The cultural heritage significance of Green Gulch Zen Center lies in its day-to-day practice within the normal parameters of life. We have classified several themes surrounding the site, which we feel contribute to its cultural heritage importance.

Outside of the garden center, a table is set out with jams and teas made from the garden.

 Culinary

The connections between food and community are apparent at Green Gulch. The food preparation and sharing is a strong part of the Green Gulch experience. Through our K-8 program, we hope to educate children about the process of growing food and to use Green Gulch as a model for sustainable culinary practices. One potential challenge we foresee are distribution channels of food around local areas and furthermore internationally.

Landscape

 This theme relates the spiritual nature of Green Gulch with the surrounding landscape. While the zendo is the place where formal meditation takes place, the entire property is a place of worship – through hiking the trails, enjoying the gardens and working the farm.

Preservation of nature

Since Green Gulch was founded in 1973, members of the Green Gulch community have focused on respect and cooperation with nature. Our proposed nature center would incorporate Buddhist teachings with educational guides for visitors, as well as work actively to sustain and preserve endangered wildlife.

History of Green Gulch and Surrounding Area

One theme that we feel would appeal to many visitors is using Green Gulch as a resource for those interested in Marin history. Because of its rich history in the area and cooperation with the land, we feel that Green Gulch is an ideal space for teaching others about the various transformations that Marin has gone through in the past few centuries.  Archiving Green Gulch history along the line of archaeology, anthropology, and various other discourses will allow for the broader importance and modern relevance to contemporary issues that Green Gulch is addressing directly, for example through their on-site gardens and Green Restaurants.