First Person Ecology

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First Person Ecology Learning The Nature Around Us by Tim Smith

Transcript of First Person Ecology

Page 1: First Person Ecology

First Person Ecology

Learning The Nature Around Us

byTim Smith

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Copyright © 2010 by Tim SmithAll Rights ReservedBook design by Tim SmithVisit us on the web at www.JackMtn.comPrinted in the United States of AmericaCover Photo: Pepe the porcupine posing for the cameraFirst Printing: April 2010Revised: June 2010

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Other Books By Tim Smith:

• The Simple Little Sourdough And Outdoor Baking Book

• Bush Cookery: Outdoor Cooking Secrets From A Professional Woodsman

• Bushcraft Education: Riffs And Reflections On Teaching And Learning Outdoors

• On The Trail: Selected Canoe And Snowshoe Trip Journals

• The Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Canoe Handbook

• The Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Student Training Handbook

Available From:http://www.jackmtn.com/store.html

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“I have never been fortunate enough to go into the field with someone who wouldname the plants, birds, insects, mammals, or other wild things for me. It is all intext books someplace, just waiting for you to read it and take that knowledge intothe field. To become proficient at anything, it takes a lot of study in the field, thelibrary and the lab.”

- Boyd ShafferThe Botany NewsKenai Peninsula Botanical SocietyVolume 2, Number 12August, 1995

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Contents

I About The Program 1

1 The World Around Us 21.1 About This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.2 The Goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2 The Learning Process 32.1 Systems And Writing Things Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32.2 Principles Of The Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

3 Daily Immersion 43.1 The Value of Silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43.2 The Five Senses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43.3 The Sit Spot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43.4 Nature Study Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53.5 Final Portfolio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

II The Naturalist’s World 6

4 Weather 74.1 Weather Journal Exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74.2 Weather Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

5 Stars and the Night Sky 95.1 Constellation Exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95.2 Star Exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95.3 Constellations And Star Clusters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95.4 Astronomy And Night Sky Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

6 Mammals and Their Tracks 116.1 Learning The Mammals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116.2 Mammals Of The Northeast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126.3 Resources For Mammals And Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

7 Fish And Mollusks 147.1 Learning The Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147.2 Freshwater Fish Of Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147.3 Resources For Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

8 Insects 168.1 Insect Pests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168.2 Aquatic Insects For Fly Fishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

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Contents

8.3 Resources For Insects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

9 Reptiles And Amphibians 189.1 Resources For Reptiles And Amphibians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

10 Birds 1910.1 Birds Of Northern Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1910.2 Resources For Birds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

11 Fungi 2011.1 Learning The Fungi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2011.2 Some Common Fungi : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2011.3 Resources For Fungi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

12 Lichens 2212.1 Some Common Lichens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2212.2 Resources For Lichens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

13 Plants 2313.1 Collecting Wild Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

13.1.1 Pressing Plant Specimens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2313.1.2 Rules For Collecting Wild Plants For Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2313.1.3 When to Collect for Medicinal Purposes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2413.1.4 Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2413.1.5 Seasonal Cycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

13.2 Plant Of The Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2413.3 Resources For Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

13.3.1 Field Identification And Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2613.3.2 Uses And Lore Of Plants For Food, Medicine And Crafts . . . . . . . . . . 26

14 Flora of Northern New England And Surrounding Provinces 2714.1 Vascular Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

14.1.1 Aceraceae - Maple Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2714.1.2 Alismataceae - Arrowhead Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2714.1.3 Amaranthaceae - Amaranth Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2714.1.4 Anacardiaceae - Sumac or Cashew Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2714.1.5 Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) Parsley Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2714.1.6 Apocynaceae - Dogbane Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2714.1.7 Aquifoliaceae - Holly Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2814.1.8 Araceae - Arum Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2814.1.9 Araliaceae - Ginseng Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2814.1.10 Aristolochiaceae - Birthwort Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2814.1.11 Asclepiadaceae - Milkweed Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2814.1.12 Asteraceae (Compositae) - Aster or Sunflower Family . . . . . . . . . . . 2814.1.13 Balsaminaceae - Touch-Me-Not Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2914.1.14 Berberidaceae - Barberry Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2914.1.15 Betulaceae - Birch Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2914.1.16 Boraginaceae - Borage Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2914.1.17 Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) - Mustard Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2914.1.18 Caprifoliaceae - Honeysuckle Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3014.1.19 Caryophyllaceae - Pink Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

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14.1.20 Celastraceae - Staff-Tree Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3014.1.21 Chenopodiaceae - Goosefoot Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3014.1.22 Convolvulaceae - Morning Glory Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3014.1.23 Cornaceae - Dogwood Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3014.1.24 Cucurbitaceae - Gourd Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3014.1.25 Cupressaceae - Cypress or Cedar Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3014.1.26 Cyperaceae - Sedge Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3114.1.27 Droseraceae - Sundew Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3114.1.28 Elaeagnaceae - Oleaster Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3114.1.29 Ericaceae - Heath Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3114.1.30 Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Pea Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3114.1.31 Fagaceae - Beech Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3214.1.32 Geraniaceae - Geranium Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3214.1.33 Grossulariaceae - Gooseberry Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3214.1.34 Hamamelidaceae - Witch Hazel Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3214.1.35 Hypericaceae - St. Johnswort Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3214.1.36 Juncaceae - Rush Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3214.1.37 Lamiaceae - Mint Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3214.1.38 Liliaceae - Lily Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3214.1.39 Lythraceae - Loosestrife Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3314.1.40 Menyanthaceae - Buckbean Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3314.1.41 Moraceae - Mulberry Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3314.1.42 Myricaceae - Wax-Myrtle Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3314.1.43 Nymphaeaceae - Water Lily Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3314.1.44 Oleaceae - Olive Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3314.1.45 Onagraceae - Evening Primrose Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3314.1.46 Orobanchaceae - Broom Rape Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3414.1.47 Orchidaceae - Orchid Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3414.1.48 Oxalidaceae - Wood Sorrel Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3414.1.49 Papaveraceae - Poppy Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3414.1.50 Pinaceae - Pine Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3414.1.51 Plantaginaceae - Plantain Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3414.1.52 Poaceae (Gramineae) - Grass Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3414.1.53 Polygonaceae - Buckwheat Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3514.1.54 Pontederiaceae - Pickerelweed Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3514.1.55 Portulacaceae - Purslane Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3514.1.56 Primulaceae - Primrose Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3514.1.57 Ranunculaceae - Buttercup or Crowfoot Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3514.1.58 Rosaceae - Rose Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3514.1.59 Rubiaceae - Madder Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3614.1.60 Salicaceae - Willow Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3614.1.61 Santalaceae - Sandalwood Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3614.1.62 Saxifragaceae - Saxifrage Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3614.1.63 Scrophulariaceae - Figwort or Snapdragon Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3614.1.64 Solanaceae - Nightshade Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3614.1.65 Taxaceae - Yew Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3714.1.66 Tiliaceae - Basswood Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3714.1.67 Trilliaceae - Trillium Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3714.1.68 Typhaceae - Cattail Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3714.1.69 Urticaceae - Stinging Nettle Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

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14.1.70 Valerianaceae - Valerian Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3714.1.71 Violaceae - Violet Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3714.1.72 Vitaceae - Grape Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

14.2 Spore Plants: Mosses and Ferns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3714.2.1 Lycopodiaceae - Club Moss Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3714.2.2 Equisetaceae - Horsetail Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3714.2.3 Polypodiaceae - Fern Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3714.2.4 Sphagnaceae - Sphagnum Famoly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

14.3 Seaweeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

15 Ecology 3915.1 Resources For Forest Ecology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3915.2 Resources For Winter Ecology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3915.3 Resources For Freshwater Ecology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3915.4 Resources For Seashore Ecology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3915.5 Resources For Traditional Ecological Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

16 Items To Respect 41

17 General Resources 42

18 Toward A Deeper Understanding 43

About The Author 51

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Part I.

About The Program

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1. The World Around Us

Of all the generations of humans who have walked this planet, we are the least connectedto, and the least knowledgeable about, the natural world. We spend most of our time insidestaring at glowing rectangles. But there is a whole world of discovery right outside the door.

1.1. About This Book

This isn’t a field guide. It’s a method and list of species specific to Maine and northern NewHampshire. It’s designed to be used as part of a hands-on course. It grew out of the naturestudy curriculum we use in semester courses at The Jack Mountain Bushcraft School, wherethe emphasis is on weather, navigation, plants, mammals and fish. It has grown to includeother topics, and is an ongoing project.

1.2. The Goal

The goal of this book create a real relationship between you and the natural world. In anendeavor such as this it is easy to get overwhelmed by facts, so it’s important to keep a senseof wonder as the starting point. We start with the wonder, which leads to the order, andultimately back to the wonder.

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2. The Learning Process

We will be using first-hand knowledge and reference materials to create your own set of fieldguides about the natural world. Unlike the many printed field guides available, this set willtravel with you in your head. The material is broken down into different sections to facilitatelearning, but it is important to remember that the different sections operate together in anorganic manner. Learning the language of nature is a lifelong endeavor. It is a process and ajourney that will continue to teach you throughout your life.

