While carving a wooden spoon by a lake might not seem like the answer to mental health crises, a recent initiative at the University of Waterloo in Canada suggests that reconnecting with nature through hands-on activities can play a significant role in addressing mental health challenges and fostering discussions around sustainability.
The initiative, called Land Skills for Wellness and Sustainability, focuses on offering workshops led by local craft practitioners. These workshops include activities like spoon carving, basket weaving, herbal tea preparation, and nature walks, with an emphasis on sensory connection and engaging with natural materials. The goal is to reconnect participants with the land and nature, fostering a sense of well-being and sustainability.
In an era of social and environmental challenges, often referred to as The Great Unravelling, the initiative recognizes the impact of climate breakdown on mental health and a noted mental health crisis at Canadian universities. It argues that technological solutions alone are insufficient to address sustainability issues and suggests that deep shifts in attention and a renewed relationship with nature are essential.
Neurologist Iain McGilchrist highlights the role of attention in shaping our perception of the world, and the initiative aims to recenter the planet and the environmental community in collective narratives. It acknowledges the importance of human-nature connection throughout evolutionary history and the benefits of reconnecting with the natural world for mental and physical health and sustainable behaviors.
Craft-based activities, once part of occupational therapy, have been associated with increased self-esteem, purpose, identity, and resilience. They also align with sustainability education and anti-consumerism principles.
While the initiative’s activities take place on Indigenous land, the organizers recognize the need to address the historical loss of Indigenous life-ways and crafts through centuries of colonialism.
The Land Skills for Wellness and Sustainability initiative is designed as an experimental approach to exploring possibilities for change in academic culture while supporting the well-being of the campus community. With over 61 participants so far, the organizers plan to continue the workshops as part of a formal research program and hope that similar practices can be adopted across universities and Canada to address both mental health and sustainability challenges.
