Environmental Land Ethic of the School

The following is the original Environmental Land Ethic of the Summerfield Waldorf School. It was adopted in June 1993, by a resolution of the Board of Directors. A committee is currently working towards a revision that reflects recent development and use of the property. The Summerfield community wishes to enter into a true relationship with the land it has purchased. We feel that this land is a living part of the whole earth, which should not be bought or sold as a commodity. Rather, we wish to free it from this bondage and place it under our careful stewardship, entering into a loving relationship with its needs and potentials. We will endeavor to discover, practice and teach the principles of genuine stewardship of the earth by cultivating our connection with the Spirit and grounding it in this soil, thereby nurturing our school and farm in order to bring about the greatest living potential of the land and all those who set foot, hoof, root or otherwise on it.

Our intentions are to:

Retain the 32-acre (now 38-acre) parcel as one unit, not to be divided or split in any way;
Set aside two acres of land along the north border of this parcel as a wildlife preserve, to remain in its natural state as a refuge for birds, animals, etc.;
Be ecologically responsible and use environmentally sound technology so that the fertility is increased and the unique potential of each area of the land is developed;
Protect the land from pollution and disruption of its natural cycles;

Build and operate a school that fits harmoniously into its natural environment.
The finalized Land Trust Agreement, called the Deed of Conservation Easement, preserves farmland and wildlife areas in perpetuity upon the school property. This deed states in part, "...the combined use of the Property is dedicated to fostering a responsible land ethic by demonstrating and practicing integrated, mutually beneficial relationships with nature, education and farming using biodynamic or similar methods...to preserve agriculture and natural beauty in the area and to serve as a model to the larger community for consciousness toward the School's living relationship to the earth. The Summerfield School community recognizes that this land bordering Santa Rosa Creek and the Laguna nature area is a living part of the whole earth, and that it has unique potential for integrated, mutually beneficial relationships among the respective pursuits of nature, agriculture, and education."

- Perry Hart