“Edible and Medicinal Plants of the CSUCI Campus:” A 3-Part Experiential Class for OLLI

The California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI) campus is a great example of an integrative landscape design that combines existing native trees and shrubs with attractive, drought-tolerant species. Many of the non-natives are from regions that share Southern California’s Mediterranean climate. Most of them are used by Indigenous people for food and medicine wherever they grow on the planet. The native plants are used by the Chumash, Tongva, and other tribes.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSUCI is a branch of the Extended University designed for adults over 50 that offers college-level noncredit courses with no assignments or grades. In their own words, “OLLI at CSUCI is dedicated to enriching the lives of lifelong learners by providing opportunities for intellectual stimulation and social connection designed for adults aged 50 and above. We foster a love of learning through university-level courses, social & educational activities, and special events.”

This OLLI class, taught by me, is offered on three consecutive Wednesdays beginning March 26 and ending April 9 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Each week will include an hour in the classroom for a slideshow talk followed by an hour-long “herb walk” on the campus to meet the plant community in the flesh, so to speak, and learn about their uses. This experiential class is in-person only, not streaming online, to facilitate the best learning experience for students and will not be recorded.

Enrollment began March 10. For more information and registration, please visit go.csuci.edu/olli. I will not be handling any registration or payment for this class.