September 29, 2026/Wendy Figone/General Protecting the Land Means Protecting Its History Proposition 45: Protecting Tribal Cultural Heritage California's Proposition 45 would accelerate development approvals but could eliminate consultation rights for non-federally recognized tribes, including the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, on qualifying projects. The Amah Mutsun Land Trust warns that this could threaten sacred sites, ancestral burial grounds and Indigenous cultural heritage. Important voting dates: - October 5: Mail-in voting begins. - October 19: Voter registration deadline. - November 3: Election Day. Learn about the measure and make an informed decision. Register or check your voter status Read Article Protecting the Land Means Protecting Its History
June 29, 2026/Wendy Figone/Forest Therapy Forest Therapy as a Global Movement A heartfelt reflection on a Forest Therapy Board retreat with Tanberly Conway, exploring how shared nature-based experiences build connection, creativity, belonging, and momentum for the growing Forest Therapy movement. Read Article Forest Therapy as a Global Movement
June 22, 2026/Wendy Figone/Forest Therapy From Mirroring to Collective Effervescence: Why Shared Experiences Matter for Wellbeing A science-informed reflection on how mirroring, synchrony, shared attention, and nature-based experiences help people feel more connected, grounded, and restored. This article explores why Forest Therapy, community gatherings, and shared experiences in nature can support individual wellbeing, belonging, and healthier communities. Read Article From Mirroring to Collective Effervescence: Why Shared Experiences Matter for Wellbeing
June 10, 2026/Wendy Figone/Forest Therapy The Wind Noticed Our Attention A quiet Forest Therapy reflection on wind, attention, rest, and the small moments in nature that help the mind and body soften. This story explores how a simple breeze on a warm afternoon became an invitation into mindfulness, restoration, and deeper relationship with the living world. Read Article The Wind Noticed Our Attention
June 8, 2026/Wendy Figone/Forest Therapy Why We Need Third Places More Than Ever Certified Forest Therapy Trails can become modern third places, offering restorative spaces where people build belonging, connection, place attachment, and a deeper relationship with the living world. In a time of loneliness, burnout, remote work, and digital overload, these trails offer more than wellness - they can help strengthen community and public health. Read Article Why We Need Third Places More Than Ever
June 5, 2026/Wendy Figone/Forest Bathing A Surprising Reason Nature Makes Us Feel Better Forest Therapy offers more than stress relief. Time in nature can help us soften self-judgment, reconnect with our inner beauty, and return to a kinder relationship with ourselves and the living world. Read Article A Surprising Reason Nature Makes Us Feel Better
April 29, 2026/Wendy Figone/Forest Therapy From Separation to Relationship: How Forest Therapy Reconnects Us with Nature What It Means to Be “In Relationship with Nature” In forest therapy, we often say the forest is the therapist, the guide opens the door. Yet the deeper invitation is not only stress reduction or relaxation—it is remembering how to be in relationship again. As Jacques Cousteau wisely said, “People protect what they love.” When we slow down long enough to feel connected to the living world, care often arises naturally. Connection can become stewardship. Presence can become belonging. Read Article From Separation to Relationship: How Forest Therapy Reconnects Us with Nature
January 24, 2026/Wendy Figone/Forest Therapy Dosing Nature: Finding Health in Motion and Stillness What if just two hours a week in nature could meaningfully support your health and well-being? Read Article Dosing Nature: Finding Health in Motion and Stillness
October 1, 2025/Wendy Figone/Trails, Places & Stewardship 🌿 Topophilia at Chaminade: Finding Renewal in the Redwoods There’s a word for the love we feel for special places: topophilia . For many visitors, one of those places is Chaminade Resort & Spa in Santa Cruz, where the redwoods create a sanctuary for restoration and balance. Read Article 🌿 Topophilia at Chaminade: Finding Renewal in the Redwoods
September 18, 2025/Wendy Figone/Forest Therapy 🌙Komorebi, Yuragi & Sanpo Yoshi: Lessons from the Forest A recent study from Finding Nature reveals something we might already sense: humanity has been steadily drifting away from the natural world for over two centuries. Using a fascinating model, researchers tracked the decline of nature-related words in books — words like river , blossom , moss . They found a drop of nearly 60%, suggesting not just a loss of vocabulary, but a loss of relationship. Read Article 🌙Komorebi, Yuragi & Sanpo Yoshi: Lessons from the Forest