2.1. Systems And Writing Things Down

There are a variety of ways to learn, but the best ones all operate as systems. There are avariety of systems available, with the common thread being that you write down your findings.The act of writing things down helps you to commit it to your long term memory. It’s importantto have a system, but not so important what that system is. The following pages are thesystem we’ve been using for ten years and it has been useful for our students. We don’t claim,however, that it is "the" system. Your work and knowledge will progress much faster if youchoose a system and stick with it. Bouncing around from system to system will cause you tospend most of your time on systems. A good system should, after a week of using it, becomeinvisible. It’s just a way to organize and record information, so you should learn it quickly andthen focus on the information, because it’s the information, not the system, that’s important.

2.2. Principles Of The Method

There are several guiding principles to our method.

1. Tangible. We will be studying local species and phenomenah. We will only be doingbackground studies on species that we have interacted with. For plants, this means weonly study plants we’ve identified in the field or pressed specimens of. For mammals,we’ll focus on those species we’ve seen, or seen tracks or sign from. For fish, we’ll focuson those that we can catch locally. For birds, we’ll focus on birds we’ve identified in thefield. By now you can see the trend. We tie everything back to a personal relationshipwith the natural world in order to minimize abstraction. The goal is to know the worldaround you, not to spout off some facts about species from the other side of the worldthat you’ve never seen in person.

2. One Species At A Time. Our goal is to learn something of value about each species. Assuch, and in order to help us remember it, we’ll be studying a single species at a time.

3. Focused, Structured Study. Many people use field guides like they were watching cabletelevision; flipping through until they find an item that holds their interest for a fewmoments, then flipping again. But flipping isn’t learning, it’s killing time. We’ll be cross-referencing a single species at a time in numerous resources. In most cases we’ll beworking to answer a set of questions, or record a series of observations.

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3. Daily Immersion

3.1. The Value of Silence

The natural world is a quiet place. Most animals go about their business quietly, and assuch pay close attention to any noises they hear. Our human world is the exact opposite. It isloud, and our ears are constantly bombarded by TV, radio, and people’s voices. Because we’vegrown accustomed to this, many of us have difficulty with silence. It can feel uncomfortablebecause it has become so foreign. But to learn about, and immerse ourselves in, the naturalworld, silence is a prerequisite. When in the woods, listen to the sounds you hear and thesounds you make. Try to make as little sound as you can, and to be aware of the sounds youmake.

3.2. The Five Senses

Learning is often approached from an overly academic, cerebral approach. But we take ininformation in numerous ways, not just as snippets of information gleaned from books. Thelessons that stay with us are those that we experience, not just read. As you approach yourimmersion in the natural world, take time to experience it with all of your senses. A book canexplain air particles and charged atmosphere after a rainstorm, but what you’ll rememberabout it most is probably the smell. While not easily quantifiable, these are the things thatwill most impact you and be most remembered. I have memories from my early childhood, asdo all of us, of smells, tastes, and feelings. These are real and part of the learning process,and as such they shouldn’t be ignored just because they’re difficult to put into words. Rather,embrace them, experience them, and don’t worry so much about the words. After all, you’rebuilding a set of field guides for you. Your experiences with all five senses are the framework.

3.3. The Sit Spot

As the name describes, it is a place where you go, alone, and observe the world aroundyou. Over time the animals and birds become used to you and will go about their business.Regularly visiting a sit spot and the experiences and observations gleaned from that experiencewill contribute greatly to your knowledge and understanding of the natural world.

We will be spending from 5-10 minutes per day at sit spots quietly observing the naturalworld, then a similar length of time writing about the experience. The written work will focuson what you observed while there, changes from the previous day, and any animal or birdsightings.

An important thing to keep in mind is that the knowledge gained through this experienceis incremental; it builds upon itself little by little, adding bits and pieces that you may notput together for some time. With that in mind, don’t expect the forest to reveal its secrets toyou on the first day. Stick with it and make it a part of your daily routine. For a validationof the sit spot and what it can do, be sure to read Peter Frost’s Journal from the 2004 winterbushcraft semester at:

jackmtn.com/journals.html http://www.jackmtn.com/journals.html

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3. Daily Immersion

3.4. Nature Study Documentation

“If you didn’t document it, it didn’t happen.”

Your nature study journal is where you document the work you do in learning about thenatural world. It consists of daily studies on the weather and plants, and weekly studies onmammals (and their tracks), constellations, fish, birds, and other critters and phenomena.Like the logbook, it is not a place for your deepest darkest secrets. It should be easily readand understood by someone (such as the instructor) who wants to gauge the work you’veaccomplished. Each entry should be dated and include your daily weather journal as wellas the other information you’re working on that day. The point of the exercise is to get youto focus on one item at a time, research it in a variety of different resources, and record theinformation you discover. The act of recording it will help you remember it.

During a semester course, the weekly breakdown of nature study is broken down as follows:

Sun. Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri. Sat.Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather Weather

Plant Plant Plant Plant PlantMammal Fish Constellation Bird Other

This refers specifically to the background study, and not to field ID or other field-basedactivity. The “Other” referred to on Friday is where you choose an item to study.

3.5. Final Portfolio

When the course is over, or during the course if you bring a laptop computer, all of thedocumentation should be compiled into one volume. This will then be combined with yourlogbook and other written work into a final portfolio.

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Part II.

The Naturalist’s World

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4. Weather

4.1. Weather Journal Exercise

It’s been surrounding you every day of your life, but what do you know about it? For theduration of the course, you are to record the current weather conditions each morning andevening. The information to record includes:

• Time and Date

• Location (where you are)

• Temperature

• Cloud types and % cover (see cloud chart)

• Wind direction and speed (light, strong, gusty, etc.)

• Precipitation (type, heavy or light, continuous or intermittent)

• Humidity (humid, dry, wet, etc.)

• Note any fronts that come through and their time of passing

• Lunar Phase

• Barometric Pressure (if known)

After recording the weather, you are to make a prediction on the coming weather based onyour observations and understanding of weather systems.

• In the morning, predict the weather for the rest of the day.

• In the evening, predict the weather for the following day.

You should also be paying attention to your moods and energy levels, and those of others, andhow they relate to the weather. Do you have more energy on a sunny or rainy day? When arepeople around you more happy or energetic? Paying attention to this over time, and recordingit with your weather log will give you considerable insight into human and animal nature.

Keeping an accurate account of the weather is vital to learning the aging process for tracks,and can also provide insight into fish, animal, and human behavior. As time goes by yourpredictions will become more accurate. You will also begin to see the relationship betweenthings like good fishing and approaching fronts, weather during which animals are most andleast active, etc.

• Moon and Planet Information is to be Recorded in AM Weather Journal

In the AM weather journal note planets, moon phase, and other celestial objects visible theprevious night. With planets, note where they are (what constellation or area of the sky they’reseen).

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4. Weather

4.2. Weather Resources

• Sloane, Eric. Eric Sloane’s Weather Book. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, 1949.

• Sloane, Eric. Eric Sloane’s Book Of Storms. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications,1956.

• Cloud Chart - These are available in print or online.

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5. Stars and the Night Sky

5.1. Constellation Exercise

Record the following information on each constellation studied:

• English Name

• Latin Name

• Correct Pronunciation

• Draw Constellation

– Note leading and trailing stars

– Note orientation to celestial north pole (north star)

– Name brightest stars, especially 1st magnitude stars

– Note the season when visible (ie. Orion is visible in the winter)

– Briefly note mythology of constellation

• Draw small map showing adjacent constellations and other pertinent information - ex-ample: ecliptic, celestial equator, etc.

5.2. Star Exercise

Make a list of the 21 first magnitude stars and where they’re found

5.3. Constellations And Star Clusters

This list of consellations and star clusters will get you started. When you complete it, you’llbe well on your way.

• Big Dipper

• Ursa Major

• Casseopia

• Ursa Minor

• Orion

• Bootes

• Auriga

• Taurus

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5. Stars and the Night Sky

• Pliades

• Gemini

• Leo

• Cygnus

• Aquila

• Ophiuchus

• Canus Major

• Draco

• Cepheus

• Dog Stars

5.4. Astronomy And Night Sky Resources

• Rey, H.A. The Stars; A New Way To See Them. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Compan, 1952.

• Schaaf, Fred. 40 Nights To Knowing The Sky. New York: Henry Holt And Company, 1998.

• Planisphere or star chart.

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6. Mammals and Their Tracks

6.1. Learning The Mammals

Mammals are classified as vertebrates because they have a backbone. To record the followinginformation you should use several resources.

• Common Name

• Latin Name

• Family

• Range

• General Description

• Size:

– Height

– Length

– Weight

• Population Density

• Habitat

• Habits

• Den: does it make one? If so, where and what does it look like?

• When Active (Day, Night, both?)

