The Kennebec Land Trust annual conservation lecture series dates and speakers have been announced. Although the trust will not present in-person programs this year, the trust will offer modified introductory Zoom lunch presentations. This year’s lecture series is titled An Introduction to Maine Medicinal Plants: Cultural Uses, Ecology & Botany, according to a news release from the Winthrop-based land trust.

The trust’s annual March lecture series is modeled after the early New England lyceums that began in 1826 in Massachusetts. For many years New England lyceums hosted lectures, debates, and concerts for public audiences. The trust’s annual lyceum is supported by Gloria and Lincoln Ladd. This year’s series is sponsored by The Josselyn Botanical Society. All programs are free and open to the public and will be held on Zoom. For Zoom meeting information, email Marie Ring at mring@tklt.org.

Introduction to Past, Present, and Future: Cultural Uses of Native Plants in Maine will be held from noon to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, March 18. Jennifer Neptune, artist, anthropologist, educator, and member of the Penobscot Nation, will speak. She will introduce relationship, respect and reciprocity with plants and the natural world; food and medicine, beyond corn and tobacco; and benevolence and beauty of the trees: ash, birch, cedar, and maple.

Introduction to Botany of Medicinal Plants will be offered from noon to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, March 25. Eric Doucette, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, will speak. Doucette will introduce the correct identification of medicinal plants; non-toxic or non-medicinal lookalikes; and conserving rare species while collecting medicinals.

The full Maine Medicinal Plants: Cultural Uses, Ecology, & Botany program is scheduled to take place in-person in spring 2022 and will feature Neptune, Doucette, and herbalist and founder of Avena Botanicals, Deb Soule. There will also be an additional summer field program.

For more information, contact the trust located at 331 Main St., P.O. Box 261, Winthrop, ME 04364, call 207-377-2848 or visit tklt.org.

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