Think Like An Ecosystem: An Introduction to Permaculture, Water Systems, Soil Science and Landscape Design

As someone just starting to explore the principles of permaculture, I found "Think Like An Ecosystem" to be an absolute treasure. This book does a fantastic job of breaking down complex concepts like water management and soil science into digestible, easy-to-understand sections. The author's passion for the subject shines through, and I appreciated how the interconnectedness of all the topics was consistently emphasized. It's not just a collection of facts; it's a genuine shift in perspective. ​The chapters on building healthy soil and creating efficient water systems were especially insightful, giving me clear, actionable steps I could apply to my own garden. It's exactly the kind of practical, no-fluff guide a beginner needs to get started without feeling overwhelmed. ​My only minor critique is that while the book is an excellent introduction, I would have loved to see a few more advanced, detailed projects or case studies for those who might be moving beyond the basics. For instance, a step-by-step example of a full-scale food forest design would have been a great addition for future editions. ​Overall, this is a five-star read and a must-have for anyone looking to start their journey into permaculture or simply wanting to gain a deeper understanding of how their own small ecosystem works. Highly recommended!

I studied permaculture over a decade ago (received a Permaculture Design Certificate) and I felt that "Think Like an Ecosystem" was a review of the course, and then some. There are hundreds of tips throughout this extremely well-organised book. If you only applied a handful of the tips, you would be saving yourself time, money and overall efficiency. Note that it is very expensive for self-published books to print colour photos, so to keep the cost of this book economical, the photos, drawings and images are in black or greyscale. It isn't often that you come across a gardening book with so many considerations, many of which help you to plan ahead for the future of your garden. As the title implies, water systems, soil, and land considerations are all covered. This is a low-fluff book. It gets to the details and relies on numerous bullet points to help keep all the ideas more readily accessible, which is handy if you are just scanning for ideas. I have owned many garden books...and have actually gotten rid of most of them because much of the content is just pretty pictures and a few tips. This book is about getting you started as easily as possible with designing your garden to use resources efficiently as well as maximise productivity. Recommended!

Great value for money, as described. easy to read and packed with very useful information. well worth the purchase.

Logically presented, useful guide to Permaculture design.

For someone who is quite new to permaculture, this book fully introduced me to everything permaculture related and provides in-depth knowledge about how to start gardening with nature. I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to learn how to garden more sustainably and to work with nature in the garden.

Amélie's "Think like an Ecosystem" allows the world of permaculture to become accessible to everybody. I have been re-evaluating my lifestyle and choices for a few years now; yogic principles, minimalism, being more intentional in how I consume. The choices all go hand in hand, and as I started developing my garden, looking to take a more sustainable approach I stumbled across permaculture. Since then I have tried to understand the principles (which of course go way beyond just garden design) watching many hours of videos, reading many blogs. There is a lot to take in - especially when you are completely new to gardening in the first place! "Think like an Ecosystem" is cleverly laid out so that you can digest the information easily, and make small changes immediately. It is written simply, and directly. I imagine if you are an experienced 'permie' this will read as a refresher, but to the inexperienced it is an agreeable introduction to the world of permaculture.

A great idea, but poorly executed. I found it pretty thin on ideas and info. Not impressed

I loved this book, so easy to read and more information that I have found in other books. Highly recommend it as your go-to to totally and fully understand properly and easily the principles and practicalities of true permaculture.

An introduction to many pertinent subjects but stays too much on the surface. Still interesting.

I learned a new way how to maintain my gardens.

Really enjoyed this book, it was an easy read and it broke down things to better understand how to create your ecosystem. Great book to have in your gardening library.

Good ideas for improving the yard and clean living with a trickle down eco effect.

Its a great gide for begginers. Easy to read and put in practice ♡