Meet your guide…

Outlook

I am a Forest Bathing Guide in Western Massachusetts and I lead Forest Bathing walks for individuals, families, and groups as well as schools and non-profits. I also offer Forest Bathing and Ecological Art making workshops for children and adults and plant identification walks where participants can learn about the ecological and medicinal characteristics of local plant communities and how to integrate those plants into their bodies and landscapes.

I am an artist, educator, and certified forest therapy guide through the ANFT. I guide walks because I am inspired by the diverse stories we all carry within and how those narrative threads interweave within the fabric of a given place.  My guide practice integrates my years as an herbalist, landscape designer and sculptor and is an organic evolution of my passion for giving people new ways to connect with themselves and their communities. I believe that slowing down reveals ecologies, stories and processes that support and nourish us all everyday. Witnessing, immersing and listening can allow us the chance to replenish ourselves on our own time – separate from the momentary immediacy of our social media- infused culture. I care deeply about the long-term relationship a person or community enjoys with place and look forward to listening to the stories people and place share on the walks and workshops I facilitate.

Biography

Todd has a degree in medieval garden literature and studio art from Bowdoin College and completed the post-baccalaureate program in painting and environmental art at the Maryland Institute, College of Art in Baltimore. He holds a Masters in Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a Masters in Ecological Planning and Design from the Conway School of Landscape Design. Todd is certified in Health Care Garden Design, Community Herbalism and as a forest and nature therapy guide. He has served on the board of United Plant Savers; a national organization devoted to the conservation of rare, native medicinal plants and was an active member of the Williamsburg, Massachusetts Conservation Commission for 12 years.

Todd has collaborated on health, landscape restoration and art installations across the US. He lives in Western Massachusetts. He has twice won state recognition for excellence in Science and art based education programs for schools and has received multiple Massachusetts Cultural Council grants for environmental art installation and education. Todd has also lectured at universities, garden organizations and apothecaries about medicinal plants in the landscape and has served as a design critic at the Conway School of Landscape Design, Smith College and UMass Amherst. He blogs about the intersections of landscape, wellness and art on Instagram @ecotropy. Visit www.ecotropy.net to learn more.