Discovering the Edible and Medicinal Plants of Southwestern Alberta - Part 1: Presentation

Discovering the Edible and Medicinal Plants of Southwestern Alberta - Part 1: Presentation

Presenter:    Julie Walker

Date:               Friday, Sept 29, 2017

Time:              12:00 noon to 1:30pm

Location:     Downtown Calgary

                           (Exact location will be emailed to those registered)

CCP:               This presentation entitles ASPB members to earn 1 PDH

Cost:               $25/member  ($28/non-member)

                           Or

                           $80/member when you register for BOTH the Friday Powerpoint and Saturday 1/2 Day Walk           

                          ($90/non-member when registered for both)

This event will be available by webinar; the link will be emailed to registrants

For inquiries about this BBL, contact [email protected]

Additional Note:

Part 1: Presentation (Fri Sept 29) and Part 2: 1/2 Day Walk (Sat Sept 30) compliment each other nicely to make up an entire workshop.  They can also be registered for separately as they do not have to be completed together.

Summary

While work is being done to protect the plant bio-diversity of the Prairie Grasslands, the Foothills/Parkland eco-regions are home to a wide variety of edible and medicinal plants. Very few landscapes are unaffected by colonization and almost all have been altered by human impact. Yet there are many uses, both edible and medicinal for introduced species, in addition to the native species of herbaceous plants that live here. Learn some of the many species that grow from the Calgary area west and south and how to use them. From tea, to afterbite, making cordage and a sautéed feast, our native plants have played a huge role in human relations over the centuries.

Please bring your “go mug” as foraged tea samples will be available for your enjoyment.

Presenters Biography

This Edible and Medicinal plant talk is given by, Julie Walker, owner of Full Circle Adventures.

Julie is a graduate of the U of C, in Physical Education with a major in Outdoor Pursuits. She is an Interpretive Guides Association (IGA) Professional hiking guide and has worked in the field for over 30 years. She is a naturalist and self-taught plant forager. She has been working with the SAIT cooking school for 5 years offering a staff PD forage and feast outing at various venues, from Millarville to the Porcupine Hills. She has worked with three restaurants, a mountain lodge, many Ranchers and local landowners from Priddis to Chain Lakes Provincial Park.

Although an avid foraged tea-maker, Julie cooks more and more with the wild edibles. She is working on a wild food garden, in her back yard in Turner Valley. She has 4 species of native berries and two domestics as well as an Apple/crab tree. She grows five species of wild edibles so far, in addition to her Sorrel, Garlic, Chervil, Onion and Squash crop. The Prairie/Foothills/Aspen Parkland are the regions she specializes in. Her goal is to make native food gardens a part of the Calgary home-owner experience and bring nature back home again.

With over 30 years as a professional hiking guide and outdoor educator, Julie has a strong understanding of the plant communities in the various eco-regions and the elevation zones and aspects, where they grow. She has studied from the Banff and Lake Louise areas, throughout the Kananaskis and down to the Livingstone and Whaleback regions. She has seen changes to the habitats and an increased loss of the habitat for many native species in the foothills and eastern slopes regions.

The ASPB is not responsible for the content of this presentation; the information and views expressed by the presenter(s) are their own.

To participate in both Saturday and Sunday combined event, please register on the Part 2 posting HERE