AMAS WILD FOOD WALKS by J A J RICHARDSON

 An Introduction to Wild Food Walks on the Aylestone Meadows Nature Reserve:

 

Wild Food is FREE


Foraging for Wild Food reconnects us with Nature

...and our shared Aboriginal Ancestors

Wild Foodstuffs contain more nutrition than cultivated crops

..and are a direct source of Food, Fibre, & Medicine

 

 

IDENTIFICATION


Latin names often tell us more about a species than Common names

The Linnaeus system lists plants as Genus, species, and 'cultivar'

A pocketbook Field Guide can be helpful to identify new plants

Discovering new trees and plants should be exciting and fun

Knowing a few plants helps us identify the plants we are yet to meet

Today we will focus on x12 everyday plants and trees

 

 

ETHNOBOTANY


Ethnobotany explores the relationship between people and plants

Wood Lore is ancient Knowledge

Bush Craft is ancient Practise

Find balance and the plants will slowly start to reveal their secrets

Never think “How can I 'use' this plant?” [Frank Cook]

Remember that everything in the forest knows that we are here

 

 

FORAGING RULES

 

We only Take what we Need !

We NEVER eat anything we cannot identify !!

We always leave 50% for Nature (and others) to find !!!

Aim to “Take Memories and Leave Footprints” [Ray Mears] !!!!

 

Please be free to ask any questions at any-time

 

 



List of Species:

 

 

Latin name                                   Common name

 

 

Artium minus                                -         Lesser burdock

 

Armoracia rusticana                         -         Horse-radish

 

Betula pendulum                    -        Silver birch

 

Crataegus monogyna                         -        Hawthorn

 

Malus sylvestris                             -        Crab apple

 

Quercus petraea                    -        Sessile oak

 

Picea abies                           -        Norway spruce

 

Rosa canina                          -       Dog rose

 

Rubus fruticosus                    -        Bramble

 

Sambucus nigra                             -        Elder

 

Salix alba                                      -        White willow

 

Taraxacum officinale                         -        Dandelion

 

Urtica dioica                                 -         Stinging nettle

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