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May 2017 Book Selection

On Monday, May 22, 2017, 3:30 – 5:00 the Natural History Society book club will discuss The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben.

Forester Peter Wohlleben makes the case that forests are social networks.  He believes that trees are like human families, with parents living near their children, communicating with them, supporting them as they grow.  Wohlleben shares his love of the forests in Germany in which he works, but his observations are relevant to forests in the Pacific Northwest as well.  Amazon’s description of this title states that “After learning about the complex life of trees, a walk in the woods will never be the same again.”

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At this meeting we will select books for reading the next few months.  Bring your suggestions for books you would like the group to read.  You can start by selecting a few titles from this list

 

Shine Tidelands State Park and Wolfe Property Walk

On April 15, 2017, Jefferson Land Trust Land Steward Marcia Schwendiman joined our Natural History Society for a springtime walk along the beach and into the woods on Bywater Bay.

Bywater Bay is near the west end of the Hood Canal Bridge. The three-mile route followed the beach to the neck of Hood Head, then, on the walk back, dived through a wooded area to a saltmarsh and lagoon marking the end of Bywater Bay. A wide array of birds made an appearance, and the gravel to mud beach offered near shore sea life to investigate.

We suggested wearing light hiking boots and layers, and bringing water, snack/lunch, binoculars, and field guides. There was no limit to the size of the group.

Lee at jltnatural@saveland.org was the contact for carpool information and other details.

April 2017 Book Club Selection

The Natural History Society book club will meet on Monday, April 24, 2017, 3:30-5:00 to discuss The King of Fish: The Thousand-Year Run of Salmon by David Montgomery. For location, contact Jean at jltnatural@saveland.org

The salmon that symbolize the Pacific Northwest’s natural splendor are now threatened with extinction across much of their ancestral range.  Geologist David Montgomery sees the evolution and near-extinction of salmon as a story of changing landscapes.  He shows how a succession of historical experiences–in the United Kingdom, in New England, and now in the Pacific Northwest–repeat a disheartening story of overfishing and sweeping changes to rivers and seas that render the world inhospitable to salmon.  King of Fish concludes with provocative recommendations for reinventing the ways in which we make environmental decisions about land, water, and fish.

Hansville Greenway and Point No Point Nature Walk

salmonberryOn March 8, 2017, JLT Land Stewards Michele Olsen and Wendy Feltham Joined our Natural History Society for an almost-springtime walk through the Hansville Greenway.

The seven-mile route followed country roads to the historic Point No Point Lighthouse.  It continued through beautiful Buck Lake County Park and the Hansville Greenway trails.  In addition to meadow, pond and lake, there is a 28-acre wetland behind the lighthouse keeper’s quarters.

An alternative three and one-half mile walk takes you to the wetland area with an opportunity for birding. The park is a designated Important Bird Area on Audubon Washington’s Great Washington State Birding Trail.

licorice-fernWe suggested wearing light hiking boots and layers, and bringing water, snack/lunch, binoculars, and field guides. There was no limit to the size of the group.

Michele at jltnatural@saveland.org was the contact for carpool information and other details.

March 2017 Book Selection

Product DetailsThe Natural History Society book club will meet on Monday, March 27, 3:30-5:00 to discuss Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer.  For location, contact Jean at jltnatural@saveland.org

Publishers Weekly called Robin Wall Kimmerer “a mesmerizing storyteller with deep compassion and memorable prose” and went on to state that this book will appeal to “anyone interested in natural history, botany, protecting nature, or Native American culture.”  Botanist Kimmerer asks questions of nature with the tools of science.  She is a member of the Potawatomi Nation, whose teachings consider plants and animals to be our oldest teachers.

Gathering Moss, an earlier book by Kimmerer, was the book selection for January 2016.