CH (Catharina) de Pater, MSc MA

Dr. Catharina de Pater is a guest researcher at WUR/FNP. She obtained her doctorate in April 2024 on the thesis "Spirit in the Woods. The Grounding of Spiritual Values in Forest Management ", about the relationship between spirituality and forest management. Previously, she worked for 30 years as a forestry advisor to the United Nations (FAO) and the Dutch government for the development of community forestry, social forestry, international cooperation, biodiversity and communication. Her working area included Asia (a.o. Nepal and the Philippines) and Latin America (especially Nicaragua), and later also the Netherlands and Europe. She studied tropical forestry in Wageningen (MSc level) and obtained an MA (cum laude) in Interreligious Spirituality Studies (Nijmegen). The last 25 years she specialized in Religion and Nature, an emerging academic discipline. She communicates on this subject - especially about 'forest spirituality' - through articles, lectures, workshops and courses (see also www.aranyani.nl).