• Family/Social Habits

• Reproduction/Breeding

– Mating Season

– Length of Gestation

– When are young born

– How many Young per Litter

– How many Litters per Year

– At what Age are Young Independant

• Diet

• Dominant Sense(s)

• Economic Importance

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6. Mammals and Their Tracks

• Tracks (include measurements when possible)

– Front Foot Measurements (draw)

– Rear Foot Measurements (draw)

– Track Patterns (draw and include measurements)

– Most common slow gait

– Most common running gait

– Scat (shape and size, segmented, contents, location)

– Common Signs or Indicators

Studying tracks is one aspect of studying the natural history of an animal.The three important steps of tracking are:

1. Locate

2. Identify

3. Interpret

6.2. Mammals Of The Northeast

• Beaver

• Muskrat

• Pine Marten

• Fisher

• Short-Tailed Weasel

• Long-Tailed Weasel

• Mink

• River Otter

• Striped Skunk

• Raccoon

• Lynx

• Bobcat

• Red Fox

• Coyote

• Black Bear

• Moose

• Whitetail Deer

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6. Mammals and Their Tracks

• Porcupine

• Red Squirrel

• Snowshoe Hare

• Eastern Chipmunk

6.3. Resources For Mammals And Tracks

• DeGraaf, Richard M. And Mariko Yamasaki. New England Wildlife; Habitat, NaturalHistory And Distribution. Hanover, NH: University Press Of New England, 2001.

• Rezendes, Paul. Tracking And The Art Of Seeing. New York: Harper Collins, 1999.

• Rue, Leonard Lee 3rd. Complete Guide To Game Animals. New York: Outdoor Life Books,1981.

• Rue, Leonard Lee 3rd. Furbearing Animals Of North America. New York: Crown Publish-ers, Inc., 1981.

• Stokes, Donald And Lillian. A Guide To Animal Tracking And Behavior. Boston: Little,Brown And Company, 1986.

• Leonard Lee Rue has also published numerous books about single species, all of whichare great resources and are highly recommended.

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7. Fish And Mollusks

7.1. Learning The Fish

To record the following information you should use John Scarola’s book Freshwater Fishes ofNew Hampshire.

Information to Record:

• Common Name

• Latin Name

• Other Nicknames (if any)

• Identification/Description

• Adult Size

• Range/Distribution

• Habitat

• Reproduction

– Season

– Water Temperature

– Habitat for beds or spawning areas

• Foods Eaten By Fish

• Other Pertinent Information

– Economic Value

– Is it a sportfish or gamefish?

– Are there specific strategies for catching it?

– Are there specific ways to prepare/cook it?

7.2. Freshwater Fish Of Maine

• Brook Trout

• Brown Trout

• Rainbow Trout

• Lake Trout (Togue)

• Land Locked Salmon

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7. Fish And Mollusks

• Splake

• Arctic Char

• Cusk

• Rainbow Smelt

• Lake Whitefish

• Round Whitefish

• Largemouth Bass

• Smallmouth Bass

• Chain Pickerel

• Northern Pike

• Muskellunge

• Black Crappie

• Yellow Perch

• White Perch

• Brown Bullhead

• Pumpkinseed Sunfish

• Redbreast Sunfish

• American Eel

• Alewife

• Baitfish

• Freshwater Mussel

7.3. Resources For Fish

• Dalyrimple, Byron. Complete Guide To Game Fish. New York: Outdoor Life Books, 1968.

• Scarola, John F. Freshwater Fishes Of New Hampshire. Concord, NH: NH Fish And GameDepartment, 1973.

• Sosin, Mark And John Clark. Through The Fish’s Eye; An Angler’s Guide To GamefishBehavior. New York: Outdoor Life Books, 1973.

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8. Insects

There are around 100,000 species of insects, spiders and their kin living in North Americanorth of Mexico. Our study of them consists of two distinct groups: pests and aquatic insectsuseful for fly fishing.

8.1. Insect Pests

• Mosquito

• Black Fly

• No-see-um

• Horse Fly

• Deer Fly

• Deer Tick

• Dog Tick

• Bees

• Yellow Jacket

• Wasp

• Chigger

• Black Widow Spider

• Brown Recluse Spider

8.2. Aquatic Insects For Fly Fishing

• Mayflies

• Caddisflies

• Stoneflies

• Midges And Craneflies

• Dragonflies And Damselflies

• Leeches

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8. Insects

8.3. Resources For Insects

• Ames, Thomas Jr. Hatch Guide For New England Streams. Portland, OR: Frank AmatoPublications, 2000.

• Evans, Arthur V. Field Guide To Insects And Spiders Of North America. New York: SterlingPublishing Company, 2007.

• Whitlock, Dave. A Guide To Aquatic Trout Food. New York: Lyons Press, 1982.

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9. Reptiles And Amphibians

• Spring Peepers

• Bull Frogs

• Snapping Turtles

9.1. Resources For Reptiles And Amphibians

• DeGraaf, Richard M. And Mariko Yamasaki. New England Wildlife; Habitat, NaturalHistory And Distribution. Hanover, NH: University Press Of New England, 2001.

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10. Birds

10.1. Birds Of Northern Maine

• Robin

• Veery

• Northern Harrier

• White-Throated Sparrow

• Common Merganser

• Gray Jay

• White-Breasted Nuthatch

• Red-Breasted Nuthatch

• Black-Capped Chickadee

• Ruffed Grouse

• Wild Turkey

• Osprey

• Bald Eagle

• Pileated Woodpecker

• Common Loon

• Crow

• Raven

10.2. Resources For Birds

• DeGraaf, Richard M. And Mariko Yamasaki. New England Wildlife; Habitat, NaturalHistory And Distribution. Hanover, NH: University Press Of New England, 2001.

• Dunne, Pete And David Sibley And Clay Sutton. Hawks In Flight. Boston: HoughtonMifflin Company, 1988.

• Ehrlich, Paul R. And David S. Dobkin And Darryl Wheye. The Birder’s Handbook: A FieldGuide To The Natual History Of North American Birds. New York: Simon & Schuster,1988.

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11. Fungi

11.1. Learning The Fungi

Fungi, or mushrooms as they’re more commonly known, are fascinating to study. Often fieldidentification is difficult from field guides, so the best way to learn them is having someonewho knows them point them out.

11.2. Some Common Fungi :

• Amanita muscaria - Fly Agaric

• Amanita virosa - Destroying Angel

• Claviceps spp. - Ergot

• Boletus calopus - Bitter Bolete

• Boletus edulis - King Bolete

• Cantharellus cibarus - Chaterelle

• Cantharellus cinnabarinus - Cinnibar Chaterelle

• Coprinus atramentarius - Tipper’s Bane, Inky Cap

• Coprinus comatus - Shaggy Mane

• Craterellus cornucopioides - Horn Of Plenty, Black Trumpet

• Fomitopsis pinicola - Red-Banded Polypore

• Fomes fomentarious - Hoof Fungus or False Tinder Fungus

• Ganoderma applanatum - Artist’s Conk

• Ganoderma oregonense - Hemlock Varnish Shelf

• Grifola frondosa - Hen of the woods

• Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca - False Chanterelle

• Innonotus obliquus - Chaga or True Tinder Fungus

• Gyromitra infula - Saddle-Shaped False Morel

• Gyromitra esculenta - False Morel

• Laetiporus sulphureus - Sulpher Shelf or Chicken of the Woods

• Lycoperdon pyriforme - Pear Sharped Puffball

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11. Fungi

• Morchella elata - Black Morel

• Phelinus ignarius - Aspen Conk

• Phellinus pini - Pine Conk

• Piptoporous betulinas - Birch Polypore or Razor Strop Fungus

• Russula emetica

• Russula sanguinea - Rosy Russula

• Scleroderma areolatum

• Scleroderma citrinum - Earthball

• Strobilomyces strobilaceus - Old Man Of The Woods

11.3. Resources For Fungi

• Stamets, Paul. Mycelium Running; How Mushrooms Can Help Save The World. Berkely:Ten Speed Press, 2005.

• Barron, George. Mushrooms Of Northeast North America. Edmonton: Lone Pine Publish-ing, 1999.

• Aurora, David. Mushrooms Demystified. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 1979.

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12. Lichens

12.1. Some Common Lichens

• Bryoria trichodes - Moosehair Lichen

• Cladonia cristella – British Soldiers

• Cladina mitis - Green Reindeer Lichen

• Cladonia rangiferina - Reindeer Moss

• Cladinia stellaris - Star-Tipped Reindeer Lichen

• Usnea cavernosa - Pitted Beard Lichen

• Usnea hirta - Bristly Beard Lichen

• Usnea lapponica - Powdered Beard Lichen

• Umbilicaria mammulata - Smooth Rock Tripe

• Usnea subfloridana - Boreal Beard Lichen

12.2. Resources For Lichens

• Walewski, Joe. Lichens Of The North Woods. Duluth, MN: Kollath + Stensaas Publishing,2007.

There are surprisingly few resources in print for lichens aimed at the non-scientist. Walewski’sbook is the only one I’ve found, and is a great little field guide.

