Permaculture is an approach to land management that creates high-yielding, low-energy, self-perpetuating systems by which the functions of animals, plants, humans, and Earth are integrated to maximize their value and create sustainable human habitats. Permaculture brings together disciplines relating to food, shelter, energy, water, waste management, economics, and social sciences. It aims to maximize a site's productivity, while maintaining ecosystems and restoring damaged land to a healthy, life-promoting state. Bill Mollison has written five books on this topic: Introduction to Permaculture, Permaculture: A Designer's Manual; Permaculture One; Permaculture Two; and Permaculture: A Practical Guide for a Sustainable Future. Several permaculture organizations and model projects exist around the world.

The term was first coined in 1972 by Bill Mollison of Tasmania, Australia, by merging the terms, "permanent" and "agriculture." Although originally developed for small subsistence farms, the practice has expanded to apply to gardens and urban settings. Some consider it...