Permaculture Restoration of the Aral Sea Watershed

Abstract

Permaculture, as a design science supporting “permanent culture,” has developed experience globally in ecologically regenerative design. The Aral Sea watershed provides a unique opportunity to apply a relevant design process aiming at restoration of ecological function. Permacultural practice follows a core of ethics and principles and a basic design process based on such factors as stakeholder analysis, water harvesting principles, and the scale of permanence. The focus of permacultural interventions is on water, forests, and perennial vegetation, balanced with human needs. This chapter highlights key elements of the design process and summarizes the process of permaculture rehabilitation. Given success in similar situations working at a smaller-scale suggests a potential approach for regeneration in the Aral Sea Basin.

Citation

Jones, A. (2012), "Permaculture Restoration of the Aral Sea Watershed", Edelstein, M.R., Cerny, A. and Gadaev, A. (Ed.) Disaster by Design: The Aral Sea and its Lessons for Sustainability (Research in Social Problems and Public Policy, Vol. 20), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 391-409. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0196-1152(2012)0000020039