Avena Botanicals' apothecary, organic herb gardens, and the Avena Institute's teaching center are nestled into the hillside, bordering a 6000 acre wetland. We are blessed with an array of songbirds, deer, moose, and other species of animal and plant life which live in the neighborhood. As our understanding of the local and global significance of restoring plant and wildlife habitats deepens, we continue to expand our educational programs through Avena Institute to include classroom and hands-on opportunities for students to better understand issues of biodiversity, seed saving and ecological and cultural restoration along with various programs on growing and using medicinal herbs.