Sweat Lodge and Willow Branches

[drjnhoffman]

Hello all! I am in the process of building a sweat lodge and I was wondering if anyone knows of a place nearby to find some nice willow growing. I would love to cut them fresh. Thanks!

[Marty M]

Hello Drjnhoffman,

Just a heads up.
Willow grows as a native plant along our creeks and streams. It is part of the natural ecosystem in Northern California. One purpose it serves, is of shading the water in the creeks, keeping it from getting too warm. When the water in the creek gets too warm, then microorganisms can flourish. Some of these microorganisms are pathogenic to salmon and other fish.

Many volunteer hours have been dedicated to creek restoration in our county, which includes the re-planting of willows. A few years ago elementary schools across the county took on the task of this re-planting. These children have much pride in their work of ecosystem restoration. Now there are controversial laws about whether school children should be allowed to do this.

The Riparian Habitat, the plants and animals that border our creeks, is a protected corridor in many parts of the county. Farmers are not allowed to use land within a certain number of feet of a creek that runs through their property. These were hard won laws. The "Is it the fish or us?" kind of mentality, and "I can't believe that a fish is more important than a person".

The real problem as I see it is there are just too many people using too many of the Earth's resources. You are probably just one person who is gathering a few branches for your personal use. And of course that would be fine under normal circumstances. I ask that you be very sensitive to how and where you harvest these branches.

Willow grows very easily. You could get a one gallon ($8.00?) container from a native plant nursery, and plant it on your property. Willow requires allot of water, otherwise it would be easy to grow. One caution, do not plant it on top of your septic or leach field system as the roots in their search for water will grow into your drain pipes and clog them. An expensive mess you probably don't need.

I write this, not to criticize you personally, but to encourage people to have a broader field of vision. What appears as a completely innocent action, may be tied to a big part of the health of our planet.

Thank you for reading this and being more aware.
Marty

Hello all! I am in the process of building a sweat lodge and I was wondering if anyone knows of a place nearby to find some nice willow growing. I would love to cut them fresh. Thanks!

[tommy]

Look along the Russian River, or Austin Creek, near Cazadero. It grows like a weed. Wear good boots, have some sharp cutting shears.