Eric Horstman

Originally from the Shasta Bioregion of Northern California, I have lived and worked in the country of Ecuador for the last twenty years focusing on protected area management and biodiversity conservation. I was blessed with the opportunity of participating in the Seeds 2 retreat with Joanna Macy in 2007 in Oregon. Since then, I have incorporated The Work That Reconnects in my work here at the Cerro Blanco Protected Forest, a critically endangered 15,000 acre dry tropical forest reserve with howler monkeys, jaguars, great green macaws and ceibo or kapok trees among others. My work has focused on using the Council Of All Beings as a way to re-connect people with their bioregion and the many other species found here. I was recently ordained as a Buddhist chaplain through the Upaya Zen Center and I am working to incorporate mindfulness practices with ecological restoration and other work to minister to the Earth.