Nature Connected
Why "Nature Connected"?
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​People often talk about humans and nature as if there is a clear separation. Common ideologies suggest that humans must be able to tame nature to be able to thrive in this world. Many of us have learned to expect that the natural world should provide us with everything we need or want to live comfortably.
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But we are a part of nature. We are nature in the way a tree is nature.
"Nature Connected" refers to humans and the rest of nature coming together.​
Ken Ouendag (he/him)
Founder & Certified Forest Therapy Guide
​Born and raised in Winnipeg, MB—the heart of Canada, Ken felt called to the West Coast to live alongside the mountains, ocean, and rainforest. Ken trained with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) to become Vancouver's first Certified Forest Therapy Guide in 2017. In 2022, he relocated to Calgary, AB where he continues offering public and private nature-based programs designed to support health and well-being, inviting people to explore and deepen their relationships with the natural world.
​​​Ken discovered ANFT's forest therapy guide training after completing numerous outdoor education and guiding programs with organizations including NOLS and Outward Bound. He gained experience offering nature-based programming to adults of all ages while working in Recreation Therapy in long-term care, hospital, and community outreach settings. Building on his experiences in nature-based programming and Recreation Therapy, Ken is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology to deepen his ability to support others.
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Ken trains and mentors forest therapy guides-in-training enrolled in training programs with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT). He also works as an ANFT Certified Trails, Spaces & Places Consultant. He represented guides in the Prairie Provinces as a board member with Nature and Forest Therapy of Canada (NFTC) from 2020-2024.
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Perhaps unsurprisingly, Ken attempts to spend as much time outdoors as possible in his free time. He is happiest exploring by foot or bicycle. Having completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training in India in 2013, he continues to prioritize yoga and movement in his daily life. Every year, he looks forward to the ground thawing to get his hands in the soil, planting and caring for flowers and edible plants. In the summer of 2024, Ken participated in his second vision fast with the School of Lost Borders.
A Vision for the Future
A world awakens where people see the deep value of reconnecting with nature. Rather than being pulled endlessly into screens, they choose to slow down—to notice the way sunlight dances through the trees, the scent of wildflowers, or the steady presence of the land beneath their feet.
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They will come to realize that nature does not judge—a tree is not concerned with job titles, status, or identity. Whether in a forest, by a river, or under an open sky, everyone will feel welcome and supported in being their authentic selves.​
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As this connection deepens, loneliness fades. People begin to feel the quiet companionship of the Earth and all the beings we share it with. A vibrant community of nature-connected individuals grows—rooted in presence, reciprocity, and wonder.
The Mission of Nature Connected
To offer a doorway into the embrace of the natural world—where everyone is welcome exactly as they are. Whether someone is taking their first steps into forest therapy or deepening a lifelong relationship with nature, our walks are an open invitation to slow down, notice, and connect.
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As guides, we do not prescribe outcomes or seek a particular experience. Instead, we trust in the practice of forest therapy, in each person’s ability to choose what serves them, and in the quiet wisdom of the natural world to offer what is needed. Every step is an offering, and every moment holds the possibility of connection—not just with nature, but with oneself.
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With care, empathy, and authenticity, we hold space for whatever arises—joy, stillness, wonder, grief—because all of it belongs. We honour each experience as part of the unfolding relationship between people and the living world.
