Forest Bathing with WiWiC and Christine Klessig

Join Wisconsin Women in Conservation for a day of slowing down, connecting with one another, and experiencing the woods in a new way at Christine Klessig’s New Hopestead Farm.

Set among 90 acres of conserved woodland, New Hopestead Farm offers a beautiful setting to explore our relationships with the land and with each other. Our time together will center on a guided forest bathing experience led by Kristen Roman of One Tree Forest Therapy.

Despite the name, forest bathing doesn’t involve water or swimming! Inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, forest bathing is an intentional practice of slowing down and experiencing the natural world through the senses. Rather than hiking with a destination in mind or learning to identify plants and wildlife, participants are invited to notice, listen, wander, rest, and be present with the landscape around them. Kristen will guide us through a series of gentle invitations designed to help us quiet the mental chatter of everyday life, awaken our senses, and deepen our connection with the living world. No previous experience is needed, and there is no “right” way to forest bathe. Come as you are and allow yourself some time to simply be in the woods.

New to Forest Bathing? Get a sense with this video:

As is tradition at WiWiC events, we’ll also gather in a Learning Circle, creating space to meet one another and share our own experiences with land, conservation, and stewardship. Following our time in the woods, we’ll share a potluck meal and take an informal tour of New Hopestead Farm gardens, prairie, rotational grazing paddocks and bat houses. 

Please bring a potluck dish or dessert to share, along with your own plate/bowl/silverware, a reusable water bottle, and a camp chair. Think camp! We’re here to reduce waste and honor the earth. WiWiC Host:

Christine Klessig has been involved in conservation and land stewardship for many decades. Last year, she received WiWiC’s Hive Connector Award, which recognizes a woman who serves as a vital resource and brings others together around conservation.

Christine owns and tends New Hopestead Farm, where 90 acres of woodland have benefited from decades of participation in forestry programs. Christine and her late husband, Lowell, also placed the property under a conservation easement to help preserve its unique character and protect the land for future generations.

WiWiC Facilitators:

Christine Johnson, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute Farmer Education Coordinator and WiWiC Regional Coordinator

Dr. Esther S. Durairaj, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute Education Director and WiWiC Project Lead

For more information about this event, please contact Christine at cjohnson@michaelfields.org; (262) 642-3303 ext. 107 Presenter:

Kristen Roman, One Tree Forest Therapy

Kristen is a certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide trained through the Association of Nature 

and Forest Therapy (ANFT), and an ANFT certified Trails, Spaces and Places Consultant. She works with  land managers interested in establishing certified sites intentionally designed to support safe, immersive, multi-sensory forest therapy experiences.

In 2018, Kristen's search for a respite from the noise of the city and the demands of a high-stress  profession led her to a peaceful, 40-acre forested property about an hour north of Madison, WI  that she now calls home. It is here - on land rich with life and quiet wisdom - that she deepened  her relationship with nature. Today it's also home to One Tree Forest Therapy, where Kristen  partners with the forest to offer guided walks, workplace and community retreats, and  unique collaborations with other wellness practitioners. Many walks take place on her private forested property—a quiet, beautiful space that offers peaceful trails, diverse ecosystems, and a strong sense of invitation. However, walks can also be  conducted at other locations, including nearby state parks, local nature preserves, arboretums,  public green spaces, and even virtually through online platforms.

If you have a location in mind or are seeking a walk closer to where you are, she is happy to work with you to find a setting that  supports the experience. Whether you're seeking a quiet, personal journey or a shared experience with others, each walk  provides a gentle, sensory-rich opportunity to slow down, be present, and reconnect—with yourself, with each other, and with nature. Kristen's mission is simple: to create space for people to slow down, awaken their senses, and be present with nature. The forest takes care of the rest.

What To Expect:

• To network with other local women around shared dreams, challenges, and experiences with conservation.

• To participate in a guided forest bathing experience and explore a slower, sensory-based way of connecting with the natural world.

• To learn about the WiWiC project and opportunities that exist for women landowners to implement conservation practices

• To spend significant time outdoors in the woods and around the farm. Please dress accordingly. We recommend long pants, closed-toe walking shoes, sunscreen, and a sunhat. We are grateful to Dr. Sarah's Essentials for donating herbal bug spray.

• To explore New Hopestead Farm and hear about Christine’s decades of conservation and stewardship work.

• To share a potluck lunch. Bring a dish to share and your own plate/bowl/silverware - and chair! 

• A bathroom is available in the house, and the garage will provide shelter if needed. Weather permitting, we will gather outdoors for introductions and use the garage for our potluck meal.

  
  

Event Details:

• Event is free to attend but registration is required and space is limited.

• WiWiC events follow a Learning Circle model, with ample time and a safe space for story sharing, networking and collaborative learning. We all have something to both share and learn together.

• WiWiC is a family-friendly space, and you are welcome to bring your children.

  
  

Photos are taken at WiWiC events to help amplify the work being done by Wisconsin's women land stewards, and to help promote future events. Your registration grants consent for your photo to be taken and used for these purposes. 

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About Wisconsin Women in Conservation

WiWiC is a state-wide collaborative effort led by the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in partnership with state and federal conservation agencies, local organizations, and other farm advocacy groups. WiWiC brings together Wisconsin's women landowners, farmers, farm workers, urban growers, and conservation professionals to connect and share about conservation practices, resources, and funding opportunities.

About Michael Fields Agricultural Institute

MFAI is a non-profit organization that has been cultivating resiliency through research, education, and policy work since 1984. With a broad coalition of public and private partners, The Institute supports farmers, food systems and communities in the Upper Midwest and beyond through a range of programs and initiatives. We believe agriculture can sustain both human and ecosystem health, while advancing food security, independence, and justice. Follow along on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news and events.