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13. Plants

There are two components to using wild plants as food, medicine and crafting materials. Thefirst is field identification. This is most easily learned by having someone who knows the plantidentify it for you. It can be done from books, but it is the more difficult path and is not for thebeginner. The second component is preparation and usage. This can be learned from booksonce the species has been positively identified.

13.1. Collecting Wild Plants

Where and when you collect plants are both important and related to its nutrition and healingproperties. With regards to when, season, month, and time of day all play an important role.

13.1.1. Pressing Plant Specimens

We will be pressing plant specimens as an aid to field identification. The point of the exerciseis to include in the pressing sufficient parts of the plant to be able to identify it from thepressing. This should include the flower, fruit, leaves (both sides), basal leaves, and sectionof the stem. Information to record with each specimen, on the note card, includes:

• Family name in Latin

• Family name in English

• Species (genus and species) in Latin. Genus is capitolized, species is not.

• Common name(s)

• Date gathered

• Where gathered. Habitat is more important for this than street address.

Refer to the example for where on the note card to record the information and be consistent.

13.1.2. Rules For Collecting Wild Plants For Food

• Take only what you need.

• Harvest no more than 1/3 of available plants, and only when abundant, to ensureenough plants to maintain a healthy community.

• Harvest in areas that need thinning. Cultivate the attitude of a gardener, and throughharvesting try to improve the health of the entire area.

• Don’t harvest from areas with elevated levels of toxins. These include, roadsides, un-der power lines, along polluted waterways, agricultural areas where there is significantamount of spraying, etc. Be wary of water and soil quality. When in doubt, harvestsomewhere else.

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13. Plants

13.1.3. When to Collect for Medicinal Purposes

• Morning: Green leafy parts of plant, just after dew has come off of them (waking up).

• Midday: Berries

• Evening: Roots

13.1.4. Cautions

Be aware of the plants you’re gathering, and know if they develop toxins

• Ergot fungus on grains

• Wilted Raspberries

13.1.5. Seasonal Cycle

When collecting plants you should focus on where the plant is directing its energy.

• Spring: Young shoots and leaves, before full flower develops. Energy is expended on newgrowth.

• Summer: Flowers, berries, seeds, fruits. Above-ground portions of plant. Energy isexpended on reproduction.

• Fall: Underground portions of plant. Energy is moving to roots to be stored for the winter.

• Winter: Underground portions of plant. Energy is stored to provide for new growth in thespring.

With this in mind, developing a seasonal harvest schedule should take into account when thebest time for harvesting certain plant parts is.

13.2. Plant Of The Day

If question is not applicable to the plant you’re working with, skip it. When you have recordedthis information, either make a sketch of the plant or press a sample of the plant. Be sure tolabel these for future identification. A good way to keep your plant pressings organized is tokeep them in a 5” x 8” 3-ring binder.

The point of the exercise is to get you to focus on one plant at a time, research it in a varietyof different resources, and record the information you discover. The act of recording it willhelp you remember it.

Background Information To Record:

1. Family name, both Latin and common

2. Species name, Latin and common

3. Description of the plant from a field guide

4. Alternate or opposite

5. If herbaceous plant, description of flower

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13. Plants

6. If herbaceous plant, is it an annual, perennial, or biennial

7. Habitat; where does it grow

8. Range: what regions does it grow in

9. Does it commonly grow near or alongside other specific plants

10. Does it grow fast or slow

11. Is it a common plant, or rare?

12. Is it a pioneer species, helping to transition the landscape from one habitat to another?

13. Does it grow in bunches, or will you find one singular plant

14. How much moisture does it like? Dry feet or wet?

15. How does it reproduce

16. Does it attract certain species of animal or bird for food and/or shelter

17. Does it like to grow in full sun, full shade, or a mix

18. If it is a tree, what does its silhouette look like

19. Are there any other keys to identification

20. Is any or all of the plant toxic

21. Does it have any poisonous look-alikes

22. Are any members of its family poisonous

23. Is it edible

24. What parts of it are edible

25. How do you process the plant for eating

26. In what seasons are the edible parts available

27. What type of nutrients do you get from eating the plant

28. Is it medicinal

29. What parts of it are medicinal

30. How do you process the plant for medicine

31. When should it be gathered for medicine

32. What survival or craft uses does the plant have

33. What is the best way (for the health of the plant) to gather it for these uses

34. Does it have any hallucinogenic or psychoactive properties? Has it been used as anentheogenic?

35. What other uses does the plant have

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13. Plants

13.3. Resources For Plants

13.3.1. Field Identification And Classification

• Elpel, Thomas J. Botany In A Day; The Patterns Method Of Plant Identification. Pony, MT:Hops Press, 1996

• Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown And Company,1977.

• Bessette, Bessette, Chapman, Chapman. Wildflowers Of Maine, New Hampshire, AndVermont. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 2000.

13.3.2. Uses And Lore Of Plants For Food, Medicine And Crafts

• Brill, Steve “Wildman” And Evelyn Dean. Identifying And Harvesting Edible And MedicinalPlants In Wild (And Not So Wild) Places. New York: Hearst Books, 1994.

• Brown, Tom Jr. Tom Brown’s Guide To Wild Edible And Medicinal Plants. New York:Berkely Books, 1985.

• Fergus, Charles. Trees Of New England: A Natural History. Guilford, CT: Globe PequotPress, 2005.

• Foster, Steven And James A. Duke. Peterson Field Guide To Eastern/Central MedicinalPlants. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1990.

• Hall, Alan. The Wild Food Trailguide. New York: Holt, Rinehart And Winston, 1973.

• Hutchins, Alma R. Indian Herbalogy Of North America. Boston: Shambhala Publications,Inc. 1973.

• Kuhnlein, Harriet V., and Turner, Nancy J. Traditional Plant Foods Of Canadian Indige-nous Peoples. Amsterdam: Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, 1991. The book onedible wild plants for Canada and the northern USA. Out of print and hard to find, itincludes text by Nancy J. Turner and tables of plant nutrients.

• Peterson, Lee Allen. Peterson Field Guide To Edible Wild Plants Of Eastern/Central NorthAmerica. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977.

• Ratsch, Christian. The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants; Ethnopharmacology and ItsApplications. Rochester, Vermont: Park Street Press, 1998.

• Rogers, Robert Dale. Rogers’ Herbal Manual. Edmonton: Karamat Wilderness Ways,2000.

• Scofield, Janice. Discovering Wild Plants: Alaska, Wester Canada, The Northwest. An-chorage: Alaska Northwest Books, 1989.

• Thayer, Samuel. The Forager’s Harvest: A Guide To Identifying, Harvesting And PreparingEdible Wild Plants. Ogema, WI: Forager’s Harvest Press, 2006.

• Thayer, Samuel. Nature’s Garden: A Guide To Identifying, Harvesting And PreparingEdible Wild Plants. Birchwood, WI: Forager’s Harvest Press, 2010.

• Turner, Nancy J. And Adam F. Szczawinski. Common Poisonous Plants And MushroomsOf North America. Portland, OR: Timber Press, 1991.

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14. Flora of Northern New England AndSurrounding Provinces

The majority of plants listed have some sort of econmic (food, medicine or craft) use, or aresimply so common that they should be learned because they’re seen regularly.

14.1. Vascular Plants

14.1.1. Aceraceae - Maple Family

• Acer pennsylvanicum – Striped Maple, Moose Maple

• Acer saccharum – Sugar Maple, Rock Maple

• Acer rubram – Red Maple, Swamp Maple

14.1.2. Alismataceae - Arrowhead Family

• Sagittaria latifolia - Broad-Leaved Arrowhead, Wapato

14.1.3. Amaranthaceae - Amaranth Family

• Amaranthus retroflexus - Green Amaranth

14.1.4. Anacardiaceae - Sumac or Cashew Family

• Rhus glabra - Smooth Sumac

• Rhus typhina - Staghorn Sumac

• Rhus vernix - Poison Sumac

• Toxicodendron radicans – Poison Ivy

14.1.5. Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) Parsley Family

• Cicuta maculata - Water Hemlock

• Conium maculatum - Poison Hemlock

• Daucus carota - Queen Anne’s Lace

• Heracleum maximum - Cow Parsnip

14.1.6. Apocynaceae - Dogbane Family

• Apocynum androsaemilfolium - Spreading Dogbane

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14. Flora of Northern New England And Surrounding Provinces

