Plant Walk: Life among the stones
Join us for something a little different: a plant walk exploring the rich biodiversity of St. James Cemetery in Gatineau.
Life Among the Stones invites participants to slow down, look closely, and discover the natural beauty growing among the gravestones. These walks are a gentle, meaningful way to connect with the land, the past, and the present as we remember our beloved dead.
Local herbalist and botanical educator Amber Westfall of The Wild Garden, will be our guide and help us see cemeteries as places where life can also flourish.
Presented in collaboration with Conservation Burial Ottawa, Community Deathcare Ottawa, En Terre Outaouais and Dehors Ensemble.
Details:
🗓️Sunday, June 14
⏰2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
📍St. James Cemetery, Gatineau
🎟️Free to attend (donations for Amber Westfall are gratefully accepted)
☔️Rain or shine, except in cases of extreme weather (such as lightning)
🚲The cemetery is located near the William Commanda pedestrian and cycling bridge.
💗All are welcome
What to Expect:
A guided educational plant walk through the cemetery grounds
Conversations about local ecology, medicinal and wild plants, and biodiversity
Reflections on grief, remembrance, and our relationship to the land
Moderate walking on uneven terrain
A welcoming space for curiosity, learning, and quiet connection
About the Collaborators:
Conservation Burial Ottawa is a local volunteer-led initiative working to advance conservation and natural burial options in the National Capital Region while fostering conversations about death, ecology, and our relationship with the land.
En Terre Outaouais, a kindred natural burial advocacy group working to bring conservation and natural burial options to residents across Quebec.
Community Deathcare Ottawa is a grassroots collective creating space for more open, compassionate, and community-rooted conversations around death, dying, grief, and caregiving through gatherings, education, and mutual support.