We’re a group of community minded practitioners from the environment, education and health sectors that are working together to encourage people to spend time outdoors, connect with nature and enjoy it’s health giving benefits.
John Allen: John has over 25 years experience with State and Local Government, self employment and voluntary roles for community organisations. He has worked in the fields of biodiversity and landscape conservation, threatened species management, environmental education, Aboriginal cultural practice and conservation, fire management and environmental planning.
Dr Miles Holmes: Miles Holmes is a professional anthropologist who has been researching bushcraft skills and nature connection techniques for 20 years and holds a PhD in traditional ecological knowledge. Working with Aboriginal people throughout Australia he holds an honorary research fellow at the University of Queensland specialising is the application of cultural systems to land based management.
Waminda Parker: With over 15 years of project management experience and strategic planning, Waminda has developed and delivered a range of programs working with the environment and community development not-for-profit sector. She has been actively involved in promoting the co-benefits of nature and its biophilic associations for community health, wellbeing and environmental stewardship behaviours; presenting on the subject to the health sector while also supporting State Government Green Space policy and planning.
Rob Richards: Rob has over 25 years experience working within the Natural Resource Management sector, specialising in the use of evidence to inform program, policy development and risk management. He is a Trustee Board member of the international network Collaboration for Environmental Evidence and co-created the Australian Centre for Evidence Informed Policy and Practice. Rob has an Honorary Appointment as a Professional Associate of the University of Canberra and lectures at Monash University’s Masters of Environment & Sustainability program.
Michelle Rose: Michelle’s early working life began in the area of health, working with children, youth and adults in a range of health education projects. As a yoga and meditation instructor Michelle knows firsthand the benefits of fostering a sense of appreciation and respect for nature for personal wellbeing. With a degree in Environmental Education Michelle connects communities with nature through her role as a natural resource management manager at the Nature Conservation Council of NSW.
Andrea Turner: As a counsellor and mental health practitioner specialising in trauma, Andrea holds a strong interest in the relationship between individuals and their immediate surroundings (environment, culture, community, home, work, etc) as the foundation of sustaining health and wellbeing. With a Masters in Psychology, Andrea operates as an emotional, social health and wellbeing mentor and believes that nature is at core to strengthen personal mental resilience and sustainability.