The Ultimate Guide to Japanese Barberry: Identification, Medicinal Virtues, Uses, and How to Host a Barberry Pull and Wild Medicine Making Event

Lately, I’ve been exploring how to build relationships with all plants in the ecosystem, including opportunistic (invasive) species and in and in re-orienting our view away from just a human-centric one and re-centering nature. Just like anything else in nature, opportunistic plants have much to offer us, and learning to honor them, their uses, their medicine, and how to work with them is an important part of aligning with our local ecosystem. In today’s post, I want to do a deep dive into one such common opportunistic species throughout Eastern North America – Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)–and create a comprehensive guide. First, I will share a story of an event I recently hosted in collaboration with two organizations to help remove and educate the public on Japanese Barberry and European Barberry (two opportunistic species listed on Pennsylvania’s Invasive Species list). I’ve had multiple readers ask for how to do this and to share resources to organize.Then, I will will offer resources for this specific plant in terms of identification, harvest, processing, and medicine making.

I have intentionally made this guide very comprehensive with the goal of making this a primer for people who want to offer a similar kind of event. You have my permission to reproduce and adapt parts or all of this post and the additional PDFs and photos to help teach about barberry and the medicine of the plant.

Summer Forest Ecology Outing — New Event Scheduled!

I’m excited to announce that I’ll be leading a Summer Forest Ecology Outing in a few weeks, and I’d love for you to join me!

This outing offers a unique in-person opportunity to learn the fascinating ecology and geology of a remarkable area: McConnells Mill State Park in Pennsylvania.

Designated a National Natural Landmark for its outstanding features, McConnells Mill State Park is a treasure trove for learning. Central to the park’s landscape is the Slippery Rock Gorge — a deep ravine carved by powerful forces, exposing millions of years of ancient bedrock and currently supporting mature forest ecosystems.

During this outing, we will walk through deciduous and coniferous woodlands while discussing forest ecology. We’ll investigate big trees and big rocks. We’ll see historic landmarks, and we’ll discuss important geological influences that have drastically shaped the landscape.

In addition to learning key characteristics of mature forests, participants will learn tree identification techniques, mushroom ecology and identification, the influence of glacial activity on landscape development, ways to interpret forest history, and much more.

This outing is the perfect opportunity to learn, explore, and connect with nature in a truly spectacular setting.

Interested? Here are the details:

When: Saturday, July 12 or Sunday, July 13, 2025 (Choose one date; both programs will cover the same material.)
Where: McConnells Mill State Park, Pennsylvania
Time: 10:00 am — 4:00 pm

To maximize your learning experience, space is limited and registration with payment in advance is required to secure your spot.

To learn more and to register, click here and choose the appropriate session.

I’d love to see you there!

—Adam Haritan

Does Living Near A Golf Course Increase Your Parkinson’s Risk?

Green isn’t always good. In fact, green can sometimes be associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

This is especially true when we take a look at golf courses. Golf courses use heavy amounts of pesticides to maintain uniform conditions. These chemicals kill undesirable plants and insects, but they also weaken human health.

Researchers have known for a long time that pesticides pose significant risks to human health, ranging from acute poisoning to chronic issues like cancer and reproductive problems. A brand-new study adds even more evidence to the growing body of research.

Published a few weeks ago, this latest study found an association between living close to a golf course and the odds of developing Parkinson’s Disease. People living within 1 to 3 miles of a golf course were found to be at greatest risk.

What is it about living close to a golf course that’s associated with developing Parkinson’s Disease? Is it breathing in airborne chemicals? Is it groundwater contamination? Does geology have anything to do with it?

In a brand-new video, I answer these important questions. I also address whether or not it’s safe to forage and hunt near golf courses.

You can watch the video here.

Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for your continued support!

— Adam Haritan

I Don’t Think This Poet Is Wrong

“Our relation to the natural world takes place in a place.”

The American poet Gary Snyder wrote those words. I don’t think he’s wrong.

Every time we harvest a wild mushroom, we do so in a place. Every time we add a new bird to our life list, we do so in a place. Every time we gather spring water and admire a wooded valley, we do so in a place.

Alvars, bogs, fens, forests, marshes, prairies, savannas, and swamps are all places where life abounds. When we refer to these places specifically as “ecosystems,” a few interesting things happen: We see important connections, we see intricate relationships, and we see where humans fit into the story.

If you want to strengthen your connection to nature by learning these fascinating ecosystems, consider enrolling in Exploring Wild Ecosystems. This is my newest online course designed to improve your ecological literacy.

Today is the last day of the sale.

You can learn more and register here.

Thanks for your continued support!
—Adam Haritan

Druidry 202: A Guide to Deepening the Druid Path

Druidry 202: A Guide to Deepening the Druid Path

Wait, Deer Don’t Get Lyme Disease?

First, I want to say thank you to everyone who registered for the upcoming Old-Growth Forest Ecology Outing on May 31 and June 1. Both programs are sold out. Stay tuned for more Learn Your Land events this year!

I also want to mention that Exploring Wild Ecosystems will be open for enrollment on Monday, May 12. This is my newest online course intentionally designed to improve your practical knowledge of ecology. If you’re looking to develop ecological literacy and become a better naturalist, consider enrolling on Monday, May 12.

And now on to the newest video…

If you’ve spent enough time in tick-prone areas, you’ve probably seen ticks sucking the blood of deer. Logically, it makes sense that deer would at least be carriers of the Lyme disease spirochete. After all, white-footed mice and other mammalian tick hosts can be reservoirs for the bacteria.

But white-tailed deer are different. Their blood isn’t like the blood of other animals.

