U N I T E D PLANT SAVERS Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation W i n t e r 2 0 0 5

FROM LITTLE ACORNS: A HISTORY OF UPS

JOHN LENTZ: PLANT GIVE-AWAY GROWER

WILDCRAFTING FORUM

CULTIVATION CORNER GROWING BLACK COHOSH

SPRING SEED ‘ANALOG SET ‘ GIVE-AWAY

NEW BOTANICAL SANCTUARY STORIES

AVEDA & UPS EARTH PARTNERS 2005

UpS is a non-profit education corporation dedicated to preserving native medicinal plants.

Black cohosh in flower | photo ©David Bunting GREETINGS FROM UPS

Dear Friends, Winter Greetings. It’s United Plant Savers’ Ten Year Anniversary ~ and its well worth celebrating. In the past ten years ~ thanks to your help ~ this small grass roots organization has helped set the precedent for medicinal plant conservation in the United States and has established a number of successful programs to ensure that native medicinal plants will Winter 2005 remain part of our landscape for generations to come. This is no small task. A publication of United Plant Savers, a non-profit education corporation Our fellow plant beings are some of the most powerful, beautiful and useful dedicated to preserving species on the planet ~ and it is our task as ‘plant lovers’ to help ensure native medicinal plants. that they remain here for generations to come. UNITED PLANT SAVERS PO Box 400 Though these are solemn times we live in, there is much to be thankful E. Barre, VT 05649 for and much that we can do within our scope of influence to see that things Tel. (802) 479-9825 ‘stay green’. It has been a good season for United Plant Savers. Our roots Fax. (802) 476-3722 Betzy Bancroft: Office Manager are planted deep. Our Executive Director, Lynda LeMole, has done an Email: [email protected] excellent job getting us back on our feet and keeping us on course. The office www.unitedplantsavers.org moved back to Vermont and under the guidance of Betzy Bancroft, our EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR friendly and competent office manager, is busy and humming again. Lynda LeMole [email protected] Membership is up, we had another successful Plant Give-Away, and are Tel. (707) 824-0731 currently working on another publication documenting the history of Fax. (707) 824-0279 medicinal herbalism and wildcrafting in the United States. Researched and CO-EDITORS written by author and UpS member, Ann Armbrecht, this excellent booklet Nancy Scarzello, Lynda LeMole, Sara Katz fills in another important piece in our understanding of native medicinal GRAPHIC ARTIST plants and will be available for members by mid-summer. An excerpt Liz Butler appears in this issue of the Journal. Another bit of good news is the BOARD OF DIRECTORS partnering of United Plant Savers with Aveda’s Earth Partner program, Rosemary Gladstar, President which you can also read about in this Journal. This year the focus is on the Sara Katz, Secretary Kelly Kindscher, Vice President protection of endangered plant species. UpS will be participating with Tim Blakley Aveda salons to raise money on Earth Day. Peggy Brevoort Mindy Green Our biggest challenge, the challenge that most non-profits face, Michael McGuffin especially under the current political and economic scenario, is keeping Mark Wheeler Joe Viny ourselves in the ‘green’. We really count on the help and support of our members to help us with our on-going projects. This year we ask that you UPS ADVISORY BOARD Nancy Scarzello; Chairperson remember the plants, not just with your membership but with whatever Cascade Anderson Geller donation you can give. We have worked to keep our overhead down, so our Don Babineau Jane Bothwell funding goes to our programs, one of the most important being that we Richo Cech continue our research, data collection and assessment of At-Risk plants. Mark Cohen Ryan Drum Please give generously. Give what feels good. Know that giving comes back Dr. James Duke a thousand-fold and that together we can and are making a difference. Trish Flaster Steven Foster James Green Peace & Green Blessings, Tammi Hartung Rosemary Gladstar, UpS President and Co-founder Christopher Hobbs David Hoffman Loren Israelsen Join in the Celebration of United Plant Savers Ten Year Anniversary Nick Kulibaba By Gifting a Special Contribution. A gift to United Plant Savers is a gift to Jon Maxwell Robert McCaleb the future and helps us in the on-going work of native medicinal plant Pam Montgomery conservation, preservation, and cultivation. Michael Moore Deb Soule Paul Strauss David Winston You can send your check directly to the UpS office; P.O Box 400 , E. Barre, Lee Wood VT 05649. A receipt for your tax-deductible donation will be mailed to you. Rebecca Wood Katherine Yvinskas

2 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation TABLE OF CONTENTS FROM LITTLE ACORNS: A HISTORY OF UPS From Little Acorns: by Ann Armbrecht A History of UpS ...... 3 UpS was founded with an 8 by 11 flier that said, "Join United John Lenz: Plant Give-Away Grower ...... 5 Plant Savers, an organization dedicated to the preservation of native medicinal plants " and was distributed at the 4th Spring Seed Give-Away ...... 7 & 9 International Herb Symposium. "UpS wasn’t anything at the time," Rosemary Gladstar said. "It was just a piece of paper. But Cultivation Corner: Growing black cohosh ...... 8 I got a tremendous response and so I knew I had to do something." Partners in Education ...... 10 At that conference in 1994, Rosemary called together a group Plant Learning for Kids ...... 12 of individuals to talk about whether others were concerned about the health of native medicinal plant populations and, if so, UpS At-Risk Forum ...... 14 what should be done. "It was really an eclectic group of people," Rosemary remembered. "In fact several people told me there UpS Financial Report ...... 20 was no way it would work because there was too much Freeing Up The Medicine ...... 21 diversity. We had large manufacturers as well as small home businesses, wildcrafters and farmers, as well as people UpS Grant Reports ...... 22 representing big industry. But the diversity worked. People Spring Observations ...... 25 came together in a very heartful way. They were all very committed. We found that people had been asking this question; UpS Botanical Sanctuary Network .. 26 they were already concerned. And with this concern they brought this heartfullness and that was the key." Companies in the Green Light...... 31 "Whenever we got into areas that were more conflicted, Green Thanks & Gratitude ...... 32 around whether or not to oppose wildcrafting or the pros and cons of big business, we would always be able to come back to People Miracles ...... 33 the point that our primary concern was the plants. As long as UpS Events & Green Network...... 34 we kept that as our focus, we’d be guided. And that really has been our guiding focus." "As we went around at that first meeting it became very clear that this was a problem. Our discussion was very non- LET US HEAR FROM YOU! scientific. We got a lot of criticism from the scientific community, UpS’ Journal of Medicinal Plant which is valid – we didn’t have scientific rigor. But what we did Conservation is the voice of our members have was personal contact coming from lots of individuals and and other concerned individuals interested long term contact, people who had been out there for thirty in the conservation and cultivation of years noticing that plant communities were not as vital as they native North American medicinal plants. had been." We encourage you to send us your A year later the group met again the day after the Green opinions and thoughts for submission to Nations gathering. Pam Montgomery remembered, "It was an the Journal. Though many of the articles exciting time. I can picture the whole scene, a sunny spot in the presented express opposing and/or controversial viewpoints, we make an Catskill Mountains and I remember being very inspired by the effort to print as many of these articles idea that we could actually participate in doing something about as space allows, in an attempt to present conservation of plants before it got to be a real problem." the many views of these subjects. It is "It often seems that concerns come in through the back door, important while reading the Journal to only after you realize something is already gone, when it is remember that the articles are the already too late. Our idea was to look at this now when we opinions/experiences solely of the really had a chance to do something and make an impact. It was authors, and do not necessarily represent really exciting to think that we were doing this in a way that the view and/or mission of UpS. They might be new and different." are presented herein for discussion The group decided that UpS should focus on educating and review, and as part of an educational process. people about plants and the pressures from loss of habitat, continued on next page

Winter 2005 | 3 over-harvesting, and market demand. They herbalism and herbalism as we understand it in decided to look for ways to support the the world is really based on what the plants can sustainable harvesting of herbs rather than call do for us. We’re a very self centered for a moratorium on wildcrafting. community/species because we are very young. "In the beginning when we made this You know with babies, it’s all about what they announcement, there was a lot of nervousness about what we were doing. We were talking about how people made their livelihood and we had to make sure we weren’t perceived as a threat. Most people involved in the herbal world are there because of an interest in herbs, not necessarily because they are interested in conservation. And many people who had herb programs also sold herbs, so they didn’t really want to raise questions about conservation. So UpS had to be very UpS Board members and friends do a re-planting project, Hawaii thoughtful as we wanted to include people who were involved in all aspects of the herbal can get and what they can eat and the toys they world, not just those interested in cultivating and can have. It takes a lot of maturity, a maturity conserving herbs." that the human species is still working toward, to "We kept saying no, this isn’t about ‘not see that we’re here to give out as much as we wildcrafting’, that’s one of our great arts as receive." herbalists," Rosemary continued. "We kept "And so I think that what’s happened is the pointing out that there were several hundred herbal community has matured and is now species that weren’t on this list, that were considering what can we give back? And our first tenacious weeds and that weren’t threatened. We calling was to go to the plants directly." did ask the herbal and manufacturing Rosemary paused and then continued, "I once community to realize that it was very bad had a dream of when the earth was forming, how business practice to pull up the things you it all came out of star dust in the cosmos, I could depend on for see the gardens actually being formed, watching your business. these creatures evolve and how they became the But it’s deeper gardeners and then over time how they always than just being come back in force, whenever the gardens are in bad business. danger. And one of the things I see right now is It’s not ethical. that there is a strong plant community of That’s really herbalists and botanists and scientists and the bottom healers, from all over, shamans, native medicine line of it. So it people, who are all uniting right now. And I wasn’t really think it’s because the gardens are calling out, about not calling us back to life, maybe from the stars again wildcrafting, it or wherever it is that energy rests, calling us back Executive Board members and friends was about to take care of what we love." at Breitenbush Hot Springs identifying "And in a way we’ve kind of solidified that plants that were sensitive that we needed to be into United Plant Savers." P mindful of for their sake as much as our own." In bringing attention to the health of Ann is a cultural anthropologist (PhD, Harvard 1995) and particular plants, UpS highlights the fact that the is currently on the faculty at Goddard College. She has plants aren’t just here for humans. Rosemary written several books, including Settlements of Hope: An said, "We talked about the need to preserve the Account of Tibetan Refugees in Nepal, a book manuscript, plants for the plants’ sake, because other species Thin Places: An American Pilgrimage, and numerous articles for scholarly and more popular journals. A Sage of plants needed them, other insects and animals Mountain herb studies graduate, Ann lives in Vermont needed them. I would say that American with her young family.

4 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation VOICES FROM THE GREEN THE UPS ‘PLANT GIVE-AWAYS’ & GROWER: JOHN LENTZ by Nancy Scarzello

Ten years ago, as UpS was beginning to fetched for this commercially cultivated ginseng develop its own roots, Rosemary Gladstar compared to the $400/pound for wild. Most of envisioned a program where At-Risk native the big pharmaceutical companies were growing medicinal plants would be given away ~ free of their own ginseng by these commercial methods, charge to members ~ so that the plants would and although the end product was inferior in have a safe and nurturing place to grow and that quality (heavily sprayed with fungicides and members would have the opportunity to grow fertilizers) the price was the bottom line for some of our most interesting and useful natives. them, not the purity or medicinal value of the Her search for a grower to supply these plants roots. John is quick to point out that this method led her to a most remarkable young man. In certainly takes the strain off the wild Frazeysburg, Ohio, in the heart of ginseng and populations and he is happy about that. But goldenseal country, she found John Lentz. The what disturbs him so deeply about this method first year of the Give-Away, in May of 1997, John is the fact that small-time growers of quality grew, packed and shipped 20 goldenseal plants roots cannot compete with the price and are each to 102 UpS members ~ that’s 2040 plants! going out of business, and that the roots John’s relationship to the woods and the produced are tainted and inferior. He knew he wild plants that grow there is deeply rooted in wanted to do things differently so John took the family tradition. As a teenager he moved to his knowledge he gained back to Ohio with him grandfather’s log cabin in Frazeysburg where and, combined with his own experiences with several members of his family practically lived the wild plants, started to cultivate woodland on the money they earned digging ginseng medicinals in a manner that was sustainable for roots. John joined their digging team for what both the plants as well as his income. was to become a life-changing experience. When To find a way to make a living, doing he accompanied them to sell the roots he was something that he loved, was a path he longed amazed to find that the dealers were prepared to to take. After graduating from Ohio State pay more than $400.00 per pound for the dried University with a degree in business marketing roots, and the thought of earning a living from he entered the corporate world, but after a year the forest began to take hold. Soon government of "the suit and commute" he grew tired of it, put a season on collection of wild ginseng along quit, and went back to working on what truly with goldenseal in response to the dwindling satisfied him ~ growing woodland plants. He wild populations. John was sensitive to the had found his niche and formed his company, plight of the ginseng and, although he The Herbal Exchange. personally had always enjoyed his time in the woods wildcrafting he could ...the ginseng diggers were noticing their stands disappearing and they see that he could not make a were asking for seed to replant in the wild ~ he could supply them. living at seasonal digging. But what about cultivating it? The idea intrigued him, especially the thought of His business began to grow along with the working outdoors with the plants that he loved. plants. Dealers were telling him that the ginseng John traveled to Wisconsin where he learned diggers were noticing their stands disappearing about the ginseng and goldenseal growing and they were asking for seed to replant in the business. Wisconsin is home to some of the wild ~ he could supply them. Then Rosemary’s biggest commercial growers of goldenseal and call came and he found that people wanted to John learned a lot about the specifics of grow the plants themselves ~ he could supply propagation and growing on a large scale. He saw the difference in the $20/pound price continued on next page

