I have this thing about plants.

All right. So I'm a science geek too. 

I've spent 25 years sharing what I know about herbal medicine and medicinal plants. I've been honored to teach students at the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine (Bisbee, AZ); the Dominion Herbal College (Burnaby, British Columbia); the National School of Phytotherapy (Albuquerque, NM); the Yellowstone Institute (Yellowstone Park, WY); the Natural Products Institute (Canyon Ferry, MT); and the Rocky Mountain School of Botanical Studies (Boulder, CO). Several of these schools are sadly, now defunct. Herbal medicine education is poorly supported in the U.S. where plant blindness is pandemic, along with a dearth of funding for botany, taxonomy, and ethnomedicine.

As if plants were not important.

Without plants life would not exist.
In 2005, I was delighted and honored to teach botany and phytochemistry alongside some fine British herbalists at the School of Integrated Health, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. They are one of many universities in the United Kingdom (Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and Britain) that offer degrees in Herbal Medicine. The European Union states and the World Health Organization recognizes traditional medicine as crucial to the health of world populations. Africa, India and China are particularly active in research and recognition of traditional herbal medicine. The American Medical Association and MOST state licensure boards do not recognize these models of medicine.
< home

< education




< library




< paragons



< about



Tom and me
From 1999 to 2002 there occurred a sudden upsurge of wildcrafting purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia) in Eastern Montana. A graduate student and a Native American resident gathered some botanists, herbalists, and herbal product makers together. This led to the formation of the Friends of Echinacea and subsequently, the Montana Governor's Task Force on Wild Medicinal Plants. I testified twice on two different bills related to protecting our plants for the benefit of our tourist and wildcrafting industries.
Montana codenow requires those who harvest plants for profit to have written permission to harvest specific plants in specific amounts from the landowner. (Harvest for personal use without permission is trespass and violation of other permit rules.) Montana is one of few states that protects all its plants from poaching for profit with a criminal law that has severe repercussions. It's the only way to get their attention and make it painful enough to deter poaching. That, and a few hundred eyes of local residents.
Montana Code
In 2004, I was awarded a masters degree at Montana State University in the Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology. My project involved the phylogeny (let's just say 'geneology') of plants that have adaptogenic activity. My thesis committee was progressive. Research and interest in bioactive plants is growing exponentially!

See my thesis.
You should know that thousands of herbalists around the world are working quietly behind the scenes, connected by some invisible, sparkling thread.  My pitiful efforts are just a momentary blink in current herbal history.

For the benefit of all beings,

Robyn Klein, AHG Herbalist, MSc., Medical Botany
Adjunct Instructor, Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology
MSU-Bozeman
Montana, USA

I currently teach plant science and medical botany courses at Montana State University, mostly through the Burns Telecommunication Center and the Masters of Science in Science Education programs. See education page. 
To find out why, find and read the Flexner Report of 1910.
< links