Ecovillage Design | Creating Regenerative Community Systems

At Schloss Glarisegg, a vibrant ecovillage in Switzerland, I was hired to work in their permaculture program, and frequently supported large scale events and seminars, community initiatives, and other coordinated events. This immersive experience combined hands-on ecological design with transformative social and leadership practices, empowering participants to create thriving, sustainable communities. At the beginning of this period, I participated in and contributed to the Ecovillage Design Education program, closely learning community facilitation, tools for communication and conflict resolution, and regenerative systems design. My work focused on harmonizing ecological sustainability with community well-being, rooted in the principles of collaboration, equity, and regenerative living.

The Ecovillage Design Eduction explored the intersection of personal transformation, ecological sustainability, and social design. It emphasized:

Inner and Outer Transformation: Recognizing the planetary crisis as a crisis of consciousness, the program placed inner work at the core of sustainable community building.

Social Justice and Interdependence: Honoring the sacredness of nature and fostering ecological justice, the EDE nurtured participants’ capacity for authenticity, connection, and compassion.

Collaborative Leadership: Through experiential learning, the program embraced vulnerability in leadership and empowered individuals to co-create systems for collective empowerment.

Hands-On Application: Participants engaged in practical projects based on the Gaia Education curriculum, integrating permaculture design with social tools to create thriving communities.

The program culminated in the co-creation of actionable ecovillage strategies, balancing ecological, social, and economic sustainability while fostering long-term resilience.

Permaculture Design: Designed and implemented regenerative systems, cared for the cultivation of life and closely studied strategies aligned with permaculture principles.

Community Facilitation: Organized and facilitated dialogue sessions, fostering trust, collaboration, and shared decision-making among community participants.

Conflict Resolution: Mediated interpersonal and group conflicts using nonviolent communication techniques to nurture a harmonious community environment.

Systems Thinking: Developed integrated ecological and social systems to enhance self-sufficiency and mutual support within the ecovillage.

Ecovillage Projects: Contributed to hands-on projects that combined social, ecological, and economic design principles for sustainable living.