Winter 2005 | 5 those too. Soon he incorporated other woodland dispersed and left to develop naturally, increasing plants into his repertoire. Goldenseal, UpS’ the age diversity within the wild stands. These flagship plant, was the first to be added, soon methods do not provide him with either the followed by black cohosh and blue cohosh. As the quantity or the carrot-sized ginseng roots he saw demand for these beautiful woodland natives in the commercial beds, but as any herbalist or increased he added others that he loved like false true plant lover can surmise, they are by far unicorn and wild yam and the pink root he closest to what nature intended. The medicine of offered this year. One of the things most these plants is not measured by the chemical important to him was that the plants he grew for constituents that we can derive from them, but is proportionate to the energy that is carried John made sure that the Give-Away plants were fairly with them, fueled by John’s devotion to these easy to grow if provided with the right conditions. woodland beauties. I asked John about his views on wildcrafting and he candidly told me how sale must have a high rate of success for the much he enjoyed it and that frankly, wildcrafting purchaser. Pink root is a favorite. The showy the ginseng had been what had started him on woodland medicinal with its stunning red and this journey. John prefers to pick his locations yellow flowers soon forms large clumps that will well, considering access to the plants and the "set off your heart in rewards". Many of the folks vicinity to major roads important criteria. He, and buying the plants were not necessarily other diggers that visit the same places year after experienced gardeners of these particular species, year notice declines in populations and care about so John made sure that the plants were fairly easy re-seeding, care about the future of the plants. to grow if provided with the right conditions. Poachers are still a problem in the in the area; 95% of what he offers will grow and thrive with taking roots out of season, elimination of entire the simple directions he provides along with the stands, not replanting seeds, as well as plants. trespassing and stealing roots; but John hopes John noticed that when the plants were that these methods will someday be replaced by growing in community with other plants that ethical wildcrafting practices. liked the same growing conditions that they were In the last few years, John has scaled down healthier, with less disease, more vigor. With this his business and no longer grows for harvest. He in mind, he suggested that UpS offer a Woodland now accommodates just a few special customers Garden Collection for the Fall 1998 Give-Away that included 2 roots each of ginseng, goldenseal, black cohosh, blue cohosh and bloodroot. 429 members ordered the collection of ten roots for planting, 4,290 plants for this order alone! John grows his plants in three types of scenarios. The first is in raised beds under 78% polypropylene shade cloth. Here he starts plants in nursery beds, finishes specific orders like the plants for UpS, and can keep a close eye on some of the more tender plants like false unicorn or pink root. In these beds he can carefully monitor the health and vitality of the plants. Second are woods-grown in organized but uncultivated plots where, for example, blue cohosh or goldenseal rootlets are planted and left to grow in a natural setting with minimal human intervention. Third are the natural plots, the wild plots, of naturally occurring stands of ginseng, goldenseal, black cohosh and others. These plots are left relatively undisturbed with the intention to maintain wild populations. Some plants are removed to prevent overcrowding and disease but healthy culled plants are moved to the nursery bed. Seed is John Lenz: photo© John Lenz

6 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation like UpS and the individual members that contact offer seeds from Horizon Herbs these last couple him. The stress of single handedly running such of years and would like to continue that tradition a large business forced him to reconsider his plan. into the future along with roots from John Lentz. He now prefers this scaled down version to Over 20,000 plants have been sent and countless supplement his income and has found the seeds dispersed with this program since it began, balance between work and hobby that so many of a program that UpS has been proud to offer as a us strive for. benefit for our members. The nominal shipping I asked John to explain to me the way the charge we ask of members hardly covers the Give-Away program works and I was amazed at shipping itself, so the cost of plants/seeds and the care and attention these roots are given to labor is absorbed by United Plant Savers ~ the ensure that they arrive to members in the best total price tag adds up to over $40,000! I think possible condition ~ because he wants them to most folks will feel as good as we do about how thrive in their new homes just as much as we do! that money was used, your membership dollars And this is how it is done (and why our call to at work supporting quality growers, free plants members to order the Give-Aways is so time for you and most important, as these plants find sensitive): their way into your gardens and hearts, is the Months ahead of time, John decides, along knowledge that each of us has helped in Planting with UpS, what plants will be offered. He looks at the Future. P our At-Risk and To-Watch lists and suggests plants that will grow well for our members, then, on speculation, he plants the thousands of roots 2005 SPRING SEED he’ll need to fill our orders. After a season or two of growing, a week or two before the shipping GIVE-AWAY date, he begins to dig the roots. He checks them for quality, health and vigor, then cleans and “ANALOG SEED SET” labels them and stores them in temperature controlled refrigerators to keep them dormant ORDER BY MARCH 1, 2005 !! while he readies them for shipping. He does this himself and is often up until 3:00 or 4:00 in the The "Analog Seed Set” consists of generous seed morning the day before his family arrives to help packets of certified organic seeds grown at Horizon with the packing and shipping. John relies Herbs. Please read more about the “Analog Seed heavily on his father William and sister Amy who Set” on page 9. have "been there since day one and know the CURRENT MEMBERS ONLY !! routine" well. The timing is critical because the plants must be ready to mail on Monday or All orders must be received Tuesday in order to reach their destination by the by March 1, 2005 for early end of the week since sitting in a heated post April shipping. Planting office over the weekend would damage the roots. instructions for all zones will So the weekend before shipping, the roots are cleaned and sorted, packed with moss, be included with your order. instructions inserted, shipping labels applied, To cover s/h costs, please then boxed and returned to the refrigerators until send your name and P.O. the specially ordered truck arrives at the post mailing address and a check office on Monday. When the plants arrive on our or money order for $5.00 to: doorsteps a few days later, their total time out of the ground has been kept to a bare minimum, UPS SPRING ‘05 SEED and we receive healthy roots ready to plant in our GIVE-AWAY home gardens. P.O. Box 400 In order to diversify the plants in the Give- E. Barre, VT 05649 Away program, UpS has offered plants from other sources periodically. White oak, slippery Don’t miss this special elm and American chestnut saplings have been opportunity to plant At-Risk Volunteer mullein takes grown and shipped from the UpS Sanctuary in plant analogs! purchase in bare ground at Ohio and one year ginseng seeds from Sylvan Horizon Herbs Seed Farm Botanicals were sent. We have been so pleased to in Williams, Or

Winter 2005 | 7 CULTIVATION CORNER BLACK COHOSH by Deb Soule In the early 1980’s while studying the native Black cohosh can be successfully propagated medicinal plants of North Carolina, I first met from root cuttings and from seed. It is easy to black cohosh growing wild in the Appalachian divide mature, seed-bearing plants by cutting the Mountains. Its 4-5 foot tall white flowering spires rhizome/root in the fall with a sharp clean knife. (racemes) were stunning to come upon in the Each divided rhizome needs to contain a nascent deciduous forests. I immediately took a liking to bud and lots of rootlets. This herb prefers to be this plant. A few years later I transplanted two planted in well-composted, deciduous forest type young plants into my garden. Fifteen years later soil. Space each plant 2 feet apart, either in the these plants have spread by roots to fill a 13-foot shade or a partly shady area. Once planted, cover by 15-foot area with over 100 flowering racemes. the soil with rotted leaf mulch or bark mulch to Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) is a hardy help improve water retention. woodland herbaceous perennial that appears to I know a few long-term organic gardeners in be long-lived. It is a member of the Maine who have had success propagating black Ranunculaceae family. Currently black cohoshes cohosh from their own freshly harvested seed. range from the Appalachian Mountain Range Despite the racemes producing large amounts of across the eastern hardwood forest to the Ozark seed, the germination rate tends to be low due to Plateau and north into the Great Lakes region factors such as fungal infection in the seed follicle (USDA, NRCS. 2001). or surrounding soil, short seed life span, and the specific seed stratification process required. Once the racemes are in full bloom, they are covered The seed needs an initial 2-4 weeks of with flies and bees, busy pollinating the flowers. warm temperatures to sprout (Richo Cech says 71F or 21C) followed by at least 3 months of cold. (40F or -4C) In Maine, ripe The deep brown almost black color of the seeds can be planted in a clearly marked, shaded black cohosh stems reminds me of ferns as they and protected nursery bed in the late summer or uncurl their leaves. The stem is smooth and early fall and left for one and a half years. Once furrowed and divides into three stems as it the tiny seedlings begin to appear and have their grows. The leaves are large and compounded second set of true leaves, they can be carefully with two or three lobes, double serrated and transplanted into individual pots and kept in the sharply pointed. The leaves look similar to red shade. These seedlings can be planted out into the baneberry, Actaea rubra, a native to the woods or into a shade garden either in the spring northeastern, north central and western states. or fall once the plants Many white flowering spires can grow from are two years old. one mature black cohosh plant and each stalk can The thirty black contain dozens of individual flowers. The flower cohosh plants I have buds look like tiny round buttons that open into a growing in full sun flower with several stamens. Once the racemes are beginning to are in full bloom, they are covered with flies and show signs of stress bees, busily pollinating the flowers. Black cohosh from the lack of flowers have an unusual smell, some say rather consistent rain over unpleasant or fetid. This smell however attracts the past several the pollinators by the hundreds. When the summers and from flowers are in full bloom in my garden, dozens of the sudden high bees cover each flowering raceme creating a temperatures that buzzing sound that always draws my attention. occurred after two Come fall, the racemes are covered with brown long, cool and damp seeds that scatter in the wind. continued on next page Black cohosh: photo ©Deb Soule

8 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation Maine springs. With our climate under such SEED GIVE-AWAY change, black cohosh growing in the north may need to grow in more shade than it has needed The “Analog Seed Set” consists of generous seed packets of each of the following 5 plants—100% certified organic seeds in the past. I have begun moving most of my grown at Horizon Herbs. Listed below are the At-Risk herbs plants into a shaded woodland area amongst for which they are analogs: oak trees and old stone walls. ANALOG AT-RISK/ TO-WATCH We harvested 10 pounds of black cohosh Blue Indigo (Baptisia australis) Wild Indigo (Baptista tinctoria) rhizomes and roots this fall and made over 3 Spilanthes (Spilanthes acmella) Echinacea (Echinacea spp.) gallons of fresh root tincture. Black cohosh’s Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) American Ginseng (Panax rhizomes grow close to the surface of the soil, quinquefolius) making harvesting them easy and fun. For Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) Arnica (Arnica spp.) White Sage (Salvia apiana) Peace Blessing those of us herbalists who have gardens and make medicine for our clients, family and Living close to the land, growing our own food and friends, tending a small patch of black cohosh medicine, serving local people and the wider ecosystem while cavorting in the bounty of nature—these are some of the plants from which to harvest is relatively easy, practices that hold us “UpSers” together. In the spirit of this deeply rewarding and an important act for the connection we are offering all members a new seed set that preservation of this important native medicinal will help connect our gardens by way of common plants. plant. We’re calling it the “analog set” because most of these plants Black cohosh was an important medicine are easy-to-grow substitutes for At-Risk plants. for many of the Eastern Woodland Indians. Blue Indigo (Baptisia australis). I have to admit I’m guilty They generously passed their knowledge of of changing the common name of this native plant from “false this plant, as well as other herbs, to the early indigo” to something a bit more indicative of its sky-like settlers. The root has long been used for a radiant nature. As far as I’ve been able to determine, it is in variety of situations specific to women. every way as effective as our at-risk Wild Indigo (Baptisia tinctoria) in herbal medicine and is easier to germinate and Currently the root is being used extensively by much more adaptable to normal garden conditions, north and women experiencing various menopausal south. related symptoms such as hot flashes, Spilanthes (Spilanthes acmella). I consider this alkylamide- depression, irritability, fatigue, water rich plant to be an Echinacea synergist and use it when pretension and vaginal dryness. Black cohosh treating infections, to amplify the effects of Echinacea. can be helpful for some women who wake in Spilanthes also makes an unparalleled mouthwash, fighting the night and have trouble getting back to dental disease and decay. sleep.(in combination with other herbs) Some Tulsi (Holy Basil) (Ocimum tenuiflorum). Perhaps the most women who experience premenstrual unexpected development in western herbalism in the last 10 moodiness that has a brooding, “black cloud” years is the discovery (or rediscovery) of so many potent adaptogenic plants. Ginseng-like effects can be experienced feeling, whether before menstruating or as part from using a Cucurbit (Jiao-gu-lan), from a Solanaceous plant of their menopausal journey, have found small (Ashwagandha), from a succulent Stonecrop (Rhodiola rosea), doses of a fresh root tincture, 1-5 drops under from a common Thistle (Maralroot) and now from a plant in the tongue taken for the duration of the the Mint family—Tulsi. The tea of dried Tulsi leaves heals the moodiness, to be helpful. body and lifts the spirits. “Wherever Tulsi grows there is no Black cohosh tincture is used frequently in misery.” Europe instead of estrogen replacement Yarrow (Achillea millefolium). Over the years I’ve learned therapies. It is an herb to consider for women to use this tough and aromatic beauty more and more in who have surgically had their ovaries removed medicine. We use it in our antiseptic formula (in tincture along with using other herbal and nutritional form) and we use it in our salve. I find that Yarrow serves many of the same functions as Arnica, is much easier to grow supplements. In my practice, I have found and is also more prolific. using black cohosh and chaste berry along with White Sage (Salvia apiana). Here we diverge somewhat two ayurvedic herbs, ashwagandha and from our “analogs” model and make available again the shatavari, to be an excellent combination for certified organic seed of this traditional smudging sage. Those aiding sleep and improving energy levels and of you living along the Gulf Coast, in the Southwest and in an overall sense of stability and wellness in the California or Southern Oregon can grow it as a perennial. The midst of changing hormones. rest will have to start early and grow the plant as an annual. Herbalist Matthew Wood uses a small dose While the native home of White Sage rapidly disappears to of the root tincture for whiplash, neck and development, the message that this plant sends forth is still as potent as ever: There is no substitute for PEACE. ~ Richo continued on page 12 Winter 2005 | 9 PARTNERS IN EDUCATION ONE SEED AT A TIME Join United Plant Savers in creating a greener, healthier world through education about the conservation of our native medicinal plants. We offer a special student membership fee of $20 per student for all herbal schools, apprentice programs and training courses that enroll their students as a group. Each student receives a UpS membership package with all the benefits ~ informative Journals and Bulletins, Nursery & Bulk Herb Directory, free plant/seed Give-Away twice a year, membership discounts at UpS conferences, and more. When your school/program joins Partners in Education they will receive the UpS Educational Presentation Guide, a copy of the UpS book Planting the Future, use of the UpS At-Risk Slide Show & Video, a listing in both the UpS Journal and on our Website, guidance from experienced educators and the opportunity to make a difference ~ One Seed at a Time. Please contact Betzy at the office to find out how you can become a Partner in Education. which is always a wealth of information and an YERBA WOMAN HERBAL APPRENTICE inspiration to see what people are doing in other PROGRAM places. Willits, CA The theme and focus of this year’s annual Mendocino County Herb Association Herb Festival was “Native Plants”. Students in the The Yerba Woman Herbal Apprentice Apprentice class staffed a UpS information booth Program has been affiliated with Partners in to help inform people of the need to preserve Education since that program began a few years native medicinal plants! P ago. The Apprentice class meets one weekend per month, March through November, and students AUSTRALASIAN COLLEGE OF learn a wide range of herbal information, from HEALTH SCIENCES cultivation, to medicine making, to ethical wildharvesting, and more. Portland, OR The class takes place in the hills of Mendocino County, at Motherland, which is an herb school and part of the UpS Botanical Sanctuary Nationally accredited by the Distance Network. Education and Training Council, our program, There are many At-Risk and To-Watch plants Herb 401 Diploma in Herbal Studies – Master growing in the gardens and on the land. Ginseng, Herbalist, is a rigorous distance educational goldenseal and bloodroot were obtained from program designed for the serious student seeking UpS plant giveaways and there is black cohosh, professional working knowledge of herbal trillium, arnica, echinacea, gentian, maidenhair medicine. fern, Oregon grape, white sage, yerba mansa and Australasian College of Health Sciences has yerba santa. Having these plants here, we can provided students enrolled in the Master then begin to know them as we watch them Herbalist program a complimentary membership change through the seasons, observing how they to United Plant Savers so that the students can are pollinated, how they disperse their seed, and become more involved in the efforts of UpS. so on. This brings us into a new relationship with We strive to educate our local community and an herb, especially if we take it in some processed international student body about the efforts of form as medicine. UpS to preserve At-Risk medicinal botanicals. Our partnership with UpS has provided Based on UpS recommendations, our botanical opportunities to familiarize us with other herbs teaching garden features several At-Risk as well, by viewing the At-Risk Slide show and by medicinal botanicals which we feature and reading the Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation, discuss in our monthly garden tours. P

