Person swimming in a rocky river at Edenhope Nature Preserve.

Edenhope Nature Preserve

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Ecological
  • Rural

Founding year

  • 2010

What we do

In one of the wildest and most remote places on earth, we are a community of friends living in harmony with nature on the path of self-realization and mindfulness. Established over a decade ago by Stephen and Ruth Quinto, our community is located in a designated Community Conservation Area on the West Coast of Espiritu Santo Island, Vanuatu.
Since the origin of the Edenhope projects, the Founders’ dream was to establish a sanctuary in the heart of nature, a community where seekers of truth could congregate and live harmoniously together to contribute to the highest good for mankind.
↠ our daily lives are structured around active community service, mindfulness practices and quiet communion with nature.
↠ we integrate the discipline of meditation into the practicalities of daily life in an off-grid ecovillage
↠ as a group, we are co-creating a field of living awareness that uplifts each & every community member
↠ as an energy management principle, conservation is a way of living without causing or suffering from the impacts of environmental stress, and this principle applies to the community as well as to each individual living here
↠ our ecovillage is located in a registered Conservation Area in the Espiritu Santo Mountain Chain, a globally recognised Biodiversity Hotspot and is the only Nature Preserve that we know of which includes homo sapiens as a protected species.
↠ we follow practices and teachings from traditions that nurture spiritual development
↠ the way of life we offer is profoundly healing & transformative in its simplicity; we are all here to share in the journey of Self-realisation
↠ we offer a sanctuary from the dissonance of the contemporary world with guidance & friendship to support spiritual growth

Our Mission

The purpose of Edenhope Nature is to live in communion and allow it to grow, simply enjoying nature as it is: living in harmony with nature and at peace with the world.
Man as an integral and symbiotic component of nature, neither separate from nor dominating her.

  • Purpose
  • Ecological
  • Community type
  • Ecovillage
  • Commune
  • Activities
  • Farming
  • Education
  • Experiences

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 2010
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 2010
  • Started living together
  • 3 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
9

How to join

All long-term members of Edenhope Nature Preserve must first undertake a period of up to twelve months as a volunteer. We have a wide range of roles available for volunteers to serve in, so if you have experience in one or more of the below skillsets please let us know as part of your inquiry to us
↠ Organic gardening, permaculture or syntropic agroforestry
↠ Off-grid systems management (solar and micro-hydro power, water supply)
↠ Vehicle maintenance (electric vehicles, ATVs/motorboat)
↠ Carpentry, furniture-making and joinery
↠ Cooking and food preparation
↠ Housekeeping, tidying, and domestic management
↠ Childcare, homeschooling and early learning
↠ Repairs, mending, sewing or crafts
↠ Publicity, digital media and communications
↠ Videography and filmmaking

Basic expectations or agreements for members

We accept visitors on a volunteer basis, as prospective members, or as guests on a retreat program.
We recommend that prospective visitors read through the “stay with us” page on our website for more information on visiting our project: https://www.edenhope.org/stay
All prospective visitors need to fill in the questionnaire form. We will then arrange a video chat to assess compatibility.

Primary decision-making authority

  • Small Leadership Group

A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.

Decision-making process

  • Leadership Decides

A single person, couple, or small group makes most major decisions.

Governance structure

  • Founder/Leader-led

Primary authority rests with the community’s founder(s) or designated leader(s).

Economic model

  • Partial Income-Sharing

Members contribute a percentage of income to community funds.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • There is a labor obligation

Additional economic information

Labor: Yes (24 hrs/week)
Edenhope Nature Preserve runs on a service-based economy, meaning that we provide all meals, accommodation for visitors and residents in exchange for community participation and work on our ecovillage.
However, except in special circumstances that we take on a case-by-case basis, we expect anyone coming to stay here in the long-term will have enough savings to cover:
↠ Immigration and visa requirements
↠ Personal travel within Vanuatu and abroad
↠ Medical and dental services (including health insurance)
To meet personal expenses, residents of Edenhope Nature Preserve may work online for around 10 hours per week, as long as their paid work does not interfere with community participation and active service to our projects on the land.
There is also the opportunity to contribute to paid events we are running at the ecovillage, such as events and workshops, that will provide financial support for residents’ livelihoods.

Shared resources and amenities that are accessible to everyone in the community

Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Vehicle Share, Library, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Swimming pond or pool, Outdoor Kitchen, Large Scale Kitchen, Fire pit, Waterfront access, Internet

Frequency of communal meals

  • Approximately all meals

Significant food acquisition practices

  • Locally sourced

Dietary type

  • Vegetarian Only

Dietary restriction

  • These restrictions are throughout the community

Community activities and engagement

  • School, Educational Institute or Experience
  • Volunteer, Internship, or Apprenticeship, or WWOOF’ing
  • WWOOF'ing, Guest Farming
  • Festivals, Conferences, Events

Substance use culture

  • Substance use is prohibited in the community
  • Religions
  • Christian
  • Buddhist
  • Hindu
  • Sufi
  • Wiccan, Paganism, or Earth Religions

Gender composition

  • Roughly balanced (no group over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Multi-generational (all ages well represented)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a Land Trust, Home Owners Association, or corporation

Setting

  • Rural

Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.

