Introduction

Hi my name is Nancy and I have lived in Anchorage for the last 4 years. I currently work on JBER as an ecology technician and have been doing bird, small mammal, and vegetation surveys around the base. I love to hike and berry pick in the summers to make …

Introduction

Hi Everyone! My name is Lauren and I am really excited for this class. I’m from Anchorage and live here currently while working towards my general associates degree. My great grandparents arrived here in the 40’s and I figure they had to know a lot about nature and the wild …

Introduction

Hi everyone! My name is Katie, I am from North Carolina and Ive lived in Alaska for 2 years. I spent 6 years on the road hitch hiking and hopping freight trains, and while I was doing that I would carry a book with me about local flora based on …

Introduction

Hello Class, My name is Jasmine Chavez. I am a second semester Junior at UAA. My degree is a BS in Aviation Technology emphasis in Professional Piloting. I will hopefully be graduating next May. I am taking this class as an elective. I chose it because it seemed very interesting, …

Trim Nick

Hello Steffi and Classmates! My name is Trim Nick (given first name Joseph, but I go by my nickname, Trim). I am Yup’ik, and indigenous to the Southwestern Alaska village of Nunapicuaq (Nunapitchuk), which is situated on the Johnson River thirty miles northwest (more north) of Bethel. Through the years, …

Introduction

Hello everyone! My name is Andrew and I was born here in Fairbanks and reside in the North Pole area. As a kid, I was always running off into the woods and exploring everything it had to offer (I spent a lot of time poking mushrooms with cool sticks I found). Growing up my family took part in beekeeping for a few years, and rows of fireweed would grow along side the hives which would always make delicious honey. Today I still enjoy exploring and other outdoor activities like hiking, camping, kayaking, and fishing, and I try to get out in the sun a couple times every week. I am excited to learn more about the local vegetation since I enjoy blueberry picking around places that are outside of town and full of life. So far I have brewed blueberry mead with the blueberries I picked, which turned out to be pretty good. The image I chose is one I took when we were keeping bees and one happened to land on a wild flower next to me.

Introduction

Hi! My name is AJ. I was born and raised in Alaska where I continue to reside, indefinitely. I honestly don’t think I will ever move out of this beautiful state (even though I am not a fan of the snow). I am enrolled in the UAF Elementary Education program and am expecting to graduate this coming spring after completing my internship during the 2022-23 school year. I currently live in the Meadow Lakes area, but I enjoy venturing out further in order to see new scenery that Alaska has to offer. I am taking this class for several reasons, but one of them is that I have always found Alaska flora to be very interesting as it has so many uses. For example, I enjoy making fireweed jelly and tea from the fireweed plant ( Chamerion Angustifolium). Even dandelions have their uses that I was not aware of until I became an adult. I hope to gain knowledge from this class that I will be able to pass along to my children that I homeschool as well as any students that I may have in the future as well.

The image I have selected is of a Pumpkin Berry also called Timberberry, Dogberry, and Northern Commandra. The scientific name for it is Geocaulon Lividum. These actually grow in the wooded area around my yard. When these berries are fully developed they are a bright pumpkin orange and even look to have lined sections like pumpkins. The fruits will not be fully developed until august. These berries honestly are not used all that much even though they are edible, this is due to them not being very tasteful. I have also found that they can cause disease in surrounding plants and to be mindful of yellow veined leaves that carry this disease.