Author, Naturalist,
Voice For Wild Nature
About Vanessa
Vanessa Chakour is an author, naturalist, herbalist, martial artist, and land steward whose work fosters intimacy with inner and outer wilds. Her multidisciplinary approach blends writing, plant medicine, movement, and ecological restoration, rooted in decades of study and land-based practice. A devoted student of nature, she has studied ecology and herbal medicine in the Northeastern U.S., Costa Rica, and Scotland, and has collaborated with organizations such as the Wolf Conservation Center and Jaguar Rescue Center. Earlier in her journey of rewilding, Vanessa trained as a professional boxer in New York City and spent over a decade coaching others in the ring, while her Brookly-based herbalism school and urban Plant Walks introduced students to the plants and fungi thriving in overlooked ecosystems. Her books, Awakening Artemis and Earthly Bodies, explore personal and ecological healing through kinship with plants, animals, and place. Passionate about giving voice to other species, Vanessa helps writers craft compelling work on behalf of our wild kin through her Writing For The Wild workshops, and shares some of that work through Wild Voices Collective. A USA Boxing certified coach, she now lives in Western Massachusetts, where she coaches boxing, facilitates writing groups, and land stewardship initiatives. She is a Project Coyote Ambassador and her work has been featured in Orion, Terrain, Psyche/Aeon, Yes! Magazine, and Psychology Today. Learn more here.
Earthly Bodies: Embracing Animal Nature
"In this triumphant and vibrant interweaving of memoir and natural history, Vanessa Chakour grapples with fear and loss, and finds glory in the natural world--including in her own strong, soft body. This is a book that inspires joy and courage. I loved it.” ~ Sy Montgomery, bestselling author of How to Be A Good Creature and The Soul of An Octopus
"Somewhere between a field guide about wild animals and an intimate memoir about a woman’s journey toward wildness and truth, Vanessa Chakour’s Earthly Bodies will make you think deeply about the relationship between your internal and external environments, and the way that each are threatened by modern life. I left this book feeling much more attuned to animal life—my own included." ~ Erica Berry author of Wolfish
Workshops
Explore your wild nature through writing workshops, ethical wildcrafting, and rewilding through boxing. Upcoming offerings include Writing for the Wild, customized Wildcrafting workshops, and small group boxing sessions in Western MA.
AWAKENING ARTEMIS
Combining Vanessa’s story of healing with practical plant-based knowledge, Awakening Artemis is rooted in the belief that healing happens through reclaiming an intuitive connection to ourselves, to the natural world, and to our own “inner wild.”
“An eloquent exploration of the deep, life-giving bonds between plants and people. Vanessa Chakour’s engaging and insightful reflections show us how the generosity of plants can heal us and make us whole.” –David George Haskell, author of Pulitzer finalist The Forest Unseen and Burroughs medalist The Songs of Trees
Testimonials
