Columbines School
News & Events:
Educational Resources:
Apprenticeship:
General Info:
Columbines Instructors:
Howie Brounstein is the owner of Columbines and Wizardry Herbs, Inc. and primary instructor of the Columbines School of Botanical Studies. He has taught botany, herbalism, and wildcrafting extensively for decades, including such herbal establishments as the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine. Howie has a clinical practice in Eugene, Oregon.
Steven Yeager has been studying Oregon’s local flora for over fourteen years, both wildcrafting and preparing herbal preparations for himself and the community. He enjoys botanizing and exploring Oregon’s wild places. He was the manager of the Columbines and Wizardry herbal business and has been a teacher in the Apprenticeship Program since 1997. Steven is administrator for the Columbines School of Botanical Studies. He is laboratory manager and part of the quality control department at Mountain Rose Herbs. He has also taught for Blue Iris Botanicals and Healing Hands School of Holistic Health.
Education
What is the Columbines School?
The Columbines School of Botanical Studies offers a unique educational program ranging from entry level lectures in community herbalism to a two plus year program including botany, ecology, wildcrafting, plant pharmacy, physiology, pathophysiology, and clinical herbalism. Operating for over twenty-five years, we specialize in field programs where the majority of the classes are outside with the plants for a truly ‘hands on’ experience.
Headlines
Botanical Adventure and Exploration of Isla Magdelena
Starting in the Chilean summer of February 2010, a group of explorers will set out on an extraordinary expedition. They will be trail blazing into the unexplored interior of a 790-square mile Patagonian island. Based upon total lack of evidence of previous habitation, they may be the first humans ever to enter this rugged interior in recorded history! As far as we know, it is less explored than the moon. Do you want to be part of this history in the making, like Lewis and Clark?
First Year Field Apprenticeship Still Has Spaces Available!
We are accepting interviews for the Columbines School of Botanical Studies’ 26th annual 2010 Herbal Apprenticeship Program, our six month intensive. Click here for an Apprenticeship Interview Request Form.
New Michael Moore Tribute Video
Michael Moore Tribute: Howie Brounstein talks about his herbal mentor Michael Moore who passed away in February of 2009.
Botany
What is Botany?
Botany is the science of plants: their life, structure, growth, classification, as well as the study of the plant life in a specific area. In this section you will find plant lists of the western United States, original articles and links pertaining to the science of plant identification, as well as other aspects of the scientific study of plant life.
Wildcrafting
What is Wildcrafting?
Wildcrafting is gathering plant material from its native "wild" environment. Wildcrafting is stewardship. This means we take care of the land and our plant populations or stands. We harvest in a way that insures the health of the stand for our children. We should be able to return to this stand year after year. It will teach us many secrets about ecology and population dynamics. It is not a one-night stand.
Herbalism
What is Herbalism?
The art and science of herbalism is a practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts promoting health, and preventing and modifying illness. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, medical herbalism, and herbal medicine.