14.1.7. Aquifoliaceae - Holly Family

• Ilex verticillata - Winterberry

14.1.8. Araceae - Arum Family

• Acorus calamus - Sweet Flag

• Arisaema triphyllum – Jack-in-the-Pulpit

• Symplocarpus foetidus – Skunk Cabbage

• Calla palustris – Water Arum, Wild Calla

14.1.9. Araliaceae - Ginseng Family

• Aralia nudicaulis - Wild Sarsaparilla

• Aralia hispida - Hairy Sarsaparilla

14.1.10. Aristolochiaceae - Birthwort Family

• Asarum canadense – Wild Ginger

14.1.11. Asclepiadaceae - Milkweed Family

• Asclepias syriaca - Common Milkweed

14.1.12. Asteraceae (Compositae) - Aster or Sunflower Family

• Cichorium intybus - Chicory

• Taraxacum officinale - Dandelion

• Cirsium vulgare - Bull Thistle

• Achillea millefolium - Yarrow

• Ambrosia artemisiifolia - Common Ragweed

• Anaphalis margaritacea - Pearly Everlasting

• Anthemis cotula - Mayweed, Stinking Chamomile

• Lactuca canadensis - Wild Lettuce

• Arcticum minus - Common Burdock

• Matricaria matricarioides - Pineapple Weed

• Tanacetum vulgare - Common Tansy

• Eupatorium perfoliatum – Boneset

• Eupatorium maculatum – Spotted Joe Pye Weed

• Arnica

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14. Flora of Northern New England And Surrounding Provinces

• Helianthus annus - Sunflower

• Helianthus tuberosus - Jerusalem Artichoke

• Solidago spp. - Goldenrod

• Erigeron canadensis - Canada Fleabane

• Conyza canadensis - Horseweed

• Rudbeckia hirta - Black-Eyed Susan

• Chrysanthemum leucanthemum (Leucanthemum vulgare) – Ox-Eye Daisy

• Tussilago farfara - Colt’s Foot

• Hieracium aurantiacum – Orange Hawkweed

14.1.13. Balsaminaceae - Touch-Me-Not Family

• Impatiens capensis - Jewelweed, Spotted Touch-Me-Not

14.1.14. Berberidaceae - Barberry Family

• Berberis vulgaris - Common Barberry

14.1.15. Betulaceae - Birch Family

• Betula papyrifera - Paper Birch, White Birch, Canoe Birch

• Betula lutea - Yellow Birch

• Betula lenta - Black Birch, Sweet Birch, Cherry Birch

• Betula populifolia - Gray Birch

• Corylus cornuta - Beaked Hazelnut

• Alnus rugosa - Speckled Alder

• Ostrya virginiana - Hop Hornbeam

14.1.16. Boraginaceae - Borage Family

• Symphytum officinale - Comfrey

14.1.17. Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) - Mustard Family

• Brassica spp. - Wild Mustards

• Dentaria diphylla - Toothwort

• Nasturtim officinale - Watercress

• Barbarea vulgaris - Wintercress

• Allaria officinalis - Garlic Mustard

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14. Flora of Northern New England And Surrounding Provinces

• Armoracia lapathifolia - Horseradish

• Capsella bursa-pastoris - Shepherd’s Purse

14.1.18. Caprifoliaceae - Honeysuckle Family

• Viburnum alnifolium - Hobblebush

• Viburnum trilobum - Highbush Cranberry

• Viburnum lentago – Nannyberry

• Viburnum recognitum – Northern Arrowwood

• Sambucus canadensis - Common Elderberry

• Linnaea borealis - Twinflower

14.1.19. Caryophyllaceae - Pink Family

• Stellaria Media – Chickweed

• Lychnis alba - White Campion

• Silene cucubalis - Bladder Campion

14.1.20. Celastraceae - Staff-Tree Family

• Celastrus orbiculatus - Oriental Bittersweet

14.1.21. Chenopodiaceae - Goosefoot Family

• Chenopodium Album - Lamb’s Quarters

14.1.22. Convolvulaceae - Morning Glory Family

• Convolvulvus arvensis - Field Bindweed

• Convolvulvus sepium - Hedge Bindweed

14.1.23. Cornaceae - Dogwood Family

• Cornus canadensis – Bunchberry

• Cornus stolonifera – Red Osier Dogwood

14.1.24. Cucurbitaceae - Gourd Family

• Echinocystis lobata - Wild Cucumber, Wild Balsam Apple

14.1.25. Cupressaceae - Cypress or Cedar Family

• Thuja occidentalis - Northern White Cedar

• Chamaecyparis Thyoides - Atlantic White Cedar

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14. Flora of Northern New England And Surrounding Provinces

14.1.26. Cyperaceae - Sedge Family

• Carex sp. - Sedge

• Scriptus sp. - Bulrush

14.1.27. Droseraceae - Sundew Family

• Drosera rotundiflora - Round-Leaved Sundew

14.1.28. Elaeagnaceae - Oleaster Family

• Shepherdia canadensis - Canada Buffaloberry

• Elaeagnus umbellata - Autumn Olive, Russian Olive

14.1.29. Ericaceae - Heath Family

• Empetrum nigrum - Crowberry

• Ledum groenlandicum - Labrador Tea

• Archtostaphylos uva-ursi - Bearberry, Kinnikinik

• Gaultheria procumbens - Wintergreen, Checkerberry, Teaberry

• Gaultheria hispidula - Creeping Snowberry

• Vaccinium vitis-idaea - Mountain Cranberry, Lingonberry

• Vaccinium corymbosum - Highbush Blueberry

• Vaccinium angustifolium - Lowbush Blueberry

• Chimaphila umbellata - Pipsissewa

• Pyrola rotundiflora - Round-Leaved Pyrola

• Monotropa uniflora - Indian Pipe

• Kalmia angustifolia – Lambkill, Sheep Laurel

• Rhododendron sp. - Rhododendron

14.1.30. Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Pea Family

• Trifolium hybridum - Alsike Clover

• Trifolium repens - White Clover

• Trifolium pratense - Red Clover

• Lupinis perennus – Wild Lupine

• Lathyrus japonicus – Beach Pea

• Vicia cracca – Cow Vetch

• Melitotus alba - White Sweet Clover

• Trifolium arvense - Rabbit Foot Clover

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14. Flora of Northern New England And Surrounding Provinces

14.1.31. Fagaceae - Beech Family

• Quercus alba – White Oak

• Quercus borealis – Red Oak

• Fagus grandiolia – Beech

14.1.32. Geraniaceae - Geranium Family

• Geranium maculatum - Wild Geranium, Spotted Cranesbill

14.1.33. Grossulariaceae - Gooseberry Family

• Ribes sativum - Currant

• Ribes cynosbati – Gooseberry

14.1.34. Hamamelidaceae - Witch Hazel Family

• Hammamelis virginiana - Witch Hazel

14.1.35. Hypericaceae - St. Johnswort Family

• Hypericum perforatum - St. Johnswort

14.1.36. Juncaceae - Rush Family

• Rush

14.1.37. Lamiaceae - Mint Family

• Mentha piperita - Peppermint

• Mentha arvensis - Field Mint

• Prunella vulgaris - Self Heal, Heal All

• Nepeta cataria - Catnip

14.1.38. Liliaceae - Lily Family

• Maianthemum canadense - Canada Mayflower, Wild Lily-of-the-valley

• Medeola virginiana - Indian Cucumber

• Clintonia borealis - Clintonia, Corn Lily

• Erythronium americanum - Trout Lily

• Smilax rotundiflora - Common Greenbrier

• Veratrum viride - False Hellebore, Indian Poke

• Allium canadense - Wild Garlic

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• Hermerocallis fulva - Day Lily

• Polygonatum biflorum - Solomen’s Seal

• Smilacina racemosa - False Solomen’s Seal

• Streptopus amplexifolius - Twisted Stalk

• Trillium erectum - Purple Trillium

• Trillium undulatum - Painted Trillium

• Lillium canadense - Canada Lily

14.1.39. Lythraceae - Loosestrife Family

• Lythrum salicaria - Purple Loosestrife, Spike Loosestrife

14.1.40. Menyanthaceae - Buckbean Family

• Menyanthes trifoliata - Buckbean

14.1.41. Moraceae - Mulberry Family

• Maclura pomifera - Osage Orange

14.1.42. Myricaceae - Wax-Myrtle Family

• Myrica gale - Sweet Gale

• Myrica pensylvanica - Northern Bayberry

• Comptonia peregrina - Sweet Fern

14.1.43. Nymphaeaceae - Water Lily Family

• Nuphar variegatum - Yellow Pond Lily, Bullhead Lily

• Nelumbo lutea - American Lotus

14.1.44. Oleaceae - Olive Family

• Fraxinus americana - White Ash

• Fraxinus nigra - Black Ash, Brown Ash

• Syringa vulgaris - Lilac

14.1.45. Onagraceae - Evening Primrose Family

• Oenothera biennis - Evening Primrose

• Epilobium angustifolium – Fireweed

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14. Flora of Northern New England And Surrounding Provinces

