About the Earthstewards

The Earthstewards Network (ESN) began in 1979, envisioned initially as a network of those who care for Earth and its inhabitants, and a support group for peaceful, positive Earthstewardship (history). The ESN expanded greatly over the next 17 years, including projects and programs in conflict resolution, citizen diplomacy, and global communication. In 1996, the sudden death of Danaan Parry, co-founder, impacted world-wide membership and reduced many of the ongoing programs.

Danaan�s legacy continues to inspire, connecting us at the heart and assuring us that we are not alone in our individual efforts to co-create a more humane, sustainable future for each and every one of us. There are still members worldwide, each making changes locally and globally, creating positive alternatives, and finding ways to say "YES!" to a better future for all of us.

Being an Earthsteward is a state of consciousness, a state of mind that increases awareness and stirs compassion, driving one to action. The Earthstewards Network is alive and well in the hearts and minds of those who were mentored and inspired by Danaan, and by one another. There is a tremendous wealth of compassion and wisdom at work in the world today that was seeded, influenced, and nurtured by ESN.

The underlying strength of the Network is our far-flung community of caring members. Connecting with each other through the Earthstewards website, special interest circles, local focus groups, community projects, and international gatherings, we create opportunities for people to get and give support.

All over the world, women and men are waking up to the importance of creating new models of leadership. The Earthstewards Network has created precedents in people-to-people exchanges throughout the world. We have arranged for Soviet and American families to visit the homes of each other. We have lived in Northern Ireland homes, and hosted Northern Irish in the U.S. We have traveled to Europe, Central America, the Middle East, India, Nepal and Tibet (China). We have brought together war veterans to share their pain and to look for new alternatives.

Since 1987, the PeaceTrees program has empowered people throughout the world to learn how to work together and to discover how they can make positive changes in their own neighborhoods and communities. Whether they are ripping up 20 tons of concrete in Washington, D.C. to create a neighborhood park, planting 80,000 seedlings along an eroded river bank in Costa Rica, or reclaiming desert in Southern India, participants learn communication and conflict resolution skills needed to create lasting trust.

PeaceTrees Vietnam�the 20th International PeaceTrees program and Danaan�s final legacy�pioneered a bold effort to reconcile the aftermath of war. Since 1996, the project has provided a model for humanitarian landmine clearance through cooperation of former adversaries, and for ordinary citizens from around the world to plant indigenous trees on the cleared land. Today, PeaceTrees Vietnam�s work continues in Quang Tri Province, providing ongoing clearance of landmines and unexploded ordnance, and sustaining families living with these threats daily. PeaceTrees Vietnam has established its own 501(c)3 tax exempt organization (www.peacetreesvietnam.org) and has built the Danaan Parry Landmines Education Center for Children in Quang Tri Province, where more than 32,500 trees have been planted.

Several other projects that were part of the Earthstewards Network have gone on to become their own 501(c)3 tax exempt organization.

Becoming an Earthsteward involves a commitment to becoming a catalyst of change - within yourself and in your world. We believe that when each of us takes an active role in personal and planetary transformation, our world gets a little closer to its next step in conscious evolution. The Sevenfold Path of Peace, written by Danaan Parry, is a model for conscious living and stewardship, and "Say Yes" expresses its spirit. The Network is here to support members in becoming agents of change and to help each of us find our own path of service.

Organizational Structure

Earthstewards is a member-driven organization, led by a board of directors and many volunteers. There are members globally. We link individually, through projects and programs, annual gatherings, and through our newsletter and website. We offer training, publications, and links to resources to support us all in co-creating a more caring and peaceful world.

Under U.S. law, an organization of our type must have a board. The Board is working to put the organization on a strong footing and to foster a new vision of Earthstewards since the death of Danaan Parry. Board members have been active Earthstewards; some are founding members. Several have written personal statements for this site. To find out more about the Board, go to Board

Legally, Earthstewards is a type of U.S. tax-exempt charitable organization called 501(c)3 under the tax code. This category allows those who donate money and other valuable resources to receive tax benefits under U.S. law. Earthstewards is also a nonprofit corporation registered in the State of California. We are registered as a California corporation because Danaan Parry and Lila Forest were living in Sonoma, California, when they founded the Holy Earth Foundation, the first form of Earthstewards.

Most of our funding comes from donations and from sales of publications. Earthstewards Network is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. Donations are tax deductible.