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Fall 2007 Lecture

Edible Wild Plants of New England

John Root
Naturalist and educator

Thursday, September 20, 7pm
Newton Free Library
330 Homer Street, Newton Centre

In Maine, a vast field in front of the Jordan Pond House in Acadia National Park is filled with wild berries but a mother hurries her child along who wanted to pick them - "they don't look safe to eat", she tells her daughter. How sad not to recognize the treats that are wild blueberries, tasty and full of antioxidants. The middle aged woman was leaning off the bridge at the Dolan Pond Conservation area snipping some large leaves from a plant growing around one of the trees. When queried she said she needed some grape leaves for a special Greek dish and she knew these were very fresh. Japanese knotweed is one of the most difficult to remove invasive plants in our conservation areas and gardens. However, did you know that its tender springtime stalks make a good substitute for rhubarb!

Learn to eat your way through the woods with the help of naturalist educator John Root. The Newton Conservators Fall Lecture, "Edible Wild Plants of New England", is a comprehensive introduction to the identification and uses of our native plants for food and beverage. This slide show lecture will be supplemented by a display of fresh specimens for participants to examine and sample. Seasons of availability, habitats, historical uses, methods of preparation, nutritional value, healing properties, and guidelines for ecologically responsible and safe foraging will be presented as well.

John Root is a naturalist and educator with a BA in Biology from Oberlin College and had done graduate studies in Botany at University of Maryland and the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) and in education at Cambridge College (Springfield, MA) and Columbia Union College (Takoma Park, MD). A resident of Amherst, MA, he is the founder and field walk leader of the Pioneer Valley Mycological Society. With his diverse background, he has also taught junior high school science, operated a day care program featuring nature exploration, and has been a camp counselor in several summer camps promoting awareness and appreciation of nature. In addition to his edible plants program, he offers school and library programs on wildflowers, healing plants, and mushrooms of the Northeast. He also is an instructor of piano and woodwinds at the Community Music School of Springfield, Northampton Community Music School, Deerfield Academy, and Northampton Center for Children and Families and offers musical programs for children and seniors performs as part of the Swingtime Quartet.

Visit John Root's website

The Newton Conservators Lecture Series has been cosponsored by the Newton Free Library (617-796-1360). The Conservators extend sincere appreciation to former library public relations director Beth Purcell for her assistance with the lecture series over the past five years, and we welcome new director Ellen Meyers.