In 2006, Martin Ogle (who was then Chief Naturalist for the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, now NOVA Parks) organized a conference entitled Gaia Theory; Model and Metaphor for the 21st Century at George Mason University. This event was a huge success – it featured outstanding scientists, historians, artists and was attended by 300 people. Ogle continued to promote Gaia Theory as an organizing principle for addressing sustainability but moved to Colorado in 2012.
Martin Ogle was co-founder of the Arlington Community Sustainability Network and participated in many local boards and task forces on sustainability, history, energy and other local concerns. As a long-term manager at Potomac Overlook Regional Park, he was a pioneer in sustainable resource management and was recognized with awards in sustainability and education by the Virginia Sustainable Building Network, the Washington Academy of Sciences, George Mason University and other Arlington organizations.