About us
Dr. Ralf Otterpohl teaches and researches at the Hamburg University of Technology in Hamburg, Germany. Ralf's specific areas of focus include resource-efficient wastewater systems, rural development, and the "New Town" concept (which is the German version of Garden Ring Cities). He published "Das Neue Dorf" (The New Town) in 2017 and is currently working on a further book on ecological local production. After years of consulting on projects in Africa, Ralf's Slope-Farming Arba Minch project in Ethiopia brings together the best practices for reversing erosion and bring soil back to a productive state.
Andrew Toth studied environmental engineering in Hamburg, Germany under Dr. Ralf Otterpohl, where he learned about Ralf's "New Town" concept. Now Andrew is a wastewater consulting engineer in Denver, Colorado (next to his home state of Kansas), and he is working together with Ralf to spread the word about the Garden Ring City concept (the English equivalent of Ralf's "New Towns").
Franziska Matt studied Transcultural Communications, Corporate Communications and International Marketing & Sales in Vienna and Dornbirn (Austria). Her vision of a conscious, honest and healthy planet are moving her towards a life in harmony with nature. In the “New Town” concept she found a field that enables her to dig deeper into her area of interest. She is a contributing author to the Garden Ring Cities website in collaboration with Ralf and Andrew.