An ecovillage is a traditional or intentional community that aims to become more socially, culturally, economically or environmentally sustainable. An ecovillage strives to have the least possible negative impact on the natural environment through the intentional physical design and behavioural choices of its inhabitants. It is consciously designed through locally owned, participatory processes to regenerate and restore its social and natural environments. Most range from a population of 50 to 250 individuals, although some are smaller, and traditional ecovillages are often much larger. Larger ecovillages often exist as networks of smaller sub-communities. Some ecovillages have grown through like-minded individuals, families, or other small groups—who are not members, at least at the outset—settling on the ecovillage's periphery and participating de facto in the community. There are currently more than 10,000 ecovillages around the world.
Ecovillagers are united by shared ecological, social-economic and cultural-spiritual values. Concretely, ecovillagers seek alternatives to ecologically destructive electrical, water, transportation, and waste-treatment systems, as well as the larger social systems that mirror and support them. Many seek alternatives to wasteful consumerist lifestyles, the destruction of natural habitat, and over-reliance on fossil fuels, while seeking richer and more fulfilling ways of life. Ecovillages offer small-scale communities intended to have a minimal ecological impact or to contribute to environmental regeneration. Such communities often cooperate with peer villages in networks of their own (see Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) for an example).Van Schyndel Kasper, D. (2008). "Redefining Community in the Ecovillage." Human Ecology Review 15:12–24. Retrieved on July 28, 2018.
Definition Multiple sources define ecovillages as a subtype of intentional communities focusing on sustainability. More pronounced definitions are listed here: + Source Year Definition Robert Gilman 1991 "human-scale full-featured settlement in which human activities are harmlessly integrated into the natural world in a way that is supportive of healthy human development, and can be successfully continued into the indefinite future."Gilman, Robert (Summer, 1991). "The Eco-village Challenge" . In Context. Retrieved on: 2008-04-09. Diana Michelle Fischetti 2008 "intentional community whose members strive to live in a socially and environmentally sustainable manner, to practice voluntary simplicity, and to cultivate meaning, life satisfaction, and fulfillment." Kosha Anja Joubert, Executive Director of the GEN 2016 "intentional or traditional communities, consciously designed through participatory process to regenerate their social and natural environments. The social, ecological, economic, and cultural aspects are integrated into a holistic sustainable development model that is adapted to local contexts. Ecovillages are rural or urban settlements with vibrant social structures, vastly diverse, yet united in their actions towards low impact, high quality lifestyles." GEN 2018 "intentional, traditional or urban community that is consciously designed through locally owned, participatory processes in all 5 dimensions of sustainability (social, culture, ecology, economy and whole systems design) to regenerate their social and natural environments"GEN2024"An ecovillage is an intentional, traditional or urban community that is consciously designed through locally owned, participatory processes in all four dimensions of sustainability (social, culture, ecology and economy) to regenerate their social and natural environments."
In Joubert's view, ecovillages are seen as an ongoing process, rather than a particular outcome. They often start off with a focus on one of the four dimensions of sustainability, e.g. ecology, but evolve into holistic models for restoration. In this view, aiming for sustainability is not enough; it is vital to restore and regenerate the fabric of life and across all four dimensions of sustainability: social, environmental, economic and cultural.
Ecovillages have developed in recent years as technology has improved, so they have more sophisticated structures as noted by Baydoun, M. 2013.
Generally, the ecovillage concept is not tied to specific sectarian (religious, political, corporate) organizations or belief systems not directly related to environmentalism, such as monasteries, cults, or communes.
History The modern-day desire for community was notably characterized by the communal "back to the land" movement of the 1960s and 1970s through communities such as the earliest example that still survives, the Miccosukee Land Co-op co-founded in May 1973 by James Clement van Pelt in Tallahassee, Florida. In the same decades, the imperative for alternatives to radically inefficient energy-use patterns, in particular automobile-enabled suburban sprawl, was brought into focus by recurrent energy crises. The term "eco-village" was introduced by Georgia Tech Professor George Ramsey in a 1978 address, "Passive Energy Applications for the Built Environment", to the First World Energy Conference of the Association of Energy Engineers,George Ramsey, "Passive Energy Applications for the Built Environment", First World Energy Conference, Association of Energy Engineers, published in Energy Engineering Technology: Proceedings of the First World Energy Engineering Congress, October 31-November 2, 1978 in Atlanta, Ga. (Fairmont Press, 1979), pp. 220–242. For the term "eco-village" itself, see pp. 229 and 239. http://www.villagehabitat.com/resources/papers/passive_energy.pdf to describe small-scale, car-free, close-in developments, including suburban infill, arguing that "the great energy waste in the United States is not in its technology; it is in its lifestyle and concept of living.""Passive Energy Applications for the Built Environment", p. 230. Ramsey's article includes a sketch for a "self-sufficient pedestrian solar village" by one of his students that looks very similar to eco-villages today.
