Weeds, Woodslore, and Wildwoods Wisdom with Master Naturalist and Storyteller Doug Elliott, Sunday, November 13, 2016

Stories, Songs, and Lore Celebrating the Natural World and Useful Wild Plants

AUSTIN, Texas (October 19, 2016) — Herbalist, naturalist, and author, Doug Elliott, will visit the American Botanical Council (ABC) in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, November 13, 2016, from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM to present a lively and informative program of traditional and contemporary plant lore, stories, songs, and personal narratives celebrating some of America's favorite edible, medicinal, and otherwise useful wild plants, as well as other amazing aspects of the natural world. The presentation is open to the public for $20 at the door. ABC is located at 6200 Manor Road, Austin, Texas, 78723.

Whether he's pointing out poison ivy, pontificating on poke sallet, crooning about creasy greens, singing about berries, extolling the virtues of dandelions, or telling wild snake tales, Doug Elliott is known for his lively storytelling as well as his broad, practical, scientific and cultural knowledge of useful wild plants, all flavored with regional dialects, soulful harmonica riffs, and more than a few belly laughs.

“Doug Elliott is unique, informative, and highly entertaining,” said ABC Founder and Executive Director Mark Blumenthal. “He is the first herbal expert I’ve ever known who has written a book about medicinal plants focused on their roots (Roots: An Underground Botany and Forager's Guide[Devin-Adair Pub, 1976]), with hand-drawn, realistic images of those roots — and this was 40 years ago!”

“Whether he’s leading a wild foods foraging foray in the forest, teaching children how to weave birch-bark baskets, or telling backwoods country stories,” Blumenthal continued, “Doug is one of America’s favorite naturalists and herbalists. He is a national natural treasure. ABC is really proud to host him at our historic herb garden headquarters in East Austin.”

Doug lives in the southern Appalachian Mountains and is an award-winning herbalist and storyteller. He has spent a great deal of time with traditional country folk and indigenous people, learning their stories, folklore, and traditional ways of relating to plants. In recent years he has performed and taught from Canada to the Caribbean. He has been a featured storyteller at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, and has conducted workshops and programs at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. He has taught regularly at the International Herb Symposium, the Green Nations Gathering, and Omega Institute. He has trained rangers for the National Park Service and guided people on wilderness experiences from Down East Maine to the Florida Everglades. He was named harmonica champion at Fiddler's Grove Festival in Union Grove, North Carolina.

Doug has authored five books. His first book, now titledWild Roots: A Forager’s Guide to the Edible and Medicinal Roots, Tubers, Corms, and Rhizomes of North America(Healing Arts Press, 1995), is considered an "underground" classic. He has produced a number of award-winning recordings of stories and songs and is occasionally seen on PBS, the History Channel, and the National Geographic Channel.