Interview with Lisen Sundgren

Save Soil News sat down with renowned Swedish herbalist, forest therapy guide, and author Lisen Sundgren to explore the profound connections between soil, nature, and human well-being. With over three decades of experience in herbalism and wild foraging, Lisen’s journey from the fast-paced worlds of media and acting to the quiet healing of the forest is both deeply personal and universally relevant.

Lisen first heard about the Save Soil movement thanks to a small, unexpected moment at her countryside cottage: “My neighbor Ismini often has her grandchild visiting. A few years ago, when her grandchild was about 8 years old, he gave me a Save Soil badge. I got curious and learned more about your organization. It gives me so much hope for the younger generation—if this kid is so involved he’s recruiting his neighbors!”

In this interview, Lisen shares how reconnecting with nature—through soil, plants, and mindful presence—not only heals individuals but can help regenerate our relationship with the Earth. From the medicinal wisdom of wild plants to the cultural heritage of Sweden’s right to roam, Lisen offers reflections that are as grounded as they are inspiring.

It’s wonderful to connect with you, Lisen. We’ve been really looking forward to hearing more about your work—especially your insights into how thriving natural ecosystems impact both physical and mental health. Through your forest therapy walks and wild foraging, what role do you feel healthy soil plays—not just in the vitality of ecosystems, but also in people’s well-being?

Lisen: On my forest therapy walks, we focus a lot on taking in nature through the senses. I always encourage people to touch the bark of a tree, feel the grass, breathe in the scent of leaves—and yes, to connect with the soil too. I choose places that are relatively undisturbed, natural forests where the soil is alive and healthy. Even if soil isn’t our main focus, it’s the foundation of everything we see and experience during the walk.

Research shows our brains respond positively to biodiversity. When we’re surrounded by a wide variety of trees, plants, and shrubs, it creates a sense of safety and calm. That makes perfect sense—throughout human history, abundance in nature meant food, shelter, and survival. So yes, the health of the soil directly influences what grows and how we feel in that environment, whether we consciously realise it or not.

What kind of feedback do you receive from participants after a forest therapy walk? What are the tangible benefits they describe?

Lisen: I’m continually amazed. Many people arrive with a beginner’s mind—they're curious, sometimes a bit nervous. They don’t quite know what to expect. Often, they’re still caught up in the mental noise of their day, thinking about their phones, emails, to-do lists...

But even after just half an hour, something shifts. You start to see their real faces—relaxed, open. It’s like the layers begin to fall away. Nature provides a space where people can just be themselves.

One of the most powerful exercises I offer is inviting people to walk as slowly as possible—“as if your feet are kissing the Earth,” as Thich Nhat Hanh said. It’s surprisingly hard! But once they do, they begin to notice all the movement and life right beneath their feet. Many tell me they’ve never seen so much on a walk before.

Do you think that difficulty people have with slowing down comes from the overstimulation of modern life—our addiction to phones and constant busyness?

Lisen: Absolutely. We’re trained to always go—do more, move faster, achieve. On our walks, I tell people: this is not about getting from point A to B. We’re not doing, we’re just being. And that can feel really foreign.

There’s no goal, no productivity—just presence. And while it may feel unfamiliar, I’ve never had anyone say it felt uncomfortable. It’s more like, “Why don’t I do this more often?”

What originally inspired you to begin this journey into forest therapy and foraging? How did it all begin for you?

Lisen: I originally worked in media, then became an actress. I lived in cities like New York and London—big, high-energy places. I was pushing myself constantly, always striving, never satisfied. Eventually, I burned out.

I moved back to Sweden. And all I wanted was to feel the earth under my feet, to touch the soil, to look at the ocean. Every day, I went into the forest. I wasn’t working—I was too unwell. But being in nature was the only place I felt truly safe, accepted, and whole.

Later, I came across a clinic that used only natural remedies and herbs, and that opened the door to herbalism for me. I studied deeply, started teaching, began leading foraging walks. That was 30 years ago—back then, no one really understood what I was talking about!

But I was driven by the joy and awe I felt in nature. Over time, I started writing books—eight now. But I noticed something: when people forage, they often ask, “What can this plant do for me?” That’s a consumer mindset.

I wanted to help people go deeper—to form a relationship with nature as an equal. That’s what led me to train as a forest therapy guide. It’s about connection—not taking, but partnering with the Earth. Seeing nature not as a resource, but as a living companion. We need to move from “Mother Earth” to “Earth as partner,” because we’ve been acting like spoiled teenagers—just taking, without giving anything back.

