Art is working with four cooperators in Cattaraugus county, in western New York State, growing ginseng, goldenseal, mushrooms, and improved sugar maples. He began his involvement with the Learning Community in 2000 as part of his job as a Soil Conservationist with the USDA-NRCS in Cattaraugus, and he is continuing his involvement through his new position with Allegheny Ecological Consulting.

The Pfeiffer Nature Center is a cooperating organization located in Portville that has developed ginseng and mushroom trials. Founded in 1998, the center conducts environmental education programs for children and adults and is planning to use its experimental plots as demonstration sites.

The Zaepfel Nature Center in Napoli, another cooperating organization, is being developed with the help of the Cattaraugus Local Development Corporation (CLDC). Zaepfel eventually would like to bring resident students together for environmental education programs. Rick and Lynn Lefeber, Directors of the CLDC have enabled the establishment of 20 improved sugar maple trees near the site where they expect the nature center to be built.