Non-Commercial Permaculture Tools, References, and Resources

This is a list of some neutral, non-commercial links to public tools, references, and resources commonly used in permaculture study, design, and land stewardship.

Inclusion here does not imply endorsement. These links are provided as starting points for exploration and observation. — David Blume

Design & Observation Tools

Tools commonly used for site analysis, observation, and ecological design. These resources provide climate, soil, sun, water, and landscape data that inform long-term planning and decision-making.

Climate & Weather Data

NOAA Climate Data Online
Long-term temperature, precipitation, and weather normals for the United States.
WorldClim Global Climate Data
High-resolution global climate layers commonly used in ecological and agricultural modeling.
Climate-Data.org
Simplified climate summaries for locations worldwide, based on historical data.

Sun, Solar, & Seasonal Patterns

SunCalc
Interactive visualization of sun position, daylight hours, and seasonal changes.
SunEarthTools – Sun Position Calculator
Detailed solar angle and azimuth calculations for any location and date.
Time and Date – Sun & Moon Tools
Sunrise, sunset, solar noon, and seasonal daylight data worldwide.

Rainfall, Water Balance & Evapotranspiration

FAO ETo Calculator
Reference evapotranspiration estimates used in agriculture and water planning.
NOAA Land-Based Station Data
Access to historical station records used for precipitation and climate analysis in the U.S.

Soil & Land Capability

USDA Web Soil Survey
Detailed soil maps and interpretations for land use planning in the United States.
SoilGrids (ISRIC)
Global soil property maps derived from field data and modeling.
FAO Global Soil Partnership
International soil data and resources related to land stewardship.

Topography & Landscape Form

OpenTopoMap
Open-source topographic maps based on public elevation data.
USGS National Map
Topographic maps, elevation models, and geographic data for the United States.

Mapping & Spatial Tools

Google Earth
Satellite imagery and terrain visualization for large-scale landscape observation.

Phenology & Ecological Timing

USA National Phenology Network
Seasonal timing data for plants and animals, supporting observation of ecological change.
Nature’s Notebook
Citizen-science platform for tracking seasonal biological events.

Maps & Public Data

Public maps and open datasets commonly used for land observation and ecological planning. These sources help you understand land cover, water, terrain, hazards, and biodiversity at multiple scales.

Base Maps & Satellite Imagery

Copernicus Browser
Browse and download satellite imagery from Copernicus missions (Sentinel) and related datasets.
USGS EarthExplorer
Search and download satellite imagery and geospatial datasets (including Landsat and many map layers).
NASA Worldview
Interactive daily satellite imagery for observing weather, smoke, dust, fires, and surface conditions.

Land Cover & Land Use

ESA WorldCover
Global land cover maps at 10m resolution (useful for broad landscape context and comparisons).
CORINE Land Cover (Copernicus / EEA)
European land cover and land-use dataset used for regional planning and environmental analysis.
MRLC (Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium)
U.S. land cover and land condition data portal (includes NLCD products and related tools).
USDA Cropland Data Layer (CropScape Viewer)
Annual crop-specific land cover data for the U.S., useful for agricultural landscape context.

Watersheds, Streams & Floodplains

FEMA Flood Map Service Center
Official U.S. flood hazard maps and floodplain products (useful for risk-aware planning).

Fire, Drought & Other Hazards

U.S. Drought Monitor
Weekly drought status map for the U.S., showing location and intensity of drought conditions.
NASA FIRMS Fire Map
Near real-time global active fire detections from satellite observations (MODIS and VIIRS).
USFS Wildfire Hazard Potential
U.S. map layer showing relative potential for extreme wildfire behavior based on fuels and landscape conditions.

Protected Areas & Biodiversity Data

GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)
Global portal for biodiversity occurrence records used in ecological research and conservation planning.
Protected Planet (WDPA)
Global database of protected and conserved areas (the World Database on Protected Areas).

Reference & Reading

Open-access reference material and reading resources commonly consulted in permaculture study, ecological design, and land-based thinking. These sources emphasize shared knowledge, historical context, and interdisciplinary foundations.

Open Libraries & Archives

Internet Archive
Large public digital library of books, papers, films, and audio, including agriculture and ecology materials.
Internet Archive – Permaculture Search
Search results for permaculture-related books, documents, and media available for public access.

Agriculture, Ecology & Land Stewardship

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Global reports, data, and publications on agriculture, soils, water, forestry, and food systems.
Soil Science Society of America Journal
Research articles on soil properties, processes, and land management.

Design, Patterns & Human Ecology

A Pattern Language (Reference Site)
Background on pattern language concepts that influenced ecological and permaculture design thinking.
Human Ecology Review
Interdisciplinary journal exploring relationships between humans, cultures, and ecological systems.

Ethics & Design Principles

Permaculture ethics and design principles have been articulated in multiple ways over time and across contexts. The links below present commonly cited formulations and summaries, reflecting the diversity of approaches within permaculture-related thinking.

Ethical Frameworks

Permaculture Ethics (Wikipedia)
Overview of commonly referenced permaculture ethical frameworks, including variations and interpretations.
FAO – Agroecology Principles
Ethical and systemic principles used in agroecology, a closely related field influencing permaculture practice.

Design Principles (Multiple Formulations)

Permaculture Design Principles (Wikipedia)
Summary of several commonly cited sets of permaculture design principles.
Pattern Language & Ecological Design Concepts
Background on pattern-based approaches to design that have influenced permaculture thinking.

Systems Thinking & Design Context

Systems Thinking (Wikipedia)
Foundational concepts in systems thinking, relevant to ecological and whole-systems design.

Interpretation & Application

Design Thinking (Wikipedia)
Overview of iterative, observation-based design approaches applicable across disciplines.
Human Ecology (Wikipedia)
Interdisciplinary field examining relationships between humans and ecological systems.

Case Studies & Examples

Collections and directories of applied permaculture and related ecological projects in varied climates and contexts. These examples are provided to illustrate the diversity of approaches and applications, not to endorse specific projects.

Project Directories & Collections

Permies Project & Experience Forums
Large, community-maintained archive of discussions and examples related to permaculture projects and practices.
Permaculture Global – Project Directory
International directory of user-submitted permaculture projects in diverse regions and climates.

Regional & Landscape-Scale Examples

Landscape Performance Case Study Briefs
Documented landscape projects evaluating environmental and social performance outcomes.

Historical & Long-Term Land Use Examples

Internet Archive – Agriculture & Land Use Case Studies
Public-domain and open-access texts documenting historical farming and land management practices.
Biodiversity Heritage Library – Agriculture Books
Historical literature showing long-term agricultural and ecological practices across regions.

Ways People Commonly Engage

Common pathways through which people engage with permaculture and related land-based, ecological, and community activities. These links point to platforms and directories rather than specific events, individuals, or organizations.

Seed Libraries & Seed Sharing

Seed Libraries Network
Directory of seed libraries and seed-sharing initiatives worldwide.

Volunteering & Skill Sharing

WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms)
Platform connecting volunteers with farms and land-based projects worldwide.
VolunteerMatch
General volunteer matching platform with listings related to gardening, food, and environmental work.

Land Access & Land Linking

Agrarian Trust – Land Access Programs
Information on community-oriented land access and land stewardship models.

Food Systems & Local Exchange

LocalHarvest
Directory of farmers markets, CSAs, and local food systems.
FoodFinder
Map-based tool for locating food resources and community food access points.

Community Mapping & Local Networks

OpenStreetMap
Open mapping platform often used to document community resources, gardens, and local infrastructure.
Community Gardening Groups (Meetup Topic Directory)
Directory of local groups centered on gardening, food growing, and community projects.