Jono Neiger
A conservation biologist and ecologist since 1990 and permaculture teacher and designer since 1996, Jono has a diverse background in ecology, conservation, restoration, land stewardship, permaculture, and landscape design. Jono was the Land Steward and at the Lost Valley Educational Center, Oregon, Restoration Ecologist with the Nature Conservancy of California, Lost Creek Watershed Council Founder and Coordinator. He is faculty at the Conway School of Landscape Design and is a founding partner of the Regenerative Design Group.
Keith Zaltzberg
Keith is an energetic ecological designer who draws on his experiences as an organic farmer and Permaculture teacher to create beautiful, vital, and productive landscapes. Working as collaborator, teacher, and guide, Keith empowers individuals, communities and organizations to understand, appreciate, and steward their landscape through design. Keith holds a Bachelors of Science in Environmental Design from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and is a founding partner of the Regenerative Design Group.
Sebastian Gutwein
An artist, craftsman and ecological designer, Sebastian cultivates a deep fascination with the poetics and politics of space and place. He utilizes his experience with conventional and organic farming, construction and stonework to help generate resilient and beautiful landscapes. Sebastian holds a Bachelors of Science in Environmental Design from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and is a founding partner of the Regenerative Design Group.
Thomas S. Benjamin
Tom Benjamin is a registered Landscape Architect and LEED Accredited Professional (AP) practicing design and sustainability consulting in Massachusetts. He has more than 20 years experience in environmental design work often focused on ecological restoration and green design. His restoration experience includes assessment, design, and construction of upland, wetland, riparian and coastal sites/properties using low tech bioengineering solutions. In addition, Prof. Benjamin’s site planning work emphasizes low maintenance native plantings for public facilities, commercial, institutional, residential developments and private residences. His work has often encompassed creation and enhancement of natural stormwater filtration systems in both developed and natural contexts. He also has natural resource planning and land use regulatory experience. His skills support projects from conceptual planning through design, construction and monitoring phases. Tom Benjamin has lectured at Harvard, MIT and many professional conferences. He continues to teach sustainable landscape design at the University of Massachusetts and Greenfield Community College.
Our Close Collaborators:
Dave Jacke
Dave Jacke has been a student of ecology and design since the 1970s, is the author of the award winning book Edible Forest Gardens, and has run his own ecological design firm—Dynamics Ecological Design—since 1984 (click here for a PDF of Dave’s resume). Dave is an engaging and passionate teacher of ecological design and permaculture, and a meticulous designer. He has consulted on, designed, built, and planted landscapes, homes, farms, and communities in the many parts of the United States, as well as overseas, but mainly in the Northeast. A cofounder of Land Trust at Gap Mountain in Jaffrey, NH, he homesteaded there for a number of years. He holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Simon’s Rock College (1980) and a M.A. in Landscape Design from the Conway School of Landscape Design (1984).
Ethan Roland
Ethan Roland is a permaculture designer, teacher, and researcher based in the Hudson River valley. He practices regenerative design & development in all corners of the world, from the wild apple forests of Kazakhstan to the tropical monsoon climate of Thailand. Ethan sits on the board of Permaculture Across Borders and the Apios Institute, and helps to organize the Northeastern Permaculture Network. He holds an M.S. in Collaborative Eco-Social Design from Gaia University, and continues his research on carbon-sequestering perennial agriculture ecosystems. Visit his website at http://www.appleseedpermaculture.com/