THE SERVICEBERRY: ABUNDANCE AND RECIPROCITY IN THE NATURAL WORLD by ROBIN WALL KIMMERER

 THE SERVICEBERRY: ABUNDANCE AND RECIPROCITY IN THE NATURAL WORLD by ROBIN WALL KIMMERER (112 PAGES)

As indigenous scientist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. How, she asks, can we learn from indigenous wisdom and the plant world to reimagine what we value most? Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love.

Meanwhile, the serviceberry’s relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth—its abundance of sweet, juicy berries—to meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution insures its own survival. As Kimmerer explains, “Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.”

I did not read the description before I read this book, and it wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I did enjoy it. I thought it was going to be more about the tree itself, and this book ties in with the authors' philosophical ideas about the connections between ecology and our economy. 

FOREST WALKING: Discovering the Trees and Woodlands of North America by PETER WOHLLEBEN

 FOREST WALKING: Discovering the Trees and Woodlands of North America by PETER WOHLLEBEN  (Pgs 203)

When you walk in the woods, do you use all five senses to explore your surroundings? For most of us, the answer is no—but when we do, a walk in the woods can go from pleasant to immersive and restorative. Forest Walking teaches you how to get the most out of your next adventure by becoming a forest detective, decoding nature’s signs and awakening to the ancient past and thrilling present of the ecosystem around you.

• What can you learn by following the spread of a root, by tasting the tip of a branch, by searching out that bitter almond smell? 
• What creatures can be found in a stream if you turn over a rock—and what is the best way to cross a forest stream, anyway? 
• How can you understand a forest’s history by the feel of the path underfoot, the scars on the trees along the trail, or the play of sunlight through the branches? 
• How can we safely explore the forest at night? 
• What activities can we use to engage children with the forest?

Throughout Forest Walking, the authors share experiences and observations from visiting forests across North America: from the rainforests and redwoods of the west coast to the towering white pines of the east, and down to the cypress swamps of the south and up to the boreal forests of the north.

With Forest Walking, German forester Peter Wohlleben teams up with his longtime editor, Jane Billinghurst, as the two write their first book together, and the result is nothing short of spectacular. Together, they will teach you how to listen to what the forest is saying, no matter where you live or which trees you plan to visit next.