There are permaculture resources everywhere, for every level of interest and every media preference! Please check out the whole list, all the way to the bottom of the page – it’s not all big books!
For the serious readers out there though, we’ll start with the big books about permaculture, written by its originators:
Permaculture: A Designer’s Manual by Bill Mollison (the textbook used in the Permaculture Design Certificate course – published in Australia, it can be quite difficult to find here in Canada)
and
Permaculture: Principles & Pathways Beyond Sustainability by David Holmgren (a basic summary of the principles outlined in his book is available free here). There’s a good long interview with him on YouTube here as well.
Another main resource in the permaculture world is Geoff Lawton, head of the Permaculture Research Institute of Australia (the country where permaculture originated). He was first introduced to the world in this great YouTube video Greening the Desert. He has since released many, many more videos (including full length educational documentaries) through the Permaculture Research Institute and his own website, where you can watch free videos of Geoff exploring permaculture success stories around the globe.
Verge Permaculture, based in Calgary, has created a great series on YouTube, and we’ve got the first episode for you right here:
Our local library has copies of the following excellent permaculture resources as well:
Most exciting is a DVD (called In My Permaculture Garden) of our own (formerly) local Ron Berezan, about his home permaculture site right here in Edmonton.
Also exciting but less local:
Gaia’s Garden and The Permaculture City by Toby Hemenway – you can see him speak on YouTube here. Gaia’s Garden is a great entry-level book about permaculture in a gardening context.
Sustainable Revolution by Juliana Birnbaum – a wonderful overview of what permaculture is accomplishing in communities around the globe.
Food Not Lawns by H.C. Flores – an easily accessible book that explores how to get started in permaculture, not just in your yard but also in your community.
For those looking for more advanced and specific info, the library also has copies of great titles like:
The Resilient Farm and Homestead by Ben Falk – Ben has created a successful permaculture homestead up a mountain in Vermont, which has a lot of commonalities with the climate farther north here in Canada.
Sepp Holzer’s Permaculture by Sepp Holzer – a permaculture pioneer operating in the Austrian mountains, he has accomplished amazing things on a steep, high, cold mountain.
And many, many more – just do a search!
A further sampling from YouTube:
Permaculture on a Canadian Farm
“Permaculture Trio” — Forest Gardening, Edible Landscapes & Urban Permaculture
And if you’re into podcasts, iTunes has Permaculture Voices (associated with a yearly conference), Homesteading and Permaculture by Paul Wheaton (originator of the awesome forums at permies.com), and Sustainable World Radio, among others! There are also some permaculture offerings through iTunes U!
Another wonderful associated movement is Transition Towns, using permaculture design and community grassroots initiative to transition in a fun, human-friendly way to a lower energy future. They’ve made and released two inspiring films, In Transition 1.0 and In Transition 2.0, both free to watch online!
And if you enjoy watching films online, check out Inhabit: A Permaculture Perspective (released spring 2015) as well!
Happy trails, and please let us know if you find something wonderful we’ve missed!