PORTLAND, Maine —
A small group of people had the opportunity through Rewild Maine, a non-profit organization, to tour through Portland’s Eastern Promenade for a variety of wild edible plants.
The group was taught how to identify and eat common edible plants like dandelion, chicory, wild carrot, and Japanese knotweed. Some of the plants were eaten at the moment, but other plants were pre-prepared by the guide as practical food items, like rose petal wine and Japanese knotweed fruit leather.
“I started teaching these classes because I was really excited about sharing that knowledge with others. I think that it can be really empowering to learn more about the natural world,” said Zach Rouda, Founder of Rewild Maine.
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Rewild Maine has grown since its start in 2017 and offers educational programs aimed to deepen the connection between people and the Earth.
“I founded Rewild Maine because I didn’t grow up in the woods. I didn’t grow up learning anything about the natural world and I felt really inspired when I started learning more about nature about the plants that we depend on for everything,” says Rouda.
If you’d like to learn more about Rewild Maine and the programs they offer, you can check out their website.