your own design creates a connection and has the potential to be better tailored to both of you.

Ein Permakultur-Design ist ein wichtiger Schritt zur nachhaltigen Nutzung einer Fläche. Bekanntermaßen übersteht jedoch kein Plan den ersten Feindkontakt – ein Design ist immer nur so gut, wie sich dessen Nutzer damit identifizieren können. Ein Design von Gaia Guidance ist auf dich persönlich zugeschnitten, kann aber nicht die Qualität eines selbst erarbeiteten und organisch gewachsenen Entwurfs erreichen. Wer sein eigenes Design entwickelt hat, versteht die Beweggründe dahinter – und kann mit der Zeit gezielt nachjustieren, wenn das System es verlangt. Ein eigenes Design schafft Verbindung und hat das Potenzial, besser auf euch beide abgestimmt zu sein.

Gaia Guidance would therefore like to encourage and support you in becoming creative yourself and drawing up your own plan. In doing so, you can gain an insight into Permaculture and receive the tools to further develop your land on your own.

This service is aimed at people who have access to a piece of land that they want to develop. The design process can be complex and requires time and the willingness to address problems or issues openly and honestly. No prior knowledge of Permaculture is required — Gaia Guidance will guide you through the process step by step.