Plants & Friends | Shanghai People's Park 

walking in a park will never be the same

Date Sat 1st December 2018

Event summary:
Join environmentalist and botanic expert Ryan Pirault in this unique interactive plant walk to discover the fabulous world of plants from one of its most knowledgeable enthusiasts. You will learn the basis to recognize many of the plants that grow around you, become familiar with the main characteristics of the most common families of plants, discover interesting facts about some species, various usages and their role in the ecosystem. This outdoor workshop is for both parents and children (8+ years) alike, it is the perfect opportunity to be inspired, interested and fascinated about botany in a practical way.

#Plants & Trees ID
#Characteristics
#Basic Botany
#Basic Ecology
#Lots of Fun
#English with Chinese translation

Age considerations:
Recommended age is 8 due to complexity of the concepts explained.
Children below 8 years old should be accompanied by a parent or a tutor.
Younger children are welcomed if being supervised, but will need parent interaction to take advantage of the education content.

About the location:

Shanghai People's Square Park is one of the main landmarks of this city. It is not only an historical and cultural heritage, it also fulfills an important role as a green space, purifying the air and hosting biodiversity. Besides providing a leisure area for those that want to spend some time in Nature while being in the center of the city, it also has an interesting combination of species that are very present in the region, most of them have interesting facts associated to them, and learning to recognize them is a life skill that will accompany you for the rest of your life.

Ryan's plant philosophy, briefly explained:

“Like us, plants and fungi are living beings. A common theory is that if we approach these beings as if we are meeting a potential friend for the first time there is a greater chance of recognition in the future. With each meeting of the same plant, the personal connection grows stronger and thus recognition becomes quicker and easier. “

Gathering location (start/end): 

Exit no.11 of People's Square subway station (Shanghai)

Event schedule:
09:15 gathering
09:30 sharp: start the walk
11:00 end the walk (ending time is a bit flexible and could extend a bit depending on Q&A along the way)
 
Early bird price (before Nov 29th)
Adult ticket 150 RMB/person.
Children ticket <12 years 100 RMB/person.

Last minute booking price:
Adult ticket: 200 RMB/person
Children ticket <12y: 150 RMB/person

Included:
English facilitation (& Chinese translation if needed).

To be prepared by each participant:
Comfortable clothing & boots or shoes that can get muddy or dirty (thick long trousers, and hiking boots are ideal). 
Any plant identification guide (if you have) which is compatible with the area and comfortable to carry out on a walk.
No short trousers, no sandals, no flip-flops or other kind of toes-open shoes.
Personal re-usable water bottle.
Raincoat, sunscreen, hat, or weather protection as appropriate for the day.
A zero-waste snack - we aim in all our events for zero waste!
An open minded.

Note:
It is important to emphasize that even if almost every plant could be used for medicinal purpose or as food, doing so requires appropriate preparation and should be supervised by an expert, who is familiar with the plant and our medical history. Please refrain from ingesting plants without guidance.

Event details:
The main goal is to provide sensible tools for proper identification, and spend a good time exploring Nature in depth, so that participants become more environmentally aware, and develop their respect and appreciation for Nature. As well as proper etiquette in being 100% certain that what you think you are looking at, is what you are looking at. If there are field guides present, we will use them. Our priority is identification. With this practice it’s best to be cautious as we are learning. One species of plant can take many forms.

This inspiring workshop is also about connecting people to nature and understanding the enormous importance of the green areas in the planet, from the simple plants of your house to the tropical forests. The vegetal kingdom is truly the mediator that makes life in this planet possible for human beings and many other species, it contributes to maintain a breathable atmosphere, and also provides for all the basic needs that we have (health, food, shelter). Most species of plant have been used by humans and other animals for various purposes, many of which are forgotten. Getting familiar with recognizing each plant is a fundamental step in understanding the ecosystem.

Plants are incredible lifeforms that have many beneficial effects on the planet, they can moderate the weather, create fertility in the soil, transform solar energy, provide cures to almost every illness that we could imagine, be used as tools and building materials, protect us from the weather changes, and many more.

While strolling around People's Square Park, participants will get to know the incredible biodiversity that is concentrated in this small area. Often unnoticed, most of the species that live around us have an interesting story to tell, they have been accompanying the human kind for thousands of years and play important roles in the ecosystem that are mostly forgotten.

Green Steps aims to nurture responsible leaders of the future, and environmentally mindful citizens of the world !

More about Green Steps at www.greensteps.com.cn