Valerian, is an up-to-date treatment of all aspects of this very important genus of plants, used in the traditional medicine of many parts of the world, particularly as a sedative. It includes material written by experts dealing with a variety of aspects including the ethnobotany, chemistry, pharmacology, cultivation, analysis and commercial aspects of Valeriana.
This book will be of interest to all those concerned with the study and use of medicinal and aromatic plants and provides a comprehensive and contemporary overview of the status of this particular genus.

Following on from the bestselling Play the Forest School Way, here is a whole range of new games, crafts and activities to get kids developing skills and exploring the natural world all year round. Structured around the year's four seasons, each chapter is packed full of step-by-step Forest School games and activities that harmonize with the weather and what's happening in nature at that time of year, with a nod to seasonal festivals such as Easter and Christmas. In spring, for example, you could make a mud birthday cake to celebrate Earth Day on 22 April, or (inspired by bird song) craft sistrums from sticks and bottle tops. In autumn, you could have a fun day out in the woods making leaf mobiles, playing "Creeping Commandos" and baking apples with nuts over a campfire. At Forest School, children return to the same location again and again, building a lasting connection with a specific part of the natural world, and this book in its year-round approach will bring this aspect of Forest School play to the fore. Each of the four seasonal chapters includes a description of an extended session (combining active and quieter activities plus, for some, an idea for foraging/cooking) to guide Forest School leaders planning themed days and parents looking for party inspiration. The Forest School ethos of nature-based play and learning that encourages children to develop confidence, self-esteem and emotional intelligence is exactly what's needed in an era when childhood problems such as obesity and anxiety are on the rise. Woven through the year are stories from the authors' own Forest School classes, as they make a passionate case for the importance of ensuring children's access to nature and the incredible benefits they will gain from being outside, even in the heart of a city.

This is the first-ever Forest School-themed activity card deck, offering 48 games, crafts and skill-building activities to enjoy outdoors. Aimed at parents, carers, teachers and Forest School group leaders, this is a uniquely handy reference tool to tuck into a pocket and take out into the woods to inspire outdoor fun. It complements Jane Worroll & Peter Houghton's two previous books (Play the Forest School Way and A Year of Forest School), containing activities from those books in abbreviated form. The cards are grouped into four "suits", each with 12 cards: Team Games (fun, high-energy games to play together); Survival Skills (working together to build dens, make fires, gather wild food and cook it); Nature Spotlight (exploring the natural world in more detail); and Forest Craft (woodland-themed makes). A booklet explains how to use the deck: forest school leaders or parents can get kids involved in leading the play (flicking through the cards and choosing an activity) and the suits will also help adults in considering how a session might be structured (with the kids getting final say looking at the cards). The booklet also gives notes on safety, the Forest School ethos, basic kit and other key need-to-knows.

The ultimate antidote to screen time - outdoor play with your kids! Whether you are a parent, a teacher, a Forest School leader or anyone else looking after children, this invaluable guide to nature-based play is full of ideas to get kids outdoors, learning about and connecting with nature, developing new skills and having fun. These new Forest School crafts, games and survival activities are all themed around the elements of earth, air, fire and water, with an underlying message of sustainability and wonder at the amazing web of life. For earth, make a mud slide, try Bogolan mud painting on cloth, or hurl mud missiles at a moving target. For air, make a bullroarer or a whistle, build a kite and fly it, or predict the weather by reading the clouds. For fire, dig a Dakota fire pit, make a bug-repellent torch or learn how to navigate using a shadow stick. For water, mix natural dyes, build and test a rainproof den, or drink foraged birch twig tea from a crafted log cup. There are also four magical stories to tell the children - one for each of the elements -guaranteed to spark their imagination.

1. 1 THE NEEDFOR THIS BOOK- ANACTIVE EXTRACT, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? All over the world at present there is greatactivity as scientists investi- gate plants, micro-organisms, marine creatures and many other forms of life for biological activity. There is a desire to find out more about the interactionsbetweenone organismand another which can be attributed to the chemical substances present in at least one of the species con- cerned. The area where activity has been greatest is the effect ofextracts from the flowering plantsonhuman physiology and human pathogens, since this is very relevant to the discovery ofnew drugs for treating dis- eases ofhumanbeings and other mammals. However, it should be noted thatother groups ofliving organisms are now being investigated for the same purposes and regular reports appear in the scientific literature which describe the activity of extracts and compounds isolated from marine organisms, amphibians, fungi and insects. Other types ofchemicallybased biological interactions are being stud- ied which have implications for otherways in which conditions canbe manipulated to serve thehuman race. Thus, interactionsbetweenplants and insects may produce new pesticides or repellents, interactions between two species offlowering plantresultin herbicidalcompounds and the chemical interactionsbetween species have environmental impli- cations. This interdisciplinary science is sometimes called ecological chemistry and offers many fascinating insights into the complexity oflife onour planet. Many methods have beendevised whereby the activity ofa compound or extract can be tested scientifically.

1. 1 THE NEEDFOR THIS BOOK- ANACTIVE EXTRACT, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? All over the world at present there is greatactivity as scientists investi- gate plants, micro-organisms, marine creatures and many other forms of life for biological activity. There is a desire to find out more about the interactionsbetweenone organismand another which can be attributed to the chemical substances present in at least one of the species con- cerned. The area where activity has been greatest is the effect ofextracts from the flowering plantsonhuman physiology and human pathogens, since this is very relevant to the discovery ofnew drugs for treating dis- eases ofhumanbeings and other mammals. However, it should be noted thatother groups ofliving organisms are now being investigated for the same purposes and regular reports appear in the scientific literature which describe the activity of extracts and compounds isolated from marine organisms, amphibians, fungi and insects. Other types ofchemicallybased biological interactions are being stud- ied which have implications for otherways in which conditions canbe manipulated to serve thehuman race. Thus, interactionsbetweenplants and insects may produce new pesticides or repellents, interactions between two species offlowering plantresultin herbicidalcompounds and the chemical interactionsbetween species have environmental impli- cations. This interdisciplinary science is sometimes called ecological chemistry and offers many fascinating insights into the complexity oflife onour planet. Many methods have beendevised whereby the activity ofa compound or extract can be tested scientifically.

The ultimate guide to family woodland fun!Forest School is founded on a philosophy of nature-based play encouraging children to develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a natural environment. This book will get your children outside, making and building for real (instead of on a computer screen!). Whether your local woodland is a forest or a strip of trees along the edge of an urban park, these activities provide fantastic opportunities for family time and will encourage your children to fall in love with outdoor play again. This is the first book to share Forest School games, crafts and skill-building activities with families, its magical illustrations and simple instructions drawing children easily into a world of wonder. * Be a fox tracking its prey, a moth evading a bat, a rabbit fleeing a forest fire!* Make a working bow and arrow, spectacular headdresses, beautiful woodland jewellery, magic wands - all with materials gathered from the forest floor.* Learn wilderness survival skills: build a shelter, make fire, forage and cook wild food.

In June 2000 Peter Houghton, a counselor in palliative care, was weeks from death due to cardiomyopathy. He had made his preparations and had said most of his good-byes. Then he was offered the chance to participate in a clinical trial. Six months later he was not only still alive, but planning a long distance walk for charity and writing this book about his experiences. With humor and honesty, his story chronicles the uneven path back from the brink of death. Combining knowledge drawn from his counseling work with other dying people and his unique personal experience, he describes what dying really feels like and explains the physical processes it involves. He also raises profound questions about medical trials and palliative care, and especially about our attitudes to life and death, and the way we approach death.