We all know that water is a precious commodity in Arizona. How should we be managing our resources today, and might we learn lessons from the past? What might the Gila River tell us? What is the role of permaculture and food forests in our food security? Are there actions we can take in our own yards? Stephen Monroe from TellurianEcoDesign has extensive experience designing and building landscapes that support our needs for the long run. Stephen has been a student of ecological design and systems thinking for nearly 20 years. Born and raised in Tucson, he graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Management Information Systems, then spent a decade in Central America learning Permaculture, eventually acquiring land and putting theory into practice: planting trees, building with natural materials, growing food and falling in love! He met his wife Marina while in Nicaragua and they raised their daughter for a few years on the farm before returning to Arizona, where Stephen now runs an ecological design business focused on water harvesting. He is passionate about improving quality of life through design and helps his clients create productive, lush landscapes overflowing with life - often with lower water bills! In tracking certain of the currents rippling through our human experience, he's excited to share how the unique vantage point of applied ecological design and systems thinking can help us ride the tides of change, with less stress, more enjoyment and more opportunity...IF we will engage with the process.

We all know that water is a precious commodity in Arizona. How should we be managing our resources today, and might we learn lessons from the past? What might the Gila River tell us? What is the role of permaculture and food forests in our food security? Are there actions we can take in our own yards? Stephen Monroe from TellurianEcoDesign has extensive experience designing and building landscapes that support our needs for the long run. Stephen has been a student of ecological design and systems thinking for nearly 20 years. Born and raised in Tucson, he graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Management Information Systems, then spent a decade in Central America learning Permaculture, eventually acquiring land and putting theory into practice: planting trees, building with natural materials, growing food and falling in love! He met his wife Marina while in Nicaragua and they raised their daughter for a few years on the farm before returning to Arizona, where Stephen now runs an ecological design business focused on water harvesting. He is passionate about improving quality of life through design and helps his clients create productive, lush landscapes overflowing with life - often with lower water bills! In tracking certain of the currents rippling through our human experience, he's excited to share how the unique vantage point of applied ecological design and systems thinking can help us ride the tides of change, with less stress, more enjoyment and more opportunity...IF we will engage with the process.