Healing Gardens

WEEK ONE REFLECTIONS 1/15/07

It is interesting to me how the books Keeping It Living and The Natural History of Puget Sound Country describe the ecosystems in the Northwest. Keeping it living gives four distinct systems, characterized by trees; while The Natural History of Puget Sound Country uses the same scheme, but a little differently. Keeping it living gives four "biogeoclimactic zones: The Coastal Douglas-fir zone (the area in the rainshadow east of the Olympic, Vancouver Island, and Coast mountain ranges that is dominated by Douglas fir and associated species); the Coastal Western-Hemlock zone (low to mid elevations along the remaining coastal areas and dominated by western hemlock, Pacific silver fir, western red-cedar, and Sitka spruce); the Mountain Hemlock zone (mid to high elevations along the coast and dominated by mountain hemlock, yellow-cedar, and subalpine fir); and the last zone, which is too cold to support tree cover - the Alpine Tundra biogeoclimactic zone. The Natural History of Puget Sound Country gives three zones: the Western Hemlock Zone (from sea level to lower montane slopes of the basin), the Pacific Silver Fir Zone (in the midmontane altitudinal belt), and the Mountain Hemlock Zone (upper forested levels), with a recommendation for a fourth zone - the Timberline-to-Alpine Zone. It is a fairly close comparison between the two, and the latter gives a nice comparitive chart as well (though the page number has been cut off the copy).

The relationships between natural and cultural systems in the Northwest is very distinct to me. The indigenous peoples of this area had such a natural co-existence with their surroundings. Though plant cultivation was used, it was kept in harmony with the natural balance of things. What has stuck with me from the film The Teachings of the Tree People is the the quote from Bruce about how the forest was their Wal-mart. The area we live in was so rich and abundant with everything that was needed to survive and was kept that way for so long because of the indigenous peoples' relationship and understanding of how to live sustainably; their incredible knowledge of how the systems here worked and how every living thing was connected is remarkable and desperately needs to be kept alive.

I can identify the Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), Broad-leaved Maple (Acer macrophyllum), Sword fern (Polystichum munitum), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii), Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum), Salal (Gaultheria shallon), Cattail (Typha latifolia), stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), Wild ginger (Asarum caudatum), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Indian paintbrush (Castilleja miniata), Plantain (Plantago lanceolata), Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), Rye grass (Elymus glaucus), Colt's foot (Petasites frigida), Swamp lantern (Lysichitum americanum), Golenrod (Solidago spp.), Vine maple (Acer circinatum), Red alder (Alnus rubra), Grand fir (Abies grandis), Shore pine (Pinus contorta), Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium), Evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum), Rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum), and Snowberry (Symphoricarpus albus).

Some ideas that I have gotten from the reading that I can apply to the Longhouse Garden are blending the edges of our areas together to ensure a gentle, incorporation from one habitat to the next, transplanting (which I had intended anyway), natural fertilization (how the indigenous people would put rotten wood on the area after harvest), incorporating useful and edible plants into our area for later harvest, and for some reason when I was reading, I just want more logs in our area.

Week Two Reflections (1/22/07)

Before the infiltration of North American Continent  Westerners from across the seas, the link between natural and cultural systems in the Northwest was strong and natural. It was based on respect and the innate knowledge that the indigenous peoples carried with them (that everything is one, connected, and should be treated as such). They practiced sustainable cultivation, harvest, and maintenance; and in return, they were provided with a bounty of resources that would last throughout the generations. The relationship now is one based dominant western culture (the idea that humans are to dominate, separate, organize and overuse everything in existence; that there will always be a replacement) and the resources are being extinguished at alarming rates. I have a deep fear what I am going to witness in this lifetime and always have – I can remember feeling this way since I was small. I know that I can make a difference and help heal what has been done. This is being achieved not only through personal choices and practices, but eventually, through public education and outreach. I want to have the knowledge not only to heal with plants on a physical and spiritual level, but to be able to pass that education on to others. This has been calling to me for a long time and I have been weeding my way through the blackberry vines of life to discover it. It has always been there, just under the surface, but I could not put my finger on exactly what it was; hence I have been all over the place in ideas of what to do with myself. Even when I was much younger, I tried to escape conventional western medicine and treat myself naturally. I don’t think I ever believed in conventional practices. My parents always thought something was wrong with me and my friends thought I was kind of weird. Unfortunately, I was the only one I knew who felt that way and did not have any ideas or resources to assist me or guide me in learning more, so I got lost and off my path along the way. The one regret I have in my life is that I did not pursue my instincts sooner and I had no one around me to direct me. Ah well, it is never too late! How am I to be an agent of healing? I want to heal through education – education of existing adults that feel the same way, but just aren’t sure what to do about it. I am not great at getting the words and feelings out the way I want to just yet, but I am getting better. I hope that I have at least given satisfactory insight of my thoughts and pursuits in this reflection. The new plants that came across in the reading that I know are:Red huckleberry (Vaccinium paryifolium), Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), Blueberry (Vaccinium oxycoccus), Shaggy Mane fungus (Coprinus comatus), Fly Agaric fungus (Amanita muscaria), Yellow Chantrelle fungus (Chantarellus cibarius), Kinnikinnik (Arctostaphylos media), Prickly Pear cactus (Opuntia fragilis), and Foxglove (Digitalis purprea).Aside from the ideas of last week, I don’t have any new ones right now.

