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Permaculture Principles for Fidalgo Island

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Eco-Restore and Transition Fidalgo: Cultivating Resilience Together


At Eco-Restore, we believe that thoughtful, regenerative land stewardship is essential for creating a resilient future. Our mission aligns closely with Transition Fidalgo’s vision of reducing reliance on fossil fuels, strengthening local communities, fostering ecological harmony, and managing finite resources responsibly. By embracing permaculture principles, we can design landscapes that not only sustain themselves but also contribute to a healthier planet. Like Transition Fidalgo, we see the urgent need for local responses to climate change—solutions that honor natural systems, support biodiversity, and create abundance for future generations. Through our work in permaculture-based landscape consulting and education, we help individuals and communities implement practices that create functional, beautiful spaces, enhance ecological resilience, and restore soil health and vitality while conserving water.


This year, Eco-Restore is excited to collaborate with Transition Fidalgo to explore 12 Principles of Permaculture, focusing on one principle each month. While there are many more, we’ll start with twelve of the most approachable. These principles offer a framework for designing sustainable systems that work in harmony with nature, providing practical solutions to today’s challenges. Whether you're tending a backyard garden, restoring a larger habitat, or designing a productive landscape, they serve as a guide for making meaningful, lasting changes.


Permaculture Principle 1: Observe and Interact


"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."



The first principle of permaculture, Observe and Interact, encourages us to engage with nature thoughtfully and attentively before taking action. By immersing ourselves in observation, we can design solutions that align with our unique environments. This approach fosters deeper connections with our outdoor spaces and unveils patterns and relationships that might otherwise go unnoticed.



The proverb, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," reminds us that while our values shape how we perceive the world, nature itself holds no judgment. Embracing this perspective allows us to appreciate diverse possibilities and solutions.

Foggy morning on Fidalgo
Foggy morning on Fidalgo

Observation is the cornerstone of good design. Taking time to watch and learn from your landscape’s natural rhythms helps identify how its elements interact. On Fidalgo Island, the maritime climate brings mild, wet winters and dry summers, making it essential to observe how salt-laden winds, fog, and coastal breezes affect plant growth. Rainfall patterns shift throughout the year, and with seasonal droughts in summer, understanding how water moves through the landscape is key to conservation and sustainability. The island’s varied microclimates offer opportunities and challenges, with the east side experiencing more sun exposure and the west side being cooler and often shrouded in cloud cover.



Wildlife plays a significant role in the landscape. Deer frequently browse gardens, so observing their movement patterns can help in selecting resilient plants and designing protective barriers. Pollinators such as mason bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds interact with native flora, and their presence offers insight into which plants thrive best in Fidalgo’s environment. Soil conditions also vary, with many areas containing rocky, well-draining soils that require added organic matter to retain moisture and support plant health. By closely observing these elements, gardeners can better understand how to create spaces that align with the land’s natural tendencies.


Once observation has provided insight, interaction becomes key. Small, gradual changes allow for adaptation and refinement over time. The strong coastal winds on Fidalgo Island may call for strategic windbreaks using hardy species such as shore pine and Pacific wax myrtle. Native plants like Nootka rose, evergreen huckleberry, and sword fern offer drought resilience and provide habitat for wildlife. Thoughtful water management, including mulch application and rainwater collection, supports sustainable resource practices and mitigates summer drought stress.


 huckleberry
huckleberry

By embracing the principle of Observe and Interact, gardeners on Fidalgo Island can work with nature rather than against it. Spending time in the landscape, understanding its rhythms, and responding with informed, site-specific solutions create a more resilient and harmonious garden environment. There is no single perfect approach—each space tells its own story, waiting for those who take the time to listen.


Share Your Photos!


We would love to see examples of permaculture in action within our community! As we prepare for next month’s article on Catch and Store Energy, we invite you to submit photos showcasing how you observe and store energy in your landscapes. This could be anything from capturing rainwater, mulching garden beds to retain moisture, using windbreaks, or harnessing solar power for garden applications. Selected submissions will be featured in next month’s article to inspire others in our community.


For more information on permaculture design and how to implement these principles in your garden, visit eco-restore.com. Submit your photos and descriptions to hello@eco-restore.com.




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