Speakers & Class Descriptions

In this heartfelt and timely keynote, Clinical Herbalist and Educator Lupo Passero explores how the wisdom of the natural world—and the people who tend it—can guide us through times of great loss and transition. Drawing from her lived experience in the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Lupo reflects on how landscapes and communities alike hold the capacity to restore, adapt, and renew.

Rooted in decades of work with botanical medicine and community care, this talk honors the powerful ways in which plants and fungi recover from environmental disruption—offering not only physical medicine, but profound metaphors for healing. From dandelion pushing through pavement to reishi growing on decay, these allies teach us how to cultivate resilience at every level: personal, communal, and ecological.

We’ll also examine the growing role of mutual aid and herbal first aid in the face of climate crisis, where grassroots efforts are stepping in to provide free and affordable healthcare, trauma support, and solidarity-based care when formal systems fall short. Lupo will speak to the role of herbalists in emergency response and community rebuilding, particularly in underserved or storm-impacted areas.

At the heart of this conversation is a truth she has witnessed time and again: a shared love of plants has the power to unite people across differences, bringing communities together to not only endure adversity—but to reimagine and rebuild what comes next.

The southern Appalachian Mountains are one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet for plants and animals, but surprisingly, it is the highest level of diversity for the fungal kingdom. Discover the pharmacy of the forests in this visually engaging power point lecture detailing the clinical applications for 5 mushroom species that flourish in this unique bioregion. We will discuss tips and tricks for safe and proper identification of Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster), Ganoderma tsugae (Hemlock Reishi), Trametes versicolor (Turkey Tail), Grifola frondosa (Hen of the Woods), and Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane), as well as why we would want to make extracts from them for use in clinical herbal practice. We will explore some of the scientific studies associated with these species and delve into the traditional ethnomycology both from Chinese Medicine and Appalachian folk medicine. Also discussed will be ethical wildcrafting of mushrooms, why a dual extraction and heat is necessary for capturing active compounds in mushrooms, and how the practitioner can incorporate these extracts into existing clinical applications with other Appalachian bioregional herbal formulations.

Traumatic events can have health impacts beyond what happens in the event itself. When the nervous system becomes dysregulated, then problems such as digestive disturbance, insomnia, and even hormonal imbalances can present. New health conditions can arise, and existing health conditions can become worse. Fortunately, there are many herbs that can help settle our nervous system and treat the other issues that arise; we will also discuss  general strategies for working with clients who have experienced trauma.

Plant family patterns can greatly aid in demystifying the “green wall” of species around us. Hundreds of thousands species of plants are known to global science. These species have been grouped into around 400 plant families for those that make flowers. However, you will know something significant about the majority of plants that you see in the temperate world if you learn the top 40 families around you. It is often possible to guess whether a plant is edible, medicinal, or poisonous simply by the family it occupies. However, some exceptions are important to know as well. We will engage in a walk and talk around the Warren Wilson garden where we will delve into the major plant families of the Southern USA. Students will reinforce plant identification skills by observing family patterns such as leaf, flower and fruit types. Uses including edibility, medicinality, craft, wildlife promotion and landscape beauty will be discussed. Participants will gain a more holistic understanding of the major plants comprising the Southern US flora and their potential ecological and ethnobotanical applications.

Phytoremediation entails the use of plants to mitigate the effects of some type of environmental toxin or damage. Humans have introduced tens of thousands novel compounds into the environment just since World War II and very few of these have been adequately tested for safety. Phytoremediation may be used to remove contaminants from soil, toxins from air, water or simply re-vegetate and stabilize a disturbed area. In the process, phytoremediation may offer a suite of benefits familiar to those who work with plants including carbon sequestration, increased water quality, aesthetic value, food for wildlife, craft materials etc. The potential threat from toxins to folks interested in foraging or community gardening in polluted urban environments will be a focus in particular!

Join clinical herbalist Erika Galentin MNIMH RH on a narrative exploration of herbalism and the use of plants for healing our relationships with our bodies, ourselves, and our planet. In this talk, Erika will journey through the internal ecosystems of our physical and emotional bodies and explore how tending to and caring for these systems reverberates out into the external ecosystems that sustain us.  

Southern Appalachia has a rich history of plant use and lore. Its’ biodiversity make it a haven for plant lovers and helped both indigenous peoples and early settlers survive in a remote region. Southern folk medicine has been influenced by many cultures, but the most revered medicines were the ones that grew here and were abundant. In this class we will discuss some of the fascinating history of Appalachian folk medicine and the part we play in it today. Both locals and newcomers are part of this ever evolving history and I think we can continue to practice these traditions and protect these wonderful mountain herbs and trees by knowing them, sustainably harvesting or growing them, and protecting the wild places. We will focus on the numerous roots of the region and how to prepare them. Come learn ginseng, sassafras, wild yam, Solomon’s seal, as well as several other mountain roots.