GRAND RIVER FOOD FORESTRY
GRFF is excited to suppport & share this Epic Journey
"SANKOFA 100 MILES TO FREEDOM TOUR" 2022
CELEBRATING THE
AFRICAN DIASPORA WOMAN OF SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO
LAND OBSERVATION, PRESERVATION, REGENERATION IN RECONCILIATION
ACHIEVING GROWTH
Ecological Landscape Design
Our Services
Forests are a great example of nature’s capacity to thrive in diverse conditions.
As our need for more Restorative and Regenerative land practices grows, the forest is an excellent guide for building Ecologically Sound Landscapes & food systems.
Nicola Jane Thomas
About Me
Meet Nicola Jane Thomas
Ecological Landscape Designer
Permaculture Teacher & Community Agitator
Nicola Jane, is an award-winning Ecological Landscape Designer whose land practices mitigate climate hange, increase biodiversity & address’ food sovereignty.
She champions community capacity building, supporting ecologicaly sustainable projects. Specializing in underutilized public / private green spaces, inclusive community engagement, land acknowledgements, reconciliation, restoration, sustainability & spiritual ecology.
Her substantial achievements are rooted in mobilizing community, in mitigating climate change, connecting people to soil through permaculture practices, global indigenous agricultural knowledge & connecting with our agricultural herstory.
Nicola Jane received the (2016) Canadian Black Women Award (CIBWE), City of Kitchener Environmental Leader (2019), a Heart of the City National Park Delegate (2017), Transformative Cities Nominee (2017), is a Permaculture Design Teacher & has delivered many keynote address'
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Canadian Horitcultural Therapeutic Assocition of Canada
Speaker (2021)
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BSW, Ryerson University
Keynote Speaker (2021)
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ECO Boosters
Speaker (2020)
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Carolinian Canada Toronto Conference
Speaker (2020)
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Local Food and Farm Co-ops Keynote Speaker (2020)
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Toronto Horticultural Society
Keynote Speaker (2019)
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Guelph Organic Conference
Speaker (2019)
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Baden Horticultural Society
Keynote Speaker (2019)
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Heart Of The City Conference
Speaker (2019)
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Living Soils Symposium
Speaker (2019)
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EECOM Conference, University of Saskatchewan
Speaker (2019)
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Agricultural Show
Guest Speaker (2018)
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Place Based Food Systems Conference Presenter (2018)
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Environmental Geography, University of Waterloo
Keynote Speaker (2018)
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Faculty & Staff, Laurier University
Keynote Speaker (2018)
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Waterloo Horticultural Society
Keynote Speaker (2018)
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Kitchener Horticultural Society
Keynote Speaker (2017)
ECOLOGICAL LANDSCAPES
Talks
Global Indigenous Land Practices, Climate Mitigation, Increase Biodiversity, Spiritual Ecology & Land Reconciliation
ECOLOGICAL PLACEMAKING
Projects
FORESTS ARE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF NATURE'S CAPACITY TO THRIVE IN DIVERSE CONDITIONS.
AS OUR NEED FOR MORE RESTORATIVE & REGENERATIVE LAND PRACTICES GROWS THE FOREST IS AN EXCELLENT GUIDE FOR BUILDING ECOLOGICALLY SOUND LANDSCAPES, AS WELL AS FOOD SYSTEMS.
CONNECTING COMMUNITY TO SOIL,.CREATING SPACES OF INCLUSION, REFLECTION, RELAXATION, EDUCATIONAL TOURS, MEDICINAL HERBS, WILDLIFE HABITAT, POLLINATOR HEDGES & PERMACULTURE TEACHINGS.
Asante
Our Supporters
"NICOLA IS A TRUE "COMMUNITY BUILDER" SKILLED AT TEACHING AND LEADING. BOTH PROJECTS WERE EFFECIENTLY ORGANIZED. IT WAS GREAT TO SEE NICOLA INCLUDE KIDS, OLDER FOLKS AND PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE DISABILITIES. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO BUILD COMMUNITY AND TEAM SPIRIT,
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND NICOLA.
- STEVE SNIDER
Horizons
- AMANDA FARQUHARA
Meadowlane School Council
"LEARNING ABOUT BIOMIMICRY, PERMACULTURE, AND THE EASE OF NO TILL GARDENING FROM NICOLA INSPIRED ME, NOT ONLY TO CREATE MY OWN FOOD FOREST IN MY GARDEN, BUT ALSO TO CO - LEAD ANOTHER COMMUNITY PROJECT TO BUILD A LARGE POLLINATOR GARDEN IN A LOCAL PARK."
"NICOLA'S GARDEN WAS FEATURED ON GARDEN KITCHENER JULY 2018 TOUR WHERE MEMBERS COULD SEE MANY OF HER PRACTICES INCORPORATED INTO HER GARDEN. SHE WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE STONE SOUP FOR BUTTERFLIES PROJECT 2019-20. NICOLA HAS EDUCATED, MOTIVATED AND INSPIRED MANY PEOPLE TO ACT IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY BENEFICAL WAY."
- SUSAN FULOP
Kitchener Horticulural Society
SANKOFA ; "TO GO BACK & FETCH LOST KNOWLEDGE
