Spring Wild Edible & Medicinal Plant Walk — Evans Creek Preserve

Step into early spring at Evans Creek Preserve and discover the edible and medicinal plants awakening along the forest floor. This guided walk invites you to slow down, observe closely, and learn how to recognize the plants that define the Pacific Northwest’s lush spring landscape.

As winter fades, the understory fills with blossoms, fresh greens, and ancient forest companions. Together, we’ll explore how these plants live within a rich ecological web — and how people they can be used for food and medicine.

During our walk, we may encounter:

• Tender spring nettles
• Lungwort lichen draping tree branches
• Blossoming salmonberry
• Indian plum as it transitions from flowering to fruiting
• Siberian miner’s lettuce
• Sword fern
• Towering Douglas fir
• The remarkable bigleaf maple, with special attention given to its unique ecological role and relationships within the forest
• The dramatic leaves of skunk cabbage, already past its early bloom

This walk blends plant identification, ecology, edible+medicinal uses, and seasonal awareness. Expect a relaxed pace, plenty of opportunities for questions, and a deeper understanding of how spring unfolds in a western Washington forest.

Please Note that this event will continue, rain or shine. March in the Pacific Northwest can be wet and chilly, so please bring rain boots, umbrella, rain pants and rain jacket if the weather is looking like rain. I usually pack these things in the car when going outdoors in the spring regardless—locals know a rain jacket is the best talisman against rain!

We will be meeting at the lower parking lot of Evans Creek Preserve in Sammamish, WA. There are 10 stalls in the parking lot itself, and then street parking for further participants. Please carpool with friends where possible! Pin here:https://maps.app.goo.gl/vR8Fs9LcVNaL87Kh8

• Easy walking on forested trails
• Hands-on plant identification and ecological learning
• Discussion of edible, medicinal, and cultural plant uses
• A welcoming environment for beginners and experienced plant lovers alike

• Weather-appropriate layers (spring conditions can be wet and chilly! I don't want to see shorts, sandals or folks arriving with no jacket.)
• Comfortable walking shoes or boots
• Water
• Notebook or camera (optional)

Instructor Bio

Natalie Hammerquist is a herbalist, forager, photographer, and author based in the eastern Cascades of Washington. She specializes in the edible and medicinal plants of the Pacific Northwest and is passionate about helping people build practical, respectful relationships with the landscapes where they live. Through plant walks, classes, writing, and media, she teaches plant identification, herbal traditions, and seasonal foodways rooted in observation and hands-on experience. Her work focuses on reconnecting people with local ecosystems through curiosity, stewardship, and embodied learning outdoors.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher The Adiantum School of Plant Medicine