Garth Harwood (he/him)

Garth was raised in the SF Bay Area and attended local schools, some of which now attend Hidden Villa programs! Garth has been with Hidden Villa since 1999, directing the younger students’ education programs for most of that time. He also serves informally as Hidden Villa’s staff naturalist, fielding questions on every category of life found on our highly bio-diverse property. There is nothing more gratifying for Garth than hearing a child exclaim in pure joy “This is the best day of my LIFE!” after a day of exploring in nature. Having grown up in this area, Garth was excited to find work that not only aligned with his core values but also allowed him to live in his longtime family home, a 160-year-old redwood cottage outside of Pescadero on the coast side. The Quaker-inspired teaching philosophy that emphasizes peace and justice was also a key to signing on. Garth’s passions while at Hidden Villa include kid-wrangling (managing groups large and small), naturalizing – especially insects, plant galls, birds and tracks – and designing exciting learning experiences for intern and staff trainings. “Favorite” doesn’t work as a singular term for Garth, so he has lots of them. Two worth mentioning here are Coyote’s Guide to Connecting to Nature and The Ohlone Way.