Living in Lines vs. Living in Circles

By Dana O’Driscoll

Nature is a perfect system. A tree falls during a thunderstorm. Within several weeks, the wood is colonized by fungi, bugs, and others who begin the years-long process of breaking down the wood and returning all of the nutrients into the web of life. Soon, oyster mushrooms are erupting from the log, bugs burrow in deep, and mice make their home under the old roots. In 10 or 15 years, moss grows thick, and an acorn takes root and begins to grow in the soil that was a stump. The tree’s trunk becomes a nursery tree for many other plants to get a foothold, off of the forest floor. Suddenly where there was death, there is life. This circle continues and continues, connecting us all in a great web of life. There is no waste in this system–every single part of nature can be recycled and reused infinitely.

Serviceberry is part of this beautiful ecosystem!

One of the challenges humans have in this age is that they have built systems that have disregarded the cycle of life, which includes both creating things that do not easily return to nature and removing ourselves entirely from this system. Rather than think in a circle or cycle, we think in a line. This embedded linear thinking currently pervades modern Western human society. The Story of Stuff short film series does a great job of visually describing these problems: many human systems are based on the foundation of greed, quick profit, and short-term linear thinking. What often happens when someone takes up nature spirituality is that their patterns of shifting slowly change from lines to circles. This happens with people connecting to many different nature-connected communities: including nature spirituality, gardening, rewilding, bushcraft, natural building, or permaculture practice. As soon as you start being part of nature, living with nature, and connecting to nature, you are aware of the cycle. The longer you take up these practices, the more profound this cyclical thinking becomes.

Can You Help Me Find Old-Growth?

Greetings,

I’d like to share one update and ask you a question.

Update:

For the past 7 months, I’ve been busy creating a brand-new online course on old-growth forest ecology. During this time, I’ve been visiting different old-growth forests and documenting their trees, ecological indicators, geological influences, relationships, and stories.

It’s coming together nicely, but I’d like to ask you for your help.

Question:

If you’re familiar with old-growth forests in western North America, can you offer any recommendations on places to visit?

Up until this point, I’ve been documenting eastern North American old-growth forests. In September of this year, I’ll be spending a few weeks in northern California and Oregon. I may also consider visiting the state of Washington.

If you’ve visited any old-growth forests in western North America, I’d appreciate your recommendations! Do you have any favorites? Are there any “must-see” forests? Can you point me in the direction of notable trees? Is there any other advice you can share? I’ve done quite a bit of research on my own, but I would still love to hear your thoughts.

You can simply reply to this email to reach me.

Thank you for your help! I really appreciate it.

—Adam Haritan

Is Black Walnut Killing Your Plants

“Black walnut kills plants.”

I first heard this statement many years ago. Occasionally, I still hear some version of this claim: Black walnut engages in warfare by releasing a chemical into the soil. This chemical kills or inhibits the growth of plants.

But is this entirely true? Does black walnut actually kill plants?

Some people say yes. Other people say no.

In a brand-new video, I share several key findings from scientific studies and personal observations that shed some light on this controversial topic.

You can watch the video here.

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

— Adam Haritan

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

American Chestnut: Just How Massive Was It?

Every now and then, I’ll come across a decent-sized American chestnut and wonder: “Just how big did these trees get?”

I’ve always read that American chestnut was a dominant tree throughout eastern North American forests. I’ve heard people describe American chestnut as a tree that towered above all others. I’ve even seen references to American chestnut as “the redwood of the east.”

But how much of this is true? Was American chestnut an exceptionally massive tree?

Unfortunately, it’s difficult for us to know for sure. A fungal disease known as chestnut blight killed nearly every large American chestnut throughout the first half of the 1900s. Today, American chestnut still exists on the landscape, but almost always as a smaller tree.

Ecologists in recent years have been wondering about the size of American chestnut in pre-blight forests. I’ve been wondering about it too, which is why I decided to film a video on the topic. It turns out that we may have some answers after all.

Has the size of American chestnut been exaggerated in recent decades? What do sources from the 1800s tell us?

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

If This Isn’t Good Medicine, I Don’t Know What Is

To find good medicine, look in a forest. In a forest, you’ll encounter plants that have the ability to heal human ailments.

Many years ago, I learned about the medicinal properties of a particular woody plant. This woody plant, when applied to my face as an extract, improved my poor complexion.

