2021 Winter Seminars:
Forest Gardening for Well-being; Mind, Body and Ecology Coming Together
We at NFGS feel strongly about the potential of forest gardens to improve wellbeing, and in our winter seminars we are exploring the potential of forest gardens in healthcare settings.
This is a complementary series but each one also stands alone – so watch as many as you like!
If you enjoy any of the sessions, please consider making a donation to help support our work or join up as a member!
Seminar 1: Green Social Prescribing and Forest Gardens
Why Forest Gardens are great for well-being. Horticulture therapy, salutogenic effects of green social prescribing. The added benefits of forest gardens within this context.
Sharing experience from practitioners/prescribers.
Elizabeth Westaway
Elizabeth is a practitioner, researcher and consultant in academia, non-governmental organisations and the United Nations on health, nutrition, food security and agriculture projects. Elizabeth is passionate about restoring soil health, producing nutrient-dense food, preventing malnutrition in all its forms including diet-related non-communicable diseases, community-based nutrition, healthy and sustainable diets, sustainable food systems, food security, regenerative agriculture, permaculture, livelihoods, poverty reduction and forest gardens. She will be discussing the rationale for green social prescribing – the ‘why’.
David Wickstead
David is a doctor working in a surgery in London which has been engaging with green social prescribing with support from Lambeth GP Food Coop. See more about the project in the first video here http://lambeth.gpfoodcoop.org.uk/What-we-do.
Facilitator
Richard Luff is a director of NFGS, and also works as a water and sanitation engineer working internationally on disaster strategy, evaluation and response. Until recently he was a trustee of Bridewell Organic gardens, a horticultural mental health recovery charity, and is also one of the founder of Marston Forest Garden in Oxford.
Seminar 2: ‘Healthy’ health environments: using land in healthcare facilities for forest gardens and well-being.
The business case for it: The ‘Why’, Examples of where it’s been done: The ‘How’
Beth Morgan from Rooting and Fruiting
http://rootingandfruiting.co.uk/
Carole Longdon from Forest of Hearts
Forest of Hearts is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation promoting accessible and sustainable agroforestry, or “Forest Gardens” which exist for enjoyment, education, volunteering and also support good causes” They are currently building a ‘garden of wellbeing’ at Stratford Upon Avon Hospital and will discuss this and more.
Facilitator
Nicola Bartlett, GP and senior A&E Consultant at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, she is currently working with her hospital to create a forest garden for staff and patients.
Seminar 3: Designing and Delivering Forest Gardens for Well-Being
Being deliberate about designing for well-being. Designing for vulnerable people. Designing considerations in a public space.
Ki Tong Landscape Architect
Ki Tong is a Landscape Architect currently supporting the design and development of a Forest Garden for Well-being at the Royal United Hospital in Bath. As well as completing qualifications in landscape architecture, Ki also achieved a masters in psychology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Ki combines her expertise in both these fields to explore the scientific underpinning of the feelings of well being experienced when we spend time in nature…’Nature Fix.’
Jo Barker
Jo Barker is an experienced permaculturalist, forest gardener, and tutor on ‘Learning to be a mindful forest gardener’. See here www.dynamic-equilibrium.co.uk/about.php for more about Jo Barker.
Facilitator
Our guest facilitator for this session is Jake Rayson. Jake moved to a West Wales farmhouse in 2015. In a time of climate emergency, he passionately believes that a productive garden can be sustainable, wildlife-friendly *and* ornamental. There are 3 acres of hillside under cultivation: a forest garden with annual & perennial veg, an ornamental forest garden with camping area and a nuttery. He divides his time between forest garden design and teaching www.forestgarden.wales
Seminar 4: Open discussion building on themes drawn out from previous seminars
This will have a different format, and we will be asking people to let us know what they would bring to discuss if they wish to attend, as we want all attendees to be active participants and contributors!
Introduced and facilitated by Tomas Remiarz
Tomas has 20 years experience in permaculture design, teaching and practice, having worked in the UK and various European countries. Over the years, he has been active in many different fields, with an emphasis on the restoration of land, buildings and communities. He has designed, created and been consulted on forest gardens across the UK and Europe. Tomas is the author of Forest Gardening in Practice, a comprehensive collection of case studies about forest gardens in many different settings. The book is based on his own research into temperate forest gardens and contributed to the Permaculture Association’s forest garden field trial programme. His work has also been featured on BBC Countryfile.
forestgardeninginpractice.com/book
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000gxqg
Watch our 2020 Summer Seminar Series on Forest Gardening for free!