This hands-on land restoration workshop is for anyone interested in cultivating an active role of compassionate stewardship in their local ecosystems. Participants will gain experience and confidence in guiding broken land-based ecosystems back to ecological health. Participants choose the depth of your field experience with options of a single day workshop (Saturday) or two-day overnight retreat (Saturday and Sunday).
On Day 1, this program will focus on scientific ecological restoration frameworks that prioritize human power instead of conventional chemical interventions.
On Day 2, we will integrate spiritual place-based ecological restoration practices that attune ourselves to the places we steward, aligning with our ancestral ways of healing broken land systems. We will start off with a meditation led by Chondzin Kelsang, Resident Teacher at the Kalpa Bhadra Kadampa Buddhist Center in Harrisburg, PA.
Whether you’re an experienced steward or beginning to navigate this growing practice, you’ll gain new perspectives and expertise that are in growing demand in today’s world. The skills you’ll explore can be applied at home or in a landscaping business, public conservation or restoration projects, regenerative agriculture projects, and more. To help build a resilient practice, you will be invited to participate in mindful movement and self-reflections throughout the course.
Participants should be comfortable standing for long periods of time and performing manual labor such as removing invasive species and planting trees. We will be working in teams so we can accommodate different mobility levels.
Two (Three) options are available for participants:
- 2-day overnight retreat from 9 am Saturday (3/28) to 3 pm Sunday (3/29). Lunch, dinner, breakfast, and lunch included.
- 2-day retreat off campus/commute retreat 9 am to 5 pm Saturday (3/28) and 9 am to 3 pm Sunday (3/29). Lunch included both days.
- 1-day workshop Saturday (3/28) 9 am to 5 pm. Lunch included.
Partnering Organization: Amethyst Retreat Center
Learn More and Register: https://www.amethystretreatcenter.org/land-restoration-retreat