[excerpt from a document defining Permaculture written by Stephanie Gerson] Permaculture is a form of sustainable agriculture that employs nature as its model, seeking to design landscapes which mimic natural ecosystems. It is modular and applicable to any bioregion, therefore bearing immense potential for satisfying basic human needs without compromising those of the Earth. However, because it is relationship-oriented and highly specific to local conditions, it can be difficult to practice. Instead of discretely selecting individual plants, relationships between flora must be woven together carefully, in consideration of a plant’s relationships to other plants, to the overall ecosystem, and to the people whose needs it may satisfy. [..............] Permaculture-centric characteristics such as inputs, outputs, and multiple functions - critical to the practice of Permaculture design, our understanding of ecological processes, and ultimately, our capacity for systems thinking. People practicing Permaculture worldwide are discovering relevant and useful information about plant relationships [...........]