"On behalf of the Coronado Soil & Water Conservation District, we fully support the work Susan conducts for landowners across the state. She has been a guest speaker at several of our workshops and has consistently received rave reviews and excellent feedback. Everything she teaches is backed by scientific results from her own and the land of others. The best part, she is driven by the pure passion to make real changes."

• - Miriam Gagne
• Assistant District Manager
• Coronado Soil & Water Conservation District, July 2026

"We had such a wonderful experience working with Susan Cersosimo of Vital Soil Landscapes on the landscape design for our home. From the very beginning, her communication was exceptional. She has a gift for translating landscaping terminology into language that made sense to us, ensuring we were always working toward the same vision. While permaculture is clearly one of Susan's passions, she also listened carefully to what we wanted and designed spaces that reflected our different goals. She created a lush, functional permaculture-inspired area in part of our back courtyard while also incorporating and designing the Zen garden look for the great majority of it, and interwove the two elements to work beautifully together. She also designed a beautiful, more minimalist Zen-inspired front courtyard. She thoughtfully incorporated several of the plants we already had, creating continuity throughout the landscape, while introducing us to several new plants that we're excited to grow. Our backyard presented some unique challenges because we wanted water catchment features that had to work with the existing elevation changes. Susan was patient and persistent throughout the design process, revising plans as our aesthetic goals evolved and explaining the tradeoffs and possibilities every step of the way. Susan is both highly knowledgeable and wonderfully collaborative. She listens, educates, and creates landscapes that are not only beautiful but thoughtfully tailored to the people who will live in them. We couldn't be happier with our experience and highly recommend her to anyone looking for a talented landscape designer."

• - Christine Benefield
• Landscape Design Client 2026, Albuquerque

"My family recently moved to New Mexico, from the other side of Turtle Island, a completely different ecosystem that prohibited water harvesting. With so much to learn about rain water harvesting here I went to a free workshop at El Zocalo. When I first heard Susan speak there I knew I wanted to work with her. A permaculture agro forester talking about creating microclimates, biodiversity benefiting our more than human kin, while naming indigenous wisdom and technologies, yes please. Our site visit was such a fun way to explore and learn about our new home while considering its potential for creating a food forest. After all said and done, we have a design to guide us on a multi-phase plan to grow fruit trees and other food while benefiting our wild neighbors and being considerate of native species and the growing conditions of growing in the high desert. We are grateful & pleased to have worked with Vital Soil Landscapes."

• - Sasha Von Hanna
• Landscape Design Client 2026, Placitas

"It is a pleasure working with Susan and appreciate her really listening to what my dreams and goals for my yard. She incorporated my desires into a landscape vision beyond what I had thought was possible."

• - Wendy Blackwood
• Landscape Design Client 2026, Albuquerque

"Susan is an exceptional permaculture educator whose passion for regenerative living is absolutely contagious. Her teaching blends deep ecological knowledge with practical, hands-on guidance that empowers learners at every level. She has a rare ability to make complex concepts feel intuitive, grounded, and exciting to apply. If you're looking for a permaculture educator who brings clarity, enthusiasm, and heart to every interaction, Susan is the one."

• - Jude
• Nurturing Your Landscape Workshop, April 2026

"Susan is an outstanding teacher/facilitator. What stands out most is her commitment to helping people truly see the land — its patterns, its potential, and its inherent wisdom. Every workshop with Susan leaves you more confident, more observant, and more connected to the living systems around you. She is a gifted teacher, a thoughtful mentor, and a genuine force for positive ecological change. Highly recommend her."

• - Arnold
• Soil Hydration Workshop, April 2026

"Working with Susan to help address extensive erosion issues while also seeking to grow food and create an oasis on my 3-acre property has been wonderful. Her expertise in New Mexico's arid landscapes — from water-catchment earthworks to drought-resilient plant communities — brings a level of insight that is both rare and deeply needed in our region. Can't recommend her enough!"

• - Jen
• Landscape Design Client 2025, Placitas