Swaner Nature Preserve and Eco Center. Photo: Michele Roepke // TownLift

PARK CITY, Utah — The Mountain Mediation Center for Restorative Justice (MMC) and Utah State University Extension’s Park City Swaner Nature Preserve and Ecocenter will host Nurturing Nature, a talk about how your beliefs, values, experiences, or religion shape your role in caring for nature.

The event will take place on Thursday, July 25, from 6-7:30 p.m., and is intended to be a community conversation on weaving personal values into environmental stewardship.

Register for the event or donate to the nonprofit here. Kris Campbell, MMC program director told TownLift, “We ask people to register so we can plan appropriately. The event is free to attend.”

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For several years, MMC has hosted an ongoing series of live and virtual bilingual community conversations. The aim is to foster new relationships, share perspectives, and build a stronger sense of shared community.

The community conversations are modeled after restorative community-building circles. Participants meet in small groups, each accompanied by a Spanish-language interpreter. An MMC volunteer trained in restorative justice practices facilitates the discussion, enabling everyone to listen and to share their experiences and insights.

Some conversations are preceded by a brief panel discussion to provide background information and current research/data to help frame the discussion. However, in these community conversations, there are no “experts.” Each participant’s lived experience has equal value and adds to the richness and diversity of the discussion.

The Circle is a fundamental form in the practice of restorative justice. It is rooted in the ancient tradition of sitting together around the warmth and safety of a fire to share food, stories and enjoy each other’s company.

“In dominant Western culture, we often organize ourselves in rows, facing the leader of a meeting, presentation or class. The Circle, in which everyone sits facing one another in a position of equal authority, is by its nature more inclusive and more conducive to relationship-building,” said a statement from the MMC.

“Restorative Justice Circles are highly structured, intentional spaces in which people share their experiences, thoughts, and feelings,” said a statement from the MMC. “They require active listening and promote the development of understanding and empathy for the purpose of community building, collaborative problem solving, resolving conflicts and repairing harm.”

MMC offers its services to individuals, organizations, schools, and businesses primarily within Summit and Wasatch Counties.

MMC strives to be a safe and non-judgmental environment for people who are experiencing a conflict with family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, or within organizations. They offer our services at reduced fees for clients with financial needs.