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Mindful of Nature supports a diverse range of audiences who can benefit from cultivating a meaningful relationship with the natural world through mindfulness-based practices. Our programs serve elders, youth, and young adults seeking resilience, purpose, and emotional well-being, as well as first responders, health care workers, teachers, veterans, and other service professionals navigating stress and burnout. We also engage leaders, environmental stewards, activists, and change-makers committed to ecological care and social responsibility. In addition, we seek to reach individuals and communities with limited access to nature, helping broaden opportunities for connection and restoration in the natural world. Across all offerings, Mindful of Nature is grounded in a strong commitment to inclusivity, welcoming participants of all races, religions, gender identities, and ability statuses.
First responders and other service professionals.
  • Park Rangers & Conservation Officers – Respond to emergencies in parks, including search and rescue or wildlife incidents. Handle emergencies related to wildlife, environment, and poaching enforcement.
  • Search and Rescue Personnel – Locate and assist people in wilderness or disaster scenarios.
  • Wildland Firefighters – Specialized in combating forest and wildland fires.
  • Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Members – Trained volunteers who assist professionals during climate disasters.
  • Healthcare Professionals – e.g., Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare service professionals who support the health and well-being of the community who can benefit from nature based stress reduction.
  • Public Health Emergency Responders – Including Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) who offer basic medical care and transportation to healthcare facilities, as well as paramedics who provide advanced medical care and life support in emergencies.
  • Crisis Counselors – Provide mental health support during and after traumatic events.
  • Veterans, Coast Guard, National Guard Personnel – Military service members facing challenges like PTSD, homelessness, or unemployment. Coast Guard members that responds to maritime emergencies and search-and-rescue operations. National Guard members mobilized during large-scale environmental disasters.
Leaders, change-makers and environmental visionaries and activists.
  • Visionaries & Policymakers – Individuals who imagine and articulate innovative futures for their communities or the planet. Leaders working within systems to create laws and regulations for positive change for the environment.
  • Sustainability Experts – Innovators promoting renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, or green business practices. Urban planners designing eco-friendly cities and communities.
  • Indigenous Leaders – Protectors of ancestral lands and stewards of traditional ecological knowledge.
  • Green Entrepreneurs & Tech Innovators – Founders of businesses focused on sustainability and environmental impact. Leaders creating technologies to mitigate or adapt to environmental challenges.
  • Restoration Ecologists & Conservationists – Leaders focused on rehabilitating degraded ecosystems. Protectors of natural resources, biodiversity, and ecosystems.
  • Environmental Policy Advocates & Organizers – Champions for specific environmental causes, raising awareness, building coalitions, and mobilizing resources for environmental action. Experts pushing for legislative reforms on environmental and social issues.
  • Circular Economy Advocates – Champions for reducing waste and promoting resource reuse.
  • Equity Advocates – Leaders addressing environmental justice and the equitable distribution of resources.
  • Local Grassroots Community Builders – Changemakers working directly within communities to inspire action. Facilitators who unite diverse groups for common environmental or social goals.
  • Peace builders – Leaders addressing environmental conflicts and advocating for harmony between humans and nature. Leaders addressing international issues like deforestation, ocean health, and global warming.
  • Teachers and Educators – Teachers in the primary and secondary education systems.
  • Environmental Educators – Environmental educators spreading knowledge about ecology, sustainability, and action steps.
  • Science Communicators – Translators of scientific knowledge into actionable public understanding.
  • Documentary Filmmakers – Storytellers highlighting environmental and social issues through visual media.
  • Arts & Cultural Influencers – Using art, storytelling, or media to inspire environmental and social change.
  • Intergenerational Advocates – Bridging youth and elders to create long-lasting, inclusive change.
  • Visionaries & Policymakers – Individuals who imagine and articulate innovative futures for their communities or the planet. Leaders working within systems to create laws and regulations for positive change for the environment.
  • Sustainability Experts – Innovators promoting renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, or green business practices. Urban planners designing eco-friendly cities and communities.
