Nature Sacred exists to inspire, inform and guide communities in the creation of public green spaces—called Sacred Places—designed to improve mental health, unify communities and engender peace. Through a collaborative, community-led process and an evidence-based design model, each Sacred Place is bonded together by a common goal: to reconnect people with nature in ways that foster mindful reflection, restore mental health and strengthen communities. As each community imagines its own space, the design becomes a unique reflection of the community’s culture, story and place—making it inherently sacred to them.

This certification program is intended to give an introduction to the tools necessary to help guide community members through the various stages of this process and to design the Sacred Place. The program will discuss our model, our approach, and our network; we will show examples of past built projects to reinforce how Nature Sacred’s goals to engage community and create a reflective space were met in each project.