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It is the nature of forests to heal

HELLO • NÚU • TANSI • AANIIN • SALUT • ATELIHAI • TAANISHI • PUSU’L • SÁNGAAY LÁAGANG   

Do you want to promote reconciliation, healing and community throughout Canada?

Consider developing a Healing Forest in your community – a forest, garden, or green space – dedicated as a place for healing, learning, sharing, and reflection about Canada’s history and the legacy of Indian residential schools.

Advance Truth and Reconciliation

Healing Forests bring people together to reflect on this country's tragic past, and begin taking steps towards a better future together.

Honour Indigenous victims and survivors

Healing Forests are dedicated to the first inhabitants of the land and their descendants.

Spend time in nature

Getting outdoors is good for your health and rekindles love and connection with the planet that sustains us.

Help heal nature and each other

The planet is in trouble, and so are we. It's time to reconnect with our surroundings and each other.

By establishing a Healing Forest, anyone can take that first step to bring people together, help them reflect on this country’s tragic past and connect with nature and each other.
Patricia Stirbys, Co-founder, National Healing Forests Initiative

Rekindle love and respect.  
For each other.
For nature.

Forests have a healing, spiritual, calming and nurturing effect on people. The National Healing Forests Initiative has inspired the creation of 18 Healing Forests since 2015, with dozens more proposed Healing Forest projects.

 

Each Healing Forest looks different. Some are within urban parks and beside schools and churches. Others are on private land and remote natural spaces. 

 

Each community decides for themselves what their Healing Forest will look like and how it will function. The only condition is that the forest is created and used in the spirit of reconciliation, healing, shared understanding and respect.

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