Ian, born in Perth Western Australia, grew up both in the city and on the family farm north of Perth developing a deep love for natural environments and landscapes as a child roaming 500 acres of uncleared bush on the block.
In the 1980s and 1990s Ian worked on WA wheatbelt properties, completed a Certificate in Agriculture before working on some of Australia’s first chemical free environmental weed management programs on Kimberley river systems. In 1994 Ian did his PDC and Wwoofing with Bill Mollison at Tagari, Tyalgum NSW, going on to design and implemented permaculture projects in Northern NSW. Ian also studied and worked in bushland regeneration in Queensland and NSW on Environmental training and employment programs.
In 1998 Ian moved home to WA establishing a wholesale organic vegetable seedling nursery, cropping, and permaculture farm near Donnybrook. He has a Diploma in conservation and land management specialising in bushland regeneration studies in Denmark. He has designed and managed various private landcare and bush regeneration projects in the Southwest.
Ian also has 14 years’ formal training in mindfulness and meditative practices which he weaves into his teaching approach which fully complement the PDC experience. Ian runs Ecodharma and Nature retreats here at Fair Harvest.