I’m going to sound like an old cranky dude for beginning a sentence with the time worn phrase “when I was young, I would…” fill in the blank. Well so be it. When I was young, we played outside, not necessarily because we wanted to but because that was all there was to do and our mom often shoved us out the door. I got exercise and was appreciating natural systems like forests and streams and didn’t know it, I just thought I was having fun. Kids today are the most technologically connected generation ever, but also the most disconnected to the natural world. That bodes ill for their long-term health and happiness, as well as the health of the planet.

Spring is a great time of year, when the dull brown of winter gives way to fresh grass, soft greens of newly opened leaves, and lots of flower blooms. Actively seeking out wildflowers in their varying habitats is an enjoyable way to spend warming spring days, roaming the woods and fields for some fresh air, exercise, and the challenge of the hunt. An additional challenge if you’re so inclined, is wildflower identification.

Each Spring many lawns, gardens and pasture fields grow a crop of wild onions, a plant considered by most to be a weed. However, to the American Indian the plant was considered an important food, using it both as a seasoning and a staple.

By Steve Roark
Volunteer, Cumberland Gap National Park

March is considered a blustery month, with winds being kicked up by the seasonal changeover. And you probably haven’t thought about it since 8th grade science, but it might be interesting to review why we have wind at all.

All jobs come with stress of some form during the day: deadlines, equipment breakdowns, something. And if you have the iconic “desk job” where you sit all day inside a building, those mental stresses are even more pronounced. Your lunch break should be a recharge time, but a lot of folks are working through lunch while swallowing a sandwich or doing non-restful things on their phone.

With state Arbor Days coming up (TN-March 4, KY-April 1, VA-April 29) I thought it appropriate to reflect on how intertwined our lives are with trees. We not only use forest derived products multiple times every day, but their constant presence is inspiring enough to be used in literature, poetry, and music. A time tested form of writing to teach wisdom is the proverb, a brief statement that expresses a general truth. The Bible is full of them, and they are used by about every culture on the planet. A way to juice up a proverb is to use figurative language, like: “He is like a tree planted by streams of water…”. It makes for imaginative reading that will be remembered. What follows is a listing of wise sayings where trees are expressively used.

Folks that burn wood in stoves or fireplaces have the added chore of disposing of the ashes. It can be a valued organic fertilizer and insect repellant if used properly

Wood ash contains 1-2% phosphorus, 7-10% potassium, plus micronutrients such as iron, manganese, boron, copper, and zinc. The largest component of ash is calcium carbonate, making it useful as a liming agent to neutralize acidic soil.

Pines can offer a dab of color in a winter landscape, and provide lumber, wildlife habitat, pleasing views, and erosion control. The native pines that grow in our area include Shortleaf, Virginia, Pitch, and White Pine. Though not a local native, Loblolly Pine has been widely planted and does well in our area.

Humans must have a hardwired wanderlust. For generations our ancestors were always moving on to new places, and this continues today.
On average, Americans will live in five homes in their lifetime, and in between we take vacations to see new places. Nowadays we have road maps, phone apps and global positioning system (GPS) devices to show us how to get to anywhere we wish.

By: Steve Roark
Volunteer, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

Many birds remain in our area during the winter and don’t fly off to warmer climes. Songbirds (also called passerines) have a normal body temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit and yet appear to go about their business on cold days in comfort. They have several adaptations and tactics to make it through the winter, mostly involving maximizing calories consumed while minimizing calories spent.