Emmersive Activities to Engage New Audiences
LEP
Self sustenance - LEP23 - 033
The issue
At Hastings Landcare we hold a whole host of events, activities and working bees. However, we are generally targeting the same audiences. We wanted to attract people to Landcare who might not be interested in weeding or learning about farm management. We wanted to attract people who might not have that connection to the wild. We wanted to attract people with an invitation to connect to nature, appreciate nature and value nature. Particularly since we have been seeing a lot of tree vandalism recently.
The solution
A great way to change or cement people’s attitudes and views is through immersive activities and our sole purpose was to facilitate connection to our natural world. Analysing the skills we have in our network we decided on Bush Breathing and Nature Journalling. Bush Breathing is based on the Japanese practise of “Shinrin Yoku” or Forest Bathing. The Japanese practitioners of Forest Bathing Experience the beneficial energy of the plants and trees through the release of “Phytoncides.” A form of meditation, participants use sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste while slowly and silently walking through the bush.
Whilst Nature Journalling is a way to connect with nature and each other through art. These no experience necessary events have participants observing nature from all sorts of artist angles. Some prefer to draw the detail in a banksia cone while others draw landscape. We are looking forward to some abstracts and have shared some poetry! Nature journalling is a great way to observe and connect with nature.
The impact
-We now host regular Bush Breathing and Nature Journalling events.
-Participants are both from our network and new to our network
-All attendees of both Bush Breathing and Nature Journalling report being centred, calm and connected, feeling the health benefits of this practice.
-These events are a chance to be social, listen to each other and connect with each other.