Exploring Native Species and Seeds: Collecting and Spreading

At the heart of every Nomadic Steward, there lies a constant search and wanderlust for new native seeds and species- I myself constantly search and explore and gather different species from wherever I go as I explore various sites and states. I’m also a huge fan of embarking on expeditions to collect plants, seeds, and tree saplings/starts; it’s hard to depict the beauty and soul-fulfillment of immersing yourself in the wilderness with bare necessities and participating with everything you see. Most of these trips last around 2-3 weeks for me. Each plant and seed has a unique soul and character, and a unique microbiome niche to fill in every landscape. Some are spread for erosion, others as food sources for wildlife, others to attract local & native pollinators, some will put nutrients back in the soil through their roots, some even for fire prevention or flooding regulation… but what remains consistent with all native species is importance they play in soil, ecosystem, and wildlife restoration+ expansion.

During these expeditions I consider myself very blessed and very thankful to learn about & observe the profound, larger-scale patterns and systems that take place in the various woodlands I’ve visited. The succession of natives to invasives back to natives, the spreading of different colonies and die-backs of others, how each plant and tree expresses itself in different circumstances and times of season… not too disimilar from us ;) And over time I’ve come to realize that not only can we be beneficial to areas we regularly travel through (by foot or horse or goat; not car or dirt bike or four wheeler) and present more and more abundance of food over time simply by harvesting things that don’t benefit that land while spreading seeds of things that do. Combine that with a SHIT TON of research and collaborating with any indigenous tribes in the area for a dive and wisdom… simply go at a pace that is able to keep you in presence and peace and over time the forest and the valleys and the mountains and rivers and oceans… they’ll show you exactly what to do next. Experiment with it, be honest in your reflection on how things interact and work, and grow with it. Then pass that knowledge to your peers and elders and youth; expand it and reintroduce it. With humans, our ideas and our knowledge are the most precious seeds we can nutrtue. Even by spreading these concepts or ideas through passive conversation, you too can start to revive that passion and that participation in people.

And by immersing ourselves in the natural world; collaborating with local communities of plants and humans alike; we can all gain a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of the living beings that exist in tandem with us; the importance of preserving and expanding that life as much as we possibly can. All of this here; the website, writings, videos, sweat and time, connecting with others… I want this to be as aninspiration and library for sharing the methods and techniques I and hopefully soon others use for this journey and practice of regenerating and coexisting with any and all landscapes we can.

So on that note, do your research & harvest and spread some seeds, remove some invasives, make some homemade fertilizer or worm castings and add them to the soil, grow some food… but whatever you do, enjoy it :D

I wish you all luck on your own paths and journeys though enacting or learning about this practice- feed your light and passion and keep journeying as though life is a wonderful adventure my friends :)