Regeneration at the Community Level: An Introduction to Regenerative Practice with Ben Haggard & Sara Zwart Hosted by Damaris Kingdon

Regenerative development is about reweaving a co-evolutionary relationship between human beings and ecological systems–work that is even more urgent now than ever before in the face of the interrelated crises of climate disruption and biodiversity loss. But how do we work on this? The interface between ecosystems and human systems is entirely unique in each individual place on earth—which means that each human community has an entirely unique regenerative potential to explore and manifest. Join Ben Haggard and Sara Zwart in an exploration of general principles for what regeneration looks like at the community level, as well as a dive into how this work has unfolded around a constellation of projects around the regeneration of ancestral streams in Auckland, New Zealand.

Ben Haggard, Core Faculty at Regenesis Institute

Ben Haggard is a member of the core faculty at Regenesis Institute and a co-founder at Regenesis Group, where he works on a diverse range of regenerative development and planning projects and delivers educational programs to a global network of practitioners. He is the co-author of the book Regenerative Development: A Framework for Evolving Sustainability. Ben specializes in a holistic, systems-based approach to understanding and building upon the complex human, natural and economic relationships that create and sustain the vitality and viability of a place.

Sara Zwart, Principal Regenerative Design Lead at Eke Panuku Development

Sara Zwart is principal regenerative design lead at Eke Panuku Development Auckland, the council-controlled organisation that delivers urban regeneration across Tāmaki Makaurau. With over 20 years of experience in architecture, landscape architecture and urban design, Sara has worked alongside project partners to lead award winning environmental projects such as Te Whakaoranga o te Puhinui and Northcote’s Te Ara Awataha greenway. Sara is passionate about weaving social, cultural, economic and environmental outcomes into regenerative urban projects. Her work is delivered in close collaboration with mana whenua, whom she values as critical partners, advocates and kaitiaki for the land and people of Aotearoa.

Damaris Kingdon, Regenesis Co-Faculty and Placemaker in Tāmaki Makaurau

Damaris has found her niche as a creative entrepreneur and placemaker. She has founded several regenerative and socially-minded businesses including a creative co-working hub in Grafton. She works across a variety of sectors and enjoys working with others to develop new vision for projects and organisations and working creatively with restraints. She spends most of her time working with projects and businesses in and around Auckland city centre, offering facilitation and resourcing processes to groups and individuals, implementing her regenerative development training in all of her mahi.

Photo credit: Panuku Development

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