Shifting the Narrative from Straws to Pipelines All images courtesy of #breakfreefromplastic. Since its launch in September 2016, nearly… Read More >
OAEC supports diverse communities to design their own regenerative systems at the regional and local scale.
Our cookbook is a collection of inventive recipes inspired by seasonal eating from our biodiverse Mother Garden, orchards and Wildlands Preserve.
Experience the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center through beautiful slideshows of our Guest Houses, Meeting Hall, Kitchen, Garden, Wildlands and more.
OAEC serves as a retreat center for networks, public agencies, foundations and other groups working towards social and environmental change.
Our 100% Certified Organic plant nursery specializes in open-pollinated perennials including edible landscaping plants, rare and endangered food crops, drought tolerant ornamentals and habitat plants - all tested in our onsite gardens and appropriate for our bioregion.
OAEC offers the longest consistently running two-week Permaculture Design Certification course in the West. Immerse yourself in information, ideas and inspiration on how to design sustainable, regenerative systems in balance with your home ecosystem.
Shifting the Narrative from Straws to Pipelines All images courtesy of #breakfreefromplastic. Since its launch in September 2016, nearly… Read More >
Artifishal is a film about wild rivers and wild fish that explores the high cost—ecological, financial and cultural—of our mistaken… Read More >
Since 2014, a colony of beaver have been observed near the suburban South Bay town of Campbell, and with them,… Read More >
Enhancing and securing habitats for biodiversity is one of the core goals of the OAEC Wildlands Program, using traditional knowledge… Read More >
Farallones barn raising 1978. Photo courtesy of Alison Dykestra As we look back on 25 years of OAEC’s history, we… Read More >
Resilience is a concept that we at OAEC think about a lot, even now as this “viral”, often co-opted term has… Read More >
Sometime in the late ’80s, the gardeners here affectionately started referring to the “Mother Garden” because of her abundant fertility… Read More >
This event is completely SOLD OUT! Tickets will not be available at the door. Performances
A powerhouse group of some of the leading thinkers on land access came together at OAEC for the Bay Area… Read More >
Listen to this interview with WATER Institute Director Kate Lundquist on using beaver to restore endangered salmon in California. … Read More >
Happy Spring! We are so thankful for the generous rains that have invigorated our gardens and promise an explosive Spring… Read More >
For over 2 decades, OAEC has had a deep collaboration with Food For Thought (FFT), a food bank in Forestville… Read More >
Given the potential benefit of beaver to mountain meadow restoration and related focal species, OAEC WATER Institute conducted a beaver… Read More >
Want to learn about all the amazing benefits of beaver for California watersheds? Join WATER Institute Directors Kate Lundquist and/or Brock Dolman… Read More >
On November 7-9, 2018 a diverse group of water professionals and activists including water agency staff, government regulators, engineers and… Read More >
Compost Toilet Research Project Update: Pleasing Government & Grandma! Since we embarked on this journey to introduce Ecological Sanitation principals… Read More >
When you close your eyes and imagine a more just and sustainable future, what does it look like to you?… Read More >
This event is FULL due to limited parking (Our overflow parking area is too soggy.) If you have already RSVP’ed,… Read More >
What’s wrong with this picture? The beautiful view of the OAEC backcountry from our new Meeting Hall deck is a… Read More >
Join us at the Bioneers Conference – Oct 19th – 20th At the upcoming Bioneers Conference, OAEC’s Program Manager Cooper Freeman… Read More >
Above: Of the two species of Patchouli grown for it’s essential oils, Java Patchouli is more common to find in cultivation… Read More >
After an extensive master planning process, capital campaign, renovations and new construction of several key buildings including new Guest Houses,… Read More >
Join us in the North Garden Theater on Wednesday August 15th 7-9pm BEING SALMON, BEING HUMAN is a unique… Read More >
WATER Institute co-directors Kate Lundquist and Brock Dolman have fully embodied their busy mascot this summer as they hit the… Read More >
The OAEC Nursery is a new member of Fibershed, a consortium of growers, ranchers, artisans, and retailers working to create… Read More >
Our composting toilet project is up and running! Two of our three new systems are fully installed and operational in… Read More >
The OAEC non-profit nursery is the outward face of our 45-year-old esteemed Mother Garden and represents an outreach into the… Read More >
Order your copy today! The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center Cookbook: Fresh-from-the-Garden Recipes for Gatherings Large and Small, by… Read More >
Afterburn, photo by Jim Coleman October 2017. In the middle of a tightly scheduled month of strategic planning retreats at… Read More >
OAEC is proud to introduce our new Board of Directors members, the amazing “dream-team” that supports and oversees our self-governing staff… Read More >