When we care for local ecosystems — domesticated and wild, human and more-than human — it is not only healing for those ecosystems, but healing for ourselves. Whether planting native wildflowers in our yard, learning how to cook with local plants and herbs, or volunteering with a wildlife rehabilitation center, when our hands and hearts are helping, we cultivate intimacy with land and build valuable community. Hosted by Project Coyote’s Artists for Wild Nature Ambassador, Vanessa Chakour, this webinar series will welcome guests who will guide us towards everyday actions we can take to nourish the earth around us, in turn nourishing ourselves and our communities.
In our current culture of excessive extraction and consumption, it is a radical act to pause and turn inward to reflect on what nourishes our wellbeing. In each webinar, Vanessa and her guest will lead discussions around how we can find balance between meaningful action and meaningful being, the pressure of productivity and the necessity of play, and the release of creative expression and feeding that expression with nourishing input. We are thrilled to offer this series to our community and look forward to welcoming you to the conversation.
Webinar Schedule
February 18, 2025: Animal Personhood for Compassionate Coexistence with Brandon Keim (no recording available)
This webinar welcomed Brandon Keim, independent journalist specializing in science, nature and animals, Brandon’s work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Atlantic and Nautilus. His latest book, Meet The Neighbors: Animal Minds and Life in a More-Than-Human World is about animal personhood — knowing them as thinking, feeling beings — and our relationships to wild animals and to nature.
April 8, 2025: Nurturing Multi-Species Communities Through Regenerative Landscapes with Owen Wormser (watch recording)
Landscape architect Owen Wormser joined us for a conversation about creating biodiverse, wildlife-friendly spaces in our backyards and communities. Owen has accumulated twenty years of experience designing and building gardens as well as training individuals, managing crews and working with volunteers in landscape installations. Owen’s book, Lawns into Meadows: Growing a Regenerative Landscape, was the winner of the 2020 Nautilus Award for “better books for a better world.”
May 20, 2025: Learning from other-than-human creatures about loss, love, and resilience with Chelsea Steinauer-Scudder (watch recording)
This webinar featured a thought-provoking conversation with guest Chelsea Steinauer-Scudder, author of Mother, Creature, Kin. Vanessa and Chelsea discussed some of the life lessons we can learn from nature, including how to create a nurturing environment for our children as well as for non-human animals and nature, and how to find joy and hope amidst ecological devastation and turn it into action.
August 12, 2025: Building an appreciation for and relationship with non-human animals and the natural world with Dr. Michael W. Fox (watch recording)
Vanessa and Michael will guide a conversation about how to increase our understanding of, and appreciation for, other animals, in order to build stronger relationships with nature and improve our health and well-being in the process. Dr. Michael W. Fox, DSc, PhD, BVet Med, MRCVS is a well-known veterinarian, former vice president of The Humane Society of the United States, former vice president of Humane Society International, and the author of more than 40 books on animal care and behavior, and bioethics. He is also the father of Project Coyote’s Founder, Camilla Fox!
September 9, 2025: How to Foster Wellbeing in Humans and Nature, with Dr. Darcia Narvaez (watch recording)
Join this webinar for a meaningful discussion on science, culture, wisdom, and morality with guest Dr. Darcia Narvaez, author of Restoring the Kinship Worldview and Evolved Nest. Vanessa and Darcia will speak about reexamining our own systems of nurturing, understanding, and caring for our young and one another based on nature and Indigenous frameworks.
November 18, 2025: What Traditional Ecological Knowledge Can Teach Us About Carnivore Coexistence, with Dr. Cristina Eisenberg
Join Project Coyote Ambassador Vanessa Chakour and renowned scholar Dr. Cristina Eisenberg for part six of our webinar series, where we will discuss Traditional Ecological Knowledge in the context of carnivore coexistence and ecological restoration.
Upcoming Webinars
- December 9: Erica Berry