10 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation THE CENTER FOR HEALING ARTS: director of our program will be working with HERB & ECO-SCHOOL UpS to conduct community wide education in a 7 county region with the UpS slide show of ‘at- Long Lake, WI risk’ medicinal herbs to raise awareness in 2005. Three additional research and education projects are in the planning stages with several of our The Center For Healing Arts Herb & Eco- school’s graduates and nearby universities School in northern Wisconsin has been a natural where cultivation and preservation of medicinal medicine clinic and herbal education program plants will be designed—all of this information formerly in west central Wisconsin east of the will be adjoined with United Plant Savers to Minneapolis-St.Paul metro area. After a decade raise awareness of our sacred eco-systems. We of providing services in that locale, the have many reasons to hold hope for this planet educational arm of the Center was moved three in 2005! years ago to a beautiful 40-acre location near the (To contact the Center For Healing Arts Herb Chippewa Ice Age Trail. The teaching location is & Eco-School: 715-967-2300, 29588 State Road 40, both beautiful and ecologically diverse. All of New Auburn-Long Lake, WI 54757 or the natural elements create a desirable location [email protected]) for the preservation and study of plants, herbs, ecology and sustainable living. Remember…"The grounds are fertile, amidst the In 2004 the school joined with United Plant chaos of these times" ~Gigi Stafne, Director P Savers and became a Botanical Sanctuary as well as joining the "Partners in Education" team. The Center has historically provided several tracks of educational programming: community wide PARTNERS IN EDUCATION workshops, ‘weed walks’ and field trips, Australasian College of Health Sciences professional herbalism coursework and an Tracey Miller, Portland, OR ecology and earth sustainability track of Bastyr University workshops. Another unique feature of our Robin dePasquale, Seattle, WA teaching explores the entire realm of northern Center for Healing Arts wetland plants where students are taught Gigi Stafne, Long Lake, WI introductory level kayaking and journeys in Heartsong Farm Healing Herbs wetlands via kayaks, plus bog walks to learn Nancy Phillips, Groveton, NH how to identify and protect such plants as Herb Pharm’s Herbaculture Work/Study Program sundew, pitcher plant, and native orchids. Sara Katz, Williams, OR In year 2005 our Center will be weaving Honoring Herbal Traditions together ecology and preservation efforts with Sarah Zettelmeyer, W. Danville,VT United Plant Savers by opening our medicine Medicine Wheel Tribe trail entitled "Moon Lodge Trail" where sundry Rachel Jean Harper, Port Ludlow, WA plants thrive and new plantings of goldenseal, black cohosh and wild ginger have been Sacred Plant Traditions established. A plant identification checklist has Kathleen Maier, Charlottesville, VA been developed by the Center and will be Sage Mountain available to Rosemary Gladstar, E. Barre,VT UpS Southwest Institute of Healing Arts – members JoAnn Sanchez, Phoenix, AZ soon for Tai Sophia educational Marsha Birnbaum, Laurel, MD purposes. The Center for Healing Arts Several Gigi Stafne, New Auburn – Long Lake, WI advanced The Herb Stop herbal Kita Centella, Phoenix, AZ students Yerba Woman Apprentice – and the Donna d'Terra, Willits, CA EcoSchool students Winter 2005 | 11 PLANT LEARNING FOR KIDS by Khadijah Lacina Being a very quiet person in a very noisy several herbs for our little container garden on house is not always easy. Things need to get the roof, though some of the baby plants didn't done, messages need to be gotten across, ideas make it through our unexpected, wild trip shared, important matters taught…you could say through the mountains…which is a story for I have become somewhat of an expert in this, as I later! We always included at least one plant from am a home schooling mother to six children, with the UpS At-Risk list. A great way to do this is to one on the way. One of the most important ideas take advantage of the UpS plant Give-Aways. I that we can pass onto our children is the beauty find comfort knowing that our goldenseal plants of the herbal world and the vital role each one us are thriving back in the States, though they are on plays in preserving and nurturing it. Over the their own now. One thing that was important to years I have shared my love and growing me was that none of the plants was toxic. I loved knowledge and experience with herbs with each watching the children playing in the yard, of my children- indeed, with all of the children I stopping to eat this or that herb, making little come in contact with, as my way of planting for salads in their make believe houses, and referring the future. Each child takes it to heart in a to the dandelions that popped up all over by different manner, but they DO take it to heart, saying, "Look at all the food on the lawn!!" I and the love of herbs becomes a part of them. made and sold a line of hand crafted soaps and Here are some of the methods I have found to be bath and body products, as well as making my the most effective in teaching my children to family's medicines, so we always had a healthy know the herbs, to understand, use, and sprinkling of herbs that aided me in those appreciate them. creations as well. Now we just use containers, but First and perhaps most important, is exposing the hands-on time with growing any herbs is them to the plants themselves. When we lived in invaluable in instilling a love and respect for the States, we had a house with a garden and a them in the children. little yard. The children and I planted herbs all Hand in hand with growing is, of course, taking walks and identifying the plants The important thing is to pass on your herbal wisdom and you see along the way, wild crafting knowledge to your children in as many varied ways as possible, to keep them excited and interested. them if possible, and storing and preparing them right along with your home grown efforts. Even the smallest of over the place, every nook and cranny and the children would learn to recognize many of stretch of grass was interplanted with them! First the plants. Juwairiyah, at the age of two, would we made a list of each child's desire and goal in call out, "There's St. John's Work!! MY St. John's planting that year. Juwairiyah always opted for Work!!" Make sure you have a very good field anything edible, Sukhailah for pretty flowers, guide for identifying the plants, we used the Mujaahid for anything he could drink in tea, and Peterson's guide for our area and it was excellent. so on. We would then begin pouring over the Secondly, I have herb books all over the place, herb catalogs and making a list of wish-we-hads. accessible and inviting to the children. When I Our favorite catalog was from Horizon Herbs- we was taking Rosemary's herbal studies course, my all enjoyed seeing Richo and his family grow up then eight year old daughter did almost the (well, sort of – SMILE) as well as Cheesie the whole course with me. They love the books with herbal mouse, who, in the last catalog we pictures the most, of course. There are several received before moving here to Yemen, had just herbal encyclopedias available with beautiful had a baby- actually two! And the information in photos and line drawings to help the children the catalog is invaluable, especially to those of us learn about and identify the different herbs. who are growing so many things for the first Penelope Ody's is even available here, translated time. Ultimately, we had to look realistically at into Arabic!! When we read stories, we always what we could afford as far as time and space, look for ways that herbs play a part in the lives of and order those herbs which made the cut. We the characters. For example, Beatrix Potter stories did this even after coming here- we ordered are full of herb references, the most famous

12 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation probably being Peter's cup of chamomile tea after Children are truly a key to the success of the his ordeal in Mr. McGregor's garden. Agatha goals of United Plant Savers. If our knowledge Christie and Anne Perry books often refer to and concerns about the herbal world leave this herbal treatments (NOT just poisonings!) and world with us, there will be no chance for future there is a whole line of herbal mysteries by Susan generations to experience so many of these Whittig Albert that are great fun to read. The beautiful, beneficial plants. Even if you do not library is an excellent resource for checking out have children yourself, teach your nieces, lots of different books, allowing you to decide nephews, neighborhood kids…whoever you are which books to add to your at home herb library. able. Even those children that are not all that Thirdly, we use the herbs for everything, from interested in one aspect of herbalism will usually cooking to medicine to crafts. Even for coloring be entranced by another. And, I can almost books- I would trace the pictures from an herbal guarantee that YOU will have fun and learn in book onto a piece of typing paper, add the name the process as well!!! and uses of the herb at the bottom of the page, Before moving to Yemen two years ago, Khadijah and give it to the children to color. And it's okay and her family lived in the Catskill region of NewYork if her calendula comes out purple, or the State where she had a wonderful garden and a Echinacea lime green…they are still learning and business selling soaps and body care products. She enjoying the process as they color the picture and does her best to remain sane amongst her wild tribe of read about the plant. Shatoiya De La Tour's homeschooled children. P wonderful book, "Earth Mother Herbal" is packed with recipes and ideas for crafts and activities. Cultivating Black Cohosh continued from page 8 Though it is aimed at adults, there are so many, many things in there to share with children- it is a lower back pain, tightness and hardness in the real treasure trove. I encourage my children to trapezius muscles and rheumatism or any feeling experiment with the herbs in whatever way they of dampness in the joints and muscles. The old wish, trying my best to simply be there to gently Eclectic physicians, practicing in the 19th century, guide and suggest, rather than to lead the way. used black cohosh for migraines associated with Sukhailah came up with some wonderful lip menses, optic neuralgia, muscle pain associated balm recipes this way, and Mujaahid with many with influenza, lumbago, and chronic, deep-seated ideas for beverage and medicinal teas. And then muscle pain. (Herbal Therapy and Supplements, by there was the lavender and chocolate Merrily A. Kuhn and David Winston, pg 60) cake…mmmmm… Loren Israelson, strong supporter of United The important thing is to pass on your herbal Plant Savers wrote in a previous issue: wisdom and knowledge to your children in as “Frances Thompson, the English poet, once wrote many varied ways as possible, to keep them that one could not pluck a flower without excited and interested. Some children can pour troubling a star, what then if we lose a species?” over an herbal for hours, while another simply Planting 3-5 seedlings is a great way to ensure its wants to dig and plant and water the garden. continued survival. Space them two feet apart and Most children, however, seem to thrive on a after a few years you will begin to see new stems combination of many different teaching methods. emerging from the spreading rhizomes. Black They enjoy participating in things, knowing that cohosh is truly a remarkable medicinal herb and a their input is important to you. When my magnificent plant to consider growing for its children found out that goldenseal was on the beauty and medicine, both for its pollinators and UpS list, they became indignant when reading for herbalists. P the label of an herbal product on sale that used goldenseal for no apparent reason except that the Deb Soule has been organically growing and name sells. They even went so far as to ask the wildharvesting medicinal herbs for over 25 years in company in question why, exactly, was that Maine. She is the founder of the herbal apothecary goldenseal in there? And, if the benefits of the Avena Botanicals and author of A Woman’s Book of herb were truly needed, couldn't they use Oregon Herbs. Deb tends an acre of medicinal herbs in West grape root or barberry instead? Well, the Rockport, Maine. Her gardens and apothecary are open company never answered back, but even that was to the public. Visit Avena’s website at a lesson to them, I suppose.

