Through a meticulous labor of love, Dr. Hershoff has produced a virtual musculoskeletal textbook for chiropractors and physicians who are pursuing a course of natural health care for their patients. The heart of his book, the first of its kind, addresses the homeopathic solutions for musculoskeletal complaints commonly seen in our offices and commonly experienced by many people in the course of their lives. As he focuses our attention on the musculoskeletal keynotes and affinities of the homeopathic materia medica, easy to read illustrations and charts help us reach the homeopathic cure, (or similimum) for many acute and chronic conditions. This book has the potential to relieve much human suffering.

American Ginseng has a strange and perilous history. It has one of the longest germination periods of any known species, and only two environments in the world have offered the ideal growing conditions for wild ginseng. The first was the forests of northern China, which disappeared over a millennium ago, and the sole remaining habitat is the Appalachian Mountain region of eastern North America, an area now threatened by logging and mining. Chinese legend says that ginseng is the child of lightning. The two elemental forces of water and fire fight in an eternal struggle, pouring down rain and snow and blasting the earth with lightning. If that lightning happens to strike a spring of water, the water disappears and in its place grows a ginseng plant -- the fusion of yin and yang, water and fire, darkness and light, and the life force that moves the universe. American ginseng has become perhaps the most treasured of all herbal medicines, promising good health and longevity to those who consume it. Fortunes have been made and lost on the plant, which was America's first export to China -- before our nation even existed. The strange, twisted, man-shaped root today commands as much as two thousand dollars a pound in the hot, noisy ginseng markets of Hong Kong, and a wealthy collector might pay as much as $10,000 for a single, perfect specimen. Ginseng Dreams: The Secret World of America's Most Valuable Plant unfolds ginseng's past and its future through the stories of seven people whose lives have become inextricably bound to it: a huckster, a field researcher, a farmer, a ginseng "missionary," a criminal investigator, a broker, and a cancer researcher. Each of these individuals brings a different perspective to the elusive root -- and each is consumed by a different dream. Kristin Johannsen threads her way though remote woodlands in the Appalachians to observe the fragile plants slowly putting out leaves as part of a three-year growing cycle, during which time the ginseng is vulnerable to both poachers and growing suburban sprawl. She contrasts this with the huge commercial growing fields of Marathon County, Wisconsin, where among potato fields and paper mills, ninety percent of the country's ginseng is produced. Johannsen explores the brisk black market trade in the panacean root and the efforts to save the wild species and its native habitat, and she ends her story in the laboratory, where researchers are investigating ginseng's anti-cancer properties. An absorbing journey into the many worlds of this mysterious and potent plant, Ginseng Dreams tells the extraordinary story of America's little-known natural treasure and the spell it casts on those who seek it.

ISA has developed a series of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for the purpose of interpreting tree care standards and providing guidelines of practice for arborists, tree workers, and the people who employ their services. This BMP is intended to serve as a guide for arborists to assess tree risk as accurately and consistently as possible, to evaluate that risk, and to recommend measures that achieve an acceptable level of risk. It also serves as a companion publication for the American National Standard for Tree Care Operations-Tree, Shrub and Other Woody Plant Management-Standard Practices (Tree Risk Assessment a. Tree Failure). Chapters in this BMP include: Risk Assessment Basics. Levels and Scope of Tree Risk Assessment. Assessing Targets, Sites, and Trees. Tree Risk Categorization. Risk Mitigation: Preventive and Remedial Actions. Risk Reporting. Tree Related Conflicts That Can Be a Source of Risk. Loads on Trees. Structural Defects and Conditions That Affect Likelihood of Failure. Response Growth. Description of Selected Types of Advanced Tree Risk Assessments.

An intimate look at one majestic hundred-year-old oak tree through four seasons--and the reality of global climate change it reveals. In the life of this one grand oak, we can see for ourselves the results of one hundred years of rapid environmental change. It's leafing out earlier, and dropping its leaves later as the climate warms. Even the inner workings of individual leaves have changed to accommodate more CO2 in our atmosphere. Climate science can seem dense, remote, and abstract. But through the lens of this one tree, it becomes immediate and intimate. In Witness Tree, environmental reporter Lynda V. Mapes takes us through her year living with one red oak at the Harvard Forest. We learn about carbon cycles and leaf physiology, but also experience the seasons as people have for centuries, watching for each new bud, and listening for each new bird and frog call in spring. We savor the cadence of falling autumn leaves, and glory of snow and starry winter nights. Lynda takes us along as she climbs high into the oak's swaying boughs, and scientists core deep into the oak's heartwood, dig into its roots and probe the teeming life of the soil. She brings us eye-level with garter snakes and newts, and alongside the squirrels and jays devouring the oak's acorns. Season by season she reveals the secrets of trees, how they work, and sustain a vast community of lives, including our own. The oak is a living timeline and witness to climate change. While stark in its implications, Witness Tree is a beautiful and lyrical read, rich in detail, sweeps of weather, history, people, and animals. It is a story rooted in hope, beauty, wonder, and the possibility of renewal in people's connection to nature.

