This week, on our Land Steward Alliance: Monthly Workshop Series I spoke with Zach Anderson, Head of Community at La Ecovilla San Mateo—a regenerative neighborhood tucked in Costa Rica’s Machuca Valley. Zach is a leader in decentralized collaboration whose work in governance, community design, and cooperative models has reshaped how teams and projects organize and thrive.
I hope you enjoy the workshop as much as I did, and below are some key takeaways…
Here’s what stood out from our conversation:
🖐 Decision-making matters.
They’re using the “Fist of Five” model—where every hand signal counts, from full stop (fist) to enthusiastic yes (five fingers). It keeps things efficient without losing inclusivity.
🌱 Diversity needs design.
You won’t get perfect alignment across developers, locals, and future residents. Instead of forcing agreement, Zach creates systems that allow for different perspectives to coexist.
🤝 Integration over isolation.
On the topic of gentrification, Zach’s approach i…
