Last week I took a road trip with a friend to New Mexico, my growing up place. Along the way we stopped to watch the salmon in the Columbia River Gorge, making their way up Eagle Creek. The river was filled with dead and dying fish. The stench of death was in the air. It was a morbid scene. By way of explanation, since my friend was new to salmon-watching, I began to talk about the important role that salmon play in providing nutrients to the mountainous forests of the Pacific Northwest. Salmon leave their birth streams when they are small fry, and when they return they bring with them many more pounds of rich ocean nutrients. Leaving the ocean, they cease to eat, and instead make their incredible journeys home while they are literally decomposing. When they reach their birth streams, they spawn and lay the eggs that will become the next generation of salmon. The image of the salmon stayed with me as I reached New Mexico. A day after my arrival, I encountered a terrible car wreck. As one of the first persons on the scene I ended up getting into one of the wrecked cars to hold the hands of two people who had been hurt: an 82-year old man and his wife. He was crushed by his crumpled car door, barely alive, and died on the scene. She was badly injured and in extreme shock. My co-worker who was with me, said, "They are everyone's grandmother and grandfather." And so they were. A few years ago I wrote the following poem about salmon; it speaks to the journeys we are all on, and to what we owe to generations that come before us. I dedicate it to the couple I met in tragedy, and to all the grandparents of our lives. May we be worthy of their care, may we have the fortitude to continue the great journeys of life.
Blessings,
Ariana
Spreading Roots, Spring Forth
PS.
Click here to read a copy of Ariana's poem For information on current efforts to protect the Northwest's endangered salmon populations, visit the Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition's website
How can we celebrate the upcoming holidays without compromising our values? Sometimes it seems that holidays are all about consuming - whether it's eating too much turkey or shopping for gifts made in sweatshops overseas. New traditions can open the doors to profound changes in the way we live. Let's get together and share our ideas! The Earth Charter is a courageous, boldly optimistic vision of the world we want to live in... a declaration of interdependence... a statement of values and principles for a peaceful, just, sustainable future. Read and endorse the Earth Charter at www.earthcharter.org
This is a two part course in mycology with alternating lab and field sessions. The first two days, (Nov 11 & 12) are geared towards beginners and will focus on skills required to use identification keys to identify common fungi (including some edibles). A basic familiarity with compound microscopes is useful but not required. The following two days (Nov 13 & 14) are recommended for intermediate to advanced fungal students, though those taking the beginner session are encouraged to enroll in the intermediate session. The cirriculum will involve more keying, review of important field and lab characteristics and discussion of the local flora. Lab sessions will include a greater emphasis on microscopic characters and a familiarity with compound microscopes is required. Lectures on taxonomy and systematics will accompany both sections. We shall collect in the diverse Siskiyou slopes near Wagner Butte.
Learn tree planting techniques and volunteer management. Join us rain or shine, and begin the process to become a Natural Area Restoration Crew Leader for a non-profit that's been enhancing the ecology of the Portland-Vancouver metro area for more than 15 years.
The Natural Area Restoration program restores and enhances degraded urban natural areas to preserve biodiversity, improve water and air quality, protect native species, and enhance wildlife habitat.
As a Friends of Trees Crew Leader you will:
· Learn proper tree planting techniques and urban landscape ecology
· Work with others in your community to improve the urban environment
· Acquire skills to organize, inspire, and lead groups of volunteers
· Meet new people with similar interests
· Be an environmental educator
Crew Leaders attend a one-day training, then sign up to lead volunteer crews at four weekend planting events between December and April. Planting projects occur weekends (mostly Saturdays) 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Portland-Vancouver area.