Before the village there was the Forest

There is a quiet knowing many of us carry, a sense that we are meant to live more deeply connected than we often do. The Forest Collective is an invitation to move toward that truth.

The Forest Collective is a growing network of people, choosing to be in relationship with one another in a more intentional way. It is both something being lived locally in Anchorage, Alaska, and something being slowly built, a foundation for deeper connection that can continue to grow.

At the heart of this are pods, small, consistent groups where people return to one another over time. These are simple spaces to gather, to be known, and to build trust, where connection has the chance to take root and, slowly, form the forest. Pods form around a life transitions and our common need to walk along other’s who know what we are experiencing. The Forest consists of all the pods together, a collective of individuals that is made up of different ages, life-experiences, interests and needs.

The Forest Collective is about creating the conditions for real connection to exist, honoring the different seasons of life, and building something that can hold us through them.

The pods spark connection. The Forest carries it further.

Home Pods

Within a small, consistent group, relationships have space to take root, deepen, and become something steady over time.

At times, this looks like showing up with what is present, being witnessed, supported, and understood in the middle of a life transition.

At other times, it looks like sharing the everyday, laughter, conversation, and the simple act of being together in a way that builds trust and familiarity.

It is within these smaller circles that connection becomes personal, where relationships move beyond surface and into something meaningful.

The pods create the foundation.

The Forest

The Forest is the larger ecosystem and includes those who have joined personal pods, special interest pods, or who attend Nature Song offerings: Seedlings, Wandering Roots, and Generation Circle. While the current focus has been on mothers and children, the Forest is evolving into a multi-generational ecosystem of care, mentorship, and shared experiences.

Within the Forest, members can join monthly circles, workshops, co-created celebrations, and FUN-raisers. There are opportunities to both give and receive support, share skills and stories, and participate in projects that strengthen the community as a whole. Connections formed here are meant to deepen over time, creating relationships that span ages, life stages, and experiences.

The Forest is also a place for exploration and learning, where curiosity, creativity, and collaboration are encouraged. It is a living network where each member contributes to the ecosystem, helping it grow in ways that are both intentional and organic. Whether through small pods, larger gatherings, or seasonal events, the Forest invites everyone to show up, belong, and help cultivate something lasting together.

While this might sound abstract or idealistic, the Forest Collective is practical in its design. Small pods, recurring circles, workshops, and gatherings provide consistent, tangible ways for people to connect, support one another, and build something that lasts.

Today, it is alive with more than thirty families participating in a variety of ways in Anchorage, Alaska.

What does this actually look like?

It looks like a ladies’ night out to recharge or meeting up for coffee on a Saturday morning. It’s meeting at a park for fresh air with other families or a special day retreat to rest and have fun.

It’s also in the small, everyday moments: checking in on a WhatsApp thread to see how someone in your pod is doing and celebrating milestones and personal wins. Dropping off a scone to someone as a sweet surprise or meeting up for a walk when things are too much.

The collective is built in the rhythms of daily life, both the familiar moments and the ways we choose to show up for one another.

It is rooted in dreaming forward, creating something that supports us now and reaches into future generations.

By gathering week after week with the same small circle, a subtle transformation takes place. It is about showing up and contributing to something that carries more weight than any one person. There’s a shared rhythm, a spoken understanding, and shared intentions that makes each home pod and the Forest as a while meaningful and expansive.

This kind of consistency creates something different than the more occasional, “we should get together sometime” kind of connections we often have with others. These small, steady steps are what allow something deeper, more reliable, and more lasting to grow.

History Behind the Collective

When her youngest was two years old, Amy created Nature Song and began shaping the idea of mutual aid in a more intentional way. She started taking visible steps toward something that could one day be shared and recreated by others, a Facebook page, a website, the beginnings of something.

For three years, Nature Song remained a free and open community where anyone could join and participate. The relationships formed during this time became a steady source of support in Amy’s own life, carrying her through many transitions and continuing to be a foundational part of how she lives today.

During this time of community building, Amy began to notice a pattern, many communities were built around one or two people, sustained by their energy alone. This didn’t feel sustainable, especially alongside parenting, and it often left others on the outside, unsure how to truly step in and belong.

Nature Song became a space for experimentation, reflection, and learning, a place to explore what a true village could look like and how it might be created in a way that could be shared. During this time, Amy started a women’s circle, offered workshops and camps for kids, and hosted large storytelling gatherings, all while continuing to center connection and mutual support.

Each layer of Nature Song is rooted in a life transition. It is shaped alongside Amy’s own life, growing from both a personal need for support and a deep trust that these needs are shared. What is being created is not separate from life, but woven from within it.

This is not being created for you.
It is being created with you.

Learn More

Step One:
Reach out to Amy using the form below to express your interest in joining a pod. In March and August, Amy will invite those on the Interest List to an informal meetup at a local park to learn more about Forest Collective and decide if you’d like to join a pod. The group will agree on a regular time and day for weekly meetups.

Step Two:
Amy will meet with each pod for six weeks at local woodland parks in Anchorage. Caregivers will also join the Nature Song Mighty Network, a space for intentional online connection, replacing social media.

Step Three:
After the six weeks, the pod will run on its own, participating in whole Forest gatherings and creating new pods based on shared interests. As part of the Forest Collective, you’ll have access to a supportive network of caregivers, opportunities for deeper connection through community events, and the ability to collaborate on new initiatives. You'll also enjoy exclusive access to the Nature Song Mighty Network for ongoing communication, a space for intentional online connection, and a chance to be part of a thriving, intergenerational community that values mutual aid and collective growth.

Learn More:

Fill out the form below to express your interest. It’s just for recording your interest and connecting you with others eager to join a pod!