Davinica Nemtzow, one of Casco Bay’s most passionate Friends, found her way to us through volunteerism—but her love for nature and community began long before that. Growing up in Connecticut, her family and Montessori teachers espoused the benefits of getting dirty and getting involved. From beach cleanups to protecting reef habitats in Narangganset Bay, Davinica thrived outdoors.
Moving to Philadephia for art school, she began to explore the importance of building community and fostering belonging. However, Philly’s big city life left her yearning for nature. “I didn’t know what I’d lost until lost it.” This realization became the catalyst for her eventual move to Maine, where her passions for environmental advocacy and community building converged.
In 2021, Davinica founded Kaneel, a nature-focused guide service. “My main goal is to guide people in forming deeper relationships with the land,” she explains. “I’ve always been curious about nature and how it works, and Kaneel allows me to share that sense of play and discovery with others.”
Mindful Practices for Lasting Stewardship
Davinica first connected to Friends of Casco Bay during our 2022 Nitrogen Nab and immediately signed up to become a Water Reporter. As a volunteer, she now leads our Mindful Observation series, a seasonal program designed to inspire a more profound connection to Casco Bay through outdoor mindfulness practices like forest bathing.
“To be mindful is to be present to the environment around us in the moment that we’re existing in,” she explains. “Forest bathing comes from the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, to take in the forest atmosphere–not by hiking or chasing a destination, but simply existing in a space and noticing small, incremental changes in our surroundings.”
This practice, Davinica says, has three critical benefits for environmental stewardship:
Heightened Awareness: “When we slow down and disengage our flight-or-flight response, our brains can take in more information,” she explains. “This helps us notice incremental changes, like rising sea levels, and to hopefully intervene before they become catastrophic.”
Emotional Connection: “By intentionally engaging our senses, we develop deeper relationships with the places we inhabit,” she says. “That emotional bond inspires us to be more active stewards. It also allows us to relay information in a more descriptive way.”
Sustainability of Effort: “Mindfulness in the outdoors offers immense mental and physical benefits that are crucial for sustaining advocacy work,” Davinica emphasizes. “Friends of Casco Bay relies on people power, and mindfulness helps prevent burnout, ensuring our movement remains strong. We need to care for the people just as much as we care for the environment.”
You don’t need to be in a forest to practice this kind of outdoor meditation. “Surfers read the waves and know information about how the ocean is moving,” she says. Davinica remembers the lessons she learned while fishing. “You can learn so much from just sitting, waiting, and watching the water for patterns.”
Mindful Observation with Friends of Casco Bay
Friends of Casco Bay’s Mindful Observation series brings Water Reporters together to explore the Bay through deep observation and reflection. During each season, Water Reporters gather at Spear Farm Estuary Preserve in Yarmouth where Davinica leads the group through grounding exercises and a guided walk through a meadow, forest, and saltwater marsh. At our summer session in July, Water Reporters shared their observations of egrets, the sound of fishing boats, and the smell of the salt marsh. The fall session began in a frost-coated meadow, where the group listened to birdsong, felt the warmth of hot cider mugs, and noticed their breath puffing in the cold air. Davinica also shared her naturalist knowledge, introducing the group to shade leaves and the red berries of Jack-in-the-pulpit. Together, they built a collective understanding of the land and water, fostering a shared appreciation for the Bay’s ecosystem.
To round out the four seasons, Friends of Casco Bay will host two more Mindful Observation events led by Davinica: Saturday, February 1, and Thursday, April 17, 2025.
Giving Back to the Bay
Davinica’s work with Friends of Casco Bay and Kaneel reflects her commitment to environmental advocacy and her belief in the power of community. Whether she’s facilitating a Slow Leaf-Peeping class, guiding a meditation circle alongside a turkey vulture, or observing changes in Casco Bay as a Water Reporter, she’s driven by a desire to give back to the environment she cherishes.
“I lead an ocean-dipping community and am in the ocean year-round,” she says. “Volunteering with Friends of Casco Bay lets me give back to the Bay and the community that sustains me.”
A Special Spot
Davinica hopes to inspire others to cultivate a personal connection to the Casco Bay watershed. She invites Friends of the Bay to “find your spot.” It could be as big as the entire Back Cove or as small as a creek in your neighborhood.
“The thing that keeps me coming back into Water Reporter work is watching the sea snails crawling around, the tide coming in and out, the seaweed flowing in the water. I think we all need this relationship, this place in the Bay you can champion.”
Davinica’s special spot is a rock on the East End Beach in Portland. There she sits, slowing down and taking it all in with her senses. “The thing that keeps me coming back into Water Reporter work is watching the sea snails crawling around, the tide coming in and out, the seaweed flowing in the water. I think we all need this relationship, this place in the Bay you can champion. If we all have this spot, we’re all going to be better caretakers of the Bay.”
Check out Kaneel’s latest offerings, including a Moonlit Meditation on January 14 at Portland’s Eastern Prom.
