Books for a Future

"Books for a Future" is a list of essential reads, initially compiled to inspire and support sustainable, regenerative practices. EuPN members can add their own recommendations or recommend books that resonate deeply with our shared vision for a resilient future. Explore this evolving resource for insights on permaculture, environmental activism, ecology, and beyond.

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TitleAuthorDescriptionUKUSSigned copyRecommend
Around the World in 80 Plants: An Edible Perennial Vegetable Adventure for Temperate Climatesby Stephen Barstow

An adventure into edible perennials from around the world, suited for temperate climates.

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Basics of Permaculture Designby Ross Mars

An introduction to permaculture design principles for beginners and enthusiasts.

Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Natureby Janine M. Benys

A guide to innovation inspired by nature’s principles, focusing on sustainable design.

Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nutsby Scott Serrano, by Allyson Levy

Focuses on growing fruits and nuts that thrive in colder climates, expanding food production options.

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Collective Power: Patterns for a Self-Organized Futureby Ted J. Rau

Explores patterns and practices for collective empowerment and self-organization.

Coming Back to Life: The Updated Guide to the Work That Reconnectsby Joanna Macy, by Molly Young Brown

An essential resource for reconnecting with the work of ecological and personal healing.

Creating a Forest Gardenby Martin Crawford

A comprehensive guide to creating forest gardens in temperate climates.

Cultural Emergence: A Toolkit for Transforming Ourselves & the Worldby Looby Macnamara

Explores how to create positive cultural change using permaculture principles to develop resilient communities.

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Designing Ecological Habitats: Creating a Sense of Place (4 Keys to Sustainable Communities)by E. Christopher Mare, by Max O. Lindegger

A practical manual on designing habitats with ecological and community-oriented focus.

Digital Permaculture - design for personal digital sustainabilityby Dominik Jais

Discover how permaculture ethics and principles can transcend garden gates and be applied to the digital world. "Digital Permaculture" explores the innovative fusion of ecological design with digital technologies, guiding you through a complete permaculture design process adapted for the digital age.

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Earth Path: Grounding Your Spirit in the Rhythms of Natureby Starhawk

A spiritual and practical guide to aligning with nature’s rhythms and pathways.

Earth User's Guide to Permacultureby Rosemary Morrow

Practical manual for applying permaculture principles in various environments, suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners.

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Edible Forest Gardens: Book 1 & 2by Dave Jacke, by Eric Toensmeier

An extensive two-volume guide on creating edible forest gardens.

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Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futuresby Merlin Sheldrake

An exploration into the hidden world of fungi and their impact on ecosystems and human life.

Farming the Woodsby Steve Gabriel, by Ken Mudge

Explores the integration of forestry and farming, offering methods for growing food in wooded areas.

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Farming the Woods: An Integrated Permaculture Approach to Growing Food and Medicinal Forestsby Ken Mudge, by Steve Gabriel

A permaculture approach to growing food and medicinal plants in forested environments.

Find Your Forest Gardenby Caroline Aitken, by Martin Crawford

A guide to exploring and discovering your own forest garden ecosystem.

Food Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden and Your Neighborhood into a Communityby Heather Flores

How to transform lawns into productive gardens and communities through sustainable practices.

Forest Gardening in Practice: An Illustrated Practical Guide for Homes, Communities & Smallholdingsby Tomas Remiarz

Illustrated guidance for establishing forest gardens at various scales.

From What Is to What Ifby Rob Hopkins

A visionary look at how imagination and creativity can inspire community resilience and environmental action.

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Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permacultureby Toby Hemenway

Practical guidance on applying permaculture principles to home gardens, emphasizing sustainable and productive landscapes.

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Holistic Management: A New Framework for Decision Makingby Allan Savory, by Jody Butterfield

A decision-making framework based on holistic management for sustainable practices.

Horse-Powered Farming for the 21st Century: A Complete Guide to Equipment, Methods, and Management for Organic Growersby Stephen Leslie

A comprehensive guide to using horses in organic farming, including equipment, methods, and management.

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How to Grow Perennial Vegetables: Low-Maintenance, Low-Impact Vegetable Gardeningby Martin Crawford

A guide to growing perennial vegetables that are low-maintenance and environmentally friendly.

