Fourth Annual Medicinal Plant Symposium, Sep 16-17, 2005

The Mountain State University Medicinal Botanicals Program and the USDA/ARS Appalachian Farming Systems Research Center will hold their Fourth Annual Symposium on Medicinal Plants at Mountain State University, Beckley, WV, on September 16-17, 2005 (please notice the date change from previous announcements) with the theme ‘Producing, Using, and Marketing Herbs and Non-timber Forest Products’.

Program (get Schedule)
The Program covers one and a half days of intensive educational activities, which include lecture sessions on production, utilization and marketing of herbs and non-timber forest products, workshops, a tour, herb walks, and an exhibitor/trade session. Plan to attend and learn from the experts how to produce, add value, and market herbs and non-timber forest products. Learn about the potency of medicinal herbs, how to grow and process them, and how to prepare herbal remedies. Enjoy the taste of different teas at our tea tasting workshop.

Mark your calendars and be ready to attend one of the main educational conferences in southern West Virginia.

Keynote Speaker
James L. Chamberlain holds an Associates degree in forest management from Paul Smith’s College, a Bachelors degree in Wood Products Engineering from SUNY, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, a Master of Forest Science from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and a Master of Economics from Virginia Tech. He received his Ph.D. from the College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech in 2000.

Dr. Chamberlain is currently a Research Scientist with the USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station and is managing and building a regional program on rural development opportunities with non-timber forest resources and products. His particular interests are the social and economic market dynamics that affect how non-timber forest products are incorporated into forest management. He has active research on selected products, including ramps, galax, and black cohosh, as well as a project to define, describe and evaluate the non-timber forest products industry in the southeast.

Registration (get Symposium Registration Form)
General public: $80; Students: $30

Trade Show (get Exhibitor Registration Form)
This is a great opportunity for exhibitors/vendors to promote their trade and create links for new market opportunities. We will have a Trade Show Room with a limited number of booths, so we encourage you to register as early as possible. Tables are $10 ea. if you register before Sep 1st and $15 ea. if you do it on or after this date.

Lodging
There are at least ten hotels at the intersection of Harper Road and I-64/I-77 in Beckley, 3-4 miles away from the university campus. Here is information for some of them:

Country Inn & Suites
2120 Harper Rd
Tel: 304-252-5100; 800-456-4000

Holiday Inn
1924 Harper Rd
Tel: 304-255-1511

Howard Johnson Express
1907 Harper Rd
Tel: 304-255-5900

We will provide a van for those staying in hotels at the Harper Rd I-64/I-77 intersection that need transportation to the university campus.

Budget Inn
223 S Heber St
Tel: 304-253-8318

This hotel is located in downtown Beckley, just five minutes away walking from the university campus. This is a modest hotel with small but clean rooms for those with a low budget. We advise making reservations well in advance due to high demand during the weekends.

Directions
From I-64/I-77: Take exit 44, at the light turn onto Harper Rd and follow it going east until it crosses U.S. 16 (Robert C. Byrd Dr.) and becomes Neville St. Continue three blocks until you must turn. Turn right then make a quick left onto McCreery St. Go two blocks and turn right onto Kanawha St. Go three blocks on S. Kanawha St and turn right onto Donaldson Lane. The parking lot is right there.

From I-64: Take exit 124 and go over the bridge. At the first light, turn left and then left again onto U.S. 19 (Eisenhower Drive). Continue to the first light and turn left onto Johnstown Rd. At the second light turn right onto S. Kanawha St. Continue one block and turn left onto Donaldson Lane. The parking lot is right there.

Contact
Dean Myles 304-929-1630/1687; dmyles@mountainstate.edu