The Department of Biology in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University is hosting lectures and a workshop on community culture and its relationship to the harvest of wild plant species Jan. 24-25.

Topics will range from natural menopause treatments to the importance of ramps in mountain communities. The lectures are free and open to the public. Preregistration is requested for the workshop.

James Chamberlain, USDA forest service research scientist, will begin the two-day event with a presentation at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24, in room G23 of the Life Sciences Building.

The lecture will focus on the medicinal plant Black Cohosh, and the efforts to sustain it in the wild during this time of increased harvest pressure. Black Cohosh is considered an alternative to hormone replacement therapy for treating symptoms of menopause.

In addition, Mary Hufford, director of the University of Pennsylvanias Center for Folklore and Ethnography, will present a lecture and workshop beginning at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, in the Mountainlairs Rhododendron Room.

The lecture is titledWild Harvesting Activities in the Central Appalachians.

Following a break for lunch, Hufford will lead a two-hour, hands-on workshop at 1:30 p.m. The workshop will explore the rich interplay between human culture and the natural environment. During the interactive workshop, participants will examine cultural practices, such as bird watching, which encourage community growth around natural resources.

After the workshop, Chamberlain will present a second lecture at 4 p.m. in the Rhododendron Room. The topic will beRamps in the Southern Appalachian Forest Culture.The lecture will focus on the social, ecological and economic importance of ramps in mountain communities. Ramps, also known as wild leeks, are a member of the onion family traditionally used in Appalachian cuisine.

Participants in the afternoon workshop with Hufford should pre-register to receive materials in advance.

The lectures and workshop are sponsored by the Appalachian Center for Ethnobotanical Studies, a consortium formed by WVU , Frostburg State University and the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute.

For more information, or to preregister for the afternoon workshop, contact Brent Bailey in WVU s Department of Biology at Brent.Bailey@mail.wvu.edu .