[MPWG] HOT Symposium

[Niki Telkes]

Hello All and List Moderator

Happy Spring, we're having a good wet year for plants down here in the heart 
of Texas.  I am excited to announce that my apprenticeships have grown and I 
have two levels going at the same time.  My classes focus on botany, plant 
id, ecology and sustainablity issues related to the use of our native 
medicinals in Central Texas.  I have a few private land owners in Hill 
Country that I am taking my apprentices to have plants walks on their land.  
I really want to expand to a longer, more in depth program.  I have a new 
nonprofit school next to downtown Austin(Austin Sustainable Health and 
Arts), as well as a nonprofit health center(Juniper Holistic Health Resource 
Center) at an urban permaculture project.  Both spaces are in urban 
wastelands, that we are transforming into beautiful gardens and healing 
spaces.
My question to the group is about the best way to expand.  I have a two 
spaces to work out of, and land to have extended camping trips on.  I have 
been working on a wildscape project at the permaculture project for about 3 
years, but people kept donating European and other nonnative medicinals so 
the native wildscape is just a wild spiral of green medicinal activity that 
kind of does its own thing.  I and two other herbalists here have started a 
sort of coop and symposium to bring a focus to native and nonnative weedy 
medicinals in the area.  You can look at our website 
www.herbalistsoftexas.com
I would like to ask two main things:  Are there any programs or grants I can 
apply for to get access to more native seeds and plants??  I noticed that 
UPS has a partners in Education program I am inquiring about.  I need some 
help and guidance as more people study with me.  i want to make sure and 
have as much information as possible.  My background is in Environmental 
Resource Management and Botany, as well as the herb school educations I have 
acquired.  I want to connect our local activity to more global activities.  
Eventually, my dream is to see a journal on native medicinals by bioregion 
written by herbalists to link our experiences together, not just clinical 
trial information....
My second question is in regards to the Herb Symposium"The Medicinal Plants 
of Texas" Can anyone who has lists or websites where Texans may look list 
our website and symposium information? It's May 15 and May 16 in Austin 
Texas.

Thanks for any help or guidance that anyone can give.
Niki Telkes
Herbalist

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