Winter 2005 | 13 UPS’ At-Risk FORUM

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

For the benefit of the plant communities, wild animals, harvesters, farmers, consumers, manufacturers, retailers and practitioners, we offer this list of wild medicinal plants which we feel are currently most sensitive to the impact of human activities. Our intent is to assure the increasing abundance of the medicinal plants which are presently in decline due to expanding popularity and shrinking habitat and range. UpS is not asking for a moratorium on the use of these herbs. Rather, we are initiating programs designed to preserve these important wild medicinal plants. P AT-RISK LIST ~ At-Risk ~ ~ To-Watch ~ UPDATE American Ginseng Arnica (Panax quinquefolius) (Arnica sp.) The UpS A t - R i s k List committee Black Cohosh Butterfly Weed is getting close to having our new (Actaea (Cimicifuga) racemosa) (Asclepias tuberosa) methodology unveiled. If you Bloodroot Cascara Sagrada have been following our A t - R i s k (Sanguinaria canadensis) (Rhamus purshimia) work, you know that a year ago Blue Cohosh Chaparro we set out to identify as many (Caulophyllum thalictroides) (Casatela emoryi) traits as possible, from plant life Echinacea Elephant Tree history characteristics to habitat (Echinacea sp.) (Bursera microphylla)) Eyebright Gentian t h reats, that make a species (Euphrasia sp.) (Gentiana sp.) vulnerable. Our goal is to create a Goldenseal Goldthread t r a n s p a rent tool that yields a (Hydrastis canadensis) (Coptis sp.) quantitative score for each Helonias Root Kava Kava species. We have now come up (Chamaelirium luteum) (Piper methysticum) (Hawaii only) with specific questions that can Lady’s Slipper Orchid Lobelia be used to provide comparative (Cypripedium sp.) (Lobelia sp.) s c o res for any species. These Lomatium Maidenhair Fern questions and their scores were (Lomatium dissectum) (Adiantum pendatum) distributed to a field of experts Osha Mayapple and their responses are now (Ligusticum porteri, L. sp.) (Podophyllum peltatum) Peyote Oregon Grape being fine-tuned. We do believe (Lophophora williamsii) (Mahonia sp.) that the scale will work, for Slippery Elm Partridge Berry example, even with the ro u g h (Ulmus rubra) (Mitchella repens) draft questions and scores, we are Sundew Pink Root seeing ranges of scores fro m (Drosera sp.) (Spigelia marilandica) something very rare, such as pink Trillium, Beth Root Pipsissewa lady’s slipper having a score of (Trillium sp.) (Chimaphila umbellata) only 1.5, while something that no True Unicorn Spikenard one would be concerned about, (Aletris farinosa) (Aralia racemosa, A. californica) the common annual sunflower, Venus’ Fly Trap Stone Root Helianthus annuus having a score (Dionaea muscipula) (Collinsonia canadensis) Virginina Snakeroot Stream Orchid of 18.0. Next steps will be to (Aristolochia serpentaria) (Epipactis gigantea) finalize the tool, come up with Wild Yam Turkey Corn s c o res for all of our A t - R i s k (Dioscorea villosa, D. sp.) (Dicentra canadensis) species, and then share it more White Sage b roadly with UpS members for (Salvia apiana) re v i e w. We will keep you posted. Wild Indigo "We should all strive to be good (Baptisia tinctoria) Kelly Kindscher, UpS board member, ancestors." Yerba Mansa ~ Jonas Salk and Associate Scientist, University (Anemopsis californica) of Kansas.

14 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation WILDCRAFTING: WHY WE SHOULD NOT A NATIVE AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE by Karyn Sanders In Native American culture we see ourselves as whole, a family. This differs from the scientific or part of nature, intertwined with life, not separate. We empirical method of classifying plant families by as humans are connected to everything on this earth stems or flower structure. In scientific classification and in the universe. Every living being is our plants can be family simply by looking similar, yet relation. Every action we take affects another. As live nowhere near each other. Without the family, the Native people, we feel our purpose here is to protect plant does not have its complete medicine. You Mother Earth, to tend this place we call home and should know what weather each plant likes and help all living beings. thrives in, the soil it likes, light and shade conditions The plants have and could thrive without us, and water sources. Does this plant like a lot of family however we cannot live without the plant people. nearby, or is it shy and quiet and live off to the side The plants are our family: our grandfathers, or behind others? Often plants do not even show grandmothers, aunts, and cousins. Plants are people, themselves because conditions have changed or an living beings with the capacity for knowledge, area is being abused. Last year, this certain orchid intimacy, relationships and communication. Plant that grows in high altitude, alpine conditions, was all families have been in the same place, in their over the place. I had not seen that orchid there for ancestral soil since the beginning of this planet. seven or eight years because the conditions weren’t Plants and trees are in complete relationship with right, there had not been enough of a snow pack. everything around them, the soil, stones, water, sky, Had I not been coming to the area for so long, I animals, birds, and insects. If just one element is would not have even known they lived there, or that taken or changed, it weakens and often kills the they were back. Eight years is a long time to wait for plants. a friend. As an herbalist, one of the most important If you regularly visit an area and sit quietly for relationships you need to develop and nurture is the long periods, the plant people with show themselves one between you and the plants. If you don’t have a to you and talk with you. They will not sound like a deep, intimate relationship with the plants, your voice out loud saying, 'Hi, I’m columbine!’ but they work and medicine will always be on the surface. do talk in many ways. You may experience them This sounds obvious and basic but there are plenty of through sound, images of color, or images of animals. herb people who spend very little or no time with the You may see an illness, or feel the plant in certain live plants. parts of your body. The point is, you have to spend When I was being trained as a child to work with time with the plants to develop a relationship. You the plant people, I was taught that you never take a will find your own way of communicating with life before you have helped start and sustain life. I them. was not allowed to take a plant person until I had Once you know an area and have a relationship grown a stand and spread seeds, bulbs and roots in with it, then you can plant native seeds and roots of an area. This was to show that I could sustain life the plant families in that area. You can also spread and not just take it. seeds, roots and bulbs. To save yourself frustration Before you think to take plants from the wild, and not hurt the plants, you will want to be trained you should plant and tend some. You need to have a by someone who knows how to do this. In most relationship with the area and the plant people. places, there are local gardening clubs or plant Spend time, sit, talk and listen to them. I do not mean nurseries that can help you. Be sure and plant what for five minutes or once a year or once in your is part of the medicine family and native to the area. lifetime. You really need to be with them on a regular Tend this area for four seasons. After a full year, you basis daily, weekly, or monthly. Watch them through have set yourself to that area forever. You are every season, every change. Know every plant that responsible for caring for that stand. This will help grows around them and in the area, for these are you feel and be a part of nature and not outside their families. This way you will know who should looking in or always visiting. The land will no longer be around and who is missing. Families are made up just be a place you visit on vacation or when you of plants that have co-existed from generation to need something. generation in the same area. The plants support each Without growing plants or watching their life other, and together they will create the medicine as a continued on next page

Winter 2005 | 15 process, you can never fully understand and person you should not be harvesting ceremonial realize the sacrifice they are making for your well plants. Many ceremonial plants have become being and life! It is simple respect ~ give before popular outside native culture and are frequently you take. Just because you are an herbalist or harvested, for example, white sage, angelica, and medicine maker does not mean the plant people lomatium. belong to you. Quite the opposite! Their medicine I am calling for a moratorium on harvesting, is a great gift to us. gathering, and wild crafting. We as herbalists Times have changed and the taking of plants should not take any plants from the wild for the from the wild needs to be re-addressed for many next seven years. There are so few wild areas left, reasons. Herbalists and herb people have to look fewer stands and so much less plant diversity. at the reality of dwindling and damaged wild Loss of wild areas to urban sprawl, de-forestation, areas. So many areas have been devastated by pollution and over-harvesting by herb people over-harvesting and incorrect harvesting. I have have all been contributors to this loss. I want to gone to stands that I have planted and tended for promote and encourage wild planting and 20 years and found that someone has harvested spreading what is still there. Go out and plant. horribly and in-correctly and half ~in some cases Help create and sustain healthy areas by putting all ~ of the plants are gone. This is a hard fact to native plants back in their original environments. absorb; herbalists and herb people have been and Many books are available that will tell you how to continue to be a part of the problem of plants do this; the forest service often has list of the local becoming endangered or extinct. native plants they will let you copy, garden clubs American ginseng and goldenseal used to be and botanists often know the plants in their area very common plants found in the mid-west to the and of course the local herbalists. Imagine what southeast. They became very popular with places would look like if every person involved herbalists and the general public and have been with herbs was planting and tending in the wild harvested almost to extinction. These are slow- for the next seven years! This is the Native growing sensitive plants that have not made a American way of using the plant people: you comeback in the wild but are being successfully plant, spread, tend and sustain. cultivated. In the west, osha and lomatium have In addition to this, growing your own herbs been over-harvested, but both osha and lomatium and/or buying organically cultivated herbs is a are hard plants to cultivate and have not become very crucial and viable option. Support small readily available in commerce. organic herb farmers and seed companies. Do not Plants have very specific needs in how they promote mono cropping of huge amounts or should be cut or dug. To cut or dig a plant multi-million dollar companies. Herbs grown without knowing what you are doing will with the right conditions and with their families possibly kill the plant. Being shown where a plant are as healthy and strong as their wild counter- grows and learning its medicine is not the same parts. The plant people give their medicine as knowing how to harvest without hurting or readily if well grown. Ceremonial plants are killing it. For each plant you need to know it's different, as their medicine often involves the specific needs or you are going to be doing energy of the place where they grow as well. nothing but harm. You can so easily damage an Again, if you are not a medicine person you area by not knowing the correct way to harvest or should not be harvesting ceremonial plants. whether the whole family is healthy so that We have to start thinking about the reality of someone may be harvested. Anytime you go to what is now, and not what has been. Stop wild harvest wild areas you stand a good chance of crafting and start wild planting. P taking from an area someone has already been using. Karyn Sanders has been a practicing herbalist and Most Native American medicine people that I teacher for 30 years. She has a full time practice as well know try and hide their stands and collecting as being the head instructor of the Blue Otter School of areas, yet stands and areas that have been tended Herbal Medicine. She was traditionally trained by her for thousands of years have been decimated or Choctaw grandparents, by other Native American destroyed. Traditional plants are gone or there is teachers,and apprenticed with a Mexican curandera. not enough growing to be able to gather. She has training in Western herbalism as well. Her Ceremonial plants, plants absolutely integral and school and practice in California have a Native necessary for ceremonies to be effective, are lost American constitutional base. Karyn also produces and to us. If you are not a Native American medicine hosts "The Herbal Highway" on KPFA (94.1 FM).

16 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation I agree with much of what Karyn says and it warms my heart to read about someone that is so passionate about the plants. I too feel that herbalists need to have a real connection with the plants and get to know them through all the seasons. I feel very strongly about this because it is how I relate to the plants and it is how I live my life. I love to tell other people how they ought to do things, but people who relate to plants in a d i ff e rent way may not agree and may have very good reasons why. If I lived and harvested in California and other places where plants really had to struggle o survive I would think a 7-year moratorium on harvesting was a good idea. But, where I live in the western part of New York state, we have no urban sprawl

Winter 2005 | 17 And so along with wildcrafting in a sustainable would encroach on my relationship with the way, we need to be careful on how we pass on plants. For me, giving up wildcrafting is this eons-old skill. Also, most of my wildcrafting somewhat tantamount to giving up treating is for medicines I prepare for my clients or to sell people as an herbalist. I try to buy as few herbs as tinctures at our local co-op. If I were gathering as possible. The reasons for this would make a (and I wouldn’t) on a larger-scale commercial separate lengthy article, but here are a few I basis, much of what I write here would be would include on the short list. I feel it different in the reflection of the damage done by important to be able to accurately identify the a small-scale wildcrafter compared to a large plant species I use. As a botany geek I see that outfit. the plants in trade are not always the correct In the years that I have been wildcrafting I species and sometimes the wrong herb have visited many ecosystems including altogether. Plants are so variable in their Northeast woodlands, boreal forest, Midwest individual constituents that I want to at least plains, alpine meadows, high and low desert, control for the correct species. Unfortunately, swamps, fields, abandoned homesteads, vacant many people who gather are not familiar with lots and organic gardens. Most of these terrains using a technical field guide and may gather are being despoiled by humans’ indifference to close, or worse, uncommon relatives of a plant their survival and certainly need time to repair species, thereby putting a plant at risk. I admire and restore themselves. Other ecosystems are Karyn’s suggestion about purchasing plants more self-repairing. The reason I mention some from small organic growers, but the conversion of the environments that I gather from is that of fields into gardens is another disruption of when discussing wildcrafting, it is important to what these lands looked like hundreds of years consider the individual ecosystems we gather ago. I’m not suggesting we stop gardening, I am from, as some are much more in need of implying that all of our actions concerning using protection then others. The more fragile ones plants as medicines (and food) changes the should just generally be kept free from gathering landscape around us. and enjoyed for their unique beauty. As a wildcrafter, I feel that I get an up-close I will probably always wildcraft. It is an feel for the plants and their environment where I activity that I love. And more pertinent for this wildcraft them. Any negative impact that I make article, it is a pursuit that brings me closer to the is quickly apparent and in this way I learn how earth. It may be that abstaining from harvesting to gather more lightly. When I wildcraft (along would do the same, but there are reasons that with many others whom I’ve had the pleasure to will keep me in the fields and forests gathering wildcraft with) I relish the time. Wildcrafting is plants. not only the satisfaction of gathering plants for One of my favorite lines in Karyn’s article is medicine, it is also getting to know ecosystems “As an herbalist, one of the most important and just watching and being aware of the relationships you need to develop and nurture, environment. I do not gather from any pristine is the one between you and the plants.” I have environments (unfortunately there are few left), great empathy for this notion and believe it this is anathema to ethical wildcrafting protocols. should be a guiding principle for herbalists and But in the many disturbed pieces of land that are that we should have a personal relationship with on a constant rise, I feel that I am not disturbing as many plants as possible that we use for an area that has already been mucked-up. I still medicine. For me, that means getting to know do not want to tamper harshly with these and see the plants where they grow. For plants environs, but these plants have learned to adapt such as calendula, hyssop, and other plants to the ways of humans and their lack of plant commonly grown in gardens, this is easy, but for consciousness. the myriad other plants that I rely on in my There is also a much bigger picture here at practice, plants such as silk tassel (Garrya), stake. I wholeheartedly agree with Karyn that lobelia or calamus, if I do not gather them, where wildcrafters should make a relationship with the will I get them? Do I trust other folks to gather plants that they gather, and practice principled them for me? Some of these plants are and compassionate plant-gathering ethics. But cultivatable, but many of these plants could not the majority of the damage to our ecosystems be grown in my bioregion, again I would need to comes from other sources. These include the enlist others to begin their propagation, and this overzealous and injudicious land harm caused

