From studying nature to experiencing it

I have always been curious about how we relate to the living world around us. Born in the wide open landscapes of the Netherlands' ‘Green Heart’, I spent my childhood exploring the life of the animals and plants around me. Then, I moved to the city of Utrecht, where I studied urban planning and biodiversity while working in my garden, at university and at the municipality on ecology policy. I kept coming back to the same question: how can we feel more connected to the nature we are already part of?

Through my research and field experiences, I learned that awareness is the key. Noticing the life around us with the whole body is an opening for connectedness. Walking slowly. Listening. Getting curious. Noticing the small things we usually pass by. And creating these experiences is exactly what wildingwith wants to facilitate.