Mission and Values
The Center for Humans & Nature’s mission is to explore and promote human responsibilities in relation to nature—the whole community of life.
Our mission is the foundation for programming for Humans & Nature Press and Humans & Nature Farm. The following statements further articulate the core principles and values guiding the Center’s work:
Learning from the Wisdom of Nature
The Earth’s capacity to nurture life and support its generative processes both sustains and informs the work of Humans & Nature Press and Humans & Nature Farm.
Listening to and observing the land at the Center’s home in Libertyville, Illinois guides our land care practices, as well as why and how we grow and harvest.
We carry forward the legacy of Center for Humans & Nature founder, Strachan Donnelley, a self-described “fly-fishing philosopher.”
We are committed to listening deeply to our Indigenous colleagues who carry knowledge about human relationships with this land.
Sharing Diverse Sources of Knowledge & Inspiration
Through our publications, programs, and communications, we offer in-depth and diverse perspectives about what it means to be human in an interconnected world.
Humans & Nature Press and Humans & Nature Farm share the same starting point—asking big questions and encouraging curiosity and creativity in response.
Through our events and gatherings, we hope to offer a welcoming and thought-provoking space for participants to cultivate meaning and connection with the living world.
Rooting Land Practices in Care & Community
We are committed to farming and land care practices that are reciprocal and regenerative, rooted in ecological sciences and land-based cultural traditions.
Insights from Humans & Nature Press contributors and other partners help shape our evolving land care and farming work, including how to practice intentional and sustainable harvests.