Over the years, I’ve been able to maintain a decent complexion thanks to this plant (and thanks to significant lifestyle changes). While I no longer rely on this plant to heal my physical ailment, I do rely on it to address an existential problem.

Plaguing the human species, this problem can be solved if we know where to look.

To learn more about this plant and its ability to offer good medicine, check out the brand-new video.

I’d also like to mention that I’ll be part of the Wild Ones Western PA Chapter’s annual symposium on March 26, where I’ll be joining a panel discussion focused on strengthening communities and native habitats.

You can learn more about the event here.

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

— Adam Haritan

A Massive Maple Lives In These Woods

Rough, weathered, worn, and warped.

Humans try to avoid these four conditions. Old trees embrace them.

This is why I advocate taking long walks in the woods. In wooded ecosystems, we sometimes discover the ragged splendor of old trees.

On a recent walk in a hardwood forest, I rediscovered a tree I had first encountered many months ago. Rough, weathered, worn, and warped, it’s one of the most remarkable trees I have ever seen.

To learn more about this aged beauty, check out the brand-new video.

Thanks for reading and watching! Have you seen any remarkable trees lately?

— Adam Haritan

An Easy Way to Identify Certain trees in Winter

Want to improve your winter tree identification skills? Here’s a good tip: Look for marcescent leaves.

Marcescence describes leaves that have turned brown and are still attached to trees. These withered leaves often persist on the trees until spring.

As you might expect, marcescence isn’t a feature displayed by too many woody plants. When you see a marcescent tree or shrub, you can narrow down your ID choices to a relatively small number of species.

In the temperate woodlands of eastern North America, marcescence is often displayed by hornbeam (Carpinus), beech (Fagus), witch-hazel (Hamamelis), hophornbeam (Ostrya), and oak (Quercus).

No one is exactly sure why marcescence exists. Here are a few hypotheses:

It allows plants to photosynthesize longer into the autumn season.
It deters herbivores from browsing twigs and buds.
Marcescent trees provide shelter to animals that in turn provide nutrients to trees.
Marcescent leaves, when they finally fall off, provide pulses of nutrients to their host trees.
Marcescent leaves, when they finally fall off, smother new growth of competing woody plants in the spring.

All of these statements can be true to some degree, but it is uncertain whether any one of them is the true reason for marcescence.

Still, you and I can use marcescence to our advantage when attempting to identify woody plants. A good first step is to learn which woody plants are marcescent in our region. We can then seek out these plants, spend some time with them, and fall in love with the process.

To learn even more tips for identifying trees, consider enrolling in Trees In All Seasons. Today is the final day of the winter sale.

You can learn more and register here.

Also, if you’re interested in learning how to forage mushrooms this winter, consider enrolling in Foraging Wild Mushrooms. This 4-season online course is on sale until the end of today, December 23.

Thanks for supporting nature education!

— Adam Haritan

Questions To Ask A Tree

“The wonder is that we can see these trees and not wonder more.”

It’s no surprise that Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote these words. The famous American writer was intimately connected to trees: He planted trees, gathered their fruits, and taught his children the value of learning their names.

Emerson spoke the language of trees, yet was still humble enough to acknowledge that every encounter with trees presented a fresh opportunity to engage in wonder.

Who are you? How old are you? Why are you here? Can you say anything about the underlying rocks? What can you tell us about the broader ecosystem?

In the spirit of Ralph Waldo Emerson, you and I can ask these kinds of questions every time we encounter a tree. When we ask questions, we engage in wonder.

A basic step we can then take to answer those questions is first to learn the names of trees. Fortunately, there are many ways to learn. We can:

Study tree ID field guides
Learn how to use dichotomous keys
Learn all major physical features of trees (buds, bark, leaves, flowers, etc.)
Learn habitat characteristics of trees
Attend tree ID walks
Visit arboretums (where trees are often labeled)
Cultivate friendships with local tree enthusiasts
Teach others what we have learned

If you’re looking for a carefully curated opportunity to improve your tree identification skills, consider enrolling in Trees In All Seasons. This online course teaches you how to identify 100 trees in every season. It’s currently on sale through Monday, December 23.

You can register and learn more about the course here.

Regardless of how you decide to learn, I strongly encourage you to hone your tree identification skills over time. With learning comes wonder, appreciation, love, and the unraveling of at least some of nature’s mysteries.

—Adam Haritan