Loeks - Edible Ecosystem Solution : Growing Biodiversity in Your Backyard and Beyond

Praise for

The Edible Ecosystem Solution

Zach Loeks uses a rich palette of strategies and species that make sense in his region, to inspire people everywhere to create an edible ecosystem in theirs, and so become more connected to and nourished by nature. This richly illustrated book brings the perma-culture vision of a recreated Garden of Eden to new audiences ready to dive into their own edible ecosystems.

DAVID HOLMGREN, co-originator of permaculture

For most of human existence we learned to live by hunting and gathering from natures abundance and generosity. Agriculture marked a fundamental shift in how we lived. Now, COVID-19 confronts us with how destructive and frail our globalized industrial food system has become. Resilience in an increasingly uncertain future demands that most of our food must be grown locally. In taking an ecological approach to growing our own plants for consumption, Zach Loeks provides an approach that will be vital in a warming world.

DAVID SUZUKI, award-winning geneticist, author, and broadcaster

Its easy to think we could simply shift from polluting and strictly ornamental landscaping habits to ones that produce food and wildlife habitat, and with no greater level of thought, instantly return to paradise. Instead, this book is inviting us to the task of re-weaving ourselves and our communities into the web of life.

JASON GERHARDT, regenerative designer, Real Earth Design

Zach Loeks has the uncanny ability to deep-dive visually in his writing for specific aspects of permaculture in a way that only a second generation permaculturist can. From his stunning illustrations, to his clear and engaging writing style, to his regenerative and inspiring meta-solutions, Zach has done it again!

MATT POWERS, ThePermacultureStudent.com

Loeks invites us to take back our green spaces and convert them from simple places of ornamentation to a practical source of food for our families and communities and thereby transform our future, garden plot by garden plot.

CATALINA MARGULIS, Harrowsmith Magazine

Zach Loeks makes a compelling case for edible ecosystems and shows the ways in which our schools, colleges and universities can play a central role in this change. I can strongly recommend this book.

ALAN NASH, Professor, Department of Geography, Planning and Environment, Concordia University

Zach lays out a beautiful path to transform our homes and communities with edible ecosystems that improves our quality of life, creates food security, and increases biodiversity for the species we share our homes with. If every human who feels deep down that we need a new path forward used this guide, we could find ourselves in an ecological revolution.

ROB GREENFIELD, environmental activist, author,
Food Freedom and Dude Making a Difference

Our ancestors survived and thrived along ecological edges of edible abundance. Modern civilization has plowed and paved over biodiversity leaving impoverished landscapes. In The Edible Ecosystem Solution, author Zach Loeks provides tools and insights to restore edible abundance, resilience, and security to individual yards, community spaces, rural landscapes, and collectively, the world.

THOMAS J. ELPEL, author, Botany in a Day and Green Prosperity

A great handbook to help you create a complete edible garden ecosystem by turning a small part of your yard into a veritable hotspot of biological diversity, regeneration, and culinary joy. The Edible Ecosystem Solution successfully preaches how to spread the benefits of your garden throughout your neighborhood and even the world.

JEFF LOWENFELS, Lord of the Roots, author,
the Teaming Trilogy and DIY Autoflowering Cannabis

Educate, Propagate, Inspire, indeed! The Edible Ecosystem Solution is at once a work of art and a valuable tool in our journey towards an ecological society. Zach Loeks rich illustrations and creative design breaks new ground in conveying permaculture concepts to the reader. His deep research and clear presentation inspire the reader to rediscover our ancient roots as ecosystem managers. I will certainly be adding this book to my permaculture design course reading list!

DARRELL E. FREY, Three Sisters Farm, author,
Bioshelter Market Garden, co-author, The Food Forest Handbook

Where most people see lots, grass, or property lines, Zach Loeks sees the potential for dynamic edible ecosystems, ones that can transform our cities and neighborhoods into regenerating, life-giving, health-giving natural bonanzas. Here is his primer and his blueprint for starting small and thinking big.

FLORENCE WILLIAMS, author, The Nature Fix

A beautifully-illustrated and approachable formula for creating abundance.

MICHELLE AVIS, Verge Permaculture, co-author, Essential Rainwater Harvesting

THE EDIBLE ECOSYSTEM SOLUTION

Growing BIODIVERSITY in Your Backyard and Beyond

ZACH LOEKS

WITH
300 ILLUSTRATIONS AND DESIGNS
BY THE AUTHOR

Copyright 2021 by Jedediah Loeks. All rights reserved.
All rights reserved.

Cover design by Diane McIntosh.

Printed in Canada. First printing November 2020.

Inquiries regarding requests to reprint all or part of The Edible Ecosystem Solution should be addressed to New Society Publishers at the address below. To order directly from the publishers, please call toll-free (North America) 1-800-567-6772, or order online at newsociety.com

Any other inquiries can be directed by mail to:

New Society Publishers

P.O. Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0, Canada
(250) 247-9737

LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION

Title: The edible ecosystem solution : growing biodiversity in your backyard and beyond / Zach Loeks ; with 300 illustrations and designs by the author.

Names: Loeks, Zach, 1985- author, illustrator.

Description: Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: Canadiana (print) 20200303821 | Canadiana

(ebook) 20200303910 | ISBN 9780865719347

(softcover) | ISBN 9781550927276 (PDF) | ISBN 9781771423236 (EPUB)

Subjects: LCSH: Permaculture. | LCSH: Edible landscaping. | LCSH: GardensDesign. | LCSH: Human ecology.

Classification: LCC S494.5.P47 L59 2020 | DDC 631.5/8dc23

New Society Publishers mission is to publish books that contribute in fundamental ways to building an ecologically sustainable and just society, and to do so with the least possible impact on the environment, in a manner that models this vision.

T his book is for anyone who has ever planted a plant, enjoyed a berry, or wondered what they could do to build better community and a more resilient world. If this book results in encouraging a reader to plant a single food plant guild, it has succeeded. If it results in the new gardener sharing their experience with neighbors who then plant a single food plant guild, it has contributed to a peaceful revolution.