BY JOSHUA HARKNESS Why must we think so poorly of wild plants? We dismiss them merely as “weeds”; we think of them as insignificant foreigners in our lawns, gardens and other manicured “landscapes”. We see them as a threat to the aesthetical appeal of the sterile environments we are so fond of creating. These are not invaders taking over our artificial spaces, rather we are the invaders who have so indiscriminately taken from them their …
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By Alexis Durham UpS Founding President Rosemary Gladstar with Ladies Mantle in Herb Pharm’s Botanical Education Garden. photo by Bert de la Cruz On June 15, Herb Pharm welcomed over 250 people to our farm in southern Oregon for our Planting the Future conference, a benefit for United Plant Savers. The day was filled with informative workshops and plant walks featuring local and regional instructors as well as current and past UpS Board members. A …
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by Brenna Dobos and Bailey Grenert The UpS internship program, also known as the Medicinal Plant Conservation Certifi cate Program, has played a prominent role in the story of United Plant Savers and the nonprofi t’s lasting impact on the herbal community over the past 25 years. The internship program began in the late 1990s under the guidance of Paul Strauss and continues to inspire plant allies in North America and beyond with two six-week …
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By Katherine Ziff Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world – John Muir Where I grow plant spirits may safely play – Asimina triloba North American Pawpaw Flower & Fruit by Katherine Ziff What inspires care for Earth’s medicinal plants? How can we encourage a relational connection with nature that might lead to plant conservation? The plants themselves offer this to us in the form of flower essences. I learned this …
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