Foraged food is surprising in its flavour, unusual texture, fresh colour and nutritional value. As more people become familiar with the idea of finding food in the woods, lakeside, or on their favorite hiking trail, they begin to notice the world around them in a new way. Now it's time to discover the many surprisingly edible plants found in backyards, lawns and parks. Foraging doesn't have to be hard or scary. Backyard Foraging brings foraging home to the neighbourhood. There's the lawn full of sheep sorrel, chickweed, dandelion and pineapple weed. Vacant lots host edibles like sumac, purslane, or Japanese knotweed. And even urban parks may offer up garlic mustard, milkweed, gingko nuts, daylilies and elderberries.

Unleash your inner geek and let this irreverent romp through the wonders of the garden yield practical results. Curious why caressing your cucumber plants will help them bear more fruit? Or why you should grow oranges from seed even if the fruit is inedible? Or why trees need to sleep and how to help them? Join acclaimed gardener, scientist, and author Lee Reich on a journey through the delights of your garden in this laugh-out-loud treatise on the scientific wonders of plants and soil. Offering eye-opening insight and practical guidance, coverage includes: How to maximize both flavor and nutrition in your garden bounty Helping plants thrive during drought Outwitting weeds by understanding their nature Making the best use of compost Tips on pruning and orchard care Why the dead language of Latin can make you a better gardener. The Ever Curious Gardener is an irreverent romp through the natural science of plants and soil, ideal for newer gardeners moving beyond back-of-the-seed-pack planting to experienced gardeners whose curiosity at the wonders of cultivation grows deeper and stronger with each season.

Marfa Garden is a full-color celebration of more than sixty flowering plants of the Chihuahuan Desert and neighboring regions. Marfa, the internationally acclaimed arts and cultural mecca in Far West Texas, sits squarely in the Chihuahuan Desert-North America's second largest at 140,000 square miles spanning northern Mexico, West Texas, and parts of New Mexico and Arizona. The desert is a surprising showcase for colorful plant diversity. Presented in a style reminiscent of naturalist Karl Blossfeldt's Art Forms in Nature, the book includes an array of vines, grasses, trees, herbs, shrubs, cacti, and succulents ranging from the little known to the popular to the iconic. Photographs show the plants in year-round cycles, with buds, complex foliage, unfolding blooms, seed pods, and winter texture and color. Also included is a discussion of each plant's common and scientific names, historical information, garden use, USDA classification, and other helpful details. A visual appendix of detailed botanical and gardening information consists of illustrations relating close-up botanical details. Everyday gardeners, naturalists, landscape designers, architects, and anyone interested in dry gardens or the Southwest will find great value and joy in Marfa Garden.

Fungi are diverse, delicious and sometimes deadly. With interest in foraging for wild food on the rise, learning to accurately identify fungi reduces both poisoning risk to humans and harm to the environment. This extensively illustrated guide takes a 'slow mushrooming' approach - providing the information to correctly identify a few edible species thoroughly, rather than many superficially. Wild Mushrooming: A Guide for Foragers melds scientific and cultural knowledge with stunning photography to present a new way of looking at fungi. It models 'ecological foraging' - an approach based on care, conservation and a deep understanding of ecosystem dynamics. Sections on where, when and how to find fungi guide the forager in the identification of 10 edible species. Diagnostic information on toxic fungi and lookalike species helps to differentiate the desirable from the deadly. Wild Mushrooming then takes us into the kitchen with cooking techniques and 29 recipes from a variety of cuisines that can be adapted for both foraged and cultivated fungi. Developing the skills to find fungi requires slowness, not speed. This guide provides the necessary information for the safe collection of fungi, and is essential reading for fungus enthusiasts, ecologists, conservationists, medical professionals and anyone interested in the natural world. Features Provides basic guidance on how to find, collect, identify and prepare 10 wild fungus species Stunning full colour photographs and diagrams help readers identify fungi Includes 29 recipes that readers can follow using foraged or cultivated fungi

This manual is a valuable tool for both the expert and novice risk assessor, and will quickly become one of the most referenced resources on your bookshelf. As the companion publication for the Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) course, the manual provides a systematic and structured approach to tree risk assessment, including levels of assessment, target and site assessment, tree biology and mechanics, tree inspection, mitigation, and reporting. Download printable Basic Tree Risk Assessment Form. [If you plan to take the Tree Risk Assessment Qualification course please be advised that a copy of the Tree Risk Assessment Manual will be provided as part of the registration fee.]

North Carolina's 1.2 million acres of national forestland are some of our state's most distinctive and botanically diverse areas. Veteran nature writer Johnny Molloy welcomes you to enjoy these beautiful and often surprising wild areas, guiding you safely there and back again. Molloy renders the sometimes primitive trails accessible to both beginner and more intrepid hikers, from families with small children to dedicated wilderness wanderers. Spotlighting the best hikes in all four of North Carolina's national forests--Nantahala, Pisgah, Uwharrie, and Croatan, ranging from the mountains to the coast--this book includes some of the state's most heralded destinations and invites you to explore many lesser-known gems. Features include A hike summary, including distance, time, and difficulty of each trip Detailed instructions to keep you on the trail GPS coordinates of every trailhead, a narrative of the hike, and can't-miss features A cultural and natural history of each area Best seasons to go Fees and permits, as well as contact information for each area Photos and maps to orient you

The beautiful Sussex estate of Wakehurst covers 465 acres and is brimming with rare and extraordinary plants from around the temperate world. The Wakehurst Guide reveals the history of this ancient part of the Weald, the plantsmen who created the gardens, and how it has become a pioneer in local and international conservation projects. From recommending what to see in each season to insights into each part of the gardens - from the formal walled gardens to the peaceful woodlands and Westwood Lake - this book is an essential guide to this unique place for both regular and first-time visitors alike.

