Tree power at museum

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

By Henry Sweets

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-When Carrie Geraci heard Nalini Nadkarni on National Public Radio, the forest ecology professor from Oregon was explaining a project with NASA that counted every tree in the world.

Geraci, director for the Center of Wonder said she was intrigued by Nadkarni, the “Queen of Canopy Research” and thought the dancer-turned-ecologist would be able to appeal to a broad spectrum of Jackson residents with her blend of science, spiritualism and passion for trees.

She invited Nadkarni to speak in Jackson, and also convinced her to teach a few workshops, open to the public, in the top of a Lodgepole pine tree near Phillips Canyon. Participants will learn to jumar themselves up to a platform in the top of the tree, where Nadkarni will talk about the canopy there.

Nadkarni spends much of her time in the canopy of rain forests. She shoots a cable into the branches, hauls herself up with mountain climbing equipment and studies the species of plants and animals that live there. It is an emerging field of science, she said, that has only taken off since scientists figured out how to safely, and harmlessly travel to the canopy to study it.

But Nadkarni’s more interesting exploits happen outside of the classroom, giving sermons about trees in churches, and starting moss farms in prisons, to name a couple.

In her presentation at National Museum of Wildlife Art, Nadkarni will talk about a moss-growing program she started in a prison, which has now turned into a program at four different prisons that includes an organic garden, worm composting and breeding of an endangered frog.

Nadkarini said bringing prisoners into nature has drastically improved their lives. She said that trees have special powers that people shouldn’t be deprived of.
 “Many religions view trees as connecting earth with the heavens, and many cultures find peace and serenity when they are with trees,” Nadkarni said. “I think that pretty much all cultures, all religions for that matter, have lots of references to trees in their holy scriptures.” JHW

Nadkarni’s presentation Our Intimate Connection to the Trees is 7:30 p.m., June 23, at the National Museum of Wildlife Art. She will also speak on a panel, 7:30 p.m., June 24, at the Center for the Arts. The workshops are 8 to 11 a.m. for educators, professionals and artists, and noon to 3 p.m. for middle- and high-school students, June 23 and 24 on Teton Pass. 734-0570.

Courtesy photo
Nalini Nadkarni will conduct workshops on Teton Pass.

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