Week Three Reflections (1/31/07)

We live in such an amazing place and I am overwhelmed with all of the knowledge (both technical and practical) that I am being exposed to. It is a bit hard to keep track of, but I feel that it will come together nicely soon. I just keep thinking of how important it is to preserve and care for what natural surroundings there are left in not only the Northwest, but everywhere in the world. When I am in the forest, I know I belong there. I know it. I know that it is my home and that I must be part of caring for it. I know that it is the place I came from. There is no doubt in my mind. I fee such an intimate bond with everything around me and I have always had the feeling of wanting to meld in with and become part of the trees, shrubs, and soil; part of the rocks and moss and fungus that call the forest home. I want to know what more I can do to protect and serve the natural environment around me. I want to educate people, and I try to even now, of the things we can do to protect what we have. I hope to take away the information I am getting in this class and be able to pass in on in creative ways in order to help others that don’t know yet. I know I must do this. I am weaving a basket of knowledge to share with anyone who is willing to take from it.

WINTER REFLECTIONS 4, FEBRUARY 7, 2007

WINTER IS FADING FAST. THE SQUIRRELS ARE OUT, THE ANTS ARE OUT, AND I HAVE HEARD THE CALL OF THE FROGS. THE GROUNDHOG DID NOT SEE HIS SHADOW, OR DID HE? I DON'T REMEMBER. THINGS SEEM TO BE MOVING SO FAST AROUND HERE. I CAN FEEL THE PLANTS AND THE EARTH COMING ALIVE ALL AROUND ME. ONCE AGAIN, LIFE ABOUNDS AND HAS SNUCK UP BEHIND ME WITH A FEROCITY THAT KNOCKS ME OFF MY FEET. I LOVE WINTER AND AM MOURNING ITS IMPENDING PASSING WITH GREAT SORROW, BUT I KNOW WE WILL MEET AGAIN.

MY JOURNAL AND I ARE GOING TO SPEND SOME SERIOUS QUALITY TIME TOGETHER THIS WEEKEND. I THINK THAT I AM AFRAID OF MYSELF A BIT AND DON'T WANT TO DELVE IN TOO DEEPLY. HENCE, WE HAVE HAD A SHALLOW RELATIONSHIP THUS FAR. THAT IS ABOUT TO CHANGE.

MEDICINE IS WHATEVER MAKES YOU WELL. BE IT PHYSICALLY, SPIRITUALLY, OR EMOTIONALLY. I SEE PLANTS AS MEDICINE FOR ALL OF OUR NEEDS.

A GARDEN IS WHATEVER YOU WANT IT TO BE. IT COULD BE A PICE OF EARTH FULL OF PLANTS, YOUR BODY, OR YOUR MIND. WHATEVER YOUR GARDEN IS, I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE TENDED TO NATURALLY, AND WITH PATIENCE, PEACE, AND LOVE.

GARDENS AND MEDICINE GO HAND IN HAND. A GARDEN IS MEDICINE - IT CAN SOOTHE, PROTECT, FEED, AND NURTURE YOUR BODY, YOUR MIND, AND YOUR SOUL. I DON'T FEEL AS THOUGH MY GARDENS HAVE BEEN CARED FOR IN THE RIGHT WAYS LATELY AND AM WORKING ON CHANGING THAT.

Chapter 4 – Ethnobotanical Evidence for Plant Resource ManagementSUMMARY2/14/2007 

This chapter examines the evidence showing that First Nations of the Pacific Northwest Coast actively managed their plant resources as opposed to being general hunter-gatherers. 

The indigenous cultures of the Northwest Coast did not appear to just forage for food.  There is evidence that the resources under their stewardship were managed with care and respect; with consideration for the future of their natural resources.  This management was incredibly sustainable and included cultivation strategies and harvest criteria.  Many plant were not only important as food, but as medicine and materials.