18 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation by developers, logging companies and rely less on others (particularly large ‘technology parks’. I believe we can play an companies) to gather our herbs for medicines active role in preventing wholesale destruction and make an effort to see the plants we use in of the earth. I believe that we as herbalists and their natural habitats to see if they are wildcrafters should be activists and take threatened in any way. We could become active whatever actions we feel called to, to try and in ways to help stop land destruction. We can halt the creation of this savage terrain. Other consider ways to do less harm in our daily lives. ways would be to limit our use of cars, I feel kindred to Karyn in many ways and electricity, and other non-renewable energy this response is more an addition rather than a resources. And eat local foods. At gut level, subtraction of her ideas. I hope all of us in the wildcrafting helps me have a better herbal community continually deepen our understanding of my surroundings. After relationship to the plants.P gathering plants such as skullcap, year after year from the same spot, I get to see the 7Song lives in Ithaca, NY where he is the director and main environments’ ebb and flow and adjust my teacher at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine. He has been perusing his non-fatal attraction to plants for as gathering commensally. long as he can remember. 7Song has spent a lot of the last 23 This next notion is something I grappled years searching and wildcrafting plants for his practice whether I should comment on or not, but here throughout the United States and feels that wildcrafting and goes. Karyn writes of her Native American being an herbalist is “the shit” (in his words). blood and their relationship with the earth and its inhabitants. Fair enough, I commend her direction in helping others see how we too can be in harmony with our surroundings. But there LANTING THE UTURE seems to be an implication that other groups P F may not have the wherewithal to also know Edited by Rosemary Gladstar & Pamela Hirsch how to interact with our environment. To me, it Land stewardship, habitat protection, and sustainable is not a matter of what race we belong to, but cultivation are of critical importance to ensure an rather the individual actions that each one of us abundant renewable supply of medicinal plants for future takes. And which group of people do not at generations. This book will supply you with valuable information including: least previously have a relationship with plants? All of us harken ancestrally back to the days • Herbalists sharing their when our lives were obviously dependent on extensive experience with plants (as they still are, think oxygen and food). using and growing A t - R i s k And so when Karyn asks us not harvest herbs ceremonial plants unless we are Native • Suggestions for cre a t i n g American, it disturbs me as I too enjoy the your own private herbal fragrance of white sage and cedar. And for a s a n c t u a r y second round of disclosure I am a white, Jewish • Color photos of 30 (non-practicing, but it is my cultural medicinal plants upbringing) male from Long Island, NY. It • Mail order resources for seems I would be left out of the plant-gathering hard-to-find seeds loop. And yet, I love plants. I wish to protect • Suggestions for making plants. Their beauty and complexities help keep eco-friendly purchases life on earth sane. and using other herbs In order for us to protect the plants that both with similar actions as Karyn and I love I would propose gathering our alternatives own medicine. Not haphazardly but by watching patiently the cycles of the plants and Selected by the Vermont Book Professional learning how to do least harm. We should be Association as one of the Twelve Best Books of 2000 able to make accurate species identification and by Vermont Publishers! learn which plants are in need of our support. We should study from knowledgeable people and learn how to not add undue stress onto an Send $25.50 (includes s/h) to: already taxed environment. We could learn to UpS • Po Box 400 • E. Barre • VT • 05649

Winter 2005 | 19 SMALL NONPROFITS STILL “AT-RISK” 2004 FINANCIAL REPORT by Lynda LeMole Like all businesses, ‘nonprofits’ have to given donations. To Herb Pharm, who extended ‘make ends meet’. It’s also understood that their lab services for our grant testing (Matt recent years have been hard on charitable Bernart’s expertise) and continues to do our giving, as UpS has been reporting. A recent graphic work (Liz Butler’s talent and study of over 4000 nonprofit organizations by dedication), Sage Mountain (Rosemary Guidestar, the national data base of nonprofit Gladstar’s eternal blessings on UpS), Paul organizations showed 2004 bringing slight relief Strauss/Equinox Botanicals for work with his from economic hard times. However, most of interns on our Sanctuary, and American Herbal this was experienced by very large Products Association we extend our thanks for organizations with budgets of over $500,000. their valuable in-kind support. We will continue Smaller nonprofits like UpS are still struggling to reach out to the herb industry to build when it comes to ‘donations’. Interestingly, alliances with herb companies who embrace our throughout the last tough years, our mission and are hoping to build a strong membership has remained strong and increased corporate membership in 2005. this year! We have new BSN members this year The Aveda Earth Month partnership as well. So the need and the interest in UpS are program will be an exciting fund-raiser for UpS there ~ our members are with us ~ but everyone and the 24 other nonprofits who will engage is feeling the economic crunch. with salons and customers in April 2005. With It’s hard to write a financial report before our office in Vermont transitioned and strongly year end, as this is the time of year many people staffed, there will be less internal changes and give charitably and we still hope to end in the we hope to make 2005 a year of increased fund- black. Approaching year end, our budget lines raising, stable and efficient program are all under, as we have continued to keep management and more frequent member expenses down, but we are not yet breaking communications. We have missed being able to even. One surprise this year was the response to mail more good news to our faithful and our Plant Give-Aways, with over 400 members dedicated members and our veteran editor requesting live plants and seeds – that’s more Nancy Scarzello vows to flood us with valuable than 4,000 little plant babies that have found educational herb/UpS news. So, it’s been a few new homes! This program is a member benefit years of calling the wagons into the circle to and does not ‘pay for itself’, but we feel strongly regroup, and now its time to head out again, about planting At-Risk herbs (see great article with strong and solid feet ever rooted in our this Journal). Also, we’re pleased that in spite of precious soil. For all members who have stayed our lean year, we were still able to give about with us and new members joining, we thank $1,500 in Community grants. you from our green hearts to yours! P We are ever-grateful to the donations that have come to us from our Board, who continues NURSERY & BULK HERB to give their time and financial support, and IRECTORY PDATE from large donors Dennis Wiancko /Jackson D U Hole Community Foundation, Wheeler Family All UpS members receive free of charge a Nursery Trust, The Gross’s, The Harveys, and Carole & Bulk Herb Directory which lists sources for Pittelman who gave generously this year. We are cultivated live plants and seeds of At-Risk native also grateful that both new and long-time medicinals and fresh, dried harvested medicinal At- company/organization friends: Women’s Herbal Risk herbs. Herb and plant suppliers: Send us your Conference, Sage Mountain, California School of info for listing. Non-members: send Directory Herbal Studies, Frontier, Garden Continuum, request and $2 to our VT office. Herb Pharm, Homeland Garden, Mountain Rose Nursery & Bulk Herb Directory Herbs, Starwest, Traditional Medicinals and PO Box 400 Quantum have renewed memberships and/or E. Barre, VT 05649 Ph. (802)479-9825 Fax (802)476-3722

20 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation FREEING UP THE MEDICINE by Richo Cech Elecampane plants growing in a gentle arc human flinging involved) onto perfectly on the perimeter of the herb circle held out their receptive soil. Such soil can be characterized as dog tongue leaves, seeming to lap at the fine a well-drained loam already harboring water spraying out of the gravity-fed sprinklers. bloodroot and other mixed herbaceous Having expanded our medicinal garden to understory species, covered by a layer of mulch about a hundred species, we were actively benefiting by living in the midst of plant diversity, watching the interplay of butterflies and blossoms, listening to the buzz of myriad native pollinators on the fennel, eating burdock roots for dinner, and drying the elecampane roots to make tea for alleviating the inevitable coughs of the cold season ahead. That summer we worked happily, cultivating between the plants and spreading composted manure from the goat barn while watching the elecampane offer up its sunny blossoms to the southern Oregon sun. Being seed-savers, when the ray flowers shriveled in the drying breezes of August, we were soon busy collecting the seed- laden pappus. But we did not collect all of the seed—some was eaten by goldfinches, and Local Williams, OR connoisseurs test the local Tulsi some blew away. The next spring, I noticed a containing fungal mycelia. Gibberellic acid is familiar dog tongued elecampane seedling produced when fungi decompose, and emerging in the part shade in the moist, fertile bloodroot seed requires this growth hormone in soil next to the foundation of our yurt. The order to sprout. Direct-seeding in this manner is plant grew enormously, with leaves and flowers in my experience the most reliable method of almost twice the size of those growing in the establishing or increasing a stand of bloodroot— full sun, producing in time a root of magnificent the same method by which the plant spreads proportions and highly acclaimed medicinality. itself in nature. One of the main principles of natural growing Another At-Risk plant that moves in techniques had been clearly elucidated: the accordance to environment is goldenseal. plants know best where to grow, and given the Patches of goldenseal in the woods alter right conditions, they will eventually gravitate position, size and vigor in relation to expansion there—humans or no. and diminution of the forest canopy. I will never forget one of my earliest experiences with ...the plants know best where to grow, and goldenseal in the wild. My friend Charlie given the right conditions, they will eventually and I had been walking through dense forest, finding natural stands of goldenseal and black cohosh growing in If the principle of “gravitating to the right swales among the trees, when suddenly we spot” holds true for a robust and forgiving plant broke out into a cultivated field. Charlie pointed such as elecampane, then this plant habit may to the side, and there at the edge of the forest, in be even more pronounced among our more a position receptive to the full rays of the delicate at-risk species that require very specific morning sun but otherwise shaded, was a patch conditions of soil and shade for optimal health. of goldenseal that was beautiful to behold. Each For instance, I’ve always noticed that bloodroot slightly hairy, curving stalk held up a platter- reproduces and grows most reliably when fresh, sized leaf bearing a plump red berry. We both mature seed drops naturally (or with a little stood in awe. continued on page 24

Winter 2005 | 21 UPS GRANT REPORTS ANCESTRAL SPIRITS NATIVE MEDICINAL PLANT TRAIL by Alexis Katchmar

The first time I walked this land I could hear (Asarum canadense). From research I have done, the footsteps and feel the heartbeat of the and observations in the wild, I have tried to ancient ones. It truly is an amazing feeling to create as natural an environment as possible, have my hands in the dirt, planting these creating symbiotic plant communities where roots into the Earth. companions can thrive. Ancestral Spirits Medicine Plants were grown by Trail is nestled in the Melanie and Jeff Carpenter woodlands of The at Zack Woods Herb Farm, Longhaul Farm, in Hyde Park, VT, and Van Holderness, New Berkum Nurseries, Hampshire. I am very Deerfield, NH. As autumn thankful that the caretakers sets in, they are nestling of this land, Lorri Downs, into the earth, giving the and H.O. Lenentine were energy back to their roots. I kind enough to allow me am currently working on the freedom, and blessings painting signs for the trail to create this sacred place that will identify each on their land. The Longhaul plant, and give information Farm is a working organic about the medicinal uses of farm, and garden center. Alexis planting the medicine trail each. The trail will be a place for Thanks to Kurt Campbell, visitors to explore, learn about At-Risk medicinal Lorri Downs and H.O. Lenentine for the plants, and be with nature. donation of the lumber for the bridges as well as The experience of planting the Medicine to the kindhearted community members who Trail has been truly amazing. It began in July willingly helped to complete all of the projects. I when we had a trail work day, hoping to get give many, many thanks to United Plant Savers community members interested in helping out for giving me the inspiration to take part in with this project. planting the future, and for granting us funds We worked on getting the trail ready for for this project. I also thank the plants for planting. Projects included clearing brush and guiding me on this medicine walk. Peace and fallen trees, and building bridges in the places Harmony!!! P where the trail crosses the stream. It brought a true sense of community and positive energy FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR into the project. We were also blessed with the presence of the medicine bag, which our four CO M M U N I T Y PL A N T I N G PR O J E C T S legged friends spent most of their day lying underneath. It was a magical and healing day. United Plant Savers has a fund designated for community planting projects. UpS I held a planting workshop on August 22, guidelines require that the project have where we talked about native At-Risk plants, educational merit and that the land and re-introduced 7 plant species to the proposed for planting be protected either by woodlands at the Longhaul Farm. Those planted individual ownership, or be a part of a were bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), black school or park system. For application cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa), blue cohosh information please write to: (Caulophyllum thalactroides), American ginseng UpS Community Planting Fund Guidelines, (Panax quinquefolius), goldenseal (Hydrastis PO Box 400, E. Barre, VT 05649 canadensis), maidenhair fern, and wild ginger

22 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation WI L D F L O W E R MO N T E S S O R I LI N C O L N CO M M U N I T Y S C H O O L HE R B PR O J E C T We would like to thank you for giving us the Lincoln Community Herb Project (LCHP) opportunity to have a community garden at the began as a vision I had one summer morning in Old Stone House Museum in Brownington, VT. Maine while talking with herbalist Deb Soule. A s T h e re was an entrance in the middle of the fro n t she spoke of community herbalism, I had the of the 100’ x 100’ garden with roses, nasturtiums image of a field of medicinal herbs growing on and lemon grass artfully placed on either side. conservation land in my town, Lincoln, MA. F rom the lemon grass on, there were red petunias, F rom that moment, the image rapidly evolved orange and yellow calendula, yellow violets ~ all into a community of people growing and learning the colors of the rainbow radiating out on either about medicinal herbs as part of a nonpro f i t , side of the entrance, with a backdrop of volunteer org a n i z a t i o n . chamomile. We made tea from the chamomile, The following summer (1999) we had our sun-infused the calendula, ate the violets and field! The Conservation Commission in Lincoln pansies in salads and saved seeds from all. We a p p roved our proposal and leased us a 2.5 g rew purple, red and green peppers along with a c re former hay field. We began by creating a grapes, cantaloupes and strawberries. The whole labyrinth-design display garden, with a sampling back edge of the garden was planted with beans of about 30 herbs, and by establishing a 1/2 acre and pumpkins that grew huge! The herb gard e n c rop area which was planted in cover crop for the also included pineapple sage, spilanthes, mallow, first summer. o regano, parsley and borage blossoms that we The following spring, we established beds of picked and ate. The basil was companion planted y a r ro w, calendula, echinacea purpurea, butterfly with plum and cherry tomatoes. We had thre e weed, skullcap, lemon balm, mullein, St. John's d i ff e rent kinds of lettuce, Swiss chard, yellow Wort, chamomile, monarda fistulosa, oats, garlic squash, purple Viking, and blue and red potatoes. and blue vervain. We purchased and planted 45 We donated potatoes to a local nursing home and black cohosh roots. In the fall of the same year, received a nice thank you card saying they had UpS gave us a community grant to plant 60 made a wonderful stew with them. We wondere d additional black cohosh. All of them thrived on if the folks in the nursing home had ever seen the good soil, sun and tender loving care they blue and pink and purple potatoes before! received from volunteers. Our donations also included the Old Stone Because the field had lain fallow for several House Museum whom we gave some peppers years prior to our use, we easily qualified for and cucumbers. When the museum had their o rganic certification by NOFA Mass. For three " Time Travelers Summer Camp" I gave the summers we harvested, dried and sold certified c h i l d ren involved in the sheep’s wool and o rganic herbs to herbalists in the New England spinning demonstrations a tour of the gard e n a rea. We presented classes on growing, making, highlighting the dye garden that was designed and using herbal medicines. We raised money like a maze, the outer edge planted in two t h rough memberships, plant sales, classes and varieties of amaranth and sunflowers. All the d o n a t i o n s . seeds used in our project were from High In the fall of 2002, my husband Hugo and I Mowing Seeds, a local, organic, bio-dynamic seed moved to central Vermont and LCHP d i s b a n d e d . s u p p l i e r. The plants and seeds were all planted The remaining LCHP folks tried for a year to bio-dynamically and were grown org a n i c a l l y. In f i g u re out a way to continue the project, but try as addition to the grant from United Plant Savers, they might, the project closed. this garden was grown in partnership with a 4H It was important to me to find homes for as G rowing Connections grant. The garden was a many of the plants as we could, especially the huge success! There were fourteen children and black cohosh plants that we had acquired thro u g h six adults who participated in this project ~ a very the UpS grant. With the blessing of members of memorable experience for everyone involved. the UpS board, I searched out and found places Our thanks again to United Plant Savers for w h e re the plants would be preserved and making it all possible! P available for public viewing, in display gard e n s ~ Michele Wi l d f l o w e r, the students at the Wi l d f l o w e r or educational pro g r a m s . Montessori School & The Barton Girl Scout Tro o p continued on next page

