Description
The Regenerative Landscaper by Erik Ohlsen
An awe-inspiring guide that weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. This book has been crafted for beginner gardeners and large scale permaculturists alike . It is a step-by-step manual starting from your landscaping ideas and ending with seeds and trees confidently planted.
However, this is more than just a guide to landscaping, it is a motivational read. Throughout The Regenerative Landscaper, Erik addresses climate change, species extinction, and ecological collapse with encouragement that each of us can indeed become stewards of the land. We can do this by installing healthy ecosystems in our own yards. His words offer hope and tangible action, inspiring his readers to restore planetary health one garden at a time.
The Regenerative Landscaper gives a collection of case studies, step-by-step processes, prevention and mitigation methods, and regenerative land management techniques to steward your land. If you are looking for an easy-to-read manual on designing and implementing your permaculture haven, The Regenerative Landscaper is it.
Front cover art, “Summer Oak”, 4’x5’ oil on linen, 2018 by Adam Wolpert (www.adamwolpert.com)
Back cover art, “Kitchen Oak”, 4’x6’ oil on linen, 2022 by Adam Wolpert
Endorsements
“Erik Ohlsen is one of the best permaculture designers, organizers, and teachers that I know—and this book draws on all those gifts. It’s full of clear, practical advice on creating regenerative landscapes, useful for homeowners who want to plant a small garden, professionals who want to run an ecological design business, and activists who want to know what are the best practices to advocate for. He explains technical and scientific information clearly and in an engaging and easily understandable way. But most of all, he infuses all of the work with a deep love for the natural world and a spiritual connection to nature. I’ll be using this book as a reference and a textbook for my students for years to come, and recommending it to friends who want to learn about resilient land practices, and to anyone who needs some practical, grounded hope.” –– Starhawk, Founder & Executive of Earth Activist Training and Author of The Spiral Dance
“As long as I’ve known Erik, he’s had integrity and creativity in what he does. I’m overjoyed to see that he has finally taken the time to put his knowledge in book form. He’s really shown us what can be done in this space and this book is a perfect example of that. From sharing about regenerative practices to creating your own designs, this resource is a must in your household. So stop reading this right now! and go out and purchase this knowledge filled tome.” –– Ron Finley, Gangsta Gardener and Founder, The Ron Finley Project
“Visionary and truly inspirational. Mind-bogglingly comprehensive. A holistic manual for doing our regenerative best as human participants in our human-imperiled more-than-human world. My partner and I will be using this guidebook on our own riverside acres.” –– Bill Plotkin, Ph.D., Author of Soulcraft, Nature and the Human Soul, and The Journey of Soul Initiation
“Erik Ohlsen’s The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment combines the best of ecological science and the practice of regeneration. Regeneration as Ohlsen makes clear is co-creating with the living earth, her intelligence, her laws, her patterns, working in alignment of the water cycle and nutritional cycle to create circular living economies.” –– Vandana Shiva, Author of Agroecology and Regenerative Agriculture
“A viable human future will require deep transformation of the landscaper’s craft. The Regenerative Landscaper melds Indigenous and scientific perspectives to produce this extraordinary practical handbook for the aspiring practitioner.” –– David Korten, Author, Change the Story, Change the Future: A Living Economy for a living Earth and The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community
“I’m grateful Erik has put his decades of hands-on experience into an extensive book for all of us to learn from. The book is full of helpful photographs and illustrations. I especially like the detailed drawings of step-by-step, how-to information. Regenerative gardening, landscaping, and farming do a lot to stave off life’s tendency toward entropy. This book adds a considerable amount of information to the literature.” –– Robert Kourik, author of Sustainable Food Gardens, myths and solutions
“With exemplary Permacultural style, this book seamlessly spans the gamut of both designing, and doing, from Patterns to Details with purpose and pragmatism. Based on decades of experience, Erik Ohlsen has crafted a deeply informative and inspirational tome not only for “…landscapers in service of a thriving earth…”, but in fact for everyone who feels the thrivalist calling to be in regenerative service to our living Earth and all its inhabitants.” –– Brock Dolman, Occidental Arts & Ecology Center Co-Founder & Permaculture Program Co-Director
“Erik’s epic tome is a natural outcome of an amazing track record as one of the world’s leading regenerative landscapers and educators. I really appreciate that this book is grounded in the practical experience that comes from years of work as a designer, consultant, project manager and contractor—the Regenerative Landscaper will show others what is involved in running such an enterprise, be they a start-up or those looking to transition to more regenerative practices.” –– Darren J. Doherty, Author, The Regrarians Handbook
“I have been using regenerative principles on my ranch for nearly 30 years and I surely would have benefited from the knowledge that Erik shares in The Regenerative Landscaper. This book is a treasure trove of ecosystem healing principles, practices and ideas. It is a must read for not only gardeners, farmers, ranchers and land managers but anyone who wants to make a difference in healing our planet.” –– Gabe Brown, Author of Dirt to Soil, Rancher and Regenerative Consultant
“What an enjoyable thoroughly erudite and engaging book! Erik’s wisdom and experience shine out and the breadth of his knowledge makes this a truly holistic approach to regenerative landscaping on any scale – from garden to farm and beyond.” –– Maddy Harland, Editor & Co-Founder of Permaculture Magazine
“Erik Ohlsen has given us a local to global holistic toolkit for designing, restoring and regenerating a patch of land – whether you call that your backyard, your farm or planet earth. Dive into it, dip into it, read the experiences of others and look for the info you need to get going (it’s all there) – the science AND the practice. This will be a lifelong companion to keep us coming back to understanding how to live harmoniously with our planet earth.” –– Minni Jain, Director, The Flow Partnership/UK
“The Regenerative Landscaper is an exceptional guide for anyone seeking a sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyle.The book provides clear and concise information on the principles of permaculture, including design, water management, soil improvement, and sustainable food production. It gives detailed step-by-step instructions to help you create a regenerative oasis. The book emphasizes the importance of taking action and includes information on planning, designing, implementing, adapting, and scaling your project. Erik’s long years of experience guarantee to make this book a permaculture classic.” –– Sophie McKay, Author of The Practical Permaculture Project
“Regenerative permaculture is a truly revolutionary approach to agriculture and land management that focuses on creating sustainable, self-sufficient ecosystems that benefit people and the planet. As Ohlsen engagingly presents them here, the principles and practices of regenerative permaculture can be applied to any scale, from a small backyard garden to a large food forest. Whether you are already a permie, or an interested farmer, a gardener, or simply someone striving towards sustainable living, this book will inspire and guide you on your journey toward regenerative permaculture. –– Jessica Carew Kraft, Author of Why We Need to Be Wild
“This is a well-written and incredibly thorough book on all things permaculture. Great reference book for those who want to dive deep!” –– Diane Miessler, Author of Grow Your Soil
For many years already, Erik Ohlsen has been teaching, awakening in countless young humans the desire to participate in our own survival. A wonderful writer, he attracts us, entreats us, enchants us with biological reasoning and poetic practicality–connecting the dots and interactions with the complex economy of life on earth. I recommend this book for its clear and comprehensive transmission of the critical principles of regenerative design, of Permaculture and restoration–for our homes, our neighborhoods, our watersheds, our world. If we decide to, each of us can be a part of the healing.” –– Severine von Tscharner Fleming, Director at Greenhorns & Author of The New Farmer’s Almanac
“This book has the potential to change the green industry – it is packed full of important paradigm shifting concepts critical to any ecological landscaping firm.” — Jessi Bloom, Author of Practical Permaculture
