Celebrate Earth Day 2022 with Us!
Interested in learning about native edible and medicinal plants on Southern Vancouver Island?
Join us for a special Earth Day Native Plant Tour on Friday April 22 from 11am to 1pm in Colwood, B.C.
Promotional pricing is on a sliding scale: from 15$ to 40$ per guest.
Limited space available. Contact us now to save your spot and get details!
You can eat that!
Tree of Life Eco-tours proudly offers inspiring and memorable wild plant education tours in forested spaces around southern Vancouver Island.
Enjoy hands-on, in the field experience so you can learn to identify and compare, harvest and prepare local wild edible plants for food or medicine.
Touch, smell and taste wild plants in a safe and open learning environment.
Tree of Life Eco-tour's intention is to encourage solid, sustainable connections between people and the plant world so that we can gain a deeper understanding of our place in the natural world.
"The clearest way into the Universe is through the forest wilderness"- John Muir
Which Plants Call your Name?
Are you curious about the natural world? Have you ever walked by a plant and wondered what kind of plant it is? Have you ever asked, “Can I eat that plant or is it poisonous?” Do plants ever call you over to take a closer look and maybe a quick photo?
We possess an innate curiosity about the knowledge of those who came before us; hunting in and gathering from the natural world, living as a part of the the natural world, rather than alongside it.
Feed that curiosity! Fill your spirit with the plant knowledge of our ancestors and align yourself within the natural world. Your mind and body will benefit immeasurably.
Join us for an unforgettable forest experience for a guided
Edible and Medicinal Wild Plant Walk
and a delicious cup of wild, sustainable and locally harvested
tree tea!
Just What the Doctor Ordered!
Nature Walks for Physical Health
A walk a day keeps the Doctor away! We have been told that walking in nature is good for our physical health.
To get our legs moving, our hearts beating and lungs working, lowering blood pressure and our risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke. To breath in pure oxygen directly respirated from the tall trees, as well as organic chemicals (phytoncides) released by plants, boosting our immunities and encouraging restful sleep. Our bodies have evolved to move, walk and run amongst the trees or under an open sky. Like those people who came before us; to be healthy we need to spend time outdoors taking in natural sights, sounds and fresh air.
Now add another element to your forest walk where you can nurture your physical body AND enjoy the bounty of the forest’s offerings of food and medicine… Maybe even harvest some forest food or ingredients for tree tee!
Before you head out to enjoy the bounty, you need to know what is edible and how to prepare it. Booking a wild edible and medicinal plant tour with Tree of Life Eco-tours is an excellent place to begin learning!
Nature Walks for Mental Health
Many well-known studies show that walking in nature significantly lowers stress hormone levels and facilitates the release of feel- good hormones. By reducing stress, we can improve our mental health.
Humankind has co-evolved with nature, walking amongst the trees and under the sky, gathering food and medicine, getting our hands dirty and nurturing our spirits. Spending time walking outdoors helps us to unplug from the chaotic world and practice mindfulness, allowing creativity and focus to surface while alleviating stress, depression and anxiety and leading to a restful nighttime sleep. Walking encourages deeper breathing and impacts the nervous system leaving our mental state healthier than before we entered the forest. This is what we were meant to do. Our brains are wired to thrive in nature. Only in the past century has our culture disconnected from the natural world and outsourced our gathering of food and medicine, trading the great outdoors for the living room.
Learning your food and medicine plants can nudge you closer to your primal nature and better mental health! A great place to begin learning is to book a wild edible and medicinal plant tour with Tree of Life Eco-Tours.
“Tabitha’s knowledge and enthusiasm for native plants and their ethnobotany is infectious! Articulate, fun, and experienced with groups of all ages, Tabitha is the perfect guide to introduce you to the wonderful world of these native species and how they can be identified, enjoyed and even stewarded.”
“This is an exceptional nature experience with an expert guide. She really knows the territory and can guide you on just the nature walk that fits your level. Her friendliness and obvious enthusiasm for the nature was evident from the start. I learned a lot and also ended with a sense of having experienced forest and nature “therapy”.”
“Tabitha is a knowledgeable and altogether delightful guide to all things botanical and mycological.”