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City of Sydney

Plants & mental health: Urban foraging with Diego Bonetto

When

Saturday 15 October 2022 from 10am to 12pm

Join naturalist & environmental educator Diego Bonetto for a wild weed walking tour of Prince Alfred Park as part of the City’s Mental Health Month activities.

To some of us, weeds such as plantain, dandelion, chickweed and sow thistle are a nuisance, to others, they are a childhood game, a cultural connection or a seasonal treat.

Learn about the most common edible weed species growing in your garden, along the green belts of your neighbourhood and in urban parks and reserves. Find out how these weeds have been used for food, craft and natural remedies. Discover ways to identify the urban ‘wild’ and foster rewarding experiences with nature.

Diego will discuss how plants benefit mental health and how urban foraging can improve mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing.

“The return of harvesting wild foods goes well beyond the flavour of the food or the economic value of the few berries you might collect. That’s because we gain greatly when we engage with nature. The more you know about nature, the more you develop ecological empathy and the more you become involved. Foraging wild foods is empowering.”

About Diego Bonetto:

Diego Bonetto is an artist, forager, speaker, keen naturalist and award-winning cultural worker based in Sydney. His work enables convivial conversations around belonging, sustainability and agency. In other words, he offers an alternative for people to re-engage with their neighbourhoods, streets and footpaths through edible adventures. With environmental art campaigns such as WeedyConnection and Wild Stories he has shared insights into edible and medicinal wild plants in Australia and fostered culturally aware interpretations of landscape. Bonetto regularly offers workshops, foraging tours and events that reframe environmental identity and stewardship. He collaborates extensively with chefs, dancers, media art practitioners, journalists and academics, craft workers, herbalists, brewers, educators, landowners and elders of many ethnicities. Diego has been featured in a substantial amount of media including articles on Collective Hub, Marie Claire, GQ Australia, LonelyPlanet, SMH, ABC Radio and TV and SBS Radio and TV.

Meet at Prince Alfred Park at 10am sharp. The meeting point will be emailed to registered participants 2 days before the event.

  • This is a free event. Bookings are essential.

  • Intimate class size: maximum 20 participants

  • Level: designed for beginners

  • Wear: comfortable clothing and enclosed shoes 

  • All materials provided

Please see our other Mental Health Month events here

Contact event organiser

City of Sydney

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