What is the Land Guardians Network?

The intention of this experimental LGN is to help grow the relationship between the human and the more-than-human guardians of estates, large farms, nature reserves, wildlife corridors, and other significant landscapes in South Africa.

It is mainly aimed at supporting the human custodians in exploring ways of working more deeply and consciously with the unseen, more-than-human elements of Nature who support the vitality of their landscape.



Origins

The idea for the Land Guardians network arose in April 2025 during the Be The Earth Festival, held at Boschendal Estate in the Western Cape.

I have been working professionally with landscape-level ecosystem intelligence for about 5 years through Ecofluency, building on my academic research in subtle agroecologies and my practice of Nature communication of about 13 years. So I was not surprised when I heard a request from the land itself to create this network.

I’m grateful that Seth Tabatznik (co-founder of Be The Earth Foundation) has kindly agreed to be an advisor in creating this network.
 

Who are the more-than-human land guardians?

These unseen elements are the beings who exist beyond the physical realm, who are responsible for ensuring the operational vitality of the manifest realm. This can be at any level of ecosystem, from the internal terrain of our digestive system, to the regional landscape of a country. For this network, the focus is at the landscape level.

Recognising that there could be differences in language preferences for these intangible forces, we invite that these elements could go by many different names, e.g. guardian spirits, overarching intelligences, overlighting angels, guiding essences, devas.

Of course, these include human ancestors, but there are a wide range of more-than-human aspects of Nature who hold great power and wisdom in forming landscapes that allow for greater biodiversity and ecosystem prosperity.

Why Work with the Unseen?


When humans collaborate with these elements, including the geobiological energies of the land, they fulfil their role as a keystone species in thriving ecosystems, orchestrating things that other species cannot.

But this requires us to enter into conscious dialogue with these more-than-human elements of the landscape, in order to co-create the stewardship of landscape management practices in ways that enhance biodiversity, ecosystem resilience, and collective wellbeing.

 
 

What’s next for the Land Guardians Network?



Online calls

To find out how this network could best support human land custodians, we host a series of free, conversational online calls on a monthly basis. The hope is that a community of practice will emerge from these calls, enabling custodians to step into deeper collaboration with both each other, as well as the spirit of the places they care for.

Email Saskia directly at saskia (at) ecofluency.org if you have any questions.

This initiative is experimental, and we don’t yet know how the Land Guardians Network will be funded. Since the network is still emergent, I’ve decided to not ask anything for the calls at this stage, so it falls within my pro bono work.

 

The Wild Pod at Bodhi Khaya Nature Retreat

 

Ecofluency Immersion Retreat for Land Guardians

You’re invited to a private Ecofluency immersive retreat tailored specifically to land custodians, at Bodhi Khaya Nature Retreat near Stanford in the Western Cape, 27-29 March 2026.

Nestled in a private corner of Bodhi Khaya, with views of the forest and teaming with wild-life, the Wild Pod is a rustic-meets-contemporary experience. The communal kitchen, lounge area and yoga deck provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere for gathering, while the surrounding landscape is a gorgeously biodiverse playground for immersive experiences.

The programme will include guided, embodied experiences by Saskia, founder of Ecofluency (click for a full bio), to meet the more-than-human guardians of the land, with space for questions and answers. There will be some time to enjoy the wood-fired sauna, a swim in the lake and a stroll on the land. We’ll also have the pleasure of a facilitated sound experience with Seth sharing his music.

The retreat programme begins at 4pm on Friday 27 March and ends at 12 noon on Sunday 29 March, with a follow-up call a month after the retreat, in addition to the LGN calls. The retreat rates cover Saskia’s costs in organising and running the event, not the monthly LGN calls.

This is a fully catered event with vegetarian meals. Rates are per person and depend on your choice of accommodation. All rooms have twin beds, which can be converted into a double.

Prices in bold are Early Bird rates until 23 Jan, after which they change to normal pricing not in bold.

  • BYO Camping, shared bathroom in Wild Pod — R5800 | R6400

  • A-frame pod shared bathroom, Single Occupancy (3 pods available) — R7000 | R7700

  • A-frame pod shared bathroom, Sharing (3 pods available) — R6600 | R7300 pp

  • Sunbird Cottage Room 1 en suite, Single — R7500 | R8300 pp

  • Sunbird Cottage Room 1 en suite, Sharing — R6800 | R7500 pp

  • Sunbird Cottage Room 2 shared bath, Single — R7300 | R8000 pp

  • Sunbird Cottage Room 2 shared bath, Sharing — R6700 | R7400 pp

  • Heron Cottage Room 1 en suite, Single — R8100 | R8900 pp

  • Heron Cottage Room 1 en suite, Sharing — R6900 | R7600 pp

  • Heron Cottage Room 2 en suite, Single — R7900 | R8700 pp

  • Heron Cottage Room 2 en suite, Sharing — R6900 | R7600 pp

A 30% deposit is required to secure your spot, with the remainder required by 28 Feb. Please see the service policy at the bottom of this page.

Bookings can be made by emailing Saskia directly at saskia (at) ecofluency.org.

An A-frame pod, one of the accommodation options

The communal kitchen at The Wild Pod.


The role of Ecofluency in land communication

Nature communication predates all other forms of language, and has been practiced by indigenous peoples worldwide for millennia. It rests on the principle that clear communication with any aspect of Nature is both possible and fundamental to finding harmony in all relationships, and to engender trust and facilitate healing and transformation.

This is because we are Nature, and so we are in relationship with the rest of Nature all the time, which includes the materials with which houses have been built, the ecosystems surrounding the buildings, the air, water, microbes and everything else on our beloved Earth.

Ecofluency is the science, art and magic of communicating with Nature, using an expanded spectrum of sensory awareness. This modern version of Nature communication through Ecofluency invites us to acknowledge the bi-directionality of our participation with the rest of Nature, as well as equips people with the skills to cultivate reciprocity and co-create practical solutions with the more-than-human world.

While Nature communication can be done in situ, it operates beyond time and space, allowing one to seek counsel from the wisdom and intelligence of Nature, wherever, whenever.

It complements logic, rather than replaces it, and brings the more-than-human to the table as a stakeholder, creating more truly holistic practical decisions on all levels. Through this lens, land management can be more efficient, supporting both ecological regeneration and human evolution.

 
 
 
 

For now, this is a private network focused on land in South Africa. It may eventually grow into a network and community of practice worldwide, but in the meantime, please do let us know if you think of anyone else, locally or elsewhere, who might be interested in working consciously with the spirit of their landscapes.

We hope that you’ll join us!

With gratitude,

Saskia and Seth

 
 


Service Policy for the Ecofluency Retreat

  • If I cancel or postpone the event for any reason, ticket(s) will be refunded in full.

  • Bookings are made on a first come, first served basis. A 30% deposit is required to secure your booking, and is only refundable until 22 January 2026. The remainder is due by 28 February 2026.

  • If you wish to cancel your booking, you may transfer your ticket(s) to another existing member of the LGN. To do this, please contact me to provide contact details of the new ticket holder(s) at least 1 week before the event so that I can give them any necessary details about the retreat.

  • No-shows are not entitled to refunds, exchanges or transfers.

  • Printed notes will be provided during the retreat. These are strictly for your own use, and may not be copied, edited or distributed in any form. All content is copyright of Saskia von Diest and the other facilitators, all rights reserved.