The Wise Woods Project

What began as a simple test of a vision—could a patch of woodland become a place of belonging, reflection, and shared wisdom?—has quietly grown into something far richer.

Today, that seed of The Wise Woods Project has become White Ennox Woods: a thriving, living hub for wellbeing and sustainable living. What was once an experiment is now home to a diverse community of practitioners—forest schools, forest bathing, cancer and hospice groups, a community allotment, and more—each rooted in a shared relationship with the land.

Along the way, the woodland has been our teacher.

We’ve learned how to tend compost loos, hold space in wind and rain, work with (and sometimes against) the persistence of weeds, and slowly support the land in its own rewilding. We’ve learned to listen—to the rhythms of the seasons, and to the many more-than-human residents who call this place home.

Most of all, we’ve learned what becomes possible when people gather, regularly and intentionally, in nature.

A living experiment

Over the past two years, our seasonal celebrations—rooted in the Wheel of the Year—have offered a space for people to pause, reconnect, and remember what matters.

We gathered not only stories, but data.

Across a year of reflections, participants reported an average:

• 330% Surge in ‘Happy’ Feelings – nature connection fuels happiness
• 50% improvement in mind, body, and soul wellbeing – the impact is big
• 60% Increase in Body Nourishment –  highlights nature’s physical impact

A simple truth, quietly evidenced: time in nature restores us—deeply, and without side effects. A full report from this living experiment is available as a free download.

How it began

The project began when Sue Judge and Michelle came together to co-create seasonal celebrations. At the time, Michelle was stepping onto a Druid path, while Sue was deepening her work in eco-therapy.

Neither could have predicted what would grow from that meeting.

What emerged was not just a programme of events, but a community—intergenerational, grounded, and gently transformative.

Where we are now

As our project comes to an end and the White Ennox Woods continues to flourish under its new stewardship, our role here is evolving.

We will be holding our final seasonal celebration in the woods at Beltane, May 2026—a moment to honour what has been and all that is continuing to grow beyond us.

And this is not an ending.

We will continue to gather in the woods through our monthly Soul Seeds fire circle, alongside pop-up events and collaborations—including a forthcoming “How to Grow Mushrooms” course with Tasha from Land Food Medicine.

Our wider vision

This was always more than a single place.

The Wise Woods Project began as a prototype—a way of learning what it takes to create accessible, community-rooted spaces for wellbeing in nature.

We carry these learnings forward: into new places, new partnerships, and a growing network of spaces where people can reconnect—with themselves, each other, and the living world