Business Leaders: The Ecology School’s Drew Dumsch transforms environmental learning

The Ecology School, a nonprofit environmental living and learning center for children and adults founded by Drew Dumsch in 1998, has been in transformation mode.

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For 19 years, the school operated in the spring and fall seasons at a leased property in Saco. In 2017, the school bought and moved to the 105-acre River Bend Farm in Saco.

The school raised $14.1 million to build a 9,000-square-foot dormitory and 7,000-square-foot dining commons to “Living Building Challenge” specifications — the first Maine location to aim for that certification, which exceeds ratings of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and the Passive House Institute.

Last year, the school added 208 acres to support staff housing and expanded programs, including school programs, teacher institutes, retreats, conferences and summer camps. This year, it partnered with local schools to provide professional development centered on climate change education.

Mainebiz: What have these transformations meant for operations?

Drew Dumsch: The evolution between December 1998 to now was very deliberate. Coming to River Bend Farm and having this amazing live-and-learn campus really sped things up.

MB: What’s the status of your facilities projects?

DD: We’re still growing and evolving. We have a 1794 farmhouse, an 1840s barn and the new dining commons and commercial kitchen and dorm. A year after we opened, we added four yurts as indoor classrooms and meeting spaces. Our campus is solar powered.

But given the outdoor schoolwork we’re doing, we need more beds. So we added two more yurts that allow us to bring in 30 more students. That’s a sign of the growth that continues to happen.

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