Fiona Boath – Volunteer Health Walk Leader and Nature Advocate
Fiona Boath’s journey as a volunteer Health Walk Leader demonstrates the profound impact that spending time in nature can have on mental and physical well-being. Through her involvement with Loch Lomond & The Trossachs Countryside Trust’s ‘Walk in the Park’ programme, Fiona has helped many individuals reconnect with the natural world, fostering a sense of community and supporting the mental health of local residents of the National Park.
With her passionate, extensive knowledge of the local area, Fiona leads her walking group with enthusiasm, encouraging them to find inspiration in the beauty around them. Her connection to nature is evident in the way she captures the moments on camera, sharing the wonders of the National Park with others through the ‘In Step with Nature’ WhatsApp group, and using technology to increase awareness and engagement with a wide audience. Fiona’s story also highlights the importance and power of our connection to nature in times of loss, as seen in her leadership in planting trees in memory of fellow walkers who have passed away.
“As a group, we wanted to find a way to remember our friends, something symbolic of life and death, that we could share together yet also reflect on individually. I took the lead and organised a tree planting at the head of Loch Tay, a place we often stop to admire. We planted two Beech trees and one Oak, grown from seeds collected by a local couple. The Beech trees were particularly meaningful, as one had fallen in a storm in October 2023, and the saplings were from that tree. We now visit these trees as a group and individually, to check in on them and remember our friends.”
Fiona’s work serves as a reminder that nature can heal, inspire, and bring us together, making her an essential part of our Nature’s Heroes initiative.