Practical field tool

PASTE: A First Site Inventory

By Mark D’Cruz, developed from his Applied Permaculture Diploma research and Academy teaching

PASTE helps a designer notice what is already present, who or what interacts with it and what needs closer observation.

Collection
Design Tools
Reading time
4 minutes
First published
15 August 2026
Last reviewed
15 August 2026
An illustrated first-use PASTE site inventory covering Plants, Animals, Structures, Tools and Events, with a repeatable observation method and common mistakes.
PASTE is an early site-observation prompt, not a full analysis. The written definitions, method, example and limitations below provide the complete text equivalent. Open full-size infographic.

What PASTE means

Plants
Existing cultivated, spontaneous and invasive vegetation, including condition and function.
Animals
Domestic animals, wildlife and signs such as tracks, feeding, nesting and damage.
Structures
Buildings, paths, boundaries, water features, utilities and other built or natural structures.
Tools
Equipment, technologies, records and skills already used to care for or understand the site.
Events
Seasonal, weather, ecological and human events that change how the site functions.

PASTE is an inventory prompt. It does not complete species identification, risk assessment or design analysis on its own.

A first-use method

  1. State the purpose, area, date, weather and observers.
  2. Walk a repeatable route slowly and record direct observations under all five headings.
  3. Photograph or map only where it improves the record and is safe to share.
  4. Mark uncertain identifications and reported information separately.
  5. Repeat in another season or time of day where change matters.
  6. Ask what relationships, gaps, risks and opportunities require later analysis.

Field-recording example

CategoryObservationEvidence statusLater question
PlantsDense evergreen seedlings beneath mature treesObserved and photographedWhich species, and what does their distribution suggest?
AnimalsBrowsing on young shootsObserved; animal not identifiedWhen does browsing occur and how severe is it?
StructuresCompacted track sheds water downslopeObserved during rainWhere does the flow go and who or what is affected?
ToolsHand tools and a water tank are availableConfirmed with carerWhat capacity and maintenance limits apply?
EventsSummer access and irrigation demand increaseReported; needs seasonal recordWhat baseline should be recorded?

Common mistakes and limits

  • Recording only what is easy to see.
  • Confusing a species list with an understanding of relationships.
  • Treating one visit as a seasonal baseline.
  • Guessing an identification without marking uncertainty.
  • Collecting information with no later decision purpose.

PASTE can show what needs further attention. It cannot establish causation, legal permission, ecological value or a safe intervention by itself.

Printable PASTE field sheet

Purpose and area: ______________________________________________

Date, time, weather and observers: ______________________________

Plants

Observation, location, condition, confidence

Animals

Sighting or sign, behaviour, timing, confidence

Structures

Feature, condition, flow, responsibility

Tools

Equipment, skill, record, availability, limit

Events

Seasonal, weather, ecological or human change

Questions for later analysis

Relationships, gaps, risks and next observations

Sources and provenance

  1. Mark D’Cruz, Design 6 PASTE appendix and field records within the Diploma journey. The wider origin of this permaculture use of PASTE has not been verified, so the Academy makes no invention claim.