Upcoming WATER Institute Events
Upcoming events on watershed, beaver, and process-based restoration.
New Food Forests Course – Aug 20-24, 2025
Abundant Food Forests: An Advanced Permaculture Course This comprehensive course explores the world of regenerative agroforestry, offering a rich blend of historical context, design principles, and practical implementation strategies. Through … Read more
Celebrate and Support OAEC
As we close out this special anniversary year, we thank you for supporting the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center (OAEC). Over the past 30 years, we’ve had the privilege of … Read more
2024 Process-Based Restoration Year In Review
2024 has been a hugely successful year for beaver and process-based restoration (PBR) in California. Working with many partners, including members of the California Process-Based Restoration Network, we successfully trained … Read more
Process-based restoration workshop with the Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance and Robinson Rancheria
Brock and Kate recently had the great pleasure of working with our long-time partners at Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance (TERA) to carry out a process-based restoration (PBR) workshop on Robinson Rancheria … Read more
Report Back from BeaverCON 2024
WATER Institute Co-Directors Kate Lundquist and Brock Dolman are feeling truly inspired after attending BeaverCON 2024 in Boulder, Colorado, last month. This renowned international gathering of beaver and process-based restoration … Read more
Sign Up for 2025 Permaculture Design Courses!
We’re offering two Permaculture Design Certifications (PDC) and one advanced Food Forests class at OAEC in 2025! Our Permaculture Design Certification is a hybrid course that includes 4 weeks online … Read more
Report Back From Another Successful Build Like a Beaver Training (BLAB)
The WATER Institute’s Kate Lundquist and Brock Dolman have returned from an amazing four days of beaver and process-based restoration field tours, discussions, and onsite building opportunities at the California … Read more
Nursery Plant Sale Oct. 26th-27th
Take 30-75% off during our end-of-season sale October 26th-27th! We’re open two more weekends: October 19-20 & 26-27 10am – 5pm 15290 Coleman Valley Rd (upper driveway), Occidental CA Don’t … Read more
Residential Rainwater & Fire Resilience Workshop Nov. 2nd
Join us Saturday, November 2nd from 10AM-1PM for a Residential Rainwater and Fire Resilience Workshop co-hosted by the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, Gold Ridge RCD and Sonoma County Ag + … Read more
California’s “Beaver Bill” Signed by Governor
Assembly Bill 2196 codifies the state’s new Beaver Restoration Program. SACRAMENTO – Unanimous votes of both the California State Assembly and Senate propelled Assembly Bill 2196 to the Governor’s desk, … Read more
Permaculture Design Course – Nov 7-16
Exciting news! For the first time in years, we actually have a few spots open in our upcoming Permaculture Design Certification this fall!Our popular hybrid Permaculture Design Course offers a … Read more
Apply for 2025 Internships
Applications are now open through October 16th! Each year, OAEC hires a cohort of enthusiastic interns to live and learn at OAEC for 11 months. Interns work 24 hours per … Read more
Tending the Land for Fire Resilience in Sonoma County
Online Resource Launched for Land Stewards September 11, 2024 (Sonoma, CA) – Three trusted nonprofit partners launched a new, free in-depth online resource for Sonoma County land stewards. Tending the … Read more
21st Annual Chautauqua Revue
Tickets sales begin Tuesday, July 16th at 10AM. Evening shows run September 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th at 7:30PM. Family Matinee is Saturday, September 7th at 2PM. Go to our … Read more
It’s OAEC’s 30th Anniversary!
This year, the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center (OAEC) is celebrating our 30th anniversary! As we take a moment to pause and reflect, we want to share our deep gratitude … Read more
OAEC chosen as nonprofit of the year for 2nd senate district!
The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center (OAEC) is immensely humbled to be chosen by Senate Pro Tempore Mike McGuire as the 2024 Nonprofit of the Year for Senate District 2. … Read more
Check out our new Beaver web portal!
As we celebrate OAEC’s 30 years, we think back to 2009 when the WATER Institute was scoffed at for having the audacity to suggest that beaver, then considered a ‘nuisance,’ … Read more
End the Siege on Gaza: Permanent Ceasefire Now!
OAEC (The Occidental Arts and Ecology Center), in its 30th year, continues to be dedicated to fostering self-determination in communities and participating in social justice and environmental movements that challenge … Read more
Beaver Welcomed Home on Tule River Tribal Lands
We’re pleased to announce that the Tule River Tribe welcomed seven beavers into the South Fork Tule River watershed on the Tule River Indian Reservation on June 12 as part … Read more
Brock Dolman Featured in San Joaquin Valley Water Video
San Joaquin Valley Water, an independent, nonprofit news site dedicated to covering water issues in the San Joaquin Valley, produced a video titled “Beavers Reintroduced on the Tule River Reservation” … Read more
People Over Plastic Now Counterstream Media
People Over Plastic, a fiscally sponsored project of OAEC, is now Counterstream Media! From the Counterstream team: “Our new name reflects our mission to center the stories and perspectives that … Read more
Brock Dolman Featured on Two Podcasts
WATER Institute Co-Director and OAEC Co-Founder Brock Dolman has been busy! He recently participated in two podcasts which we recommend listening to! In the first, Permaculture Perspectives, Brock speaks with … Read more
Nursery Featured in Made Local Magazine
Happy Birthday and congratulations to the Mother Garden turning 50 years old this summer! The Mother Garden, and its offspring, the Nursery were featured in the May/June 2024 issue of … Read more
Overwhelming Support for the “Beaver Bill”
Assembly Bill 2196 to codify the state’s new Beaver Restoration Program heads to Senate Amazing news! Assemblymember Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael) is authoring a “beaver bill,” Assembly Bill 2196, with … Read more
Beaver and Process-Based Restoration Trainings in France
In April 2024, WATER Institute Co-Director Kate Lundquist and our close collaborator, Kevin Swift of Swift Water Design, headed to France. French artist Suzanne Husky and French author and professor … Read more
Can beavers help Sonoma County lower wildfire risk?
Our hyper local news outlet, the Sonoma County Gazette, penned a great article outlining beaver as nature’s engineers, important for fire prevention, flood mitigation, groundwater recharge, and critical habitat creation. … Read more
WATER Institute Quoted in the LA Times
On March 26, 2024, The Los Angeles Times published a fantastic article titled, Yes, beavers can help stop wildfires. And more places in California are embracing them. In it, writer … Read more
