Before Columbus… Forests covered North America (except for the Great Plains and the southwest deserts) – approximately 9 million sq. miles of wilderness – estimated 50 million trees in N. America – estimated 60 million bison in N. America – estimated million indigenous people in N. America (“Native Americans”)

Before Columbus… Most Native Americans lived among and used different parts of trees for hundreds of purposes…therefore, they… – maximized the growth of plants they liked – minimized the growth of plants they disliked

Before Columbus…

After Columbus… after Europeans migrated to America and forced Native Americans off their land…forested areas became thick and impassable (with weeds and “scrub” trees)

After Columbus…

How did Native Americans “use” Trees?

Using Trees for Food… black birch for tea maple trees for syrup pinion trees for pine nuts oak trees for acorns various fruits

Using Trees for Food… Black birch for tea maple trees for syrup pinion trees for pine nuts oak trees for acorns various fruits

Using Trees for Food… blackbirch for tea maple trees for syrup pinion trees for pine nuts oak trees for acorns various fruits

Using Trees for Food… blackbirch for tea maple trees for syrup pinion trees for pine nuts oak trees for acorns various fruits

Using Trees for Cooking… firewood birch bark baskets, containers, and cooking pots birch bark ladles, dippers, and spoons

Firewood birch bark baskets, containers, and cooking pots birch bark ladles, dippers, and spoons

Using Trees for Cooking… firewood birch bark baskets, containers, and cooking pots birch bark ladles, dippers, and spoons

Using Trees for Cooking… Firewood birch bark baskets, containers, and cooking pots birch bark ladles, dippers, and spoons

Using Trees for Transportation… Canoes…birch bark for covering, roots for lashings, pine gum for caulking, cedar for planking, – whole trunks for “dugouts” Canoes could hold 1 to 50 people

Using Trees for Construction… wooden poles and posts for structures birch bark for wigwam coverings cedar shingles and walls for clan houses wooden handles on tools

Using Trees for Construction… wooden poles and posts for structures birch bark for wigwam coverings cedar shingles for clan houses wooden handles on tools

Using Trees for Construction… wooden poles and posts for structures birch bark for wigwam coverings cedar shingles for clan houses wooden handles on tools

Using Trees for Construction… wooden poles and posts for structures birch bark for wigwam coverings cedar shingles and walls for clan houses wooden handles on tools

Using Trees for Weapons… bows and arrows, quivers spears and clubs

Using Trees for Weapons… bows and arrows, quivers spears and clubs

Using Trees for Fun… toys musical instruments sports equipment

Using Trees for Fun… toys musical instruments sports equipment

Using Trees for Fun… toys musical instruments sports equipment

Using Trees for Medicine… made from fruits, nuts, leaves, twigs, bark and roots

Using Trees for Medicine… medicine made from the American Chestnut tree helped relieve: – whooping cough – hiccoughs – irritated respiratory organs – fever

Using Trees for Medicine… medicine made from the Eastern Red Cedar tree helped relieve: – coughing – head colds – dysentery

Using Trees for Medicine… medicine made from the Elderberry bush helped relieve: – rheumatism – head aches – complexion issues – cuts & burns

Using Trees for Religion… trees were not worshipped but they were respected a tree may have a spirit or a spirit may live in a tree

Human Environmental Interaction the relationship between Native Americans and the land was one of inter-dependence – the Indians needed the resources they got from the forests – the forests needed the management the Indians provided