How to Grow Your Own Nuts: Choosing, Cultivating, and Harvesting Nuts in Your Gardenby Martin Crawford

A practical manual on selecting, growing, and harvesting a variety of nut trees and shrubs.

How to Make a Forest Gardenby Patrick Whitefield

Learn how to create a sustainable and productive forest garden for food and habitat.

How to Permaculture Your Life: Strategies, Skills, and Techniques for Transitioning to a Greener Worldby Ross Mars

Strategies and techniques for adopting a permaculture lifestyle and transitioning to sustainability.

Integrated Forest Gardening: The Complete Guide to Polycultures and Plant Guilds in Permaculture Systemsby Wayne Weiseman, by Daniel Halsey, by Bryce Ruddock

Detailed instructions on designing and managing polycultures and plant guilds within permaculture.

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Introduction to Permacultureby Bill Mollison

An accessible introduction to permaculture principles and practices for beginners.

Paradise Lotby Eric Toensmeier, by Jonathan Bates

Chronicles the creation of a permaculture-inspired urban garden on a small lot, demonstrating the potential of edible landscaping.

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People and Permaculture: Caring & Designing for Ourselves, Each Other & The Planetby Looby Macnamara

Covers permaculture design principles focused on people, community, and the planet.

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Perennial Vegetables: From Artichoke to Taro, a Gardener’s Guide to Over 100 Delicious, Easy-to-Grow Ediblesby Eric Toensmeier

A gardener’s guide to growing over 100 types of perennial vegetables.

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Permaculture Design: A Step-by-Step Guideby Aranya

Provides a structured approach to designing permaculture systems, with clear explanations and practical examples.

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Permaculture in a Nutshellby Patrick Whitefield

A concise overview of permaculture principles and their applications.

Permaculture: A Beginner’s Guideby Graham Burnett

An introductory guide to permaculture concepts and practices for beginners.

Permaculture: A Designers' Manualby Bill Mollison

The definitive guide to permaculture design principles and applications.

Permaculture: Principles & Pathways Beyond Sustainabilityby David Holmgren

A deep dive into permaculture principles and pathways for a sustainable future.

Polyface Designsby Joel Salatin, by Chris Slattery

A practical guide to farm infrastructure design, focusing on sustainable, low-cost solutions.

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Rebuilding the Foodshedby Philip Ackerman-Leist

Explores local food systems and strategies for strengthening regional food security.

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Self-Sufficient Gardening: A Practical Guide to Living Off the Landby Ami Seymour

A practical guide to living off the land through self-sufficient gardening techniques.

Sepp Holzer's Permacultureby Sepp Holzer

Insights into Sepp Holzer's unique approach to permaculture, emphasizing small-scale and integrative farming techniques.

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Small-Scale Grain Raisingby Gene Logsdon

Detailed instructions for growing, harvesting, and processing grains on a small scale, suitable for homesteaders and small farms.

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The Basics of Regenerative Agricultureby Ross Mars

Introduction to regenerative agriculture practices that restore soil health and increase biodiversity.

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The Biochar Handbookby Kelpie Wilson

Guide to using biochar for soil improvement, carbon sequestration, and sustainable agriculture.

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The Buzz about Bees: Biology of a Superorganismby Jürgen Tautz

An exploration of bee biology and the superorganism nature of bee colonies.

The Earth Care Manualby Patrick Whitefield

An in-depth guide to permaculture practices with a focus on caring for the earth.

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The Ecological Farm: A Minimalist No-Spray, No-Till Companion to the Resilient Gardenerby Helen Allthowe

A guide to farming with minimal intervention, focusing on resilience and sustainability.

The Forest Garden Greenhouseby Jerome Osentowski

Explores greenhouse design and operation within a permaculture framework, for year-round tropical crops in cold climates.

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The Holistic Orchardby Michael Phillips

Comprehensive guide to growing tree fruits and berries the biological way, focusing on organic and holistic methods.

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The Home-Scale Forest Gardenby Dani Baker

Guide to creating a productive forest garden on a small scale, focusing on edible and perennial plants.

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