The Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project will be treating visitors to another walk on the wild side. This time it will be a look at some common and not-so-common medicinal plants that grow in Island fields, forests and homesteads, from St. John's wort and dandelion to comfrey and goldthread. Margie Loo, of Elderflower Organic Farm, will lead the tour that takes place at the Sir Andrew Macphail Homestead in Orwell on Sunday, June 29.

Many native Island plants, and imports that followed European settlement, have long been used for brewing into teas, making oils and salves, and for other medicinal preparations. With the increasing attention being paid to improving health using natural methods there is a renewed interest in medicinal plants. Margie will discuss how to identify medicinal plants growing around us and the traditional and modern uses of these plants.

The workshop begins at 2 pm at the Macphail Woods nursery and concludes with a taste of some traditional medicinal teas. Everyone is welcome to attend. There is no charge, but donations are most welcome and will go towards construction of displays at the Macphail Woods Nature Centre.

The tea room at the Macphail Homestead is now open for the summer. It is a great place to stop for a bite to eat either before or after the workshop.

This workshop is part of an ongoing series of nature and forest-related workshops sponsored by the Environmental Coalition of Prince Edward Island and the Sir Andrew Macphail Foundation. For more information, please call 651-2575.