WINTHROP — The Kennebec Land Trust has announced the dates and speakers for its annual conservation lecture series. This year’s in-person program is Maine Medicinal Plants: Cultural Uses, Ecology, & Botany.

In an effort to allow physical spacing between attendees, lectures will take place at the Winthrop Performing Arts Center, 211 Rambler Way.

• Botany of Medicinal Plants, 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 17

Eric Doucette, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Doucette will speak about the correct identification of medicinal plants, non-toxic or non-medicinal look-alikes, and conserving rare species while collecting medicinals.

• Growing, Gathering, Preparing, and Using Medicinal Plants, 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 24

Deb Soule, herbalist and founder of Avena Botanicals

Soule will provide an overview of 10 important medicinal plants, introduction to using medicinal plans, and common preparations.

• Past, Present, and Future: Cultural Uses of Native Plants in Maine, 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 31

Jennifer Neptune, artist, anthropologist, educator, and member of the Penobscot Nation

Neptune will speak about relationship, respect, and reciprocity with plants and the natural world; food and medicine, beyond corn and tobacco; and benevolence and beauty of the trees: ash, birch, cedar, and maple.

All attendees will need to show full proof of vaccination against COVID-19, be 14 days past the second vaccination shot, or have a negative COVID test completed within 48 hours of the lecture.

The trust’s annual March lecture series is modeled after the early New England lyceums that began in 1826 in Massachusetts. For many years New England lyceums hosted lectures, debates and concerts for public audiences.

The trust’s annual Lyceum lecture series is supported by Gloria Williams Ladd. This year’s series is sponsored by the Josselyn Botanical Society. All programs are free and open to the public.

Kennebec Land Trust this summer will also offer Maine medicinal plant field workshops with herbalist Linda Nelson, and botanists Eric Doucette and Arthur Haines.

For more information, contact the trust at 331 Main St., P.O. Box 261 Winthrop, ME 04364, 207-377-2848, or tklt.org.

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