Community type

  • Ecovillage

    Integrated communities designed around ecological principles with sustainable living practices.

  • Commune

    Communal living with shared resources, property, and often income or work responsibilities

Self-produced energy

  • Over 66%

Energy sources used

  • Photovoltaic Solar
  • Hydro

Self-produced food

  • 33 - 66%

Local, organic, or fair trade food

  • 33 - 66%

Food systems

  • Community garden
  • Greenhouse / aquaponics
  • Land area size
    800 hectares

Guest Book

Written reviews are available for plus members. Click here to upgrade.

Location

  • Sanma, Vanuatu

Edenhope Nature Preserve

Needs and Offers

Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace

  • Promoted
Need
  • Promoted
Offer
  • Promoted
  • Events
3 weeks ago

Healing Love Healing Money: Trust As The Foundation For A New Culture

Money, love and power are among the hardest things any community works with, and many of us carry the same fears into both: not having enough, losing what we have, and the sense that if someone else gets money or love, we won’t. Healing Love, Healing Money: Trust as the Foundation for a New Culture is taught by two intentional communities. Karen McAllister and Duncan Cryle are from Clear Sky Meditation and Retreat Center, a Buddhist-lineage community in the BC Rockies. Monika Alleweldt and Benjamin von Mendelssohn from Tamera Healing Biotope, a community of about 160 people in southern Portugal that has spent decades studying love, trust and relationship. Clear Sky has spent years working on its relationship with money, and our two communities found surprising parallels in the fears beneath both. Over four sessions we explore the roots of fear around money and belonging, love, possession and power, trust as infrastructure (community as a container for healing), and ethical livelihood. We use short meditations, body-based practices, reflection and small-group conversation. You do not need to be in a romantic relationship or live in community. When: October 27, Nov 3, 10, 17. All four sessions: 12–2pm Vancouver, 1–3pm Alberta, 7–9pm UK and Portugal, 8–10pm Central Europe. Note: US and some Canadian provinces change clocks on November 1, so the US west coast is 12–2pm on October 27, then 11am–1pm for the remaining sessions, and Eastern is 3–5pm on October 27, then 2–4pm for the rest. Cost: sliding scale Details and registration: https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/healing-love-healing-money-online/  
October 27, 2026 13:00 – November 17, 2026 15:00
Need
  • Communities with Openings
1 week ago

Needs: Quiet nature focused community with work exchange

About Me Hello, I’m Nanu. I’m 46 years old in need of a peaceful, nature-centered community where I can contribute, maintain my independence, and potentially establish a long-term home. I’m autistic and sometimes experience periods when I’m nonverbal. I appreciate direct communication, clear expectations, and people who respect different communication styles without making assumptions. I’m independent, value personal boundaries, and do best in environments where people can coexist comfortably without constant social interaction. The Environment I’m Seeking I’m looking for a wooded, green setting with mature trees, grass, and access to nature. Forests, trails, gardens, and peaceful outdoor spaces are important to me. I’d prefer a region with relatively mild winters, avoiding both desert landscapes and areas with harsh, snowy winters. Privacy is essential. I’m interested in a residential community where people respect one another’s space and participation in social activities is optional. I’m not looking for a retreat center, event venue, or community that regularly hosts outside groups, workshops, classes, or large gatherings on the residential property. Occasional visitors are understandable, but I prefer a quiet environment where residents can enjoy their homes without a constant flow of people coming and going. Work Exchange and Housing I’m interested in exchanging practical work for housing. Possible contributions include community gardening, planting, watering, harvesting, kitchen assistance, meal preparation, property upkeep, and other mutually agreed-upon tasks. I’d like the responsibilities, schedule, and expectations clearly established in advance. A trial stay or introductory period would be ideal so both sides can determine whether the arrangement is a good fit. Potential for Long-Term Ownership My longer-term goal is to explore purchasing a small home, a defined parcel of land, or a legally documented ownership interest in an established cooperative community. I have limited savings available for a potential investment and want to use those funds carefully toward lasting housing stability. I’m not interested in vague promises of future ownership or arrangements that depend entirely on one person’s continued involvement. I’d want clear documentation of ownership rights, decision-making, ongoing expenses, and what happens if a resident leaves or the community dissolves. I’m also not interested in traditional HOA-style arrangements or unpredictable fees. Reasonable, transparent shared expenses are open for discussion. Community Culture I’m looking for people who value mutual respect, personal autonomy, honest communication, and practical cooperation. I appreciate companionship but also need quiet and solitude. I don’t expect everyone to share my interests, only to respect one another’s boundaries. What I’d Like to Know If your community offers work exchange, a private and peaceful living environment, wooded surroundings, and a realistic possibility of long-term housing or ownership, I’d love to hear from you. Please share information about your location, climate, current residents, available housing, work-exchange expectations, visitor policies, ongoing costs, and potential ownership arrangements. I’d like to visit and get acquainted before making any commitments. My goal is to find a genuine mutual fit. Thank you for reading!

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