An immersive outdoor workshop exploring how trees shape our wellbeing, reflect our values, and guide us in giving back through connection, care and custodianship.

Workshop Brief:

Join us outdoors, under the canopy of trees, for an immersive workshop exploring how trees—and our reciprocal relationships with them—can enhance wellbeing, connection and purpose in outdoor health practice.

Held in a natural setting among the trees, this workshop invites participants into a shared space of story, reflection and creative expression. We’ll explore how trees, as ever-present companions in outdoor modalities, serve as pillars of strength, beauty, and interconnectedness.

Through interactive and sensory-based activities, we’ll deepen our awareness of how trees:

• Offer physical, emotional and spiritual support

• Model interdependence and reciprocity in ecosystems

• Enrich our wellbeing through aesthetic, sensory and symbolic connections

We will reflect on First Nations perspectives of trees as kin, guides, and givers—and consider how we too can be of service to trees in return.

Workshop elements include:

• Story sharing and reflective practices among the trees

• Sensory exploration of tree textures, scents, shapes and sounds

• Creative responses inspired by tree parts and tree gifts (roots, trunks, branches, leaves, hollows, habitats)

• Embodied experiences of reciprocity through sound (e.g. music with natural materials, First Nations instruments)

• Opportunities to give back to trees through intention, action, care, and custodianship

Together, we’ll draw inspiration from the tree as a metaphor for strong foundations (roots), community support (trunk), growth and outreach (branches and leaves), and blossoming connections (flowers and fruit).

Participants will leave with practical tools and renewed inspiration to embed tree connection and reciprocal care into outdoor health settings—wherever trees shape the landscape and support human wellbeing.

Facilitated by an experienced outdoor educator and practitioner, this session centres trees as both companions and co-contributors to wellbeing, connection, and care. It weaves cultural awareness, environmental mindfulness and nature-connected practice into a grounded, meaningful outdoor experience.