With the clock quickly running out on 2021, it’s that time of year again when we get a bit reflective. While we’ll save the number crunching for our annual report that will be published early next year, we thought we would share a few highlights that answer the question:
What have we done in 2021?
We celebrated
In our first ever FiresoulFest — we celebrated our incredible Firesouls at an end-of-summer jazz event featuring world-renowned jazz musician (and Firesoul) Todd Marcus and his orchestra. Catch highlights from the event and a few bars from Todd’s performance.
We filmed
We kicked off a science of nature video series featuring a two-part installment with Roger Ulrich, a pioneer of evidence-based healthcare design research, talking about a study on nature’s impact on stress and burnout among nurses. (Part 1 & Part 2)
We walked
In early October, Nature Sacred Firesouls and select Sacred Places hosted in-person and virtual labyrinth walks or experiences in an effort to center attention on the need for greater peace and unity within society. And people were moved. Read Firesoul and Pastor Gary Dittman’s account of how the walk unfolded at Amazing Port Street Garden in Baltimore.
We published
The Power of Sacred Places. In a way, you could say this report was 25 years in the making. Part research on the healing and restorative benefits of nature and part guide for creating contemplative green spaces – Sacred Places – this latest publication has already been downloaded hundreds of times by readers from throughout the world. (If you haven’t already — get your copy here.)
We welcomed
Our Nature Sacred team continued to grow with the addition of Neha Srinivasan, our new Sacred Place project manager. She holds degrees in both environmental science and landscape architecture; and among her interests are plants (no surprise), geographic information system mapping and art. (And she writes.) Yeah. We’re really happy she’s here.
We reflected
Going into our 25th anniversary year, we’re exploring our roots and revisiting some of our first Sacred Places. One instance was in summer when our CEO, Alden Stoner, spent a day on the Bay with Board member and former Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) COO Chuck Foster and Paul Willey, CBF’s Director of Education Operations,
And while all of this was happening, we added 22 Sacred Places to our pipeline, welcomed 10 new Firesouls to our Network and held 19 events. More details to follow in our annual report that will be released early next year.
Thank you for being part of this journey; more to come in 2022!
