The Tuscan Countryside: Botany at Spannocchia
Dates:
May 5 - 12, 2008
Price:
$2295.00
Program Website:
www.maineaudubon.org
Program Coordinators:
Michael Gelsanliter and Bob Bittenbender
Address:
Maine Audubon
20 Gilsland Farm Rd.
Falmouth, ME 04105
Telephone:
207-781-2330, ext. 217
Fax:
207-781-0974
E-mail:
mhuber@maineaudubon.org
Preferred method of contact:
email
Contact Person:
Margaret Huber
Program Description:
Join this spring botany tour to Castello di Spannocchia. The poppies and other wildflowers will be in bloom, birds will be migrating, and the interns at the farm will be planting the gardens. Each day we will have an early morning foray to look for migrating birds and then take part in a variety of activities. Gather wild edibles under the tutelage of Erbandando, a local association of women dedicated to preserving the age-old tradition of living off the land and cook and serve a meal using these edibles. Take a cooking class, hike along the Merse river to the Castle that Only God Knows, or explore the distinctive Tuscan culture in the nearby city of Siena. Wander the hillsides, stroll the fields among blooming plants, visit monasteries and ruins, and more: the Tuscan countryside is yours.
Coordinator Biographies:
Michael Gelsanliter has designed nature trails and outdoor classrooms throughout Maine with a specific focus on natural history and the preservation of historic landscapes. His love for Italy and the Italian language led him to create a landscape restoration project at Castello di Spannocchia in Tuscany for the past four years. Michael is a Reiki Master Therapist and shamanic practitioner who revels in working with people to help them develop their own unique connection to the natural world around them.
Bob Bittenbender is Maine Audubon’s assistant property manager. A graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School, he has traveled to all 50 states plus numerous countries and has led programs and trips for Maine Audubon in the U.S. and abroad since 1992. He is happy to share his 30 years of experience in the nursery industry, identifying trees and shrubs and talking about the ecological relationships and consequences of changes in the environment.