14.1.46. Orobanchaceae - Broom Rape Family

• Epifagus virginiana - Beech Drops

14.1.47. Orchidaceae - Orchid Family

• Goodyera pubescens - Downy Rattlesnake Plantain

• Cypripedium acaule - Pink Lady’s Slipper, Moccasin Flower

14.1.48. Oxalidaceae - Wood Sorrel Family

• Oxalis stricta – Yellow Wood Sorrel

• Oxalis montana - Northern Wood Sorrel

14.1.49. Papaveraceae - Poppy Family

• Sanguinaria canadensis - Bloodroot

• Dicentra cucullaria - Dutchman’s Breeches

14.1.50. Pinaceae - Pine Family

• Tsuga canadensis - Eastern Hemlock

• Pinus strobus - White Pine

• Pinus resinosa - Red Pine, Norway Pine

• Pinus banksiana – Jack Pine

• Pinus rigida – Pitch Pine

• Picea glauca - White Spruce

• Picea maiana - Black Spruce

• Picea rubens - Red Spruce

• Abies balsamea - Balsam Fir

• Larix laricina – Tamarack, Hacmatac, Larch

14.1.51. Plantaginaceae - Plantain Family

• Plantago major – Plantain

14.1.52. Poaceae (Gramineae) - Grass Family

• Phleum pratense - Timothy Grass

• Zizania aquatica – Wild Rice

• Phragmites australis – Phragmites, Common Reed

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14. Flora of Northern New England And Surrounding Provinces

14.1.53. Polygonaceae - Buckwheat Family

• Rumex crispus - Yellow Dock, Curled Dock

• Rumex acetosella - Sheep Sorrel

• Polygonum cuspidatum - Japanese Knotweed

14.1.54. Pontederiaceae - Pickerelweed Family

• Pontederia cordata - Pickerelweed

14.1.55. Portulacaceae - Purslane Family

• Claytonia virginica - Spring Beauty

• Portulaca oleracea – Purslane

14.1.56. Primulaceae - Primrose Family

• Trientalis borealis – Star Flower

14.1.57. Ranunculaceae - Buttercup or Crowfoot Family

• Aconitum dephinifolium – Monkshood, Wolfbane

• Actaea pachypoda - White Baneberry, Doll’s Eyes

• Actaea rubra - Red Baneberry

• Caltha palustris - Marsh Marigold

• Clematis virginiana - Clematis, Virgin’s Bowers

• Coptis groenlandica - Goldthread

• Ranunculus acris - Buttercup

• Thalictrum pubescens – Tall Meadow Rue

14.1.58. Rosaceae - Rose Family

• Rosa rugosa – Beach Rose

• Frageria virginiana - Common Strawberry

• Rubus odoratus - Purple Flowering Raspberry

• Rubus idaeus - Raspberry

• Rubus pubescens - Dwarf Raspberry

• Rubus fruticosus - Blackberry

• Rubus flagellaris - Dewberry

• Potentilla fruticosa - Shrubby Cinquefoil

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14. Flora of Northern New England And Surrounding Provinces

• Potentilla answerina - Silverweed

• Spiraea ulmaria - Meadowsweet

• Prunus spp. - Cherry

• Amelanchier canadensis – Juneberry, Serviceberry, Shadbush

• Sorbus americana – American Mountain Ash

• Crataegus crus-galli - Cockspur Hawthorn

• Prunus americana - American Plum

• Pyrus malus - Apple

14.1.59. Rubiaceae - Madder Family

• Galium aparine - Cleavers, Goosegrass

• Galium verum - Yellow Bedstraw

• Mitchella repens - Partridge Berry

14.1.60. Salicaceae - Willow Family

• Salix spp. - Willow

• Populus tremuloides - Quaking Aspen, Trembling Aspen

• Populus grandidentata – Bigtooth Aspen

• Populus balsamifera - Black Poplar, Popple, Balsam Poplar

14.1.61. Santalaceae - Sandalwood Family

• Geocaulon - Bastard Toadflax

14.1.62. Saxifragaceae - Saxifrage Family

• Saxifrage species - Saxifrage

14.1.63. Scrophulariaceae - Figwort or Snapdragon Family

• Chelone glabra - Turtlehead

• Euphrasia americana - Eyebright

• Verbascum thapsus - Common Mullein

14.1.64. Solanaceae - Nightshade Family

• Solanum nigrum - Common Nightshade

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14. Flora of Northern New England And Surrounding Provinces

14.1.65. Taxaceae - Yew Family

• Taxus canadensis - Canadian Yew

14.1.66. Tiliaceae - Basswood Family

• Tilia americana – Basswood, Linden

14.1.67. Trilliaceae - Trillium Family

• Trillium erectum - Red Trillium

14.1.68. Typhaceae - Cattail Family

• Typha latifolia - Common Cattail

14.1.69. Urticaceae - Stinging Nettle Family

• Urtica dioica - Stinging Nettle

14.1.70. Valerianaceae - Valerian Family

• Valeriana officinalis - Valerian

14.1.71. Violaceae - Violet Family

• Viola papilionaceae – Common Blue Violet

14.1.72. Vitaceae - Grape Family

• Vitis spp. - Wild Grape

14.2. Spore Plants: Mosses and Ferns

14.2.1. Lycopodiaceae - Club Moss Family

• Lycopodium clavatum – Staghorn Club Moss

• Lycopodium obscurum – Tree Club Moss

14.2.2. Equisetaceae - Horsetail Family

• Equisetum arvense – Field Horsetail

• Equisetum hyemale – Scouring Rush

14.2.3. Polypodiaceae - Fern Family

• Pteretis pensylvanica - Ostrich Fern

• Pteridium aquilinum - Bracken Fern

• Osmunda cinnamonea – Cinnamon Fern

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14. Flora of Northern New England And Surrounding Provinces

14.2.4. Sphagnaceae - Sphagnum Famoly

• Sphagnum species - Sphagnum Moss

14.3. Seaweeds

• Alaria esculenta - Kelp

• Chondrus crispus - Irish Moss

• Fucus gardneri - Rockweed, Bladderwrach Kelp, Sea Wrack

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15. Ecology

Ecology is the big picture study of nature. It focuses on systems and how things work together.Once you have begun to learn the specifics about individual species, these resources can helpyou place that knowledge into a larger framework that examines the relationship betweeneach part and the whole landscape.

15.1. Resources For Forest Ecology

• Kricher, John and Gordon Morrison. Ecology Of Eastern Forests. Boston: HoughtonMifflin Comany, 1988.

• Marchand, Peter J. North Woods. Boston: Appalachian Mountain Club Books, 1987. (Fornorthern New England and the boreal forest)

• Wessels, Tom. Reading The Forested Landscape; A Natural History Of New England.Woodstock, Vermont: The Countryman Press, 1997. (For central New England)

15.2. Resources For Winter Ecology

• Halfpenny, James C. Winter: An Ecological Handbook. Boulder, CO: Johnson Books,1989.

• Marchand, Peter J. Life In The Cold: An Introduction To Winter Ecology. Hanover, NH:University Press Of New England, 1987.

15.3. Resources For Freshwater Ecology

• Caduto, Michael J. Pond And Brook: A Guide To Nature In Freshwater Environments.Hanover, NH: University Press Of New England, 1985.

15.4. Resources For Seashore Ecology

• Coulombe, Deborah A. The Seaside Naturalist: A Guide To Study At The Seashore. NewYork: Fireside Books, 1984.

15.5. Resources For Traditional Ecological Knowledge

• Berkes, Fikret. Sacred Ecology. New York: Routledge, 1999. Berkes has done extensivefield work among the Cree of the James Bay region. He wrote Cree Trappers Speak(which I’ve been unable to obtain), where he set down an oral history of Cree trappersas an educational resource for future trappers. Sacred Ecology includes much of thatinformation, as well as information on hunting and fishing, and examines the role of

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15. Ecology

traditional ecological knowledge with regard to the modern science of ecology. Berkesdefines traditional ecological knowledge as “A cumulative body of knowledge, practiceand belief, evolving by adaptive processes and handed down through generations bycultural transmission, about the relationship of living beings (including humans) withone another and with their environment. “(p.7).

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16. Items To Respect

There is nothing to fear in the northern forest. There are, however, things to respect. Thefollowing topics can get the unaware person into trouble, so something about them should belearned. Knowledge and understanding are an antidote to fear.

• Weather

– Lightning

– Hypothermia And Frostbite

– Hyperthermia

• Water

– Giardia

– Dehydration

– Hyponatyremia

• Insects

– Ticks And Lyme’s Disease

• Mammals

– Rabies

– Black Bear Attack

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17. General Resources

There are several general resources that are helpful to have available while you study.

• Comstock, Anna Botsford. Handbook Of Nature Study. Ithaca, NY: Comstock PublishingAssociates, 1911.

• Leslie, Clare Walker And Charles E. Roth. Keeping A Nature Journal. Pownal, VT: StoreyBooks, 2000.

• High school or college level biology textbook

• Various field guides

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18. Toward A Deeper Understanding

With certain disciplines, after you study for a year you can know nearly all there is to it.Nature study is not one of those disciplines. I’ve been studying nature for over 30 years andI still learn new things all the time. But that’s the blessing of it, not the curse. The goal isn’tto know it all, but rather to know enough so that you feel at home in the natural world. It’s ajourney, not a destination.