That’s such important work—especially with how disconnected modern societies have become from the natural world. You’ve been exploring these connections for 30 years now, but as you said, Indigenous communities have always held this wisdom. What are your thoughts on that?

Lisen: That disconnect is absolutely making us sick. When I got sick, my body knew what to do—it pulled me into the forest. We’ve always done this. Indigenous peoples have always known the power of nature.

Now science is finally catching up and validating what they’ve known for centuries. But look at young people today—so many are anxious, depressed, ungrounded. They know more about brands and apps than they do about the plants growing outside their window.

And yet—we exist because of plants. And plants exist because of soil. When people say, “I’m not a nature person,” I want to say, “So what are you, then?” We are nature. We just have to remember.

Sweden is known for its stunning natural landscapes. Do you feel there’s a deeper cultural connection to the land in Sweden or Scandinavia more broadly?

Lisen: In Sweden, many people don’t practise traditional religion anymore—but they turn to nature for spiritual connection. We have something called the Right of Public Access, which exists in Finland and Scotland too. It means anyone can hike, camp, or forage almost anywhere.

Foraging—especially for berries and mushrooms—is a big part of Swedish life. At this time of year, that’s just what people do! Because nature is accessible, people use it.

Of course, not everyone is connected—there’s disconnection here too. But hiking and foraging are culturally ingrained. In fact, it’s so common that every spring we have radio programs teaching people how to responsibly poop in the forest, because the trails are so busy!

Since you work closely with medicinal and edible plants, have you noticed a link between soil quality and the taste or healing properties of what you forage?

Lisen: Yes—and it's fascinating. Wild plants aren’t just growing in the soil—they're healing it. Soil doesn’t want to lie bare. Leave it uncovered, and within days, plants will begin to grow. They bind the soil, protect it, bring nutrients to the surface.

Take dandelions—their deep roots break up compacted soil and pull minerals up. Then they die, decompose, and feed the earth. Some plants are real soil restorers.

Of course, when I forage for myself or others, I’m mindful. I avoid areas near roads or industry. Clean environments produce healthier plants. But it’s incredible that even in poor soil, plants like nettle, pigweed, and thistle can still thrive and nourish.

Are there any ancient or Indigenous plant practices you’ve come across that offer insight into working with the soil rather than just on it?

Lisen: Definitely. Many of our seasonal celebrations—like Christmas and Midsummer—are rooted in soil fertility. Midsummer is a fertility festival, not just for people, but for the land, welcoming a season of growth and abundance.

Originally, Christmas in Nordic mythology was tied to the winter solstice and marked the beginning of the growing season. And in Norse mythology, the goddess Fjörgyn symbolised the Earth—she was the first wife of Odin, with high status.

Swedish folklore is full of forest spirits—trolls, nymphs, gnomes—stories that helped explain the magic and danger of the natural world. Back then, the forest was seen as a wild, even dangerous place. Now, we see it as a sanctuary. That shift says a lot.

Do you think foragers have a unique role to play in soil conservation and environmental education?

Lisen: Absolutely. There’s a quote I love, from the Icelandic photographer Gudmundur Páll Ólafsson:
“You protect only what you love. You love only what you know. You know only what you’ve been taught.”

As a forager and guide, I can help people get to know the plants in their streets, their neighborhoods—dandelion, yarrow, plantain. Once they know them, they start to care. And once you care, you protect.

There’s even a term for this now—plant blindness. Most people just see “green,” without recognising individual plants. But once they learn the names, the uses, the stories—it changes their whole perspective.

Foraging also teaches humility. You see the impact of your actions. If I harvest all the nettles from one patch, they’re gone. I have to spread out, take just a little here and there. Unlike supermarket food, foraged food takes effort—so you waste less, respect more, and understand the real value of what you’re eating.

One final question. You have a beautiful quote from Rousseau on your website: “There is a book always open to all eyes—Nature.” What has soil taught you personally, as a student of that book?

Lisen: In the mid-90s, I worked on a biodynamic farm in Stockholm. Their philosophy was to feed the soil—not just the plant. That was a lightbulb moment.

Since then, I’ve come to view everything through the lens of compost. You take the things you want to release—old patterns, regrets, experiences—and throw them on the compost heap. They break down, and become the rich soil for something new.

Soil reminds me that nothing is wasted. Everything we do becomes history, becomes soil. And if we care for that soil—physically, emotionally, spiritually—it becomes the ground from which something beautiful can grow.

Discover more about Lisen's work here