IEA accredited members

IEA accredited members

IEA accredited members are educators and consultants endorsed by their peers to provide advice, facilitate, train and teach on topics relating to regenerative agriculture.

At the heart of the accreditation are ethical and professional standards for quality of work, which all accreditees commit to upholding when providing advice or trainings in regenerative agriculture. You can read these standards in the IEA Accreditation Handbook.

Accreditees participate in peer review – supporting their peers to uphold the standards and undertake ongoing learning and professional development. All of our accredited members are listed below, and you can read more about the application process for accreditation here.

  • Dr Mary Cole has lived a life dedicated to caring for the land with respect and reverence. Her commitment to farming free of synthetic chemicals dates back 56 years, and her vast knowledge in biological soil health, agriculture, and environmental science is demonstrated through her influential work as an educator, consultant, and researcher.

    In 1980, Mary founded Agpath Pty Ltd, an agricultural consulting company promoting ecologically responsible farming practices. Her work prioritises real-world solutions over academic theory, focusing on tangible outcomes that benefit both the environment and agricultural productivity.

    Mary’s involvement in Landcare, and her leadership in establishing environmental groups in western Gippsland, are testament to her enduring commitment to community-based ecological restoration. Her contributions were recognised in 2024 with the awarding of Senior Citizen of Year for Cardinia Shire, Victoria, for her work for the community, environment and farmer well-being.

    Mary’s dedication to ecological agriculture, her innovative research and practices, and her tireless efforts to educate and empower others, exemplify the principles of ecological stewardship, environmental justice, and regeneration, and her contributions will continue to inspire and shape the future of agriculture for generations to come. We congratulate and welcome Mary as an Honorary Accredited Member of the Institute of Ecological Agriculture.

  • Bio to come

  • A permaculturist from the 1980’s, Rowe is based in the Blue Mountains of NSW and is internationally known for her analysis and design of productive environments. 

    Trained in agricultural science, rural sociology, development, and horticulture, Rowe realised the need for an alternative to conventional agricultural practices after spending time in Africa. Since then, she has worked globally in countries where refugees are diminished by war and, increasingly, global climate change - including East Timor, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Iraq, Solomon Islands, Uganda, and Vietnam. 

    Rowe regards it as a human right for everyone to have access to relevant, evidence-based information to meet their needs, avoid disasters, and restore the environment. She is committed to working with, and for, people who need it most, who have few resources, or who cannot access reliable information. Rowe's ground-breaking teaching techniques and methods are based on the ethics of Care of the Land and Care of People. 

    In her words, Rowe “tries to practice integrity, and is down to earth”. Having seen so much war, she is a committed pacifist, as well as a researcher, educator, and community developer. We congratulate and welcome Rowe as an Honorary Accredited Member of the Institute of Ecological Agriculture.

  • Tim grew up at ‘Lana’, a 3350-ha sheep and cattle grazing property, and a registered Wildlife Refuge since 1968, about 20 km west of Uralla, near Armidale, NSW. Described as being “decades ahead of his time”, Tim was an early adopter of holistic management and a pioneer of ecological agriculture in Australia. 

    Guided by a philosophy to tread lightly on the earth, and protect the natural environment and welfare of his animals, Tim developed a set of guiding principles (see the Soils for Life Case Study on 'Lana') to suit the Australian conditions and landscapes, that can also be adapted elsewhere in the world. These guiding principles, and the subsequent practices, regenerate soil and landscape health, condition, and function.

    Tim’s aim is for ‘Lana’ to be an ecologically balanced environment, supporting chemical-free wool and meat production while reducing reliance on fertilisers, land clearing, and energy consumption. In 2022, ‘Lana’ was accredited by Responsible Wool Standards, recognising that their wool is produced with the highest regard for animal welfare and ethics and environmentally sound landscape practices.

    Tim became an inaugural member of Landcare (Australia) in 1982 and believes that management practices are the critical link to meeting growing consumer demand for ethically and environmentally conscious products. ‘Lana’ is testament to the fact that real progress can be made from reducing the use of fertilisers, avoiding land clearing, managing herds efficiently, leaving more pasture in paddocks, planting trees, and fencing off gullies. 

    Tim’s commitment to ecological balance and chemical-free farming has made ‘Lana’ a model for regenerative agriculture. He believes education is key to the future of farming and was a curriculum advisor for regenerative agriculture programs at Southern Cross University. We congratulate and welcome Tim as an Honorary Accredited Member of the Institute of Ecological Agriculture.

    Acknowledgements: James Eyers, Senior Reporter Australian Financial Review (December 22, 2022) and Simon Scott (photos).