The Land is located in Mendocino County on 160 acres of land in the semi-arid, Mediterranean climate of California. This restoration area includes 1 mile of river, old-growth redwoods, oak woodlands, grasslands, a functioning organic vegetable garden, and an orchard. The team at The Land sees ones relationship with the earth as an essential ingredient of restoring dignity in oneself and in others, and believe that when we rewild the land, cultivate our own soil, grow and prepare our own food, we are building our own value and ownership. The Land is an extension of the Unconditional Freedom project and its aim is to aid in restoring the dignity of the marginalized, the cast out, the prison residents, and the wild ones. The team also holds the belief that, once reclaimed, people naturally find the desire to contribute their unique gifts to society.

The Land’s Earth Program is developing a Botanical Sanctuary at the Mendocino County Jail. The Botanical Sanctuary grows the trees and native plants that are used in the 100 x 100 Anderson Valley project, and in the surrounding community, and the inmates provide the labor force employed by state and federal agencies. This initiative forms part of Unconditional Freedom’s Turning Prisons into Monasteries program, which aims to restore jails as a place of contribution and growth. To date, the Botanical Sanctuary has led to the building of a chicken coop, implemented a gardening program and a beekeeping project at the prison. They are currently working on on getting inmates certifications in a variety of fields including agriculture, amongst others. This project is giving the inmates a sense of purpose and hope by reconnecting them with nature, providing them with skills to integrate back into the working world.