Written By Angie Scheu for Simply Living
The Central Ohio Bioregional Working Group was established in June 2025 with the encouragement and guidance of the Great Lake Erie Southern Shore Bioregion (GLESS). The Central Ohio Bioregional Working Group is a growing collaboration between local individuals and organizations, such as the Ohio Community Rights Network (OHCRN), Leaves for Wildlife, the Central Ohio Reuse Coalition (CORC), RAPID 5, Care and Share Timebank, and Simply Living.
A New Bioregional Working Group Exploration
In today’s fast-paced, disconnected world, few people embody the link between personal health and ecological balance as deeply as Patty Shipley, founder of Leaves of Life, a holistic health practice, and Leaves for Wildlife, a native plant nursery. Both businesses were founded with the conviction that our wellbeing is inseparable from the wellbeing of the Earth.
For more than two decades, Patty has guided individuals toward greater vitality through natural, personalized care. Always with an eye toward the bigger picture, Patty’s focus has been on how our choices ripple through our communities and ecosystems. Her work reminds us that every bite of food, our choice to be active and involved, and every breath we take are part of an intricate web of relationships with the land, water, and wildlife that we rely upon.
That philosophy guiding Leaves of Life has extended naturally into Leaves for Wildlife, an initiative born from Patty’s desire to extend healing beyond the individual to the living world itself. By cultivating native plants that nourish pollinators and local wildlife, Leaves for Wildlife helps restore the ecological balance of our region one garden, one neighborhood at a time. Her life’s work embodies the essence of Bioregionalism: caring for and living in harmony with the natural systems of the place we call home.
Join Us for an Inspiring Conversation
On Sunday, November 16th, Patty will share her insights with the Bioregional Working Group, exploring the intersection of our health and wellbeing with that of our local environment. Her presentation will delve into the deep connections between the vitality of our bodies and the vitality of our bioregion—how the health of our soil, air, water, and biodiversity directly shapes human wellness.
Patty’s message is an urgent call to return to relationship with the land, with one another, and with the living systems that make all life possible. Through her work with Leaves of Life and Leaves for Wildlife, Patty continues to share what it means to live bioregionally, nurturing both human and ecological health, and helping us all imagine what healing could look like when we treat our environment as part of ourselves.
RSVP or Learn More
Join us at Leaves for Wildlife on November 16 from 2–4 PM to take part in this meaningful dialogue on bioregional health and community resilience.