Winter 2005 | 23 Freeing Up the Medicine continued from page 17 Lincoln Grant Reoprt continued from previous page

I realized that it was the specific light conditions In September of 2002 we had a closing circle, of this spot which had encouraged such bounty. attended by many of our friends and supporters. After this early initiation into goldenseal, Many of the hundreds of medicinal plants that there ensued many years of investigation, we had grown went home with those who had starting with growing the plant from rhizome nurtured them. The 105 black cohosh plants cuttings in the dappled shade on my Oregon received careful attention. Space does not allow farm, progressing to unlocking the secrets of me to list the various places around New growing the plant from seed. A primary question Endland that these well cared-for plants now that needed answering was, “Can cultivated reside. goldenseal equal the quality and effectiveness of When LCHP closed its books, we had $2222 goldenseal harvested from the wild?” To answer remaining, which we donated to UpS. For three this question I ended up not in my garden boots, years we worked hard, learned a lot, and had the but in the lab, where many samples of wild and good fortune to be able to give back to UpS. cultivated goldenseal from across the US and Thank you, United Plant Savers, for having Canada were analyzed for total alkaloid content. enough faith in our project to invest in it. A picture began to emerge: there was lots of ~ Cynthia Liepmann variation in alkaloid content between wild plants from different regions of Appalachia, and there (And UpS thanks the Lincoln Community Herb was even substantial variation between Project for giving back !!) P individual plants from a given wild patch. But much to my relief, we also found that the larger roots of cultivated plants grown in good soil UN I T E D PL A N T SA V E R S’ PO S T E R under shade were in many cases higher in active alkaloids than plants taken from the wild! Clearly, it matters where plants grow. I think that the “hands-on” way of relating to plants in cultivation might benefit from occasional periods of “hands-off,” giving plants the space they need to demonstrate their own wisdom through self regeneration and relocation. In this case, all us gardeners need to do is sit back and watch to determine where our next efforts will be most fruitful. And, I think you’ll be glad to hear that too much weeding is contraindicated, lest we overly interrupt those patterns of natural regeneration. My advice to gardeners is to let at least a few of each kind of plant go unharvested—let them go to seed. To observe these plants completing their cycles on the farm will give valuable insight into how our gardening can merge with nature. This is a piece If you listen, they will teach you. 17”x23” black and green etching by Kevin Morgan of the plant wisdom that keeps the earth green. P $10.00 (includes shipping)

Copyright 2004, Richard A. (Richo) Cech Send check or money order to: Richo has been a UpS Board/Advisory member 'since UpS • PO Box 400 • E. Barre • VT • 05649 the beginning'. He is co-owner of Horizon Herbs who supplies the seeds for our Give-Aways, author of "Growing At-Risk Medicinal Herbs" as well as many "Unknowingly, we plough the dust of stars, other articles and booklets about growing, harvesting blown around us by the wind, and drink the and using medicinals. universe in a glass of rain." ~ Ihab Hassah

24 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation SPRING OBSERVATIONS by Marc Connelly

I am always fascinated by the explosion of life at Nature is an incredible work of art, each this time of year ~ flowering trees, shrubs and piece of the mystery we uncover reveals several wildflowers, baby birds, animals, and wetland more to challenge our understanding. If you creatures too numerous to comprehend. Every look around now at the unfurling leaves of our being, every thing, functioning in it’s own trees and shrubs you might think that it is just ingenious cycle. There are an infinite number of part of the program, it happens every year. these cycles occurring every second, from the "Science" says it is due to many factors: correct reproductive ones of plants and animals all the temperature, movement of water, nutrients and way down to the nutrient, mineral, chemical, minerals throughout the tree, and a higher sun and electrical ones too small for the naked eye to to provide an energy boost. Mix them together see. Thinking about the way so many cycles with a few other more complicated ingredients intertwine, functioning separately, but also and voila! working together so that life can exist always Spring! brings me back to my favorite quote by Einstein. Was it really Someone once asked him what his most burning that easy? Here desire was and he said, "I want to know how is where a bit of God thinks." So do I. that arrogance I We, as a species, are incredibly arrogant. referred to Often we will scratch the surface of something earlier may and believe we understand it, we give come in. A something a name and believe we know it. We multitude of are all guilty of this way of thinking. Look out studies have Trillium flower: photo ©Liz Butler your window at the nearest oak or pine tree. You been done "know" what it is. Somewhere along the line you exposing plants to various forms of music. The learned its name, but what do you really know best reaction plants had was to (you may have about its true self or spirit? Can you name the guessed) classical music. Of all the classics foods or medicines produced by either tree? which do you suppose they thrived on? The What kinds of birds, insects, animals, lichens or answer: "The Four Seasons" by Vivaldi. Which of moss can be found around them or depends on the four seasons did they respond best to? them? Their presence tells us about the soils and "Spring", of course. water beneath them, their branches about the When they started breaking down the music local weather. Can you close your eyes and and instrumentation in the Spring Concerto, it picture the texture of their bark, or dig back into turned out that many of the sounds, patterns, the deep recesses of your mind and recall the rhythm and pitch of the music mimic birdsong! distinct smell of their wood? More involved studies have shown that cell To those questions I realize many people growth, leaf development and flower bloom of would say, "who cares?" Such trivia no longer the plants is proportional to the type and seems to fit into our fast-paced suburban amount of birdsong! lifestyle. But is it really trivial and if so, what So what is the bottom line? I don’t know, does that say about our society? maybe the more we learn, the less we know. Attend a few Conservation Commission Possibly it’s Nature’s way of saying to us to meetings and you’ll get to hear sleazy lawyers "slow down and stay humble." Maybe we representing greedy developers who hire should rekindle the mindset of the Native arrogant engineers claiming they can fill in people here before us and think about how our wetlands and replicate them somewhere else, actions will effect the next seven generations. like they have the slightest understanding of the Have you ever stopped to wonder what it is true dynamics involved ~ all for the sake of the really all about? P mighty buck. The bothersome thing is that this is happening state and nationwide, and I can’t help Marc Connelly is a writer and teacher of Earth but wonder at what point the environment will Ceremonies and Awareness joyfully living in the start collapsing in on itself. wildlands of his heart in Holliston Massachussetts.

Winter 2005 | 25 UPS BOTANICAL SANCTUARY NETWORK

MEET SOME OF OUR NEW SANCTUARY MEMBERS!

United Plant Savers’ vision is to see UpS Botanical Sanctuaries established in people’s backyards, farms and woodlands, creating a living greenway of native medicinal plants across the landscape of America. A sanctuary isn’t defined by size or magnitude, but as sacred space, a place where one can find protection and the peace and renewal of nature. Nor is a sanctuary necessarily designated or defined by government agencies or large organizations, though often we think of it as such. We can all create sanctuary on the land we care-take. As our Sanctuary Members are demonstrating, Botanical Sanctuaries can be created in small backyards as well as on large plots of wilderness, in towns as well as in the country. As you well know, it takes attitude, willingness, and a desire to transform the way we value land, our assumptions about land use, and the way we design our gardens and farms. If we want to preserve wilderness and the wild populations that thrive there, we can’t look to others to do it for us. We need to be willing to actively participate in the preservation and restoration effort, and as good a place to start as any, is in our backyards. And that is what you’re doing. That is what the Sanctuary Network program is about. Thank you to all Botancial Sanctuary Network members for being part of this vision and for your efforts to help preserve and restore the native landscape and our treasured medicinal herbs. ~Nancy Scarzello, BSN Coordinator

THE WELLSPRING VALLEY following spring, a prairie burn was an abysmal Winterset, IA failure, but comical (we were poised and ready with our hoses to contain the blaze - which Sanctuary Stewards: Linda & Larry Kirkland turned out to be a flicker and a wisp of smoke). After a couple years of weedy chaos, this past Yesterday was the Autumnal Equinox and spring (2004) we had a successful burn. I the day whispered of the ripeness all around. The remember Matthias Reisen remarking that a fire is sun warmed, the winds cooled, and the green - a plant releasing its energy and, wow, is that ever more ambers and ochres now - waved and true! Alive and beautiful, breathing, crawling, danced to the rhythm of the new season. I love blazing with song and dance, that fire was a sight this time of year. It is a pleasure to peer out my to behold... and the prairie flourished with front window at the planted grasses and flowers, birds prairie and think back on what an and critters this summer. incredible year it has been. This little Botanical Larry and I planted this 1/2 acre Sanctuary that we call home plot three years ago with high is more than just the hopes, a few friends and a little restored prairie, though. We drumming and dancing to have medicinal herbs both establish a bit of land back to its planted and growing on original, natural state. We live their own accord all around about three miles outside of a the property. With both small mid-western town on a open spaces and woods, piece of land a little over 2 acres in many varieties of plants size. Surrounded by trees and make their home here. I look hills, this area has always had an forward to bringing groups air of sanctuary about it. Too of people out to enjoy the rocky and hilly to do much plants and learn about their farming, and with the river just uses and needs. As people around the bend, it’s quite remember their roots on this peaceful and beautiful, even with earth, I believe they will be the well used road running inspired to be in good through it. relation to their home and We kept the prairie area Restored Wellspring Valley the rest of its inhabitants. P mowed the first summer. The praire after the burn

26 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation Moon Lodge Trail, which will be serving as THE CENTER FOR HEALING ARTS some of our primary UpS Native Medicine Long Lake, WI Plant Trails highlighting 30-50 plant species Sanctuary Stewards: Gigi Stafne & Tijhe Fire w e e d along each. • The Children’s Plant Program being initiated by Miranda Plahn for 2005. We are pleased to announce that our 40 acres • Autumn At-Risk plantings of goldenseal, of land in northern Wisconsin has been added as black cohosh, and wild ginger along the a UpS Botanical Sanctuary this year, creating one Native Medicine Trail. more niche of sacred ecological protection. The • Greenhouse, seed saving and plant rescues Center For Healing Arts Herb & Eco-School have been coordinated by Carli Sanders, the relocated its main teaching space to this location school’s herb students and myself. nearly 4 years ago. It is a beautiful ecologically • The foundations and poles have been set for diverse area which is a neighbor to the National the Tamarack tipi for visitors and the Ice Age Trail (Chippewa Moraine) in Wisconsin. Women’s Moon Lodge…more sanctuary and Many exciting plants and projects have been retreat niches! germinating throughout this phase and in 2004 Soon we will have beautiful winter in the they began to bud and bloom: northland…a time to snow shoe, ski, sauna, • Herb walks and workshops in the contemplate, commune with Plant Spirit woodlands, wetlands, bogs and open Medicines and this sacred sanctuary. meadows. Now it is time to go prepare more herbs and • Another special portion of our program is cords of wood for the sauna…P "MI-ZI-ZAK" Kayaks…featuring introductory recreational kayaking and our LYNNWOOD HERB FARM fantastic "Plants & Paddling" trips, as well as Lykens,PA bog walks. Sanctuary Stewards: Jack & Lynn Shiley • Kayak and plant trips highlighting the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources environmental study on Lower Long Lake Our 10 acre organic herb farm and where 7 sensitive wildlife areas were visited woodlands, located in the mountains of central • The Plant Identification Checklist was Pennsylvania, was given to us about two decades designed by Sara Krueger and myself as a ago as a gift of love from Jack's parents. Over the botanical educational tool for herb students past decade, we built a log cabin and a life and sanctuary visitors. (May be ordered together farming organically grown herbs and from us by sending $3.50; 29588 State Rd. 40, garlic, teaching classes about herbs and their New Auburn, WI 54757) many uses, and discovering the abundance of • Much trail work! The Woodland Trail, plants and wildlife that are now so much a part Children’s Peeper Pond Trail and the new of our own personal sanctuary. Many native medicinal plants are growing here, such as, blue and black cohosh, collinsonia root, mayapple, joe pye, mullein, boneset, nettles, chickweed, yarrow, cleavers, red raspberry leaf, spice bush, to name a few. As members of UpS, we learned about the endangered herbs and are replanting some that once grew in our woodlands, such as goldenseal, American ginseng, and bloodroot. We are also working at naturalizing more black and blue cohosh, and along the edge of the forest, we planted some wild yam. All of the slippery elms have succumbed to Dutch elm disease so we are sowing seeds and planting seedlings to assist in Identifying plants at Center for Healing Arts the future survival of this versatile healing tree.

