22nd Annual Chautauqua Revue
Tickets for the 22nd Annual Chautauqua Revue are on sale now! The show runs each night September 4th, 5th, 6th, and September 11th, 12th, 13th, with a matinee on September … Read more
General
Fenceline Watch Fighting Oil And Gas Expansion
Fenceline Watch, a fiscally sponsored project of OAEC, is dedicated to the eradication of toxic multigenerational harm on communities living along the fenceline of industry, primarily along the Texas Gulf … Read more
Sonoma County Ecological Workforce Training
On June 24, 2025, OAEC’s WATER Institute Co-Director, Brock Dolman, joined the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (Ag + Open Space) and a collection of experienced trainers … Read more
New Media from Counterstream
Counterstream Media, a fiscally sponsored project of OAEC, is producing impactful storytelling that centers the people and places most affected by environmental injustice through their publications, The Margin and Peace & Riot Zine, and … Read more
Watch the Webinar: Introducing California’s Beaver Coexistence Training and Support Program
On May 21, 2025, around 250 people joined the webinar introducing California’s Beaver Coexistence Training and Support Program to learn how to get involved in helping improve human-beaver coexistence in … Read more
Brock Dolman at Napa RISE Climate Symposium
Can Forest & Creek Restoration Create Localized Climate Cooling? On May 8, 2025, OAEC’s WATER Institute Co-Director, Brock Dolman, contributed to the Napa RISE Climate & Wine Symposium, which is … Read more
Clown Café: A Benefit on June 28th, 2025
The Occidental Arts and Ecology Center is pleased to announce the first-ever Clown Café, a one-night-only pop-up restaurant staffed completely by clowns on June 28th, 2025 from 5:30PM – 9PM … Read more
BeaverCorps Training Program
We invite you to apply to be a Beaver Coexistence Professional through the BeaverCorps Training Program. Part 1 is a 40-hour online training followed by mentorship and hands-on work with four coexistence strategies … Read more
WATER Institute Associate Director for Dev & Comms
WATER Institute Associate Director of Development and Communications Job Announcement The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center (OAEC) is an 80-acre demonstration, education and advocacy center located in western Sonoma County, California. OAEC’s … Read more
Gully Stuffing Collaboration with Golden Gate National Recreation Area
In March of 2025, WATER Institute Co-Directors Brock Dolman and Kate Lundquist had the great pleasure of meeting with Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) staff to carry out a … Read more
Fuels to Flows Campaign Launch
Building on OAEC’s three decades of land stewardship and watershed restoration work, we are excited to formally launch our Fuels to Flows Campaign! The term “Fuels to Flows,” coined by … Read more
Nursery Temporarily Closed
The OAEC Mother Garden Nursery is closed for the 2025 season. As OAEC marks our 30th Anniversary, the Mother Garden celebrates its 50th! The garden and nursery are in a … Read more
SoCo Seed Swap March 9th, 3-5pm
Come one, come all to the Sonoma County Seed Swap on Sunday, March 9th, 2025! Drop in any time from 3PM-5PM at the Sebastopol Grange (6000 Hwy 12, Sebastopol). This … Read more
Sign up for Permaculture Design Courses
We’re offering Permaculture Design Courses and a new Food Forests Course at OAEC in 2025! Permaculture Design Certification (PDC) courses will immerse you in information, ideas, and inspiration on how … 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
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
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
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
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
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
CDFW Awards OAEC Grant to Create Beaver Coexistence Program
The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center WATER Institute is humbled and excited to announce that we have been awarded a $2 million block grant to develop a program to build … Read more
CDFW Releases Beavers Into the Wild for First Time in Nearly 75 Years
The state’s new Beaver Restoration Program completed its first relocation in October, 2023. See the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) press release here. We were honored to be … Read more
2023 Update – Strategies for Change
Unveiling OAEC’s 2023 Update: Strategies for Change! We are proud of this new publication that reports on our accomplishments for this year through the lens of the four strategies that … Read more
The origin—and fandom—of Slow it, Spread it, Sink it
Like Carlo Petrini’s Slow Food movement, we have our own “slow water movement” at OAEC. You might know it as the permaculture mantra, or perhaps you’ve seen it as part … Read more
Cal-PBR Workshops
We’re reporting back from two highly successful CalPBR Network workshops that took place in October, empowering folks to further advance their skills in process-based restoration and all of its benefits. … Read more
Big day for beaver in the news
Two big beaver hits today! First up is an interview with Kate and Brock in The Los Angeles Times about beaver benefits to landscapes. The story is titled, “Restoring California … Read more
Happy California Day of Biodiversity!
In honor of the day, we want to celebrate beaver being a keystone species, meaning the habitats they create benefit countless other plant and animal species in California ecosystems. Species … Read more
OAEC Recognized as New CDFW Beaver Depredation Policy is Announced!
At the June 14, 2023 CA Fish and Game Commission meeting, the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) reported to the commissioners that they have enacted a new beaver … Read more
