Edible Wild Plant Workshop

add to outlook add to google calendar remind me send to friend add to facebook

Sunday, May 16th, 2010
1:30 PM to 4:30 PM

Amongst the towering Douglas fir trees at Wildwood Ecoforest near Ladysmith grows a bounty of edible and medicinal plants. The Land Conservancy of BC invites you to tour this beautiful forest during a hands-on edible plants workshop with Wildwood Site Manager, Jay Rastogi and biologist, Jessica Wolf.

“Many people wander through the woods and have no idea what they can or can not eat,” says Wolf, nature awareness mentor. “This workshop will help people get comfortable with identifying plants and eating from nature’s food garden.”

During the three-hour workshop, participants will learn to forage for wild edibles, sample teas from trees, savour salads with wildflowers, and even try out nature’s band-aids and medicine plants.

“When we look at the forest for more than the timber, and (delete “put”) value all the food, shelter, air and pure water it provides for humans and other animals, then we can make better forest management decisions,” says Rastogi.

Wildwood is the oldest eco-forest on the West Coast of North America. Since 1938, Merve Wilkinson has selectively harvested trees throughout Wildwood while keeping a continuous forest cover. Ancient seed trees and standing snags remain as nesting and feeding grounds for owls, eagles, squirrels and many other forest animals. Large woody debris enriches the forest floor.

Merve’s philosophy is based on harvesting only as much as wood as the forest grows each year - similar to leaving your bank account untouched and withdrawing only your annual interest. These practices have maintained Wildwood’s ecological and economic values for future generations.

TLC purchased Wildwood in 2000 to ensure that the property would remain a demonstration eco-forest and learning site forever. The upcoming edible plants workshop at Wildwood will highlight some non-timber values of a forest.

The cost is $35 per person or $25 for members of TLC. Registration is limited and expected to fill up quickly. To reserve your spot, please email jrastogi@conservancy.bc.ca or phone 250-816-1816.

Proceeds from this workshop will fund TLC’s work to preserve special places in B.C. Visit www.conservancy.bc.ca and www.jessicawolf.ca