Winter 2005 | 27 You ask what makes our land special. I stood (smile) to digging in the dirt and planting herbs on the back porch mid morning, and felt a peace and flowers, we have a strong commitment to come over me as my senses delighted in the lush restore and strengthen the integrity of the natural green womanly curves of the mountains before cycle upon which we, the plants, and animals are me. In the background, I heard a subtle yet so dependent. Part of this commitment is to offer distinct splashing of water over rocks and fallen a safe and sacred place for individuals to gather trees from the Black Creek nearby. The birds - so and learn about how to become a part of this many of them - cardinals, red wing black birds, work. Our goal is to inspire others and to create a yellow and purple finches, PA eastern blue birds corridor of native landscapes to protect and mountain blue birds, and blue buntings - endangered plants and wildlife. Being a part of singing and courting each other among the trees the UpS Botanical Sanctuary Network will help and bushes. Also, out of the corner of my eye, I us realize our commitment. P caught the flickering of a swallowtail butterfly as she made her way over the blossoms in the MEDICINE CREEK herb garden. Laytonville, CA As herbalists and organic farmers/ Sanctuary Stewards: Tonya Whitedeer & gardeners, each year we offer classes on a ThreeCrows Cargill variety of related subjects, such as, Herbal Medicine Making, Organic Herb Gardening, Growing and Using Garlic, Safe and Easy Herbal We have named our land Medicine Creek, for Home Remedies, Harvesting, Drying and not only are there wonderful healing plants of the Preserving Herbs and Aromatherapy and the Use Green Nations everywhere but there is also a of Essential Oils. Herb walks are also a part of the sacred feeling of calm and serenity throughout educational classes here. We are educating the ten acres. We know that we were shown the individuals on how to create botanical way to this wonderful haven to nurture it back to sanctuaries of their own and about United Plant how it once was when our ancestors lived upon Savers. We are also clearing a path for a medicine this small section of our Mother Earth. There are trail with signs for educating children and legends to tell about the ones that walked upon individuals of all age groups. this land ~ the Legend of the Red Tree Spirit that We are currently discussing with Penn State comes from a fallen Redwood Giant that is University, School of Forest Resources, how our slowly going back into the Earth is one. private woodlands can be a part of the PA Native This venture is a lifetime dream. Medicine trails Ginseng Conservation and Propagation Program have been laid out by listening to the voices of (PAGCAPP). By replanting native ginseng in our the plants speaking to us, giving direction and woodlands, we would be assisting in the guiding this simple two-legged to where each restoration of wild populations of PA ginseng medicine should know a new home. At this time seed for planting stock. We will also be applying there is wild ginger, spikenard, black cohosh, for a farm research grant from Northeast SARE to goldenseal, angelica, and a wild rose garden. assist in this project. Growing in other areas are plants of sacred white Apart from being genetically predisposed sage, tobacco, sweet grass, comfrey and many others. We are in the process of acquiring a non- profit status in the name of Medicine Creek Botanical and Spiritual Sanctuary as we give title to our goals and everyday endeavors. Plans for the future include monthly healing ceremonies, herb walks, group tours and speakers on several related topics. With acquiring non-profit status, it is our long-term goal that this land and its buildings be held in trust to continue this work of Walking in Balance upon the Beauty of our Mother Earth.P

Lynnwood Herb Farm workshop

28 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation herbalist and make herbal products together SHAWANGUNK RIDGE FARM with the children to sell at local farm markets New Paltz, N.Y. and at our farmstand. The herbal creams are Sanctuary Stewards: Halyna Shepko & made from oils infused from plants that grow Richard Hamilton; with their children Roxolyana, here. Zoya, and Stefan. This is our first year living on the land after completing our log home. Our farmhouse also includes a 900sq ft. community room for Shawangunk (pronounced Shongum in gatherings, recitals, drum circles, dance and fiber Algonquin), a mountain range 90 miles north of events. Coming from a Ukrainian background I New York City, translates to "near and high place feel best barefoot and living close to the land where you go south", directed Native Americans picking fruit from trees and gathering eggs from traveling between the Appalachian Mountains to our own hens. I feel my kids are lucky to still the Hudson River Valley. We decided to use the have a life that is some ways considered simple directions of the earth and these mountains even though we all have to work hard as a behind our farm as our guide as well. family. Spending 10 years of my childhood living Enveloped by the Shawangunk Ridge on the in Europe, I was able to travel to remote villages north and the Hudson Highlands on the south, and realize what is important for me. I actually we have created a small family farm where we longed for the raise our three (soon to be four) homeschooled connectedness children, Icelandic sheep, Toggenburg goats, the people ducks, chickens, a horse and angora rabbits. Even had with the though farms in our area are being sold and land and developed quicker than any of us ever imagined, realized how I feel a strong calling for a lifestyle that is lost I was connected to the earth, seasons, the sun, the living in a circles of life, family, animals, wildlife, city. I finally community and plants. We have been able to feel I have fulfill that dream and my Ukrainian mother who that in my lives across the street with her Russian husband own life. help make it a cross-cultural, three-generational Sanctuary Stewards of Shawangunk Farm This is our haven. Some of the work that we have done is to first year living on the land after completing our put in nesting boxes for bluebirds, and they have log home containing a studio/workshop where been a success. The goats and sheep have cleared we make goatmilk soaps, herbal products, dye fields of purple loosestrife thus giving room to wool, and hold classes. Our farmhouse also native plant species and grasses. Ponds provide includes a 900sq ft. community room for homes for muskrats, migrating geese, many frogs gatherings, recitals, drum circles, dance and fiber and toads, wild turkeys roost up in the woods at events. Coming from a Ukrainian background I night. We offer herbal, soap/cheesemaking, and feel best barefoot and living close to the land fiber classes on our land for both children and picking fruit from trees and gathering eggs from adults. Families from our homeschooling group our own hens. I feel my kids are lucky to still and community have come out to prepare and have a life that is some ways considered simple seed large areas of echinacea, ginseng, and black even though we all have to work hard as a cohosh and will continue to join us for planting family. They help as I shear the sheep to make slippery elm, trillium, goldenseal, bloodroot and clothing for them, they train, milk, and take care other endangered plants this year. Children are of the animals. Spending 10 years of my an important part of our farm and we provide childhood living in Europe, I was able to travel to different activities and welcome them to visit the remote villages and realize what is important for animals, learn about the earth and help with me. I actually longed for the connectedness the planting. people had with the land and realized how lost I Wild growing gifts that we have found here was living in a city. I finally feel I have that in my are ragwort, agrimony, poke, honeysuckle, edible own life and I hope my children agree. Plants mushrooms, goldenrod, elm, hickory, dogwood, lichens, grapes and wild yam. I am also an help me root myself on this planet. P

Winter 2005 | 29 DRAGONFLY MEDICINALS Wildlife Sanctuary" program of the Washington Vashon Island, WA Department of Wildlife. I display signs at the front door that note the "Non-Toxic Zone" Sanctuary Steward: Michael Laurie status, the Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary, and the United Plant Savers Botanical Sanctuary. The signs encourage discussions with visitors about Dragonfly Medicinals is located on 3.5 acres these subjects. on Vashon Island in Washington State, a short The picture shows me engaged in one of my ferry ride away from Seattle. I have lived on projects, invasive plant removal. The site has a Vashon Island for 6 years and in Washington fair amount of English ivy but I have been State for 29 years. 20 months ago, I purchased making steady headway in removing it. The the home/office and 3.5 acres where I am native medicinal plants that were growing on currently growing medicinal herbs. the site included: alder, bleeding heart, burdock, While I have been making and selling horsetail, kinnickinick, nettles, Oregon grape, medicinal herb tinctures and oils for over 6 salal, self heal, skunk cabbage, trillium, usnea, years, I have spent the last 20 months planting violets, and western red cedar. P herbs and working on other sustainability projects here. I now have small numbers of over 140 species of medicinal herbs growing here. G rowing A t - R i s k Plants I have established on the site that are on the UpS at risk or to watch lists are: American Medicinal Herbs ginseng, arnica, black cohosh, bloodroot, by Richo Cech echinacea, gentian, goldenseal, lobelia, illustrated by Sena Cech maidenhair fern, Oregon grape, wild yam, and yerba mansa. I hope to establish more at risk Provides organic farmers and gardeners with the and to watch plants in the future. Now that I information about the have many well- established medicinal herbs on cultivation, conservation, the site I have started saving seeds and plan to and ecology of At-Risknative grow medicinal herb starts for sale next spring healing plants. Twenty-one at the Vashon Farmer’s Market. chapters include detailed line drawings and descriptions; native range and The educational guide I developed has one distribution maps; hardiness and adaptability; page educational sheets preferred environment and plant associates; soil, on the following projects water and sun requirements; propagation that I have implemented: techniques; naturalization; medicine; harvest and Backyard Wildlife p rocessing; seed collecting, storage and longevity; conservation status and alternate Sanctuary, Compost species. 330 pg. $14.95. Toilet, Fluorescent Lighting, Forest "A compelling book on one of the most important Stewardship, Green issues facing the future of botanical medicine – the demise of native medicinal plants in their natural Energy purchasing, habitat and what can be done to conserve these Green Roof, Irrigation important wild resources. This book is in turn Timers, Invasive Plant brilliant, insightful and scholarly, but is also well- Removal, Low Flush seasoned with humor! ~ Rosemary Gladstar Toilet, Medicinal Herbs, "This book is far more than it seems. Don't Organic Fruits and underestimate what Richo has accomplished. He has Vegetables, Pesticide taken some of the most difficult plants imaginable, Free Zone, Rain Barrels, plants that sometimes find even the breath of humans Michael Laurie removing Soaker Hoses UPS to be anathema, and figured out what they need in English ivy order to grow near us and by our leave. He has a good Botanical Sanctuary, Low brain and dirty fingernails.” ~ Michael Moore Water and Energy Use Washing Machine, and Worm Bins. TO ORDER: send a $15 (includes s/h) I received acceptance as a "Non-Toxic Zone" check or money order to: site and received acceptance in the "Backyard UpS, Po Box 400, E. Barre, VT 05649

30 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation COMPANIES IN THE GREEN LIGHT

AVEDA & UNITED PLANT SAVERS EARTH PARTNERS, 2005 by Lynda LeMole, UpS Executive Director

We are excited to announce UpS’s inclusion celebration raises awareness and funds via in Aveda’s Earth Month 2005 campaign. Since “Appointments for the Earth”, Rosemary Mint 1999 Aveda, the country’s leading company in p roduct sales, petition signatures and individual p u re plant-based hair care, skin care, body care , actions. UpS is among 25 Conservation Partners a roma and makeup products has raised over $3.5 that help preserve biodiversity by pro t e c t i n g million for 65 organizations around the world. e n d a n g e red and threatened species. Aveda plans Each year in April, Aveda joins forces with to collect 100,000 signatures from individuals selected non-profits to protect native plants, who want to help save endangered plant species. animals, forests, oceans, rivers, clean air and watersheds on our planet. Av e d a UpS is among 25 Conservation Partners that help preserve p resident Dominique Conseil describes biodiversity by protecting endangered and thereatened species. this innovative and generous pro g r a m : “Our commitment to care for the world we Participating salons, spas and Experience live in is what makes us diff e rent. Our Centers will hold fund-raising events thro u g h o u t commitment to the environment is part of our the month. As an Earth Partner, UpS will be company’s soul and gives us our deep sense of working with Fredrics, the Aveda distributor for purpose. It is what makes our salons, spas and the four-state area of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky Experience Centers diff e rent form the and Indiana. We will be sending educational competition. It is why we practice Earth Day information to 600 salons who will feature UpS every day. as their Earth Partner. This is an exciting During Earth Month 2005, we will focus on opportunity to bring our message of At-Risk and the protection of endangered plant species. Plants To - Watch medicinal plants to a wide audience. a re very special to us. They provide the air we F redrics’ Aveda salons and Education Institute in b reathe, the food that sustains us, the clothes that Cincinnati and soon Indianapolis can conduct p rotect us and the medicine that cures us. These over 200 appointments a day! If there are UpS members, herbalists and plant activists who would like to participate in this program, by visiting participating salons in their area, attending staff trainings or just making appointments dedicated to raise funds for the p roject, please write me and I’ll keep you “Beings of Light” also provide habitat for wildlife apprised of activity in your near-by Av e d a and for humans – processing and storing energ y s a l o n s . in ways we can use. It is alarming that many We are energized by the possibility of species are threatened by suburban sprawl, over- reaching out to plant-lovers who might not have harvesting, pollution, invasive species and global h e a rd of UpS. Posters, flyers, in-storevideos, herb climate change. It is often said that more than talks by local herbalists are part of how UpS will 30,000 species of plants are in danger of support the participating salons. Let’s make this extinction. Is it not madness to believe that the Earth Day the biggest, boldest and best ever for plants that surround us can vanish without UpS and Aveda’s Conservation Partners. What a consequence – the tragic possibility of our own re f reshing concept that small earth-caring non- demise as a species? It’s up to us to plant our p rofits can join hands with mighty but conscious f u t u re and the future of generations to come.” industry partners to stand up to protect our The month-long, Aveda salon network-wide beloved plants! P

Winter 2005 | 31 GREEN THANKS AND GRATITUDE

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS & SUPPORT We extend a special thank you to all members of UpS who continue to support us with memberships and donations. Your support, efforts and concern are the only thing that can really make a difference in the protection and conservation of our important medicinal plants. All donations and help, whether it be organizational, cultivating, educating or choosing medicinal herb products more consciously is appreciated. Great gratitude goes to the many in-kind donations of goods and services from companies and friends that support our work. We gratefully acknowledge the following long-time Green Angels, Leaders, Lifetime Members and Donations in 2004: GREEN ANGELS - $50,000+ Judy and Michael Funk Paul Strauss

M a rg a ret & William Bre v o o r t L. Perrigo Co., Inc. S a c h a runa Foundation Robert Campbell Michael McGuff i n Sonoma County Community Foundation Community Foundation of Jackson Hole M i l l rock, Inc. Vermont Community Foundation F rontier Cooperative Herbs Mountain People’s Wa re h o u s e Wheeler Family Charitable Fund Rosemary Gladstar National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Whole Foods Market Herbal Magic New England Women’s Herbal Dennis Wi a n k o Herb Pharm C o n f e re n c e Wild Oats Market Christopher Hobbs Outagamie Charitable Fund David Wi n s t o n International Herb Symposium Horst Rechelbacher

