On the windswept island of Gotland, in the heart of the Baltic Sea, there’s a place that feels like it belongs to a possible future: Suderbyn Ecovillage. An intentional community founded to experiment with a radically different lifestyle, based on permaculture, self-management, and a deep connection with Earth.

Suderbyn is a social ecosystem in constant experimentation. A small village of about 20–30 people welcomes travellers, activists, volunteers, and ecological nomads from all over the world. Each person contributes with their hands, their time, and their unique vision.

At the heart of the project lies the belief that sustainability is not a destination, but a path to be travelled collectively. A journey that begins with food, touches energy, and extends all the way to the way we relate to one another.

Permaculture as a Way of Life

At Suderbyn, permaculture is not just an agricultural method—it’s a lens through which to view the entire ecosystem of life. Every action, every structure, every decision is shaped by the principles of harmony, regeneration, and interconnection.

In the main garden—affectionately called the jungle—vegetables, herbs, fruits, and wild plants grow in natural symbiosis. There are no straight rows or monocultures: biodiversity is celebrated as the key to resilience. Natural mulching, crop rotation, composting, and aquaponics are used, transforming even waste into resources.

The soil here is treated as a living being to be listened to and regenerated, not a surface to be exploited. And the whole village revolves around this cultivated land: food is local, seasonal, and shared. The relationship with what is eaten is intimate, mindful, and almost ritualistic.

Permaculture is also taught through workshops, immersive experiences, and European projects: those who come to Suderbyn learn to see nature as an ally, not just a resource to be managed.

Self-Sufficiency and Interdependence

One of Suderbyn’s key goals is to become as self-sufficient as possible, in both energy and food. And although the community is not fully independent yet, significant progress has been made.

On the food front, local production covers a large portion of daily needs: fruits, vegetables, herbs, eggs, and homemade preserves enrich everyday meals. However, some ingredients still come from the outside, in a balanced logic of self-production and mindful integration.

Energy, on the other hand, comes from a combination of renewable sources. Solar panels, a shared wind turbine, and a biogas plant that transforms organic waste into natural fuel cover a significant portion of energy needs.

Some tools, like propane gas, are still used in specific situations, a sign that the road to full self-sufficiency is still ongoing—but with concrete steps and a clear vision.

At Suderbyn, sustainable living doesn’t mean isolation, but rather intelligent interdependence, where every resource is used mindfully and every choice is part of a bigger balance.

Living With Less, Connecting More

The community lives in shared small houses, yurts, tiny houses, vans, and other self-built structures. Energy comes from renewable sources. Water is carefully collected and managed. Common spaces—the kitchen, the workshop, the community hall—are the heart of the village.

There are no “bosses” or hierarchies. Decisions are made in participatory circles, where everyone is heard. Spirituality is not imposed but welcomed in many forms: yoga, ceremonies, meditation, dance, silence.

A Bridge Between Activism and Everyday Life

Suderbyn is much more than a physical place: it’s an outpost of active transition, a meeting point between those who dream and those who act. Here, deep ecology, social activism, and secular spirituality blend into a tangible experience of transformation.

The community is part of a dense web of projects and movements across Europe, such as GEN Europe (Global Ecovillage Network) and ECOLISE, which promote local solutions to the climate and social crises.

In collaboration with these networks, Suderbyn hosts young volunteers from all over Europe through Erasmus+ and ESC (European Solidarity Corps) programmes, creating a multicultural space where ideas become projects and collective dreams take shape.

The themes range from climate to social justice, from nonviolence to degrowth, from artivism to the creation of networks among resilient communilConferences, workshop-s, gatherings, and moments of political and spiritual dialogue: everyday life is steeped in embodied activism, beginning with personal transformation to generate collective impact.

At Suderbyn, living radically is already a political act.

In a Nutshell

Suderbyn Ecovillage is a small yet powerful experiment trying to answer the question:

What if we lived according to our values, instead of adapting to a system that no longer represents us?

Today, among permanent residents, volunteers, and seasonal visitors, around 30 people animate the daily life of this green island in the heart of the Baltic, cultivating a new way of being in the world—with awareness, collaboration, activism, and deep ecology.