The Northwest Coastal peoples used many techniques to manage the land which included, selective harvesting, replanting, tending and weeding, pruning and coppicing, and landscape burning.  Specialized tools were used for digging and tilling.  This not only helped them to attain food, but the ground got tilled and the soil was aerated.  There is evidence of intentional planting, such as when the rice-root bulb was harvested, the bottom would be cut off and thrown back to grow again.  Weeding, clearing, and fertilizing were also evident.  Seaweed would be placed on camas patches and potato gardens to enhance production; beds of root vegetables were cleared of rocks and debris to make digging easier.  Some people would fertilize with salmon bones and guts as in the case of the Heiltsuk tribe.  There were pruning practices such as breaking off the branches of the red huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium) to enhance later growth and fruiting.  Another practice was the selective harvesting of the bark and wood of different trees.  It was known that if you took all the bark from around a tree, it would die.  However, if you only took it in strips, the tree would continue to live and flourish.  Selective burning was done in camas prairies to ensure continuous and prosperous camas growth. 

Ownership rites were also prevalent among Northwest Coast tribes.  In many tribes, families would have their own plots of land to maintain and would have to manage that land.  There were many ceremonies to honor and recognize the natural resources, as well as prayers that would be said during harvest of a particular resource.

The indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast had a complex social structure that included many practices for plant resource management.  Along with the evidence, there are also living witnesses that can attest to these practices. 

  RESPONSE 

There is far too much evidence to disregard the claim that the indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast actively managed and maintained the natural resources that supported their communities and lives.  They had a large and structured management systems that included techniques and criteria not only for harvesting, but for cultivating, enhancing, and maintaining the natural resources around them.  They did this with respect for the land and animals and with sustainable practices.  There is no doubt that these tribes were more than hunter-gatherers, foraging the forest for whatever came about.  They knew the plants, knew the growth habits; there was an intimate relationship between plant and man.  That cannot be denied.  These people knew that everything was connected and that their lives and happiness depended on the lives and happiness of the ecosystems around them.  This chapter clearly illustrates the cultural importance of plants to all aspects of the social structures of these indigenous peoples.  They were not farmers by today’s standards, but their strategies can possible be compared to permaculture practices today.  The first Europeans to come to this land were clearly mistaken when deeming the indigenous peoples as hunter-gatherers, or simple foragers.  They did not recognize these practices because of the natural landscapes the seemed untouched to them.  It is truly sad that not many new Europeans even bothered to delve any further into how the indigenous peoples lived.      

It is frightening that so much of this knowledge has been lost, but at the same time, hopeful that it is becoming more of an interest in today’s societies.  I can only hope that the young people of these tribes today take an interest in protecting and continuing these practices and handing them down to the next generations.  I also believe that this knowledge should be handed “out” to those that are willing to protect it and nurture it.   

 WINTER REFLECTIONS 2/21/07

We own 5 acres on Harstine Island.  I have lived on my property for four years now and have never walked around it.   Every window I look out of, I see trees and plants.  Every window I look out of is green. I am lucky to have this and feel as though I have completely taken it for granted.  I vow this summer to get to know the plants that I live with.  I don’t understand why I have never really got to know my property.  I have always worked full time and have been going to school full time since we have lived there.  My commute was more than four hours a day (not including school) for the first 3 years of  my life there.  I think I have just gotten worn out.  I wish I could go back to a simpler time when we did things for ourselves instead of everyone else.  I want to do that for myself here and now.  I want to at least grow all of my own food.  That is why I am so interested in permaculture.  Once it is established, you can have all of your needs met with about 20 hours a month in the garden.  Perfect for a working girl!   I have been thinking about all of the people that never set foot on actual ground during the day.  There are people that only see concrete or asphalt every day.  How sad is that?  What would it be like if everyone in the world had to sit with a plant once a week and get to know it.  What if everyone had to grow their own food in order to eat?  I wonder what the world would be like.  I remember visiting the Cedar Creek Correctional Facility by Littlerock.  They have an organic garden, worm composting, a recycling facility, and beekeeping.  The inmates are very proud of what they are working on there and it gives them something more than sitting on a computer or in a cell all day or watching TV.  I was very impressed with this and think that more of the prisons should do this.  This also applies to schools – I am glad to hear that many of them are incorporating gardens into their campuses so that the children can learn where food comes from and learn how to grow things and nurture things instead of just separation tactics all day long. Gardens create community and communities create gardens.   In essence, communities are gardens.  Gardening should be an essential tool in any community.  When these planned communities go up all over the place, they usually put in a playground.  What if they put in a community garden?  This western society has become way too detached from nature and incredibly over-dependent on manufactured goods.  This just increases my drive to become a public educator and to find creative and meaningful ways to allow the public to become of aware of the changes they can make to preserve our natural resources, grow their own food (organically!), and become less dependent on consumerism.  This, of course opens a whole other can of worms such as the worry that if we consume less, there won’t be enough j0bs.  I don’t have the knowledge to get into this right now, and don’t recall from any of my previous reading, this topic being strongly addressed.  However, it is my personal opinion, that if we got away from all of this credit that people carry around with them, it would be a much easier transition from consumerism to naturalism.  I don’t know if that is the correct term (naturalism), but it works for this purpose.  Consumerism to me is very unnatural.