David Holmgren, an Australian ecologist, coined this word in the mid 1970’s.  Dr. Bill Mollison, an environmental psychology professor, popularized the use of this word.  It is a contraction of "permanent agriculture" or "permanent culture." Permaculturalists design ecological human habitats and food production systems. Permaculture is a land use and community building movement, which strives for the harmonious integration of human dwellings, microclimate, annual and perennial plants, animals, soils, and water into stable, productive communities.