Learning Forest and Prairie

Druids not only feel nature they seek to understand it. Often overlooked in this dualist society is the need for balance (a Nature-based virtue).

Importance of Ecological Balance and Genetic Diversity

People can visit and hike Isle Royal National Park. I can still remember hiking up out of a chilly foggy morning onto a sunny ridge trail and spending the next several hours hiking above the clouds. I also remember lots of moose berries!

Wolves of Yellowstone


Balance Also Required Between People and Wolves

Wolves do not mix with human society. The fairy tales of the big bad wolf are based upon valid fears. Yet wolves escape from human defined wilderness areas and this is the sad story of how governments were not prepared for this part.
The New England Forests channel on YouTube is a wonderful resource. The video on the right is a great introduction to one of the most spiritual trees in America, the tall White Pine (others are Beech and Oak). Its first half gives its history while the second half around 43 minutes goes into its spirituality and biology.

New England Forests: The White Pine

(July 7, 2022) Pine smell is caused by a terpene chemical. If we can smell a plant odor the plant is using it for communication. What pine terpenes do is presently being researched but many other terpenes have health benefits. (Joshee, and all 2019). This spiritual and possible physical benefit of trees is why the Japanese developed a concept during the 1980s called forest bathing or shinrin-yoku.

Having grown up in Michigan I often visited Hartwick Pines State Park which is one of the few accessible old growth White Pine forests left in the United States. Some of my ancestors were also involved in logging White Pine during the late 1800's being northern Michigan farmers. Consequently, White Pine is a big part of my own spirituality.

References

Joshee, Dhekney, and Parajuli (2019) Therapeutic and Medicinal Uses of Terpenes. Medicinal Plants. Nov 12 : 333–359. Online at: https://doi.org/10.1007%2F978-3-030-31269-5_15

New England Forests: Reading the Forested Landscape 1


New England Forests: Reading the Forested Landscape 2


New England Forests: Reading the Forested Landscape 3


Missouri Prairie: Addressing Alarming Habitat Trends


Illinois Extension Forestry: Ticks of the Illinois

Anyone who goes out hiking in the wilds during summer in the Midwest United States needs to be prepared to some degree. Having said that tick borne infections in humans are still rare.

LeafSnap App

Snap a photo of the plant and the app will tell you what it is in a matter of seconds. Leafsnap can identify more than 32,000 plant types from all over the world. For domestic plants it provides care information as well.
This is a subscription app so it avoids adds and spyware.

Health and Homestead: Beware of Water Hemlock

Water Hemlock looks just like wild carrot (Queen Anne's Lace) which is common in vacant fields in the Midwest United States. Examples like this is why spiritual herbologists really need to know their plants.