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Index

Abies balsamea, 34Acer pennsylvanicum, 27Acer rubram, 27Acer saccharum, 27Achillea millefolium, 28Aconitum dephinifolium, 35Acorus calamus, 28Actaea pachypoda, 35Actaea rubra, 35Alaria esculenta, 38Alder, 29Allaria officinalis, 29Allium canadense, 32Alnus rugosa, 29Amanita muscaria, 20Amanita virosa, 20Amaranth, 27Amaranth Family, 27Amaranthus retroflexus, 27Ambrosia artemisiifolia, 28Amelanchier canadensis, 36Anaphalis margaritacea, 28Anthemis cotula, 28Apocynum androsaemilfolium, 27Apple, 36Aralia hispida, 28Aralia nudicaulis, 28Archtostaphylos uva-ursi, 31Arcticum minus, 28Arisaema triphyllum, 28Armoracia lapathifolia, 30Arnica, 28Arrowhead Family, 27Arrowwood, 30Artist’s Conk, 20Arum Family, 28Asarum canadense, 28Asclepias syriaca, 28Ash, Black, 33Ash, Brown, 33Ash, White, 33Aspen Conk, 21

Aspen, Bigtooth, 36Aspen, Quaking, 36Aspen, Trembling, 36Aster Family, 28Atlantic White Cedar, 30Autumn Olive, 31

Balsam Apple, 30Balsam Fir, 34Balsam Poplar, 36Baneberry, Red, 35Baneberry, White, 35Barbarea vulgaris, 29Barberry, 29Barberry Family, 29Basswood, 37Basswood Family, 37Bastard Toadflax, 36Bayberry, 33Beach Pea, 31Beach Rose, 35Bearberry, 31Bedstraw, 36Beech, 32Beech Drops, 34Beech Family, 32Betula lenta, 29Betula lutea, 29Betula papyrifera, 29Betula populifolia, 29Birch Family, 29Birch Polypore, 21Birch, Black, 29Birch, Gray, 29Birch, Paper, 29Birch, Sweet, 29Birch, White, 29Birch, Yellow, 29Birthwort Family, 28Bitter Bolete, 20Black Morel, 21Black Poplar, 36

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Index

Black Trumpet, 20Black-Eyed Susan, 29Blackberry, 35Bladder Campion, 30Bladderwrach, 38Bloodroot, 34Blueberry, Highbush, 31Blueberry, Lowbush, 31Bolete, Bitter, 20Bolete, King, 20Boletus calopus, 20Boletus edulis, 20Boneset, 28Borage Family, 29Boreal Beard Lichen, 22Bracken Fern, 37Brassica spp., 29Bristly Beard Lichen, 22British Soldiers, 22Broom Rape Family, 34Bryoria trichodes, 22Buckbean, 33Buckbean Family, 33Buckwheat Family, 35Buffaloberry, 31Bull Thistle, 28Bullhead Lily, 33Bulrush, 31Bunchberry, 30Burdock, 28Buttercup, 35

Calla palustris, 28Caltha palustris, 35Canada Lily, 33Canada Mayflower, 32Cantharellus cibarus, 20Cantharellus cinnabarinus, 20Capsella bursa-pastoris, 30Carex sp., 31Catnip, 32Cattail, 37Cattail Family, 37Cedar Family, 30Celastrus orbiculatus, 30Chaga, 20Chamaecyparis Thyoides, 30Chanterelle, Cinnibar, 20Chanterelle, False, 20Chaterelle, 20

Chelone glabra, 36Chenopodium Album, 30Cherry, 36Chicken of the Woods, 20Chickweed, 30Chicory, 28Chimaphila umbellata, 31Chondrus crispus, 38Chrysanthemum leucanthemum, 29Cichorium intybus, 28Cicuta maculata, 27Cinnamon Fern, 37Cinnibar Chaterelle, 20Cirsium vulgare, 28Cladina mitis, 22Cladinia stellaris, 22Cladonia cristella, 22Cladonia rangiferina, 22Claviceps, 20Claytonia virginica, 35Cleavers, 36Clematis, 35Clematis virginiana, 35Clintonia, 32Clintonia borealis, 32Clover, Alsike, 31Clover, Rabbit Foot, 31Clover, Red, 31Clover, White, 31Clover, White Sweet, 31Club Moss Family, 37Club Moss, Staghorn, 37Club Moss, Tree, 37Colt’s Foot, 29Comfrey, 29Common Blue Violet, 37Common Milkweed, 28Comptonia peregrina, 33Conium maculatum, 27Convolvulvus arvensis, 30Convolvulvus sepium, 30Conyza canadensis, 29Coprinus atramentarius, 20Coprinus comatus, 20Coptis groenlandica, 35Cornus canadensis, 30Cornus stolonifera, 30Corylus cornuta, 29Cow Parsnip, 27Crataegus crus-galli, 36

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Index

Craterellus cornucopioides, 20Crowberry, 31Crowfoot Family, 35Cucumber, Wild, 30Curled Dock, 35Currant, 32Cypripedium acaule, 34

Dandelion, 28Daucus carota, 27Day Lily, 33Dentaria diphylla, 29Destroying Angel, 20Dewberry, 35Dicentra cucullaria, 34Dogbane Family, 27Dogwood Family, 30Downy Rattlesnake Plantain, 34Drosera rotundiflora, 31Dutchman’s Breeches, 34Dwarf Raspberry, 35

Earthball, 21Echinocystis lobata, 30Elaeagnus umbellata, 31Elderberry, 30Empetrum nigrum, 31Epifagus virginiana, 34Epilobium angustifolium, 33Equisetum arvense, 37Equisetum hyemale, 37Ergot, 20Erigeron canadensis, 29Erythronium americanum, 32Eupatorium maculatum, 28Eupatorium perfoliatum, 28Euphrasia americana, 36Evening Primrose, 33Evening Primrose Family, 33Eyebright, 36

Fagus grandiolia, 32False Chanterelle, 20False Hellebore, 32False Morel, 20False Solomen’s Seal, 33False Tinder Fungus, 20Fern Family, 37Field Bindweed, 30Field Mint, 32Fireweed, 33

Fleabane, 29Fly Agaric, 20Fomes fomentarious, 20Fomitopsis pinicola, 20Frageria virginiana, 35Fraxinus americana, 33Fraxinus nigra, 33Fucus gardneri, 38

Galium aparine, 36Galium verum, 36Ganoderma applanatum, 20Ganoderma oregonense, 20Garlic, 32Garlic Mustard, 29Gaultheria hispidula, 31Gaultheria procumbens, 31Geocaulon, 36Geranium, 32Geranium Family, 32Geranium maculatum, 32Ginseng Family, 28Goldenrod, 29Goldthread, 35Goodyera pubescens, 34Gooseberry, 32Gooseberry Family, 32Goosefoot Family, 30Goosegrass, 36Gourd Family, 30Grape, 37Grape Family, 37Grass Family, 34Green Reindeer Lichen, 22Greenbrier, 32Grifola frondosa, 20Gyromitra esculenta, 20Gyromitra infula, 20

Hacmatac, 34Hairy Sarsaparilla, 28Hammamelis virginiana, 32Hawthorn, 36Hazelnut, 29Heal All, 32Heath Family, 31Hedge Bindweed, 30Helianthus annus, 29Helianthus tuberosus, 29Hemlock Varnish Shelf, 20

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Index

Hemlock, Eastern, 34Hen of the woods, 20Heracleum maximum, 27Hermerocallis fulva, 33Hieracium aurantiacum, 29Highbush Cranberry, 30Hobblebush, 30Holly Family, 28Honeysuckle Family, 30Hoof Fungus, 20Hop Hornbeam, 29Horn Of Plenty, 20Horseradish, 30Horsetail, 37Horsetail Family, 37Horseweed, 29Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, 20Hypericum perforatum, 32

Ilex verticillata, 28Impatiens capensis, 29Indian Cucumber, 32Indian Pipe, 31Inky Cap, 20Innonotus obliquus, 20Irish Moss, 38

Jack-in-the-Pulpit, 28Japanese Knotweed, 35Jerusalem Artichoke, 29Jewelweed, 29Joe Pye Weed, 28Juneberry, 36

Kalmia angustifolia, 31Kelp, 38King Bolete, 20Kinnikinik, 31

Labrador Tea, 31Lactuca canadensis, 28Lady’s Slipper, 34Laetiporus sulphureus, 20Lamb’s Quarters, 30Lambkill, 31Larch, 34Larix laricina, 34Lathyrus japonicus, 31Ledum groenlandicum, 31Leucanthemum vulgare, 29Lilac, 33

Lillium canadense, 33Lily Family, 32Linden, 37Lingonberry, 31Linnaea borealis, 30Loosestrife Family, 33Lotus, 33Lupine, 31Lupinis perennus, 31Lychnis alba, 30Lycoperdon pyriforme, 20Lycopodium clavatum, 37Lycopodium obscurum, 37Lythrum salicaria, 33

