In Permaculture Design The Natural Elements or ‘Sectors’ deal with forces and influences in your landscape, such as sun, light, wind, rain, fire, views and water flow. Good planning and design allows us to manage incoming energies for system advantage, identify where they come from, and either enhance them or protect our systems from them. When developing a design these external energies that flow across the site, or features that are outside your boundary, are mapped and then at each stage of the design’s development they are considered as resources that can be used to enhance the quality of the environment.

Examples of Natural elements / sectors include: Winds – direction, qualities (ie hot, cold, strong, gentle), frequency Sun path – winter and summer Typical fire direction Water flows, flood prone areas Access – roads and pathways Pollution sources – noise, air, water, chemical, visual… Driving rain, storms and cyclones Wildlife, animals – movement patterns, habitat corridors Utilities – power, phone, gas etc. Neighboring activities

Some of the ways that the Natural elements / sectors are factored in design: For passive cooling design For passive humidity control design For hazard mapping and site protection from hazards For water use management For storm water management For designing the site in a way that will reduce pollutants on site For harmonizing with and enhancing natural eco systems For ensuring maximum efficiency in utilities supply For enhancing social relationships on site

The natural elements map of Taman Petanu