A WALK IN THE WOODS - University at Buffalo

On a clear September morning, Sandy Geffner, environmental studies faculty member, and Nick Peterson, Geffner’sstudent and a UB staff member, treaded through Letchworth Woods on the North Campus. The two share an interestin the natural world and eagerly identified many edible plants and herbal medicines. As they walked beneath sunspeckledtrees, the conversation turned philosophical. What does it mean to connect with a forest? What are thenaturalist’s responsibilities to keep intact what Geffner calls “the neighborhood”?INTO THESANDY GEFFNER Before we venture into this world, it is important to have a clear sense for precautions.Because just as this world will feed us, heal us, this world can do harm to us. So we need to separatethe herbs from the grass, separate the trees and shrubs from one another and get a sense of who’s inthe neighborhood. Then there are certain factors we need to be aware of before we take the leap andbegin to collect and utilize. No. 1, we positively identify. No. 2, we need to focus on purpose.Is this plant a food, a medicine, a poison or all of the above, which is sometimes the case? We alsohave to know what time of year is it best to harvest the plant for food, medicine and the like. Thenwe need to know how do we prepare? Do we eat fresh? Do we have to apply heat to relieve thatplant of toxins? Then we have to know if our environment is clean and unpolluted. And finally, ifwe’re harvesting, we have to make sure that we’re not completely removing a stand of plant from itsenvironment. We need also to know if that plant is protected by law. So there’s a lot to know beforewe start to take that plunge into this world. NICK PETERSON And to always be thankful.PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOUGLAS LEVERE, BA ’89www.alumni.buffalo.edu UBTODAY Fall 2013 21