Discover useful plants of the Oregon Coast and the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Learn the benefits and uses of edible and medicinal plants, shrubs, and trees. Choose your class in the foothills of the Cascades or the Oregon Coast, or you can sign up for all of our plant classes. Both locations offer a rich and diverse plant life experience.
Useful Plants of Oregon
Field Course: Emphasis on Useful Plants
DETAILS
Location: Near Florence, Oregon.
Dates: Useful Plants Oct. 07-08, Acorn Processing Oct. 20-21, 2023
Tuition: See drop down menu for course price.
EB (early bird discount) discounts are time-sensitive.
See the drop down menu.
READ: Registration Policies before purchasing. Register by check
Useful Coastal Plants Class
Survival and wilderness living applications are the emphases of our wild plant field classes. We will focus on learning how to identify wild plants and their uses for survival and wilderness living applications. You will discover common wild plants that grow near you and how you include them in your diet, medical kit, and material uses.
Foods and medicine
It's easy to add wild plants to your seasonal menu. Coastal plants, trees, and fungi give us a bounty of uses.
Traditional plants use
Native peoples have depended on wild plants for thousands of years. Wild plants like the Stinging Nettle in the photo are a crucial resource for making fiber for fishing lines using the strong inner fibers of this plant.

String making
Learn how to gather and prepare plant fibers to make string. Try your hand at string making while learning how and when to harvest useful plants for cordage. You will use Stinging Nettle and other wild plants during this outdoor course.
Wild berries
Who can say no to a fresh berry pie from ripe Oregon coast berries? But that's not all. Some berries are cooked and made into syrup as an antiviral tonic.
Wild plants have so much to offer the outdoor forager. Book your spot today and begin your discovery of the useful wild plants of Oregon.
Acorn Processing

Processing Acorn into a sweet meal in the spirit of Nupa-Yosemite Acorn. Puff - shuck - ma, Tastes good!
During this October 20-21 2023 weekend course. (See PayPal drop down menu.) We learn to process Acorn into nutritious food for long-term living.
Useful Fungi

The Oregon coast is rich in edible and useful wild plants. Wild plants also include fungi. Mushrooms of a dizzying variety and diversity.
Forage for Mushrooms
Fall is the time of year we learn to identify, forage, and discover our favorite wild edible mushrooms. There is simply nothing as fun as a mushroom hunt in the forests of the Oregon coast!

Useful Coastal Plants
Testimonials
"Mark,Thank you for the great weekend learning about plants. It was an unforgettable weekend with my dad. I learned a ton and can’t stop talking about it with friends. Today I’m going on my third hike since to keep fresh what I learned and to continue identifying. I think what you do is invaluable and essential for people rekindling their relationship with nature." ~Joshua Fackrell
Edible and Useful Oregon Wild Plants
Registration Information
- Driving directions, gear list, start time, and forms specific to your class are provided upon registration
- No smoking
- No dogs or pets allowed on camp premises or in vehicles
- Leave No Trace: pack it in and pack it out
Location and accommodations
The Oregon Survival School operates out of two primary privately owned locations.
Check under DETAILS at the top of the page for class locations.
- Coast Camp: is near Florence in an old-growth Sitka Spruce forest with wetland and lake habitat.
- Cascade Camp: near Oakridge is a mixed conifer Douglas Fir forest with streamside, wetland, and meadow habitats.
Coast Camp
Welcome to Coast Camp! It is located approximately one hour's drive west of Eugene. Camping is not available on-site. Please see area accommodations for the closest camping including Honeyman Memorial State Park, Lagoon Campground, and Darlings Marina & RV Resort. There are hotel accommodations in and around Florence OR., 97439, and in Dune City.
Cascade Camp
Welcome to Cascade Camp! Tent and car camping are available onsite at Cascade Camp. We are located approximately one hour's drive east of Eugene, near the community of Oakridge, OR. 97463