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MEDICINAL PLANTS During this fragrant, tactile and tasty outing, we'll see the great variety of medicinal (and some edible) plants in the Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve, while also exploring our relationship with our environment. We'll learn about various medicinal preparations that can be made from fresh and dried plants. Every culture has used plants to heal wounds, calm nerves or settle tummies, as well as treat deeper imbalances. Plant medicines are ideally suited to us because our body, in its intelligence, understands and resonates with the intelligence of the plant. Most plants are multi-functional, due to the variety of constituents they contain. For instance, one plant we'll see on our plant walk boasts at least eight distinct uses. Another is a premiere herb for healing cuts, scrapes, ulcers. Still another is an effective medicine for poison ivy, and often grows in the same location. Many of the medicine plants in the Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve were widely and successfully used not only by indigenous people and Hispanics, but by early American medical doctors in the late 1800's and early 1900's before the advent of pharmaceuticals. Being with the herbs in nature is very healing for people. We begin to realize that medicines are literally everywhere - even at the curbs and in the medians of Cerrillos Road - but they are particularly abundant in untouched wild places. Each plant has a unique personality, posture, color and spirit, and everyone enjoys learning to recognize them. As we become more intimate with the plants around us, we contact some ancient part of ourselves. And that feels good! About the author: Carole Tashel, Clinical Herbalist and Health Educator, has taught classes and lectured at many venues, including the New Mexico Academy of Healing Arts, Santa Fe Community College and most recently at EcoVersity. She enjoys leading herb walks, writing about herbs, diet and health, and facilitating private clients on their journey to optimal health. Carole is the author of Gardening the Southwest: How to care for your land while growing food, beauty and medicine.
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