Earthlands

Earthlands is the home of the University of the Wild, the Earthlands Retreat Center, and the future site of the Earthlands Community Land Trust. It is a hub of holistic activities located in rural Petersham, Massachusetts. With over 330 acres of forest, meadows, fields and streams set in the heart of thousands acres of conservation and protected forests, this secluded land contains numerous sacred sites, gathering spaces, lodging and is rich in bio-diversity. For twenty years, Earthlands has been a place where people come to explore, learn and teach practices of personal, community and planetary change amidst the peaceful setting of this sacred land. Earthlands serves for the betterment and the enrichment of individuals and society.  

Earthlands is synonomous with the activities and programs of the Institute For Environmental Awareness, Incorporated, 501(c)3 educational nonprofit. The Earthlands Program & Retreat Center, established in 1992, conducts and hosts on-going public educational, environmental, social justice and personal growth programs and services that support the practice of living and learning in sacred harmony with Earth and all Life. The University of the Wild, founded by Dr. Larry Buell and a small group of educators in 2007, offers mentored, self-directed alternative education, including degree curriculum, designed to train and develop ecological global citizens and leaders with an eco-centric, holistic worldview values and practices. It is through life-changing experiences at these programs and workshops that many people have been drawn to the larger member community and activities at Earthlands. See our 2012 Calendar.

Located in the North Quabbin Bioregion, Earthlands is part of a strong and vibrant local network of activities taking place in environmental awareness, social justice, local sustainability, and land preservation. Each year more than 1,200 amazing teachers, students, healers, activists, and participants come for weekend workshops, trainings, and gatherings. The land and facilities are also available for private functions. Earthlands is served by a lodge that sleeps 30 people, several secluded cabins, kitchen and dining areas and indoor/outdoor meeting spaces. All Facilities & Lodging, except for the main office, are off-grid, with basic solar systems and propane appliances. We have a grid-tied office with phone and internet. A composting toilet system and solar & propane showers complement the setup. There are several sacred sites on the land, including a Stone Medicine Circle, Sweat Lodge, Sacred Fire Circle, and ancient Indian Caves. Staff grow/wild-craft their own fruits & vegetables in season, including a mandala garden, a small perennial forest garden and field gardens.

Earthlands lies near the Quabbin Reservoir and is situated within the dynamic Swift River Valley. The Valley, running from the Phillipston town line to the Quabbin Reservoir, is a major watershed containing large tracts of hardwood and evergreen forests at varying successional stages. There is a wide variety of bogs, swamps, rivers and ponds in the region. The terrain, for the most part, is quite rugged and hilly with many outcrops and cliffs. Wildlife abounds because of extensive protected habitat. Local history is rich. Signs of early Nipmuck Indians of the Algonquin Nation can be seen and there are a variety of early homestead sites in the Valley.The National Science Foundation's environmental research of Petersham is surrounded by some of the most scenic and culturally significant landscapes of central New England. The majority of the Valley is protected through the foresight of several state-wide environmental organizations including the Massachusetts Audubon Society, the Trustees of Reservations, Harvard University Forestry School, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Metropolitan District Commission.