Maclura pomifera, 33Madder Family, 36Maianthemum canadense, 32Maple Family, 27Marsh Marigold, 35Matricaria matricarioides, 28Mayweed, 28Meadow Rue, 35Meadowsweet, 36Medeola virginiana, 32Melitotus alba, 31Mentha arvensis, 32Mentha piperita, 32Menyanthes trifoliata, 33Milkweed Family, 28Mint Family, 32Mitchella repens, 36Monkshood, 35Monotropa uniflora, 31Moosehair Lichen, 22Morchella elata, 21Morel, False, 20Morel, Saddle-Shaped False, 20Morning Glory Family, 30Mountain Ash, 36Mountain Cranberry, 31Mulberry Family, 33Mullein, 36Mustard Family, 29Mustards, Wild, 29Myrica gale, 33Myrica pensylvanica, 33

Nannyberry, 30Nasturtim officinale, 29

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Index

Nelumbo lutea, 33Nepeta cataria, 32Nightshade, 36Nightshade Family, 36Northern White Cedar, 30Nuphar variegatum, 33

Oak, Red, 32Oak, White, 32Oenothera biennis, 33Old Man Of The Woods, 21Oleaster Family, 31Olive Family, 33Orange Hawkweed, 29Orchid Family, 34Oriental Bittersweet, 30Osage Orange, 33Osmunda cinnamonea, 37Ostrich Fern, 37Ostrya virginiana, 29Ox-Eye Daisy, 29Oxalis montana, 34Oxalis stricta, 34

Parsley Family, 27Partridge Berry, 36Pea Family, 31Pear Sharped Puffball, 20Pearly Everlasting, 28Peppermint, 32Phelinus ignarius, 21Phellinus pini, 21Phleum pratense, 34Phragmites, 34Phragmites australis, 34Picea glauca, 34Picea maiana, 34Picea rubens, 34Pickerelweed, 35Pickerelweed Family, 35Pine Conk, 21Pine Family, 34Pine, Jack, 34Pine, Norway, 34Pine, Pitch, 34Pine, Red, 34Pine, White, 34Pineapple Weed, 28Pink Family, 30Pinus banksiana, 34

Pinus resinosa, 34Pinus rigida, 34Pinus strobus, 34Pipsissewa, 31Piptoporous betulinas, 21Pitted Beard Lichen, 22Plantago major, 34Plantain, 34Plantain Family, 34Plum, 36Poison Hemlock, 27Poison Ivy, 27Polygonatum biflorum, 33Polygonum cuspidatum, 35Pontederia cordata, 35Popple, 36Poppy Family, 34Populus balsamifera, 36Populus grandidentata, 36Populus tremuloides, 36Portulaca oleracea, 35Potentilla answerina, 36Potentilla fruticosa, 35Powdered Beard Lichen, 22Primrose Family, 35Prunella vulgaris, 32Prunus americana, 36Prunus spp., 36Pteretis pensylvanica, 37Pteridium aquilinum, 37Purple Flowering Raspberry, 35Purple Loosestrife, 33Purslane, 35Purslane Family, 35Pyrola rotundiflora, 31Pyrus malus, 36

Queen Anne’s Lace, 27Quercus alba, 32Quercus borealis, 32

Ragweed, 28Ranunculus acris, 35Raspberry, 35Razor Strop Fungus, 21Red Maple, 27Red Osier Dogwood, 30Red-Banded Polypore, 20Reindeer Moss, 22Rhododendron sp., 31

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Index

Rhus glabra, 27Rhus typhina, 27Rhus vernix, 27Ribes cynosbati, 32Ribes sativum, 32Rockweed, 38Rosa rugosa, 35Rose Family, 35Rosy Russula, 21Round-Leaved Pyrola, 31Round-Leaved Sundew, 31Rubus flagellaris, 35Rubus fruticosus, 35Rubus idaeus, 35Rubus odoratus, 35Rubus pubescens, 35Rudbeckia hirta, 29Rumex acetosella, 35Rumex crispus, 35Rush Family, 32Russian Olive, 31Russula emetica, 21Russula sanguinea, 21

Saddle-Shaped False Morel, 20Sagittaria latifolia, 27Salix spp., 36Sambucus canadensis, 30Sandalwood Family, 36Sanguinaria canadensis, 34Saxifrage Family, 36Scleroderma areolatum, 21Scleroderma citrinum, 21Scouring Rush, 37Scriptus sp., 31Seaweeds, 38Sedge, 31Sedge Family, 31Self Heal, 32Serviceberry, 36Shadbush, 36Shaggy Mane, 20Sheep Laurel, 31Sheep Sorrel, 35Shepherd’s Purse, 30Shepherdia canadensis, 31Shrubby Cinquefoil, 35Silene cucubalis, 30Silverweed, 36Skunk Cabbage, 28

Smilacina racemosa, 33Smilax rotundiflora, 32Smooth Rock Tripe, 22Snapdragon Family, 36Snowberry, 31Solanum nigrum, 36Solidago spp., 29Solomen’s Seal, 33Sorbus americana, 36Sphagnum cymbifolium, 38Sphagnum Moss, 38Spiraea ulmaria, 36Spotted Touch-Me-Not, 29Spreading Dogbane, 27Spring Beauty, 35Spruce, Black, 34Spruce, Red, 34Spruce, White, 34St. Johnswort, 32St. Johnswort Family, 32Staff-Tree Family, 30Star Flower, 35Star-Tipped Reindeer Lichen, 22Stellaria Media, 30Stinging Nettle, 37Stinging Nettle Family, 37Stinking Chamomile, 28Strawberry, 35Streptopus amplexifolius, 33Striped Maple, 27Strobilomyces strobilaceus, 21Sugar Maple, 27Sulpher Shelf, 20Sumac Family, 27Sumac, Poison, 27Sumac, Smooth, 27Sumac, Staghorn, 27Sundew Family, 31Sunflower, 29Sweet Fern, 33Sweet Flag, 28Sweet Gale, 33Symphytum officinale, 29Symplocarpus foetidus, 28Syringa vulgaris, 33

Tamarack, 34Tanacetum vulgare, 28Tansy, 28Taraxacum officinale, 28

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Index

Taxus canadensis, 37Teaberry, 31Thalictrum pubescens, 35Thuja occidentalis, 30Tilia americana, 37Timothy Grass, 34Tipper’s Bane, 20Toothwort, 29Touch-Me-Not Family, 29Toxicodendron radicans, 27Trientalis borealis, 35Trifolium arvense, 31Trifolium hybridum, 31Trifolium pratense, 31Trifolium repens, 31Trillium erectum, 33, 37Trillium Family, 37Trillium undulatum, 33Trillium, Painted, 33Trillium, Purple, 33Trillium, Red, 37Trout Lily, 32True Tinder Fungus, 20Tsuga canadensis, 34Turtlehead, 36Tussilago farfara, 29Twinflower, 30Twisted Stalk, 33Typha latifolia, 37

Umbilicaria mammulata, 22Urtica dioica, 37Usnea cavernosa, 22Usnea hirta, 22Usnea lapponica, 22Usnea subfloridana, 22

Vaccinium angustifolium, 31Vaccinium corymbosum, 31Vaccinium vitis-idaea, 31Valerian, 37Valerian Family, 37Valeriana officinalis, 37Veratrum viride, 32Verbascum thapsus, 36Vetch, 31Viburnum alnifolium, 30Viburnum lentago, 30Viburnum recognitum, 30Viburnum trilobum, 30

Vicia cracca, 31Viola papilionaceae, 37Violet Family, 37Virgin’s Bowers, 35Vitis spp., 37

Wapato, 27Water Arum, 28Water Hemlock, 27Water Lily Family, 33Watercress, 29Wax-Myrtle Family, 33White Campion, 30Wild Calla, 28Wild Ginger, 28Wild Lettuce, 28Wild Rice, 34Wild Sarsaparilla, 28Willow, 36Willow Family, 36Winterberry, 28Wintercress, 29Wintergreen, 31Witch Hazel, 32Witch Hazel Family, 32Wood Sorrel Family, 34Wood Sorrel, Northern, 34Wood Sorrel, Yellow, 34

Yarrow, 28Yellow Dock, 35Yellow Pond Lily, 33Yew, 37Yew Family, 37

Zizania aquatica, 34

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About The Author

Tim Smith is an educator, craftsman and Registered Master Maine Guide. He has a master’sdegree in education and has been a full-time guide and bushcraft instructor since foundingThe Jack Mountain Bushcraft School in 1999. He is a lifetime member of the Maine Wilder-ness Guides Organization and the Maine Professional Guides Association.

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The Jack Mountain Bushcraft School

The Jack Mountain Bushcraft School offers college-accredited semester and yearlong immer-sion programs in bushcraft, guide training and outdoor leadership, as well as guided wilder-ness canoe, snowshoe and fishing expeditions. To learn more, visit them on the web at:

http://www.JackMtn.com

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