Scientists have been studying the relationship between deer and Lyme disease for decades. The newest research is quite fascinating, and in a brand-new video, I address some of the misconceptions surrounding the role of deer in transmitting Lyme bacteria.

Do deer ever get Lyme disease? If they don’t, what is it about deer that makes them immune? If deer are immune, why do ecologists still advocate for a reduction in the deer herd as a way to reduce Lyme disease rates in humans?

You can watch the brand-new video here.

Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for your continued support!

— Adam Haritan

Old-Growth Forest Ecology Outing — New Event Scheduled!

I’m really excited to announce that I’ll be leading an Old-Growth Forest Ecology Outing in a few weeks, and I’d love for you to join me.

This outing offers a unique in-person opportunity to learn the rich ecology and distinctive features of older forests.

We’ll begin the day by walking through a mature upland hardwood forest and discussing forest ecology. In the afternoon, we will explore a magnificent old-growth conifer forest and discuss old-growth forest dynamics.

In addition to learning key characteristics of mature and old-growth forests, participants will learn tree identification techniques; mushroom ecology and identification; the influence of geology on forest development; ways to interpret forest history; the role of fire as an ecological agent; old-growth forest misconceptions; and much more.

This event will take place in Cook Forest State Park. Located in northwestern Pennsylvania, Cook Forest is home to one of the last remaining old-growth forests in the entire region, currently hosting 11 old-growth areas totaling over 2,300 acres. One of the areas within the park, the Forest Cathedral, contains arguably the finest concentration of old-growth trees in the northeastern United States. This remarkable area is home to dozens of old-growth eastern white pine and hemlock trees, many over 300 years old and towering above 140 feet in height.

This outing is the perfect opportunity to learn, explore, and connect with nature in a truly spectacular setting.

Interested? Here are the details:

When: Saturday May 31, 2025 or Sunday June 1, 2025 (Choose one date; both programs will cover the same material.)
Where: Cook Forest State Park, Pennsylvania
Time: 10:00 am — 4:00 pm

To maximize your learning experience, space is limited and registration with payment in advance is required to secure your spot.

To learn more and to register, click here and choose the appropriate session.

I’d love to see you there!

—Adam Haritan

Good Morel Habitat vs. Bad Morel Habitat

Years ago, I didn’t know anything about morel mushrooms. I didn’t know what they looked like. I didn’t know how they tasted. I didn’t even know they existed.

Then one day I attended a mushroom program with a local club. Experts in the club introduced me to morels. “Here’s what morels look like,” they said. “You’ll find them all over this park.”

“Great,” I thought to myself. “I now know everything I need to know.”

Except I still hardly knew anything.

Sure, I quickly learned how to identify morels, and I heard a few things about looking in certain areas: “Look for elms, apples, and poplars. Morels really like sweet soil.”

But where would I find elms, apples, and poplars? What the heck is sweet soil?

It soon dawned on me that knowledge of mushrooms wasn’t enough. If I really wanted to improve my skills, I needed to learn tree identification. I needed to learn ecology. I needed to learn geology.

And so I learned as much as I could. Slowly but consistently, I developed a wider set of skills. Eventually, I became a better mushroom hunter.

Today, I interact with wild landscapes a bit differently than I did back then. I now look for connections. I look for relationships. I look at the bigger picture.

All this to say, if you want to find morels this year, I strongly encourage you to learn the connections that bind morels to their ecosystems. In a brand new video, I discuss how to approach morel mushroom hunting through a more holistic lens.

You can watch the video here.

Speaking of learning, consider enrolling in Foraging Wild Mushrooms to improve your foraging skills.

I created this 4-season online course to help you become a successful mushroom hunter. Included in this course are instructional videos on mushroom ecology, mushroom biology, common edible mushrooms, medicinal mushrooms, poisonous mushrooms, cooking techniques, and medicine-making.

Foraging Wild Mushrooms is currently open for enrollment. You can sign up here.

Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for your continued support!

— Adam Haritan

Preseason Morel Mushroom Hunting Tips

If you want to find morel mushrooms this year, here’s a tip: don’t wait until spring to begin your hunt.

This might sound like unconventional advice. After all, current temperatures are too cold for morels. Wood frogs haven’t even bred yet. Spring is still another 50 days away.

All these things are true. But this next statement is also true: you can drastically improve your future chances of finding morels by doing a few things right now.

In a brand-new video, I discuss several tactics we can implement immediately. I also share my predictions for the upcoming season. Will the mushrooms be plentiful this year? Will they be scarce?

You can watch the new video here.

Thanks for reading and watching!

— Adam Haritan

Are Monarch Butterflies Really In Trouble?

“Happiness is a butterfly.”

At least that’s what some people say. If it’s true, then sadness would have to be a butterfly-less world.

Fortunately, you and I will probably never experience such a world. The planet currently hosts over 17,000 butterfly species. The United States alone has over 700 butterfly species. Most of these species are doing okay, but some are at risk of extinction. The Karner blue and San Bruno elfin, among others, are endangered in the United States.

And then there’s the monarch butterfly — an iconic species known for its epic migration. Monarch populations, according to several credible sources, are declining. To halt the decline, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recently proposed to list the monarch as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Interestingly, this proposal is receiving criticism. Some people think that monarchs don’t need our help. Some researchers even claim there isn’t strong evidence of widespread declines.

Who are we to believe? Are monarch butterflies really in trouble? If so, why are populations declining? Is more intervention a good thing? Should we really be raising monarchs at home? And how does organized crime tie into all this?

In a brand-new video, I address these important questions. You can watch the video here.