Field Trip – Plant Collecting, Pressing and Preserving Workshop *** Note: This Outing is Now Full ***
*** Note: This outing is now full. ***
Plant collecting, pressing and preserving workshop at the Claude E. Garton Herbarium, Lakehead University on June 20, 2026.
Long before field guides, digital photos, or online plant databases, naturalists recorded the flora around them the old-fashioned way; by collecting, pressing, and preserving plants. These carefully prepared specimens formed part of the foundation of modern botany and remain among the most important tools for studying plant diversity, distributions, and environmental change.
In this half-day workshop at the Claude E. Garton Herbarium, participants will step into this long tradition by learning the time-honoured craft of collecting and preparing herbarium specimens. This workshop will be led by Kristi (Dysievick) Valley, Acting Curator, Claude E. Garton Herbarium, and Myles Cummins, Lakehead University Herbarium Botanist. We will begin with a short campus nature walk, where participants will collect a plant specimen of their own (weather permitting). afterwards, we will head indoors for a behind-the-scenes tour of the herbarium and a hands-on session learning how botanists document, press, and mount plant specimens. By the end of the workshop, each participant will have prepared and mounted their own herbarium specimen to take home.
This event will run rain or shine. The outdoor portion takes place on paved campus paths and can be adjusted to accommodate participants; mobility needs. If weather conditions are poor, the collecting portion can be simulated indoors. Participants should dress for the weather and are encouraged to bring rainwear, water, snacks, insect repellent, and comfortable walking shoes. If you have a pair of hand snips, secateurs, or pruning shears, please bring them for the collecting portion, as our supply is limited.
Where: Meet at CB3013, 3rd Floor, Centennial Building, Lakehead University
When: Saturday, June 20, 2026 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Parking: Free on weekends anywhere on campus
This trip will be limited to 20 participants.
This event is free and open to the public, however, donations to the Claude e. Barton Herbarium are appreciated. (Donate here: https://ec.lakeheadu.ca/giving/projects/node/744)
For more information and to register, please contact Myles Cummins (mccummin@lakeheadu.ca)