  • Indigenous Leaders – Protectors of ancestral lands and stewards of traditional ecological knowledge.
  • Green Entrepreneurs & Tech Innovators – Founders of businesses focused on sustainability and environmental impact. Leaders creating technologies to mitigate or adapt to environmental challenges.
  • Restoration Ecologists & Conservationists – Leaders focused on rehabilitating degraded ecosystems. Protectors of natural resources, biodiversity, and ecosystems.
  • Environmental Policy Advocates & Organizers – Champions for specific environmental causes, raising awareness, building coalitions, and mobilizing resources for environmental action. Experts pushing for legislative reforms on environmental and social issues.
  • Circular Economy Advocates – Champions for reducing waste and promoting resource reuse.
  • Equity Advocates – Leaders addressing environmental justice and the equitable distribution of resources.
  • Local Grassroots Community Builders – Changemakers working directly within communities to inspire action. Facilitators who unite diverse groups for common environmental or social goals.
  • Peace builders – Leaders addressing environmental conflicts and advocating for harmony between humans and nature. Leaders addressing international issues like deforestation, ocean health, and global warming.
  • Teachers and Educators – Teachers in the primary and secondary education systems.
  • Environmental Educators – Environmental educators spreading knowledge about ecology, sustainability, and action steps.
  • Science Communicators – Translators of scientific knowledge into actionable public understanding.
  • Documentary Filmmakers – Storytellers highlighting environmental and social issues through visual media.
  • Arts & Cultural Influencers – Using art, storytelling, or media to inspire environmental and social change.
  • Intergenerational Advocates – Bridging youth and elders to create long-lasting, inclusive change.
Youth and young adults, focusing on their diverse roles, characteristics, and life stages.
  • Adolescents – Typically aged 12–18, navigating the transition from childhood to adulthood.
  • Young Adults – Usually aged 18–25, beginning to establish independence and identity.
  • At-Risk, Runaway or Homeless Youth – Facing challenges such as poverty, family instability, or exposure to violence. Lacking stable housing and support systems. Young people facing significant challenges such as poverty, family instability, or exposure to violence. Kids in the foster system who lack stable family support.
  • Youth Leaders – Advocating for peers and taking leadership in community or school activities. Young change-makers inspiring their generation to take action.
  • Peer Educators and Mentors in Training – Sharing knowledge and support within their age group. Learning leadership and guidance roles to support peers or younger individuals.
  • Gap Year Participants, Interns, Entry-Level Workers – Taking time to travel, volunteer, or try new experiences, lifestyles, and ideas to define their identities before continuing education or career paths. Gaining work experience frequently in their first full-time jobs.
  • Youth Volunteers and Activists – Contributing to community or causes through unpaid efforts. Advocating for social, environmental, or political change.
  • Youth with Chronic Conditions – Youth who are navigating health challenges while building their futures.
Traditionally Underserved Populations.
  • LGBTQ+ Individuals – People facing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • Racial and Ethnic Minorities – Communities experiencing systemic inequalities.
  • Indigenous Peoples – Native communities with historical and ongoing inequities.
  • Individuals with Disabilities or Chronic Illnesses – People with physical, mental, or developmental challenges facing barriers to inclusion and access. Individuals with long-term or severe health conditions.
  • Seniors with Limited Support – Older adults without family or community resources. Seniors in isolated locations with limited access to services.
  • Survivors of Domestic Violence – Individuals recovering from abusive relationships.
  • Underhoused and Low-Income Families – Individuals and families living below the poverty line or struggling to meet basic needs. People lacking stable, permanent housing.
  • Unemployed and Underemployed Workers – Those unable to secure adequate or stable jobs.
  • Formerly Incarcerated Individuals – People reintegrating into society after imprisonment.
  • Immigrants and Refugees – People adjusting to life in a new country with limited resources.

How We’re Measuring Impact
Participant Surveys

To evaluate the effectiveness of our programs, we developed a structured data collection process that measure changes in participants’ well-being across six domains:

1. Emotional resilience
2. Stress and anxiety
3. Sense of connection (self, others, nature)
4. Purpose and meaning
5. Physical relaxation and presence
6. Ecological awareness

Each participant is asked to complete pre- and post-program surveys. We are also gathering feedback from partner organizations and teachers. The results will inform case studies, stories, and reports that we will share with communities, teachers, and funders.

2025 Pilot Program Impact Report