The movement became more focused and organized in the cohousing and related alternative-community movements of the mid-1980s. Then, in 1991, Robert Gilman and Diane Gilman co-authored a germinal study called "Ecovillages and Sustainable Communities" for Gaia Trust, in which the ecological and communitarian themes were brought together.
The first ecovillage in North America began its first stages in 1990. Earthaven Ecovillage near Ashville in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina was the first community called an ecovillage and was designed using permaculture (holistic) principles. The first residents moved onto the vacant land in 1994. As of 2025 Earthaven Ecovillage has over 75 adults and 25 children living off the grid on 329 acres of land.
The ecovillage movement began to coalesce at the annual autumn conference of Findhorn, in Scotland, in 1995. The conference was called: "Ecovillages and Sustainable Communities", and conference organizers turned away hundreds of applicants. According to Ross Jackson, "somehow they had struck a chord that resonated far and wide. The word 'ecovillage'... thus became part of the language of the Cultural Creatives."Jackson, Ross (Summer, 2004). "The Ecovillage Movement." Permaculture Magazine 40. Retrieved on: 2011-08-11. After that conference, many intentional communities, including Findhorn, began calling themselves "ecovillages", giving birth to a new movement. The Global Ecovillage Network, formed by a group of about 25 people from various countries who had attended the Findhorn conference, crystallized the event by linking hundreds of small projects from around the world, that had similar goals but had formerly operated without knowledge of each other. Gaia Trust of Denmark agreed to fund the network for its first five years.
Since the 1995 conference, a number of the early members of the Global Ecovillage Network have tried other approaches to ecovillage building in an attempt to build settlements that would be attractive to mainstream culture in order to make sustainable development more generally accepted. One of these with some degree of success is Living Villages and The Wintles where eco-houses are arranged so that social connectivity is maximized and residents have shared food growing areas, woodlands, and animal husbandry for greater sustainability.
The most recent worldwide update emerges from the 2025 Annual Report of GEN International, detailing the mapping of 1,251 ecovillage communities on GEN's interactive ecovillage map. GEN collaborated closely with a diverse array of researchers and ecovillage communities spanning the globe to develop the Ecovillage Impact Assessment. Their innovative tool serves as a means for communities, groups, and individuals to accurately report, chart, evaluate, and present their efforts toward fostering participatory cultural, social, ecological, and economic regeneration. Over the course of three years, from February 2021 to April 2024, data from 140 surveys conducted within 75 ecovillages formed the basis of the comprehensive results. Through this assessment ecovillages are empowered to understand their impact and influence their community has had.
Case studies +EcovillageLocationSummaryDancing Rabbit EcovillageMissouri, United StatesThe Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage was founded in 1997 and is located in a rural landscape of northeastern Missouri. This community prides itself on its organic permaculture gardens, natural buildings, alternative energy solutions, and self-governance. As an intentional community, they aim to live ecologically sustainable and socially share the principles and practices of sustainable living with others. They offer many programs such as women's retreats, work exchange and natural building workshops demonstrating how they prioritize outreach, education, and advocacy. As stated on their website they are committed stewards of the land, focusing on wildlife habitat preservation, biodiversity restoration, and sustainable forestry.CloughjordanIrelandThe Cloughjordan Ecovillage was founded in 1999 and is located in a sustainable neighbourhood in rural Ireland. This community encompasses a 67-acre site and has prided itself on their fiber optic broadband, eco-hostels, and a community with over 50 homes and businesses. Cloughjordan serves as a sustainable neighborhood and is a focus for research into sustainability, resilience, and rural regeneration. Through renewable energy, community farming, and educational outreach, Cloughjordan has demonstrated the potential for transitioning to a low-carbon society. It also serves as a not-for-profit cooperative and educational charity, proving their commitment to sustainability and community development.
Sustainability alignment Ecovillages are defined by their commitment sustainability through a multitude of design, lifestyle, and community objectives. They prioritize environmental stewardship through various methods, including the utilization of renewable energy sources, the minimization of waste through recycling and composting, and the practice of organic agriculture and permaculture. In many cases, these communities strive for self-sufficiency in food production, with the aim of reducing the ecological footprint associated with food transportation. Ecovillage communities place a strong emphasis on the conservation of resources through the application of green building techniques, including passive solar design, natural insulation, and rainwater harvesting. Additionally, they promote alternative modes of transportation, such as cycling and walking, as a means of reducing reliance on fossil fuels.