Restoring a Culture of Belonging Through Bioregional Herbalism

By Kierra Simpkins

In this age of smartphones and social media we are promised constant connection,  yet many people report feeling more isolated than ever before. Loneliness has become such a common experience that U.S. surgeon general Vivek Murthy publicly declared that the issue was a full on epidemic in 2023. Between the long work hours, increased time spent indoors, and a culture that prioritizes independence over interdependence, many of us have become less connected to the life and people around us. 

 In a Harvard survey, technology ranked as the top contributor to loneliness. Despite the ease of connection devices provide, they often replace embodied presence, leaving people physically alone even when constantly “in touch.” Others point to the erosion of shared time and low energy levels. Sixty percent or more of respondents cited insufficient time with family, and that people are simply overworked, too busy, or too exhausted to maintain meaningful relationships. 

Sprouting from these modern habits, is a country wide lifestyle that keeps people indoors, isolated, tired, and focused inward. Community and physical surroundings fade into the backdrop. Connection that was once intrinsic from shared labor, outdoor activity, and ritual is lost. As we feel the strain many are beginning to realize the need to shift back into a communal lifestyle. While the causes may be obvious, the same cannot be said for a solution. I, however, believe an antidote to this loneliness may be growing right outside our doors.

Bioregional herbalism is a practice rooted in relationship with place. It centers on familiarizing with the plants and ecosystems of one’s own region. To foster reciprocity with the land and its inhabitants rather than seeing nature as background noise or resource to extract from. It emphasizes relationship, care, and mutual responsibility from the tiniest of bugs to human communities.

My own experience with bioregional herbalism has been a marvelous reminder of how vast and interconnected the world really is.  It has softened the illusion that I am alone or self-contained. Learning how to identify, use, and work with plants I pass in my day to day has built a foundational understanding: that we live within a system of care, and humans participate in that exchange simply by existing. Within minutes of intentional outdoor observation, one can see how soil feeds roots, plants feed insects, insects pollinate food, and so on. This awareness directly counters the individualistic narrative that loneliness thrives on.

Connecting with plants through gardening, herbalism, or foraging restores relationship. When your mind can give a plant a name, it fosters attention, familiarity, and responsibility. A plant stops being anonymous greenery and becomes a neighbor. That sense of belonging to a living place can be deeply grounding.

Plant connection also opens doors between people. When I’m outside foraging or studying plants, others often become curious. They ask questions. They linger. Sometimes they ask to join. What begins as solitary time becomes a shared experience. Community that forms not through obligation, but through shared attention and presence..

Through this is how a culture of caring can grow. When people learn to care for land, they also can relearn how to care for one another. Observing plant cycles teaches patience, reciprocity, and respect for limits. Natural law based skills that translate directly into healthier human relationships. In contrast to the isolating effects of technology-heavy, productivity-driven life, plant-based practices invite slowness, presence, and mutual reliance.

While reconnecting with plants does not replace human connection, I believe it deepens it. It offers something tangible, ancient, and resilient enough to outlast screens or cultural shifts. In tending plants, we tend ourselves. And in doing so, we remember that we are part of something larger than ourselves that is alive and shared. Through plants, we can get back to a rooted  culture of belonging.