2. 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 10-20 million indigenous people in N. America (“Native Americans”)

3. 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

4. Before Columbus…

5. 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)

6. After Columbus…

7. How did Native Americans “use” Trees?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

16. 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

17. 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

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

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

20. 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

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

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

23. Using Trees for Fun… toys musical instruments sports equipment

24. Using Trees for Fun… toys musical instruments sports equipment

25. Using Trees for Fun… toys musical instruments sports equipment

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

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

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

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

30. 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

31. 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