Walking with nature

A day of reflection, connection, and environmental stewardship

by Ann Evangelista

What began as an invitation to come together for a walk became an opportunity for reflection, connection and renewed commitment to caring for the environment.

More than 30 participants boarded a bus and travelled together to the Brokenhead Wetland Interpretive Trail and Patricia Beach, creating a day that brought people together through nature, learning and community.

The group was welcomed and guided through the experience by Paul Trevenen, a Lake Winnipeg Foundation (LWF) volunteer and tour guide, who shared his knowledge and helped participants discover the natural surroundings along the trail.

The event was organized with the support of the Lake Winnipeg Foundation, with Kanak Kulhari, Community Engagement Coordinator, helping facilitate community engagement and participation.

Mhao Palevino of Caring for our Environment - Manitoba (CEM), supported by its president Ramon Sales, spearheaded the project, bringing together community members for an experience that connected environmental awareness with personal reflection and collective action.

The guided nature walk was designed to build environmental awareness while creating space for participants to reconnect with nature and with one another. Beyond simply observing the landscape, participants were encouraged to pause, listen and reflect on their personal relationship with the environment and the challenges facing ecosystems such as Lake Winnipeg.

The reflective experience was inspired by Joanna Macy’s Work That Reconnects, a framework that encourages people to acknowledge their relationship with the natural world, process difficult emotions about environmental challenges and move toward meaningful action.

Participants were guided through four stages of reflection.

The first, Gratitude, invited walkers to consider what they appreciated about the environment around them and to recall memories or experiences connected to water, land and wildlife.

The second, Honouring Our Pain for the World, created space to acknowledge concerns and emotions surrounding environmental change. Participants reflected on changes they have witnessed and how environmental challenges affect them personally.

The third stage, Seeing with New Eyes, encouraged participants to consider their connection to the ecosystem and Lake Winnipeg and to notice what they may have overlooked or discovered during the walk.

Finally, Going Forth turned reflection into action. Participants considered one small step they could take to support environmental care and how they could contribute to protecting their communities and surrounding ecosystems.

The walk also included periods of quiet reflection, followed by an optional small-group sharing session where participants could exchange thoughts and experiences.

The day was made possible through the collective efforts of organizers, volunteers and community participants. A special “thank you” goes to Paul for guiding the group, to all Lake Winnipeg Foundation volunteers, and to everyone who took the time to participate.

More than a walk, the gathering demonstrated how time spent in nature can create opportunities for community connection, personal reflection and environmental stewardship.

As more than 30 people travelled together, walked the trails and reflected on their relationship with the natural world, the experience offered a simple but meaningful message: Caring for the environment begins with noticing, connecting, and choosing to act. And sometimes, that first step begins with simply taking a walk together.

Ann Evangelista is the Information and Communication Committee Head of the CEM and is currently the Chair of WSD Environmental Advisory Committee