A b r a Newman’s Own S t a r w e s t American Herbal Products A s s o c i a t i o n New Age Publications Sonoma County Herb A s s o c i a t i o n Aveda New Chapter Taylor Maid California School of Herbal Studies North Country Herb Guild Q u a n t u m E m p o w e red Herbals Om Org a n i c s Te e c h i n o G a rden Continuum P resent Moment Books & Herbs Trinity Herbs G reen Te r re s t r i a l Rosemary’s Gard e n Traditional Medicinals Herbalist & Alchemist, Inc. Sage Mountain Unitarian Universalist Congre g a t i o n Home Land Garden, LLC Sage Mountain Herb Pro d u c t s Zack Woods Herb Farm Mountain Rose Herbs Simplers Botanical Company

LEADERS – INDIVIDUALS & COMPANIES $5,000 + Steve A m b ro s e Cascade Anderson Geller Emily O. Lancaster Mark Simpson Don Babineau Terrance Fox Lynda LeMole Bill Schoenbart Rachel Bagby Trish Flaster R i c h a rd Liebmann Deb Soule Laura & Tim Batiste Thomas Gibbons Rebecca Luna Marilyn Stoughton Beth Baugh Kate Gilday Jon Maxwell Janet Thygesen Tim Blakley Amy Graham Rob McCaleb Mary To b i n Jane Bothwell James Gre e n Frances Monacelli Mariana Tu p p e r Linda Cates Mindy Gre e n Pam Montgomery Ann Wa l k e r Richo Cech H o w a rd & Gayle Gro s s Polly Peterson Mark Wheeler Mark Cohen Tammi Hartung C a role Pittelman Lee Wo o d Martin Davidson Patience & Rod Harvey Patricia K. Reppert Rebecca Wo o d Ryan Dru m David Hoff m a n Thomas Riley John Wo y t o w i c z D r. James Duke L o ren Israelsen D o rena Rode Katherine Yv i n s k a s Thomas Elpel Sara Katz Nancy Scarzello D r. Janet Zand Diane Fairc l o t h Kelly Kindscher Bill Schoenbart Steven Foster Nick Kulibaba Nobuko Sera-Kingsley CORPORATE & FOUNDATION MEMBERS, DONORS & SPONSORS - $100 - $4,999 GREEN THUMBS: INDIVIDUALS DONATING IN 2004 & LIFETIME MEMBERS - $100 - $4,999 Editor’s note: Please except our sincere apologies if we have omitted anyone from this list. In the extremely difficult task of recovering records lost

32 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation PEOPLE MIRACLES MORE GREEN THANKS by Lynda LeMole AND GRATITUDE: We’ve all had the experience of needing to rent or buy a house or apartment in a place where NO ONE finds a good one very quickly…. or We are grateful to our dear friends who looking for a job when EVERYONE wants one. And then a friend tells you organized herbal conferences in the to focus on what you want, chant, meditate, visualize – and lo and behold, Northeast this past summer and autumn. THE PERFECT solution occurs in your life. All hail everyday miracles that Each conference donated table space to don’t happen every day! I thought about this phenomena last year when UpS in the herbal emporium & vendor UpS moved our offices from rural Ohio to even more rural Ve r m o n t , area for us to sign- on new members and needing to find THE PERFECT office manager, with full administrative take renewals, as well as sell Planting the skills and, of course, herbal wisdom. The idea that we’d actually FIND this Future and Growing At Risk Medicinal person hovered in my psyche somewhere between IMPOSSIBLE and Plants books and other UpS fundraisers. MIRACLE. Well, UpS has ‘good karma’ as we used to like to say, or ‘good Everyone who joined at the conferences vibes’, or whatever miracle-magnet ingredient that draws the very most received a free UpS tote bag. Betzy really perfect people to its needs at the most perfect time. And this is the story of enjoyed meeting so many members! We how Betzy Bancroft came to be our office & membership manager. deeply appreciate their support as well! Betzy was in transition herself as she was moving from New Jersey to Vermont, leaving her work of over 15 years with Herbalist & A l c h e m i s t , WOMEN’S HERBAL CONFERENCE, August one of the premier herb companies in the US, led by herbalist David 2004, Peterborough, NH. Takes the prize Winston (see UpS Journal interview, Spring 2004). A graduate of David’s with 24 new members, 20 renewals and a herbal studies program, Betzy became general manager at H&A and later donation to UpS! s t a ff herbalist, also doing educational presentations. When asked of her job description at H&A she humbly says, “I stirred the pot”. Her years there GREEN NATIONS GATHERING, September taught and trained her for all phases of office, organizational and herbal 2004, New York State. We had 9 new business. Most important, Betzy began teaching and consulting with members and 14 renewals, even in the people about herb use, cultivation, wildcrafting, herb quality and s u s t a i n a b i l i t y. Somewhere in our ‘chant’ we must have also included a rain from the tail ends of hurricanes! ‘ remarkable people person’, and we got one! AHG ANNUAL MEETING & SYMPOSIUM Betzy is a graduate of A rcadia University (BFA) and her computer and October 2004. This year the American graphic skills are shining now as she helps us with our website and Herbalists Guild Conference was in layouts. She has done a lot of teaching including wild edible plant use at Tom Brown’s Tracker School of Wilderness and Survival Skills. She’s Waterville Valley, NH. 22 new members taught classes in field botany, conservation-minded collection and joined and 9 members renewed. i n t roductory herb studies at Morris A r b o retum, Women’s Herbal C o n f e rence, Green Nations, Herb Growing and Marketing Network IN THE GREEN LIGHT C o n f e rence and an AHG Conference (she is a professional member of Thanks to Kevin Morgan for his art on the A H G ) . UpS Poster. A p e rennial student of all things natural, Betzy is an avid herb, vegetable fruit and flower gard e n e r. She has currently settled onto 1.6 Amy Goodman of Montpelier, VT for a c res in E. Barre, very nearby Sage Mountain and is working on making donating a portion of her basket sales. her new home sustainable, putting her studies in Permaculture Design to Kate Gilday of Woodland Essence good use. Once she is more settled in E. produces amazing flower essences of At- B a r re, she’ll put more focus on her clinical practice, but for now, she is Risk herbs. She donates 10% of sales to s t rongly focused and doing a great job of UpS. putting the UpS Administrative & Rachel Jean Harper of Empowered Membership office in tip-top shape. Herbals, maker of Rachel Jean’s Green As Betzy’s co-worker, I gratefully add Drink gave a donation to Hannah Hill. that it’s more than a pleasure to work with her – another one of those ‘people Nina Casamento of Happy Herbs Soap is miracles’ I spoke of. She is a richly spreading the word about UpS in her talented and educated woman who "Camp Soap". comes from a heart-felt place of service, Julie Williams of Aspen, CO donated 5% which all of UpS values and appre c i a t e s of sales to UpS. and benefits from. We encourage members to call or write Betzy with Herb Pharm for the genius and time of Betzy Bancroft, questions or comments. It’s always the Liz Butler, graphic artist. UpS office manager

Winter 2005 | 33 UPS EVENTS & GREEN NETWORK

THE 18TH ANNUAL PLANTING NEW ENGLAND WOMEN’S HERBAL T H E F U T U R E CONFERENCE S a t u r d a y , J u l y 3 0 , 2 0 0 5 Honoring the Wisdom of Our Ancestors A Conference on the Cultivation & AUGUST 26 ~ 28, 2005 PETERBOROUGH, NH Preservation of Native Medicinal Plants. Join over 500 other women in a grand celebration of herbs, healing, At Herb Pharm Farm and life! Over 60 workshops for all Williams, Oregon level of interest * All ages welcome form children to elders * Tons of Presenters are renowned herbalists from across the fun, tons of sharing, tons of c o u n t r y : learning! Held at a beautiful retreat Rosemary Gladstar, Ed Smith, Christopher Hobbs, center in Southern New Hampshire. Richo Cech, Mindy Green, Cascade Anderson, Jane Early Bird Registration before May 30th is $265 and includes all workshops, camping and meals. After May 30th, registration is $285. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE Indoor lodging available. For further information write to WHC, • Cultivation of Medicinal Herbs c/0 Katie Pickens, 2984 Elmore Pond Rd., Wolcott, VT 05680. (emphasis on growing At-Risk herbs) www.sagemountain.com • Plant Walks Parts of the proceeds of this event are • Using Herbs as Medicine • Ecological Herbalism; what it is & how we can participate PLANTING THE FUTURE A Conference on the Cultivation & • Biodiversity & Bioregional Herbalism Preservation of Native Medicinal Plants • Sustainable Herbal Practices SA T U R D A Y, OC T O B E R 1S T (O R 8T H) 2005 In the beautiful Blue Ridge Mts. of Virginia • Edible Medicinal Seaweeds Join Sacred Plant Traditions and United Plant • Aromatherapy: Sex & Smell Savers in welcoming . . . Kathleen Maier, Jeff McCormack, and other great teachers for a full day of plant walks and herbal education SPONSORED BY HERB PHARM • Herb walks • Herbal medicine REGISTRATION INFO: The total cost for the conference is $60 • Cultivation of medicinal herbs Postmarked by July 1, 2005 ($70 after July 1st) $10 discount for UpS Members Watch for flyers by mail or for more information call UpS: (802) 479-9825 For local info: call Sara Katz at (541) 846-6999 or email: [email protected]

34 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation UpS Invites You To Join Us at the SACRED GIFTS OF 7TH INTERNATIONAL THE EARTH HERB SYMPOSIUM A Plant Lover’s Journey to Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia A Benefit Conference for UpS WITH ROSEMARY GLADSAR JU N E 24-26, 2005 NOVEMBER 5 ~ 20, 2005 South East Asia is a region of tremendous The IHS provides an incredible opportunity to learn fro m natural beauty, diverse cultures, ancient the world’s leading experts in botanical medicine, teachers religions and magnificent temples. We'll be that embrace folkloric and shamanic practices as well as visiting some of the more renowned sites such modern clinical uses. There are over 60 workshops, l e c t u res and herb walks off e red during the Symposium, as Angkor Watt (the ancient Khmer capitol), but equally important is the sense of community, joy and Chiang Mai (Thailand's principal northern city), celebration that is created at this event. and Luang Prabang (a World Heritage Site), but we'll be spending most of our time immersed in For all people who love plants, join us at this village life, learning directly from the local incredible Celebration of the Green. people about their culture and traditions. The area is renowned for its traditional healers and The Symposium features ~ natural therapies. The trip will include Thai • An extraordinary selection of teachers massage and spa treatments, meditation and • Over 60 workshops, lectures, and classes for all levels yoga, Thai natural food cooking classes, herb • Herbal Intensives for more in-depth study classes and herb walks with local herbalists. • Hands-on demonstrations & herb walks For a complete itinerary, costs and travel info, write • Herbal Art Show of contemporary botanical artists to Sage Mountain, P.O. Box 420, E. Barre, VT, • Herbal Medicine Product Contest (all invited to enter) 05649 (802) 479-9825 • Relaxation Oasis; an IHS ‘day spa’ • An Herbal Marketplace E R B A L R O M A T H E R A P Y • Dancing, Drumming, Music, and Cere m o n y H & A OYAGE TO HE INDEN • The Herbalist’s Grand Ball V T L FESTIVAL IN SO. FRANCE Who’s Teaching ~ An outstanding group of herbalists JUNE 29 - JULY 9, 2005 and natural medicine practitioners representing 11 Herbalists Cascade Anderson Geller, Jane Bothwell c o u n t r i e s : and aromatherapist Kathi Keville, will escort you thro u g h Rocio A l a rcon (Ecuador); Dr. Tieraona Lowdog (U.S.); the herbal paradise of Provence. We’ll stay in comfortable Cascade Anderson-Geller (U.S.), Paul Stamets (U.S.); Isla cabins, each with bath and kitchen. The campground is B u rgess (New Zealand); Stephen Buhner (U.S.); Chanchal part of France’s world renowned campground system C a b rera (Canada) Richo Cech (U.S.), Elena Ixcot and has a swimming pool. We will take advantage of the (Guatemala), Kate Gilday (U.S.); David Crow (U.S.), Dinah f resh market produce as well as make herbal pro d u c t s Veeris (Netherlands); Gazza (Italy); Mindy Green (U.S.); with local herbs, oils, honey and alcohols. David Hoffman (U.S.); Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo (Ti b e t ) ; Amidst these lovely Provence highlands gro w Christopher Hobbs (U.S.); Phillipe Soguel (France); Martha thousands of linden trees. The aromatic linden blossoms Libster (U.S.); Darryl Martin (U.S.); Ed Smith (U.S.); Leslie a re brought to market in early July. Soon after sunrise, and Michael Tierra (U.S.); Susun Weed (U.S.); David wildcrafters tote their huge bundles of dried flowers to Winston (U.S.); Annie Merideth (Australia); Paul Strauss the market in a colorful procession. We’ll witness this (U.S.); Matthew Wood (U.S.) plus many more…. special once a year market day. This area is also famous for its wild lavender, intensely colored and scented. The IHS is held at the beautiful Wheaton College campus Included will be hikes through the rugged, ru r a l in Norton, Massachusetts (approximately 30 minutes fro m landscape where farmers, wildcrafters and even the Boston). Inexpensive lodging is available on campus and village government maintain a deep re v e rence for plants delicious vegetarian meals are provided. as companions for medicine, food and fragrance. We ’ l l For a complete bro c h u re write to: Sage Mountain, P.O. Box visit lavender fields, distilleries and museums dedicated 420, E. Barre, VT 05649 Tel. 802.479.9825 to the craft of distillation. For more info, contact: Jane e m a i l : s a g e m t @ s a g e m o u n t a i n . c o m Bothwell at [email protected] (email preferable) or call 707.442.8157. Group size will be limited. 10% discount off registration fee for UpS Members!

Winter 2005 | 35 NONPROFIT ORG NITED LANT AVERS U.S. POSTAGE U P S PAID PO Box 400 MEDFORD, OR E. Barre, VT 05649 PERMIT NO. 348 www.unitedplantsavers.org

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36 | Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation