One of the tasks of the Interns at the Goldenseal Sanctuary in Ohio is to help get everything ready for a one day conference held by United Plant Savers in early October (or earlier in the year for the spring group of interns). So we have been cleaning up, weeding, fixing signs, setting up trash bins and road signs, putting chairs into outdoor classroom tents and lots more. The Sanctuary looked pretty impressive this fall (note I have been learning correct use of American words like 'fall', 'truck' and 'awesome'). Local Sanctuary steward Lee Wood, and family, have been clearing weeds and mowing trails for weeks to show off the Prairie, Buckeye Walk, Reclaim Trail, Heart Pond and other delights familiar to past interns and visitors. On this occasion some 50 people registered and with teachers, organisers and interns we made a total of 70 people for an opening circle. Our conference went well, some excellent workshops including natural fertility, looking after bees, green business development, herbal first aid, using elderberries, and sustainable ginseng cultivation. Guided walks along the Sanctuary trails were very popular. There were exhibitors too including stalls with herbal teas, medicinal plants, Indian herbal salves, and plant growers. United Plant Savers held a raffle with lots of wonderful donated prizes, I was very pleased to win a signed copy of the new book Invasive Plant Medicine: The Ecological Benefits and Healing Abilities of Invasives by Timothy Lee Scott (Healing Arts Press, 2010). Although focused on the US this book has lots of suggestions for plants like Japanese Knotweed, a familiar invader in UK. I am hoping this book will help me to get my head around the thorny issue of how to introduce useful non-native plants in a way that adds to sustainability rather than reducing biodiversity. After all this excitement I am now preparing for travel back home to UK, so sad to leave this vibrant place where I have learnt so much, and met such inspiring people.
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