Forest and Nations

 By Liliana Usvat
Blog 173-365

Is there a connection between the Living condition of a nation and the existence of the forests in that nation?
Can the future of a nation be predicted by the way each nation treat the forests?
Nations that invest in reforestation are on the rise economically and the standard of living is rising.
The nation that allow international companies or corrupt government to cut forest are on a down spiral of economic development.
Is the way a nation treat a forest an implicit the animals that live in a forest in direct connection with the future of that nation.
 
So if we check which nations are planting more trees and have a planed politics of forestation these nations are going to be prosperous in the future. The opposite is true.

What about those that use other nations forests not for travel but for wood. I believe there is a law of karma for people and nations alike.

What about nations that already have no forests. They can plant them. Permaculture shows that in 5 years a desert land can transforme desert in forest and the forest can attract rain. The knowledge is here available free on line.

They ca do nothing. That is also a choice. This is also a choice for the future.

When forests are cut, drought is within next 20 years, soil of the land is lost so even the land that is supposed to be used for the agriculture cannot be used because of lack of rain.
When rain is coming soil is lost due to landslides.

So if people do not pay attention to the well being of the forest, the nature is fighting back.
Some realize that to avoid long periods of lack of rain the simple solution is to plant trees. Not only on the mountains but on the flat land. Trees stabilize the soil and bring the rain back. And the water from the rain is used in the soil by the trees.
 
Also threes should be helped by the people so the land should be managed by people that take care of the trees. The ownership is important.
Trees can be useful fruit trees and vegetable trees and trees that bloom are a beauty.
 
Can we change as society the trend of forest destruction and using words such as forest management to justify logging? I think every one of us has a choice in this decision.

Bee Atracting Plants St. John's Wort (Hypericum sp.) Madicinal Uses

By Liliana Usvat

Blog 172-365

Hypericums are excellent nectar plants. The full grown shrub attracts an assortment of bumblebees.

There are several species of this flowering shrub found throughout the world in warm temperate to tropical climates. St. John's Wort is common in the savanna areas . It can grow on dry, disturbed soil, and benefits from fire ecology, growing quickly and robust after savanna fires. 

Medicinal Uses

Scientific research has found that certain species of St. John's Wort were an effective antidepressant in the treatment of mild and moderate depression. 

• Besides depression, St. John’s wort has also been tried for many other conditions in which prescription antidepressants are thought useful, 

•  such as attention deficit disorder , 
• anxiety , 
•  insomnia , 
• menopausal symptoms , 
• premenstrual syndrome (PMS) , 
• seasonal affective disorder (SAD) , 
• and social phobia.
• One substantial double-blind study did find St. John's wort potentially helpful for somatoform disorders (commonly called psychosomatic illnesses).

 
The genus has a nearly worldwide distribution, missing only from tropical lowlands, deserts and polar regions. All members of the genus may be referred to as St. John's wort, though they are also commonly just called hypericum, and some are known as tutsan. The marsh St. John's-worts are nowadays separated into the genus Triadenum.

St. John’s Wort (Hypericum sp.) can be planted in full sun or part shade. Best growth occurs in full sun, but afternoon or dappled shade can help to prevent leaf burn and wilt in hot, humid climates. Well-drained soil is best as hypericums can be susceptible to root rot.

Ocotillo- Fouquieria splendens Desert Trees Medicinal Uses

By Liliana Usvat
Blog 171- 365

Fouquieria splendens (commonly known as ocotillo, but also referred to as coachwhip, candlewood, slimwood, desert coral, Jacob's Staff, Jacob Cactus, and vine cactus) is a plant indigenous to the Sonoran Desert in Southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

Ocotillo is not a true cactus. For much of the year, the plant appears to be an arrangement of large spiny dead sticks, although closer examination reveals that the stems are partly green. With rainfall the plant quickly becomes lush with small (2–4 cm) ovate leaves, which may remain for weeks or even months.
Individual stems may reach a diameter of 5 cm at the base, and the plant may grow to a height of 10 m.

Cultivation


Planting ocotillo can be done the year around with care. Ideal ocotillo plants have been grown from stem cuttings or from seed. Transplanting large bare-root plants has marginal success. They should be planted to the original growing depth and, as with cacti, in their original directional orientation. The original south side of the plant, which has become more heat and sunlight-resistant, should again face the brighter, hotter southern direction. If their direction is not marked, success is again limited.

Uses

• Individual ocotillo stems are sometimes used as poles as a fencing material in their native region, and often take root to form a living fence.
• Owing to their light weight and interesting pattern, ocotillo branches have been used for canes or walking sticks.
• Fresh flowers are sometimes used in salads and have a tangy flavor.
• Flowers are collected, dried, and used for tisanes.

Medicinal Uses
According to Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West (a book published in 1989 by Museum of New Mexico Press), a fresh bark tincture can be made by chopping or snipping freshly removed bark into 1/2 inch pieces.

• It is useful for those symptoms that arise due to fluid congestion. It is absorbed from the intestines into the mesenteric lymph system by way of the lacteals of the small intestinal lining. This stimulates better visceral lymph drainage into the thoracic duct and improves dietary fat absorption into the lymph system.

• Relief of fatigue by bathing in water which contains crushed flowers or roots.
• Many native American Indian tribes report that the flowers and roots of ocotillo are commonly placed over fresh wounds to slow bleeding.
• Ocotillo is also used to alleviate coughing, 
• achy limbs, 
• varicose veins, 
• urinary tract infections, 
• cervical varicosities and 
• benign prostate growths (Moore 1989).

Habitat

 

Open, stony, well-drained desert slopes below 5,000 feet.
Habitat Preferred: Rocky slopes, mountainsides, desert areas 

Other names for the Ocotillo include:

• Candlewood
• Slimwood
• Coachwhip
• Vine Cactus
• Flamingsword
• Jacob's Staff