Training

The Practical College of Ethnobotany was established in 2008, after a long period of thoughtful and collaborative reflection. Over the years, we held eight in-person sessions, each launched every two years. But as interest in the field grew, so did our desire to make the program more widely accessible. We wanted to open the doors to anyone drawn to the vast world of plants and the deep, intricate connections that bind them to human life. This is what led us to offer the training online.

The online training offered by the Practical College of Ethnobotany unfolds over the course of three years, with a new thematic module released each month. You can begin at any time, and no prior knowledge is required. While three years may seem like a long commitment, it’s merely the beginning of a lifelong journey with and within the plant world.

This unique, globally unparalleled program consists of 30 modules, each comprising over 120 lessons, an equal number of videos, downloadable PDF resources, interactive quizzes, and practical exercises. It offers a dynamic blend of theory and hands-on experience, complemented by optional field courses led by former PCE students.

Our pedagogical approach encourages autonomous, in-depth learning. Though rigorous, intellectually demanding, and designed at an academic level, the course remains accessible to anyone with curiosity and motivation. This comprehensive training offers a holistic understanding of plants – spanning botany, cooking, herbal medicine, anthropology, ecology, and more. It is designed to equip learners with the knowledge and tools needed to become professionals in the plant world and to foster a deeper, more conscious relationship with the living world – an essential foundation for acting wisely and effectively in today’s changing environment.

The subjects we explore are remarkably diverse: they delve into plants, people, and the intricate relationships they have woven over millennia, across continents and cultures. This course invites you to discover the many ways humans have used and understood plants, with an open mind and a global perspective. Far beyond technical knowledge alone, this training is an invitation to reflect, to reconnect, and to grow. It is, above all, a school of life.

Over the course of a year, you will learn to identify plants through close observation and the use of all your senses. You’ll acquire the vocabulary to describe them accurately, discover their traditional and contemporary uses, and refine your skills in foraging and wild cooking. Step by step, you’ll explore the diverse and fascinating ways humans have interacted with plants across cultures and time. By the end of the journey, you’ll feel more at ease – and more at home – within the fascinating world of plants.

At the heart of our distance-learning program are the “plant profiles.” These guided exercises invite you to observe plants in detail and record your findings using structured worksheets. You’ll submit your observations directly to François Couplan, who will return your work with personalized annotations to support your learning and sharpen your observational skills. He will also be available to answer your questions – by email, phone, or video call – throughout the course ensuring you’ll feel supported every step of the way.

In addition to hands-on observation, the course includes ten foundational lessons on essential topics: botany, plant uses, potential toxicity, wild nature, nutrition, and more. Each lesson comes with a dedicated quiz to help consolidate and assess your understanding.

You can start the course at any time. It runs for twelve months and offers a thorough, practice-based introduction to the plant world. As a participant, you’ll also receive a discount if you choose to continue with our three-year online program – for which this course is also an excellent preparation.

Over thirty years ago, François began a long-standing collaboration with Marc Veyrat (Annecy, France), who has since become a close friend and culinary partner. Since then, he has introduced many acclaimed chefs to the world of wild plants, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten in New York, Carlo Crisci in Switzerland, Chris Hruskova in London, and Jean-Marie Dumaine in Germany. Today, the use of foraged plants is becoming a hallmark of contemporary cuisine. Chefs like René Redzepi in Copenhagen and many others around the globe now consider them as essential and inspiring as traditional ingredients. Their extraordinary flavors are simply too valuable to ignore.

To help you identify and use local wild plants in your culinary creations, François Couplan and Keiko Imamura – master of traditional Japanese cuisine – will come directly to your restaurant. Together, they will guide you through the edible flora surrounding your establishment and suggest refined ways to highlight their unique flavors. They can also collaborate with your trusted farmers and help you establish a dedicated team of foragers.

This series features about twenty concise, informative videos dedicated to a subject François has passionately explored for decades: edible wild plants.