Welcome to my photoblog on:
Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center
Above: Photo taken during the Resource Conservation Workshop I attended at NC State University over the summer.
My name is James. I am a senior at South Johnston High School in Benson, NC.
I love the outdoors and plan to make a career out of environmental science or biotechnology. I'm not positive as to my major as of this moment, but conservation is high on my list.
We inherited a pristine planet. It is my hope that we leave our planet clean, healthy and rich with resources for future generations. Please consider voting for politicians that are environmentally conscious.
I plan to utilize technology, social media and photography in hopes to inspire and motivate others to get outdoors, to enjoy and treasure the many diverse resources this state has to offer. It is a concern to me that people my age seem less interested in being outdoors and enjoying nature. Sure we have many involved in team sports, and that is great, but what about our state parks?
We are becoming a society that is heavily influenced by social media. Most everyone today is involved in some form of social media be it for personal or business purposes. My thought is engage others on this social platform for the benefit of our natural resources and our state parks. It is also a way for me to share my love of nature with others. So I hope you enjoy my photoblog on Howell Woods. I plan to start other photoblogs featuring different NC State Parks in the near future.
If you've been to my photoblog before, welcome back. If this is your first time visiting my photoblog, thanks for stopping by and please follow me on facebook for updates. Below there's the link to my facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Photoblog-By-James-Howell-Woods/233829593470397
To learn more about Howell Woods, please see my previous posts for info, photos, and videos.
If you've never been to Howell Woods I hope this blog will peak your interest enough that you will visit. It is a treasure located in Johnston County and one of my favorite places.
To visit the Howell Woods website, click on the link below.
http://www.johnstoncc.edu/howellwoods/
Jordan Astoske
Director of Howell Woods
jtastoske@johnstoncc.edu
(919) 938-0115 ext. 221
"Have a great day, spend it outdoors!"
James
All photos were taken by and are copyright property of James and Wade Giddens
_________________________
September 2014
GO NATIVE
This month I am featuring native plants. Howell Woods has over 2,800 acres of native
plants and a native plant garden as well.
Through the hard work and dedication of Stephen Ashby and others, what
was once just grounds around the learning center has been transformed into a
native plant garden. Below are photos of
some of the plants in the garden.
Native plants have always provided not
only sources of food but also medicinal and environmental purposes. Native Americans have used plants for
medicinal purposes for thousands of years.
Today, native plants are used in
scientific research for a multitude of purposes.
One of my resources for this blog is the North Carolina Native Plant Society
Here’s a link to the North
Carolina Native Plant Society:
This link below will help with plant identification
Most native plants have medicinal and other uses. Many holistic communities and people in search of home remedies use plants for multiple reasons. Even my grandmother and father too like to use plants or herbs for things like a common cold. I'm giving this site as reference only and I'm using the text below as an example of what you'll find on the website. If you're interested in learning more, click the link and type in the name of a plant in the search bar.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/herb_All.html
Passionflower is used for sleep problems (insomnia), gastrointestinal
(GI) upset related to anxiety or nervousness, generalized anxiety
disorder (GAD), and relieving symptoms related to narcotic drug
withdrawal.
Passionflower is also used for seizures, hysteria, asthma, symptoms of
menopause, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), nervousness
and excitability, palpitations, irregular heartbeat, high blood
pressure, fibromyalgia, and pain relief.
Some people apply passionflower to the skin for hemorrhoids, burns, and pain and swelling (inflammation).
In foods and beverages, passionflower extract is used as a flavoring.
Here's the link for the entire article:
Passionflower is also used for seizures, hysteria, asthma, symptoms of menopause, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), nervousness and excitability, palpitations, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, fibromyalgia, and pain relief.
Some people apply passionflower to the skin for hemorrhoids, burns, and pain and swelling (inflammation).
In foods and beverages, passionflower extract is used as a flavoring.
Persimmon
Water lilies
Equisetum-Horsetail plant
Crossvine
Calico Aster
Pawpaw
Wild Oats
Joe Pye Weed
Witch Hazel
Sassafras
Hickory
Mulberry
Bluebird enjoying the birdbath
Iris
Dill
Vegetable garden
Container plants under the overhang at the Learning Center:
Vegetable garden
