Upcoming WATER Institute Events
Upcoming events in watershed, beaver, and process-based restoration.
Occidental Arts & Ecology Center
First Compost Toilet Research Samples Sent to the Lab!
January 14, 2020 This week we celebrated a huge milestone in the progression of OAEC’s Compost Toilet Research Project. It has been three and a half years since we … Read more
2019 Update
Dear Friends and Supporters, We are proud of the work we have done this year, advancing bold and successful initiatives and providing a place of refuge and reflection to … Read more
Listening to the Land with The Cultural Conservancy
The Cultural Conservancy’s Vision for a Biocultural Renewal Project in Graton There is a one-of-a-kind indigenous land project happening right here in Southern Pomo Coast Miwok territory and it happens … Read more
#breakfreefromplastic – from straws to pipelines
Shifting the Narrative from Straws to Pipelines All images courtesy of #breakfreefromplastic. Since its launch in September 2016, nearly 1,500 organizations from across the world have joined the Break … Read more
Who’s at OAEC? Bay Area Land Justice Convening
A powerhouse group of some of the leading thinkers on land access came together at OAEC for the Bay Area Land Justice Convening in April co-organized by staff at Sogorea … Read more
Nursery Season Opens April 6th!
Happy Spring! We are so thankful for the generous rains that have invigorated our gardens and promise an explosive Spring of extravagant growth and abundance! Our nursery tables are packed … Read more
Bring Back the Beaver Campaign: Spring 2019 Events
Want to learn about all the amazing benefits of beaver for California watersheds? Join WATER Institute Directors Kate Lundquist and/or Brock Dolman at these upcoming events: February 19-21 – State of the Beaver … Read more
OAEC Receives Groundbreaking Compost Toilet Permit
Legitimizing Ecological Sanitation via Scientific Research After 2 years of negotiations, OAEC is excited to partner with county and regional agencies with the acquisition of an “Alternate Methods and Materials” research … Read more
WATER Institute Supports Borneo Watersheds Affected by Palm Oil Plantations
by Janel Healy. Photos by Brock Dolman. 35% of the palm oil produced in the world comes from Malaysia, and 12% of that comes from the Malaysian state of Sabah … Read more
Seed Swappin’
One of the goals of our Mother Garden Biodiversity & Nursery program is to conserve agricultural biodiversity and share it with the broader public through seed saving and Plant Sales. At the … Read more
Greywater Policy Innovation Goes to Sacramento
The Decentralized Water Policy Council (DWPC), a project of OAEC and the California Onsite Water Association, was one of three finalists in the Imagine H2O Policy Challenge. Finalists were selected from over 100 applications … Read more
Former School Garden Program Director to Teach 2016 Teacher Trainings
We’re thrilled to announce that OAEC’s former School Gardens Program Director Tina Poles will be leading our two flagship School Garden Teacher Trainings this year. Tina has been working in … Read more
In Memory of OAEC’s Friend Doug Tompkins
Above: Kris & Doug Tompkins. Photo by Dave Henson, Dec. 2014. The staff and extended family of the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center would like to honor our friend, mentor … Read more
Connecting to Place Through Art: Painting the OAEC Pond
Co-founder and resident artist Adam Wolpert is in his seventh month of a yearlong project to paint the southwest corner of the OAEC pond. He has created 45 oil paintings–all … Read more
Nov. 2-7: Week of Action to Protect Pollinators
For the last two years, OAEC’s Executive Director Dave Henson has been facilitating a network of U.S. organizations that are developing strategies to protect pollinators such as bees, bats, birds, … Read more
Speak Out to Keep Glyphosate (Roundup) a Prop 65 Chemical
The use of glyphosate has surged dramatically since the 1990s, when genetically engineered (GE) “Roundup Ready” corn and soybean crops were introduced. According to the Pesticide Action Network of North America (PANNA), … Read more
Water Budgeting at OAEC and in Your Community
Above: Alana records weekly potable water use at OAEC outside the Main Office, which all staff members see throughout the day. You, too, could do this at your workplace, church, child’s … Read more
Join the “Chautauqua Circle”
Thank you to everyone who attended our 13th Annual Chautauqua Revue this past weekend! Despite the heavy lifting required to bring into the theater two dozen performers, light and sound equipment, costumes, props, … Read more
OAEC Daughter Garden for People Living with HIV/AIDS
What if a food bank distributed not just canned and donated goods, but fresh, organic produce grown right onsite? The Food For Thought (FFT) Food Bank in Forestville, one of … Read more
Perennials You Can Plant Now
If you’re an avid gardener, you are probably about to get your Fall and Winter annuals into the ground, or have already done so. However, there are also many perennial food crops, … Read more
OAEC Publishes Wildlands Preserve Stewardship Plan
Pictured: Harold Appleton, registered professional forester, co-authored the plan with Lindsay Dailey and Jim Coleman (pictured) as well as Brock Dolman. Harold spent many hours onsite inventorying mixed conifer forests and guiding OAEC … Read more
OAEC Cookbook: Summer Recipe & Civil Eats Article
Pictured: Flower Petal Pestos. Edible flowers, such as sunflower and nastutium, volunteer in legions in OAEC’s temperate gardens. These brightly colored sauces in small quantities are most efficiently used as a … Read more
New OAEC Guest Housing
We are thrilled to announce the completion of our three new guest housing units, built to provide beautiful and comfortable accommodations for a more diverse array of our constituents. Being a demonstration site, … Read more
Drought Action
These are extraordinary times in California–especially in the Dutch Bill Creek Watershed, where OAEC is located, and the watersheds surrounding it. The water in our creeks is so low that … Read more
OAEC Nursery Staff Spotlights
Behind the scenes at OAEC are dozens of talented hourly and part-time staff members. Here are some of the wonderful people who give their time, energy and love to the OAEC Nursery, our 100% California Certified … Read more
Storytelling for Social Change
Social change is inspired by effective storytelling. Our allies in the Climate Justice Alliance (CJA), a group of organizers that includes our Strategic Partners with the Movement Generation Justice & … Read more
From School Gardens to Living Learnscapes: Resilient Schools
Thanks to decades of collaboration between dedicated teachers and school garden support organizations (OAEC, Life Lab, Edible Schoolyard, Center for Ecoliteracy) as well as former CA State Superintendent of Public … Read more
Removing Barriers to Ecological Water Management
The drought highlights the need for some common sense water saving and reuse practices such as composting toilets and integrated greywater systems that not only irrigate landscapes but reuse water indoors … Read more
North Bay Woman Magazine Interviews Olivia Rathbone
OAEC Cookbook Co-Author Olivia Rathbone on growing a farm-to-table garden for the home gardener: North Bay Woman (NBW)*: What does a good farm-to-table garden include? Rathbone: A diverse garden with a good mix … Read more
