Comox Valley Nature

Comox Valley Nature is pleased to welcome Chanchal Cabrera, owner of Innisfree Farm, a 7-acre botanic garden specializing in food and medicine plants, and providing educational internships in organic gardening and herbal medicine. Cabrera’s presentation will focus on how botanic gardens are much more than just pretty parks for public enjoyment…so much more!

Botanic Gardens conduct seed saving, hold herbarium samples for positive species identification and promote habitat protection. The first known gardens date back to around 3000 years ago in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. However, the earliest botanic gardens, laid out deliberately for medicine, were the physic gardens of Italy in the 16th and 17th centuries. The very first of these physic gardens was the garden of the University of Pisa, which was created by Luca Ghini in 1543. Today’s modern botanic garden is still a repository of knowledge, seed stock and expertise in medicinal plants. In this illustrated lecture Cabrera will explore botanic gardens and her work around the world in plant conservation and educating people about the value of plants.

There are 3,235 registered botanic gardens world wide, 17 in Canada and Innisfree Farm in Royston is one of 7 in BC. In this presentation you will see behind the scenes, what works and sometimes what doesn’t work, and visit some of finest gardens of England and learn about the conservation and education principles which Botanic Gardens follow.

Chanchal Cabrera has been a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (UK) since 1987 and in clinical practice continuously since then, offering herbal healing to thousands of patients. Cabrera obtained her MSc in herbal medicine at the University of Wales in 2003 and has held the faculty chair in Botanical Medicine at the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine in New Westminster since 2004. She serves on the board of advisors of Dominion Herbal College in Burnaby, on the editorial board of Medical Herbalism clinical newsletter and publishes widely in professional journals and lectures internationally on medical herbalism, nutrition and health.

Cabrera is the author of the book ‘Fibromyalgia – A Journey Toward Healing’ published by Contemporary Books. She is a certified Master Gardener and a certified Horticulture Therapist. She is trained in Inquiry Based Science Education and holds diplomas in Botanic Garden Management and Botanic Garden Education from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (London). In 2009 Cabrera was honored with a Fellowship in the NIMH for service to the profession over 25 years. Chanchal Cabrera lives on Vancouver Island, British Columbia where she and her husband run Innisfree Farm. Her lecture, entitled: “Botanical Gardens – A Whole Wide World of Plants” will take place at the Florence Filberg Seniors Centre at 7pm (sharp) March 20, 2016.

Comox Valley Nature is a non-profit society affiliated to BC Nature consisting only of unpaid volunteers. CVN fulfills its educational mandate by hosting monthly lectures, organizing free weekly guided hikes for members, and a free monthly walk open to the public. The society also undertakes a variety of environmental projects. Aside from its main activity as a non-profit, Comox Valley Nature also supports specialized groups (Birding, Botany, Conservation, Garry Oak Restoration, Wetland Restoration, Photography and Young Naturalists) all of which have separate monthly activities. Membership in BC Nature and Comox Valley Nature is $30 per adult and $40 for a family.

Founded in 1966, it is one of the oldest environmental societies on the North Island. Meetings and lectures of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society are held on the third Sunday of most months at the Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton, Courtenay. Meetings and guided walks are open to the public, including children and youth. Lecture is free, though a $4 contribution from non-members is appreciated. New memberships are always welcomed.