Tellur Fenner has a dilemma: He's passionate about helping people take control of their own health by collecting and preparing medicinal plants, but he worries that the recent popularity of wild foods may lead to local over-harvesting.  As an Oakland-based herbalist who founded Blue Wind Botanical Clinic, the worry is at the center of his practice.

"There's millions of people using the parks and thousands of people interested in this alternative lifestyle," he said. "It can quickly have serious repercussions to the plant communities of the Bay Area and damage to the landscape. I feel a responsibility."

What's the solution? Backyard gardening of native medicinals brings together strong local movements in permaculture, native plants and urban gardening and a means to creating powerful tinctures and tisanes without breaking any laws or damaging the environment.

Fenner is partnering with Spiral Gardens, Wildheart Gardens and Merritt College to offer a full slate of late summer classes in propagation, cultivation and preparation of herbal treatments.  He also will be leading an East Bay Bioregional Exploration from Dimond Park to Redwood Park on Aug. 22, focused on plant identification and ethical collection and stewardship.  

Visit www.bluewindbmc.com/ for more info. Upcoming classes include:

• Plant Families of California: A Medicinal Perspective 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 1
• Nature's Pharmacy: Medicine Making Workshop Series, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 14, 21 and 28
• Medicinal Plants of California: Propagation, Cultivation and Preparation Methods 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 29
• The Hazards: Poisonous Plants of the Bay Area 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 18