"Wild Edible Mushrooms "aids mushroom hunters and armchair naturalists alike with finding, harvesting, preparing, and enjoying North American wild mushrooms. Detailed descriptions and color photos of forty edible mushrooms--including scientific and common names, habitat, odor, taste, fruiting time, and more--are accompanied by more than 100 mushroom recipes. Hope Miller's introduction includes reasons to make mushrooms part of one's diet (nutrients, medicinal, taste, cost), cautions (allergies and toxins), tips on caring for and preparing mushrooms (drying, freezing, preserving, canning, pickling), and illustrations to help identify different parts of each mushroom.

How the Indians, pioneers, and the early Spanish-Americans used many of the common wild plants for food, and medicinal uses, also including making shelters or making artifacts. This book has the answers Young Bracken fern shoots substitute for asparagus, clover for tea. Try a decoction made from mugwort next time you get poison oak. Plants are listed in categories such as water plants, shrubs, herbs, trees, vines with an illustration to help in identification. Warning is given to avoid poisonous plants.

This field guide dedicated to wildlife of Shenandoah National Park is an information-packed book that introduces park visitors to animals, plants, insects and more that reside in the Shenandoah Valley in a colorful, easy-to-use package. Including full-color photos and easy-to-understand descriptions and with full cooperation from the park association, this book will appeal to the 1.1 million visitors who travel to Shenandoah every year.

A photographic guide to 536 species of plant galls found west of the Rockies Beautiful and bizarre, plant galls are growths of various shapes, sizes, and colors produced in response to invading organisms. Describing 536 species of galls and their causative agents, Plant Galls of the Western United States explores this unique realm with stunning photos and fascinating information about the life cycles of the organisms involved. Often species-specific, plant galls can be shaped like stars, baskets, clubs, wigs, bowls, and cups, with colors and combinations that stagger the imagination. This richly illustrated field guide examines how galls develop, and their uses, seasonal appearance and growth rate, predators, and defense mechanisms. The "architects" of galls-bacteria, fungi, mites, moths, beetles, flies, midges, and wasps-are explored in depth, and descriptions are paired with illustrations of these gall-inducing organisms and their typical galls. Gall accounts are divided into those that occur on trees, shrubs, and miscellaneous hosts, including native and ornamental plants. The guide contains a useful glossary and a bibliography. Features 536 gall species-including 120 new to science and 232 that have never appeared in a field guide before Examines for the first time more than 90 species from southwestern oak trees Contains more than 150 species from most of the deserts of the western states

Designed to aid in the identification of over 4250 cultivated trees, shrubs and climbers of the world, this reference guide provides easy-to-access photographic information on a vast range of plants. The guide briefly descibes each genus, providing details of the country of origin, climatic preference, planting use and propogation method. Photographs of relevant species for that genus are shown along with a brief text giving their common name or names and typical characteristics and growth habits. All the plants are listed in alphabetical order by genus.

Nestled within our green and pleasant land lies pockets of emerald trees. Their roots search deep into the ground and the branches reach high towards the sun. For centuries some of these have stood watching and listening to the human creatures living among them, hearing their stories and remembering. What mysteries could these woodlands tell if the trees could speak? Stories of brave deeds and foolish, star-crossed lovers, of monsters, giants and witches, hobs and kings. Discover the secrets of our forests in this engaging collection of folk tales.

Drawing on sources from archaeology and written texts, the author brings out the full significance of trees in both pagan and Christian Anglo-Saxon religion. Trees were of fundamental importance in Anglo-Saxon material culture - but they were also a powerful presence in Anglo-Saxon religion before and after the introduction of Christianity. This book shows that they remained prominentin early English Christianity, and indeed that they may have played a crucial role in mediating the transition between ancient beliefs and the new faith. It argues that certain characteristics of sacred trees in England can be determined from insular contexts alone, independent of comparative evidence from culturally related peoples. This nevertheless suggests the existence of traditions comparable to those found in Scandinavia and Germany. Tree symbolismhelped early English Christians to understand how the beliefs of their ancestors about trees, posts, and pillars paralleled the appearance of similar objects in the Old Testament. In this way, the religious symbols of their forebears were aligned with precursors to the cross in Scripture. Literary evidence from England and Scandinavia similarly indicates a shared tradition of associations between the bodies of humans, trees, and other plant-life. Though potentially ancient, these ideas flourished amongst the abundance of vegetative symbolism found in the Christian tradition. MICHAEL D.J. BINTLEY is Senior Lecturer in Medieval Literature at Canterbury Christ Church University.