NOFA Vermont’s Winter Conference to Feature Full-Day Organic Land Care Introduction
We’re excited to announce that Michael Nadeau (an original contributor to the Standards for Organic Land Care, founding member of the Organic Land Care Program, and OLC course instructor) and Trevor Smith will be presenting The New OLC Paradigm: Organic Land Care in a Changing Climate at NOFA Vermont’s 44th Annual Winter Conference, February 14-15.
Join renowned practitioners Michael Nadeau and Trevor Smith for an immersive, full-day exploration of Organic Land Care (OLC) principles and practices. This intensive workshop introduces the foundations of OLC—its definitions, ethics, and guiding philosophy—before diving into the practical skills and ecological awareness that set organic land stewards apart.
Through discussion and demonstration, participants will learn to approach the landscape as a living, interconnected system. Michael and Trevor will cover how to evaluate soil and water conditions, understand plant interactions, and develop management strategies that enhance ecosystem health without relying on synthetic inputs. Participants will gain insight into caring for lawns, trees, shrubs, and perennials using techniques that build biodiversity, soil vitality, and climate resilience. The instructors will also address the challenges of managing invasive species organically and designing landscapes that provide habitat and ecological benefits—whether through meadows, woodlands, or integrated water features. Finally, they’ll unpack the nuanced debate around using straight-species natives versus cultivars, exploring how these choices shape ecological function and aesthetic design.
This workshop is ideal for landscapers, land managers, and stewards seeking to deepen their ecological literacy and put regenerative land care into practice.
Click here to learn more about the NOFA VT conference.
Michael Nadeau has been involved in the land care and tree business for more than 50 years. He co-owned a 100% organic land care company for many years. He is a founding member of the Organic Land Care Program, a sister organization of the CT Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association. Mike was one of the original authors of the Standards for Organic Land Care and helped to create an intensive course in organic land care that has graduated over 4000 Accredited Organic Land Care Practitioners across the US and Canada. Mike is now a consultant who guides landowners to return their property to ecological integrity with invasive plant control, wildflower meadows, and native plantings.
Trevor Smith is the Design and Education Manager at Social Impact Collective ReEarth Studio. He holds several landscape certifications and is a past President and a current Board Member of the Ecological Landscape Alliance. He is an award-winning regenerative landscape designer, specializing in green infrastructure, native plant design, habitat creation, and implementation of ecological design principles. He is passionate about the natural world which inspires his commitment to sustainable landscaping practices in an era of climate change.