Science Poster on Permaculture Wins 3rd Place at the Plant Biology Forum at UPLB

Presenting our poster. Photo by Marj delos Angeles, Plant Biology Division

UPLB, Los Banos, Laguna
April 29-30

Another victory for permaculture! Yesterday at the very first Plant Biology Forum at the Institute of Biological Sciences, UPLB, we presented a very short snippet of our research work in a poster entitled, "Modelling Plant Assemblies in a Permaculture Farm: An Example in Pitogo, Quezon." The presentation features the permaculture design of Weng and Bittie Glinoga of Glinoga Organic Farm--the very first permaculture site that we studied.

The poster summarizes how the role of the coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) in creating unique plant assemblies that can be found in the farm. We visualized the agroecosystem as a network with six (6) system component categories: biotic, abiotic, manmade structural, technological, socio-economic, and cultural. Each component is represented as a node and connected with edges. The criteria used for creating linkages are use, proximity, function, interaction. The data to create these linkages were gathered using direct observation and rapid rural appraisal (primary data), ecological profiling (secondary data), and a biodiversity survey (in a 50x50 meter sampling quadrant). Data collection was completed in just 3 days. Though it must be noted that we have not yet included the qualitative data in our model (we're still in the process of doing qualitative coding).

The network model that was created was a snapshot of the farm during that time, August 31 to September 2. The system is dynamic and components are evolving. But we highlighted 3 technological components that made the coconut tree valuable to the system (keystone species): hugelkultur, raised beds, and stingless bees. These three technological components can be standalone thesis studies themselves! You can watch the design explanation on our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/zBFbM-2-BLc

You can learn a lot from permaculture designers. If you want to learn more, it's a good experience to visit the sites and talk to the people themselves. As for our work, this is just the tip of the iceberg. We have so much to do, 11 more sites to analyze. Up until now we're still unearthing a lot of things from Quezon. We're very excited to share as much information to the public.

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Glinoga Organic Farm in Pitogo, Quezon was the first permaculture site we visited and studied last year. Through years of careful observation of nature and creative use of natural resources, the farm owners and staff have created one of the most unique and complex designs we have seen. In this poster that I presented at the Plant Biology Forum 2019 at the Institute of Biological Sciences, UPLB, I explained the multiple functional relationships that the coconut tree has created for other trees and plants plus the other component categories in the system.

My poster entitled, Modeling Plant Assemblies in a Permaculture Farm: An Example in Pitogo, Quezon won 3rd place in the event! Though I explained that not all data has been embedded in the model yet. I would like to dedicate this accomplishment to Weng and Bittie Glinoga, Kuya Jeff, and the staff for showing us how to live sustainably and mindfully with nature. Thank you for sharing your permaculture wisdom!

The Poster