BIO
SARA ELLEN WUERSTLE
ECOSYSTEMS DESIGNER & PERMACULTURE EDUCATOR
With over two decades of experience working in land stewardship, agriculture and design, Sara has developed a highly integrated understanding of regenerative systems and sustainable development at any scale. More than 50 of her whole system designs have been implemented and continue to be successfully managed. She has worked internationally for the greater part of her career, building and fine-tuning the ability to think, create and act in a truly holistic and innovative way. She even utilized the whole systems design approach to grow a design and installation business twofold in less than 5 years in the highly competitive California Bay Area. While there, she was able to not only design but direct the implementation process of the designs to ensure accuracy and effective monitoring for long-term success. Her innovative designs have out performed conventional approaches and act as models for the validity and value of Whole Systems Design by combining Permaculture and Holistic Management.
To gain this design acuity, she spent many years studying and working internationally with the leading practitioners in the field as well as farmers and growers, while teaching and supporting more than 2 dozen Permaculture Design Certification courses as well as Advanced Permaculture Design Certification courses and related trainings worldwide. As a consultant and designer, she has collaborated on numerous international development projects in Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America. She has also lived as part of numerous intentional communities and education centers throughout the world. She is most inspired when people savor the nutritious, delicious, and beautiful food that can come only from healthy ecosystems. In all of these endeavors, her unique sense of style and aesthetic as an artist is ever-present.
PORTFOLIO
PERMACULTURE DESIGN & INSTALLATION
Prior to her work with GUILDA, Sara designed and guided the implementation of more than 50 permaculture systems of various scales and contexts..
Here a few of the highlights:
FARMS, DEMONSTRATION SITES &
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
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Willow Creek Restoration (began 2017)
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Freestone Farm (began 2016)
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Nature Retreat Ranch & Farm (began 2016)
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Cider Orchard Biological Restoration (began 2016)
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Flood Mitigation Orchard (began 2015)
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Biodiversity Orchard & Pond (began 2015)
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Integrated Community & School Garden with Park (began 2014)
SMALL FARMS & HOMESTEADS
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Mixed Livestock Farm (began 2017)
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Wildlife Refuge (2016)
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Homestead with Market Flower Garden (2015)
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Suburban Food Resiliency (2015)
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Cozy Homestead (2015)
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Parkside Food Forest (2015)
SMALL SPACES
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Barefoot Backyard & Garden (2014)
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Zen Micro-Garden (2014)
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Recreation Garden (2015)
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Cat-friendly Backyard (2015)
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Edible Front Yard with Native Buffer (2016)
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Dog-friendly Backyard (2016)
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Backyard Food Forest (2017)
CURRICULUM
PERMACULTURE JOURNEY
2014-2019 Lead Designer at Community Soil in San Francisco Bay Area, California
2013 Built passive solar timber frame home with geothermal system
2013 Curriculum Consultant for Permaculture in Action PDC at Nascentes de Luz in Portugal for lead instructors Eunice Neves & Richard Perkins
2012 Resiliency Design Consultant for Yelmani Food Sovereignty Project in Burkina Faso & Brussels, Belgium
2012 Lead Instructor of workshop series for farmers and growers in Burkina Faso as part of Slow Food's Ten Thousand Gardens for Africa Project
2012 (JUNE) Lead Instructor of 15-day PDC at Balkan Ecology Project in Shipka, Bulgaria with Mihail Kossev & Paul Alfrey
2012 (JAN-FEB) Co-Instructor of 8-week Internship at Estancia Ranquilco in Patagonia, Argentina with Doug Crouch
2011 (NOV) Co-Instructor of 16-day PDC at Estancia Ranquilco in Patagonia, Argentina with Doug Crouch
2011 (AUGUST) Co-Instructor of PDC at Escola da Terra in Almoçageme, Portugal with Doug Crouch
2011 (JULY) Co-Instructor of PDC at Escola da Terra in Almoçageme, Portugal with Doug Crouch
2011 (JUNE) Co-Instructor at Balkan Ecology Project in Shipka, Bulgaria with Doug Crouch
2011 (JAN-FEB) Instructor of Soil Microbiology at the Loft in New York City in collaboration with Elaine Ingham and Gail Swithenbank
2010 (AUGUST) Co-Instructor of PDC at Escola da Terra in Almoçageme, Portugal with Doug Crouch & Gautier Gras
2010 (JULY) Co-Instructor of PDC at Escola da Terra in Almoçageme, Portugal with Doug Crouch & Gautier Gras
2009-2010 Internship at Occidental Arts & Ecology Center in Occidental, California
2009-2010 Dairy Worker at Toluma Farms in Tomales, California
2009 Natural Building Crew at Ecostead in Hamilton, New Zealand
2008-2009 Farm Crew & Chef for PDCs at Permaculture Research Institute in NSW, Australia
2008 (AUGUST) Logistics & Catering for PDC & Southern California Permaculture Convergence at Quail Springs near Ojai, CA, USA
2007-2008 Internship & Catering at Regenerative Design Institute in Bolinas, California with Penny Livingston & James Stark
2007 Natural Building Apprenticeship at Tui Community in Wainui Bay, New Zealand with Robina McCurdy & Huckleberry Leonard
2006 Wwoofing in Ireland
Grew up on grandparents' farm in Pennsylvania, USA
COURSEWORK
2010
Starting & Sustaining Intentional Communities with Dave Henson and Adam Wolpert at Occidental Arts & Ecology Center, California
2009 Holistic Management, Keyline Design & Broad-acre Permaculture with Kirk Gadzia and Darren Doherty at Orella Ranch, California
2009 Soil Building & Water Management Systems with Darren Doherty & Penny Livingston in Salinas Valley, California
2009 School Garden Teacher Training with Lisa Preschel at Occidental Arts & Ecology Center in California
2009 Healing Through Food, Gardening, Herbs, & Ceremony with Michelle Vesser at Occidental Arts & Ecology Center, California
2008 Permaculture Aid Worker Training with Rosemary Morrow at Zaytuna Farm, Australia
2008 Rainwater Harvesting with Brad Lancaster at Regenerative Design Institute in California
2007 Permaculture Design Certification with Geoff Lawton, Robyn Francis and Trish Allen at Rainbow Valley Farm, New Zealand
University Coursework
Graduate Studies in Forestry
Pre-Medicine
Bachelor of Fine Arts
MAIN TEACHERS
Elaine Ingham 2011
Kendall Dunningan, Brock Dolman, Carol Nieukirk, Lisa Preschel, Dave Henson & Adam Wolpert 2009-2010
Darren Doherty 2009
Kirk Gadzia 2009
Rosemary Morrow 2008
Brad Lancaster 2008
Penny Livingston & James Stark 2007-2008
Geoff Lawton 2007 & 2008-2009
Robyn Francis 2007
Trish Allen 2007
Robina McCurdy 2007