Retreating To Nature In A Quest For Knowledge

The very meaning of retreat is to withdraw or move back from something. That’s what I did in late 2020 when I relocated from Victoria, British Columbia, to Galiano, a small Southern Gulf Island on the west coast.

I was getting bogged down in the chaos of that city; its politics and bureaucracy were exhausting. The pandemic had also reared its ugly head, and Victoria began to fall into a deep coma.

Living on Galiano Island was the perfect escape from all the pandemonium. Naturally, I took it one step further and decided to go off the grid and begin a new existence in one of the most remote areas of the island. That first winter was the harshest since making the move, and with no electricity or running water, it tested me in many ways.

Perhaps this is what we need sometimes. To retreat from our cities and the everyday routine of alarm clocks, endless traffic and noise, boardrooms and bright lights.

Galiano Island

When you live amongst the trees and can walk through lush rainforest to the sea in less than 20 minutes, you gain a new perspective on the environment. When your passion has always been the built environment, living this way provides a new lens to look through. The learning curve has been steep and incredibly rewarding.

Typically, when someone experiences these radical shifts, they learn from them. It’s a gift!  And for me, there’s nothing better than to share these gifts. Living in and with nature is rejuvenating, and I believe those of us dedicated to this field need that from time to time.

I’m inviting 12 built environment practitioners from around the world to join me on Galiano Island from October 20- 22nd. We will share our experiences, stories and depart rejuvenated and eager to continue the work we are all passionate about. This inaugural retreat will be held at Bodega Ridge, known for its incredible location and service.

Harrison Ford put it best in his recent acceptance speech when he received a Lifetime Achievement Award, and said: “We get to explore ideas that affirm and elevate our shared experience.”

Essentially, these 12 practitioners will be double-agents. In other words, our special guests, too. We will all spend time together in a place often referred to as the gem of the Gulf Islands.

Register Here

Join me and let’s reimagine the possibilities – together.

Photo Credit

Photo is by Steve Woolrich

First published at Safe Pathways

Guest Author Bio
Steve Woolrich

Steve Woolrich is an award-winning Crime Prevention and Built Environment Practitioner. He is passionate about creating safe and healthy communities and has always considered himself a ‘boots on the ground’ consultant.

Steve’s background is extremely diverse and after graduating from Justice Administration at Mount Royal University and majoring in Police Science he has worked closely with many communities and police services throughout Canada. He is a certified Crime Prevention through Environmental Design specialist, and was a co-founder and the Vice President of CPTED Canada. Steve utilized this methodology and other best practices in many roles throughout his career, including corporate security and asset protection.

Steve is proud to have worked closely with the Alberta Government and was part of their provincial Gang Reduction Network, working as the Central Alberta lead. It was during this time he became a trained Circle Facilitator and continues to use this process to engage with communities, and with youth.

Steve founded the largest Community Safety and Well-Being collaborative in Canada – known as the Safer Communities Collaborative (formerly Rethink Urban). He co-created a Full SPECTRUM approach to Community Safety and Well-Being, fusing best practices such as CPTED, Placemaking and BC’s Healthy Built Environment Toolkit to address a wide range of built environment challenges in both rural and urban communities.

Steve was the recipient of the 2023 Public Health Association of BC’s Award of Merit for his work in communities throughout BC. He is semi-retired and lives off-grid on Galiano Island in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. He enjoys hiking, archery, and writing, and is currently compiling a book highlighting four decades of work in various roles and his passion for the built environment.

Blog / Website: Safe Pathways