Foraging and Land Stewardship Course

Bethnal Green Nature Reserve is excited to launch its first course from the Experimental School of Urban Ecology: Foraging and Land Stewardship. This six-module course offers a holistic and integrated introduction to wild food gathering, combining practical skills with environmental awareness, storytelling and cultural knowledge. Participants will develop a strong knowledge base grounded in land justice, ethnobotany and community health, and leave with the ability to confidently work with wild plants and fungi in a way that’s safe, ethical, and sustainable.

Alongside onsite days, participants will receive two hours of one-to-one online tutorials to consolidate their learning and hone their individual interests. They will also have the option to attend a series of online guest lectures by experienced practitioners, such as foragers, herbalists and artists.

Moving beyond foundational botanical and mycelial identification, this course seeks to leave participants with sustained ways to integrate foraging into wider personal and professional practices. It offers a route to practical competence, deeper ecological awareness, and a broader grasp of the theory and politics of land stewardship. Overall, it aims to help participants to reify the foundation to any foraging practice: a dedicated, informed and personal relationship with all of the other members of the ecosystem.

Please note: the course focuses exclusively on wild plants, trees, and fungi. It does not cover hunting, fishing, butchery, or sea foraging.

Dates & location

The course includes onsite sessions at Bethnal Green Nature Reserve, one field trip outside London, and a series of online lectures.

Course schedule

Time: 11am — 5pm

Module 1 Foraging Laws, Rights and Responsibilities (24 April )
Module 2 Sustainable Harvesting Practices (15 May)
Module 3 Botany, Taxonomy and ID skills (26 June)
Module 4 Practical Herbal Medicine (17 July)
Module 5 Storytelling (25 September)
Module 6 Fungi away day. Field trip, not wheelchair accessible (23 Oct)
Capstone presentations Friday, 27 November 2026

London-based days follow the same structure:

Mornings will be spent outdoors at the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve, developing hands-on skills in identification, harvesting, preservation, and herbal medicine making.
Afternoons will focus on lectures and group discussions, exploring the broader themes surrounding foraging and land stewardship.

Online

1-on-1 Tuition 2 hours total over the duration of the course.
Guest Lectures Six 1-hour sessions on Mondays, 7–8pm (dates to be announced).
Independent Work 1–3 hours per module for research and preparation for your 1-on-1 tutorials.
Students are expected to attend all course sessions and engage actively in independent research in order to fully benefit from this learning opportunity.

Who is this course for?

This course is suitable for beginners, though a prior interest in foraging, or a personal or professional practice connected to it, will be beneficial. We especially encourage participants who are interested in engaging in peer discussions from critical and justice-led perspectives.

Suggested participant groups include Forest School Leaders, park rangers, outdoor educators, aspiring foraging tutors, individuals interested in sustainable food systems, artists whose work engages with the land, or anyone working with plants or fungi. We recognise that there is no single path to building a foraging practice and are eager to expand the definition of what it means to be a forager or land steward.

About the Experimental School of Urban Ecologies

Bethnal Green Nature Reserve is launching a new learning space called the Experimental School of Urban Ecologies. We call it the 'Experimental School' because the challenges we face today require new ways of learning, working together, and sharing knowledge. The lessons that we are delivering have been developed in direct response to the land itself. Our aim is to help people build a meaningful and constructive connection with the local environment, and to support and empower both the people and the wildlife that make up our community.

The venue

The course takes place primarily at the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve, an outdoor, off-grid cultural institute in East London. Both a living landscape and an educational space, the Reserve is dedicated to intersectional research across culture, ecology, and community learning.

Afternoon lectures will take place in the fully accessible community centre next door, with electricity, kitchen and bathroom facilities.

Module 6: Fungi (field-trip) – October 23 will be held offsite in a woodland approximately one hour by train from central London (£15–20 ticket cost). Please note that this trip is not wheelchair accessible, but online learning pathways will be available to those with access needs. Please let us know if you require access support to participate.

What you will need

Pens or pencils
Notebook (weatherproof if possible)
Wet weather clothing suitable for all seasons
Sturdy, waterproof footwear
Warm layers (even in warmer months)
Reusable water bottle
Packed lunch and snacks

Please ensure clothing is appropriate for uneven terrain and changing weather conditions, as sessions will take place outdoors in all but extreme conditions.

1-on-1 tutorials and guest lectures will be held online, so you will occasionally need access to a smart device and reliable internet. Please let us know if you would like to discuss any adjustments to support your access to the online components of the course.

Instructor biography

Izzy Johns is a foraging teacher, storyteller and weaver, and runs a foraging project called Rights For Weeds. She teaches foraging at the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve and many other sites across the UK. Izzy’s primary interest as an educator and artist is to build non-linear and non-hierarchical learning environments, which facilitate communion with the land.

As of 2024, Rights for Weeds has been in residency at the Phytology medicine garden at the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve. For this residency, Izzy has worked alongside the volunteer community at the reserve to cultivate a medicinal garden of herbs that are normally considered ‘weeds.’

Pricing & additional information

£140 for 7 sessions.

If you are unwaged or on low-income, we offer a subsidised course fee operated on a trust basis. This is open to anyone currently with little financial security or in receipt of benefits such as Universal Credit. If you can afford the standard price, please pay it to help us ensure future programming and courses at Bethnal Green Nature Reserve are financially accessible for the community.

Refund policy
If you need to cancel your course booking, you may be entitled to a full refund if notice is given at least two weeks before (10 April) the start of the course (24 April). No partial refunds will be provided for late cancellations or missed classes. If a class is postponed for any reason, Bethnal Green Nature Reserve will reschedule.

Enquiries: experimental@bethnalgreennaturereserve.org

Registration
Register your place on the Foraging & Land Stewardship course below. Registrations open from 9am, Thursday, 12 March 2026.

Supported by Bethnal Green Nature Reserve and