About Me

My mission is to create a resilient future by building deep connections between people and nature.

I live in the Champlain and Connecticut valleys of western New England, where I work as a permaculture designer/teacher and wilderness mentor.  Since 2004 I’ve been training and teaching with leading nature awareness schools around the US, including Wilderness Awareness School, White Pine Programs, the Regenerative Design Institute, and the Institute for Natural Learning.  I studied forest ecology and traditional land use at Hampshire College and the University of Massachusetts, and graduated from Gaia University International with a B.Sc. in Integrative Eco-Social Design.  Currently I’m an entering M.S. student in the University of Vermont’s Ecological Planning program.

I lead trainings in wilderness skills, bird language, and permaculture design throughout the Northeast.  My permaculture design work specializes in tree crops, agroforestry, habitat management, and reclaiming traditional land use practices.  I’ve designed and installed food forestry systems around the Northeast; co-managed an herb farm growing dozens of high-value medicinal crops; worked on prescribed burns for endangered species habitat in inland pine barrens; and consulted on larger-scale land use planning projects for schools and other institutions.

Beyond my teaching and design work, I’m an advisor for Gaia University, which offers nontraditional B.Sc. and M.Sc. action learning degrees for world changers.  I also serve as adult program staff for Vermont Wilderness School’s Art of Mentoring workshop.  And, you can follow my current thinking and writing at my blog, Renewing the Commons.