Sunderland
MA
USA
led by Chris Marano and Owen Wormser of Local Harmony
These three-hour walks are part of Clearpath School of Herbal Medicine’s On-going Courses.
Students benefit from having two teachers on every walk. The walks are geared toward understanding plants in their natural environments, each one focusing on a different season, each one focusing on one or two ecosystems. The intent of the walks is to introduce people to the amazing diversity of Western Massachusetts’ seasons and natural habitats, to practice sensory awareness skills, to learn about the area’s natural history and plants.
Open to general students. Required of Certificate Path students at all levels.
These seasonal habitat walks celebrate the natural wonder and beauty of western New England, home of Clearpath Herbals. No matter how much we try to insulate ourselves from nature, humans are still part of it, and our body, mind, heart and spirit crave to be in it. Walking in the woods, across a meadow, or along the edges of a bog, we are reminded of what really matters. The natural world speaks to our souls, to a deep longing in our blood and bones, and fills our hearts and minds with a renewed sense of wonder and peace. We remember how to “be,” how to slow down to the speed and rhythms of nature, how to be quiet outwardly and inwardly. It allows our senses to deepen, widen, and soften, and it invites us to both surrender to and engage with Gaia (Earth) and the wildness that is still and always within us.
More than just plant identification, these mild-to-moderate hikes are filled with information about plants, animals, ecosystems, natural history, folklore, traditional stories and personal anecdotes, and an openness to whatever surprises may come our way. The walks also include sensory awareness skill development, time to share, and time to be quiet.
We keep things fresh by not adhering to a strict and set format, preferring to visit different ecosystems at different times of the year, and discovering and exploring new places. One year we may visit a bog in the spring, another time in the summer. We do, however, make it a point to visit hardwood forests in the autumn, so that we may be awed by one of New England’s natural wonders: fall foliage! We also do not shun ecosystems that have been affected by or border humans. The greatest diversity is often found along “edges,” and though some of us may think that we have been separated from nature, nature herself knows otherwise. It is interesting and important to recognize and understand how nature reclaims land once used and abused by human impact.
What to Bring: good hiking footwear and hat (sun may be strong, rain may appear), day packs, sun and bug protection, clothes appropriate to the season and adaptable to changing weather patterns, food and beverage for lunch and snacks, notebook, camera.