Colorado River Country,

Utah, USA

Ros McCann - Board Member

Roslynn McCann first engaged with permaculture over a decade ago during an introductory workshop with the renowned Brad Lancaster and Joel Glanzberg in Moab, UT. As a Sustainable Communities Professor at Utah State University (USU), she has found that the permaculture framework—with its integrated lens and interweaving of Indigenous knowledges and western science—provides a critical pathway toward social and environmental healing. She spearheaded the USU Permaculture Initiative in 2013, has coordinated the creation of permaculture garden sites on main campus and a large part of the USU Moab campus, and has taught permaculture design to hundreds of community members, colleagues, students, and interns over the past ten years. Roslynn has also conducted and published national research regarding the permaculture movement, worked on a team to simplify Utah’s greywater policy, and has woven permaculture design into presentations on greywater, sustainable living, local food, composting, water conservation, and climate change mitigation and resilience. Her work has influenced thousands of individuals in audiences ranging from elementary school students to the federal government.

Outside of the University, Ros lives in a passive solar, 100% electric strawbale home she designed and built with her husband within a walking/biking only community in Moab, UT. Her perennial edible-centric landscape is fed primarily by greywater and rainwater. She rides a mountain and electric commuter bike as her primary modes of transit and supports local farmers and local economies both within and outside of her work. She is a mother of two wild boys and is helping them recognize, and express gratitude for, the abundance that mother earth provides.

other team members

  • Jason Gerhardt

    Jason serves as Director of the Permaculture Institute, Inc., and is sought out for his design and education approach that equips people around the world to lead in their own communities.
    about Jason
  • Raleigh Barnes

    Raleigh Barnes is a lifelong gardener who's been planting since a child with his father, mother and sister. He's had the privilege of growing in Texas, Hawaii, Costa Rica and mostly subtropical Florida. Raleigh is a dynamic gardener whose organic principles stretch far beyond that of industry standards. He incorporates permaculture, organic gardening, native gardening,…
    about Raleigh
  • Ros McCann

    Ros is a Sustainable Communities Professor at Utah State University (USU) where she conducts and publishes research on the permaculture movement, leads the USU permaculture initiative, and teaches permaculture design.
    about Ros