PDC Principles & Ethics of Permaculture 4

Question 1

Mollison's principle 'Work with nature, not against it' is most directly violated by which practice?

Accepted Answer

Tilling soil annually to control compaction

Answer

Annual tillage disrupts soil structure, destroys fungal networks, and accelerates oxidation of organic matter—working against natural soil-building processes.

Question 2

The principle 'Make the least change for the greatest possible effect' emphasizes which design quality?

Accepted Answer

Elegance and leverage

Answer

Elegant design identifies keystone interventions—like a single swale that rehydrates an entire hillside—that produce outsized positive results with minimal disturbance.

Question 3

Which design strategy best reflects Holmgren's principle 'Integrate rather than segregate'?

Accepted Answer

Combining chickens, fruit trees, and annual beds so each benefits the others

Answer

Integration means placing elements so their relationships are mutually beneficial, such as chickens fertilizing the orchard while controlling pests beneath fruit trees.

Question 4

According to permaculture ethics, the concept of 'yield' extends beyond food production to include which other types of output?

Accepted Answer

Information, energy, community, and ecological services

Answer

Permaculture yield includes any surplus that can be reinvested into the system, such as saved seeds, knowledge gained, community bonds formed, or ecosystem services generated.

Question 5

The phrase 'The yield of a system is theoretically unlimited' was coined by Mollison to convey which idea?

Accepted Answer

The only limit on a system's output is the designer's imagination and knowledge

Answer

Mollison meant that creative, observant designers who work with natural processes can always find new yields—information, energy, biodiversity—beyond obvious material outputs.

(PDC) Permaculture Design Certification Practice Test

(PDC) Permaculture Design Certification Practice Test

PDC Principles & Ethics of Permaculture 4