Herbal Medicine and the Forest School
This was a training day for Forest School
educators with aims to answer the questions as follows: Which native trees and plants can be used
medicinally? How can young people engage with medicinal and other useful plants
in a safe way? What sort of activities are relevant in a Forest School context?
Where can further information be obtained about medicinal plants? This day was
designed for all involved with Forest School activities and no prior experience
or knowledge of herbal medicine was required. Our programme included a welcome, info pack
with programme, health and safety, risk assessment, plant identification. The day was organised under the auspices of the Medicinal Forest Garden Trust.
People who attended the day,
travelled from as far apart as Cornwall and Somerset, and are working in various
contexts from volunteer to teacher, some with primary school aged children,
others working with a wider age range. The two leaders of
the event were Helen Kearney, MNIMH and Anne Stobart, MNIMH, both medical herbalists.
Feedback
from participants was very positive
One participant said 'This was all new to me but I enjoyed
finding out about plant and tree uses, it was like opening secret doors'. Others commented on a good balance of practical and theory, meeting others and sharing ideas good for
activities. Everyone took away cuttings and told us that they could use the info in a variety
of ways, saying things like 'All of the practical activities were useful'. We had many requests for more sessions and will be looking at that in the near future. 
