During these times of uncertainty, we like to share ways for you and our community to stay connected to nature anytime and anywhere to prepare, comfort and inspire.
Nature Is Waiting
Fjällräven's Guide program partners with people in our community who embody the values of our brand – have a passion for nature, a deep regard for sustainability, and respect for humans, animals and our environment.
Each one of our guides hold different backgrounds and experiences and cherish sharing knowledge and passions with others through events, education and exchange of stories.
"Inspiring the world to walk with nature” is more than our mission- it’s an invitation to get closer to nature by joining our guides in our brand centers and communities as they teach us how to connect with nature in our own unique way.
In her own words, please meet our Fjällräven Banff guide, Alyse Van Ramele.
Nature is and has always been a part of me, It lives and breathes within my DNA. Growing up in small towns close to nature, I played in the creeks - barefoot and wild. In these creeks is where nature and I became friends. Little did I know how much I would rely on this intimate friend later on in life.
In my early adolescent years, I was diagnosed with a chronic pain disease to which I found difficult to treat. I re-connected into my what I knew best and re-found my comforting companion with nature ultimately educating and nourishing myself to good health. It is because of this earthly practice, after a few years, that I am now able to live a fulfilling and almost pain free life.
Since then, I continue with my studies ensuring a formal education in botanical properties and plant biology. In addition to my studies as one half of my practice, the other half is aimed to wake up and connect people intimately with their own personal relationship to nature through teaching. It’s important for me to highlight that we are not only a part of nature but that we play a part in nature, inherently. Although I teach to all different audiences, working with children is my absolute dream. I love teaching kids to help understand their own personal connection with nature showing them that nature not only helps us, but that we all can help in return.
I truly believe that we are all inter-connected with our environment naturally, and now is the most relevant and important time to acknowledge and act on this. In addition to teaching, I travel both regionally and globally to collaborate with other crafters and practitioners of the same belief within different cultures. As a group we share each other’s wisdom of taking care of nature and how nature takes care of us. Together we develop workshops where we teach kids skills and knowledge so that they can learn and apply this wisdom within their local communities instilling inspiration, curiosity, resilience and self-awareness.
As a Fjällräven guide Alyse leads plant walks teaching identification and proper harvesting. She hosts pop-up parties both virtually and safely in person to help educate her community on local species and their properties. Currently, Alyse is working on incorporating more family-based educational settings with activities pointing to a lifestyle immersed in nature and to what role we humans have to help nature intrinsically thrive