Permaculture aims to create sustainable cultural landscapes that are ecologically and economically sound. Although Mollison and Holmgren were the first to promote and popularize the term at the end of the 20th century, the concept itself is an offspring of the 19th century and has many forebearers.
If we look back in history, permaculture and organic farming have the same roots but the former is much more than just one direction that the latter can take – it is a life philosophy, a holistic approach, more of a signpost than a destination.
In contrast to many past and present fads, it has always been systematic, critical and natural scientific thinking that has shaped permaculture. From this perspective, permaculture looks deep into the landscape itself, into the practical knowledge of rural communities and into the mechanisms behind traditional cultural landscapes.